Smart corners similar to Ai?

[Jensen]

Is there a feature similar to the smart corners in Illusitrator? That seems like the only thing I'm missing while trying to switch over.

[MEB]

Hi Jensen,

Welcome to Affinity forums.

Regarding your question, no there isn't one yet, but some developers have hinted about it, so you can expect some surprises soon.

[retrograde]

Yes this would be very helpful to have in AD. I wasn't aware of this in Ai...

[MaxClass]

All,

 

Not really sure if this is the correct location for this comment but here goes.

 

I want to draw a path that is made up of a series of lines and curve segments in any order.

 

 

DISCOVERED:

 

Start with the pen tool. Make any straight line segment then holding down the option key place the pen on the last point and drag a handle, say 90 degrees from the line and continue drawing one or more curve segments. Works perfectly and creates a perfectly square corner with a curve attached to the straight line.

 

PROBLEM:

 

Once you have drawn the curve segment I have found no way (and I have tried everything) to then connect another straight line segment onto a curved segment of the path in the same or similar manner. Illustrator lets you do this either way.

 

If I try to use the option click or any other key combination to add a straight line segment it always adds a curve handle to the straight line attempt.

 

We should be able to add any combination of line/curve segments to any given path.

 

I have tried the three options following “Convert:” in the toolbar but none produce the correct results.

 

QUESTIONS:

 

What is the way around this or the correct method to accomplish this simple task?

 

Is allowing this currently under consideration?

 

Max



[MattP]

You can Alt (option) - click any off-curve handle in either the Pen or Node tool and it will be removed, allowing for a sharp corner, if that's what you mean? Alt-clicking the on-curve node will remove both of its neighbour off-curve handles too

[MaxClass]

MattP,

 

Tried you solution and it does work but you have to create the line segment first (which will add a handle) then go back and delete the handle. A tad clumsy but workable.

 

Odd that you do not have to do that when going from a line segment to a curve segment in any given path but that the same technique does not allow you to go from a curve segment to a line segment although there is a way to get around it. Did play with it as you described and it does work.

 

Something to consider looking into for a future release.

 

Thanks,

 

Max



[MattP]

Hi Max,

 

I'm still not completely sure what you mean - I'm pretty certain our Pen Tool is one of the most complete you could possibly find, so I'm surprised if we've overlooked something - if so, we'll definitely rectify it.

 

Any chance of a simple explanatory image or maybe even recording your screen in QuickTime to show what you're trying to achieve? It's late so I'm probably being silly, sorry! :S

 

Thanks,

Matt

[MaxClass]

MattP,

 

I’l describe a very simple path with three segments and see if it makes sense. A straight line, one curve and another straight line to end it.

 

Start with the pen tool near the left side. Make a straight line to the right about two inches long. From that point hold down the option key and drag a handle down from the last point about an inch to start a curve segment at what would be the 9:00 o'clock position of a curve then create a curve point at the 6:00 o'clock position below and to the right. Now try to create a straight line segment straight down from the 6:00 o'clock point of the curve without it creating a curve handle at the starting 6:00 o'clock point.

 

This is the exact opposite of starting the first curve from the straight line segment. But, trying to add a straight line segment down from the curve always puts in a curve handle which you have to go back and delete the handle from the downward position of the beginning of the straight line pointing downwards.

 

I actually just tried this during this message and it always puts in the handle at the end point of the curve and the starting point for the straight line portion making a smooth point instead of a corner point.

 

Hope this helps explain it in the simplest terms.

 

Max



[MattP]

Hi Max,

 

Is this what you mean?

 

PenTool.mov

 

I just clicked that off-curve handle with Alt pressed and it disappears. In Illustrator you have to go back to the on-curve handle and Alt-click it to achieve the same thing. In our next beta you will be able to additionally do this so that Illustrator users realise we have this functionality :)

 

Thanks,

Matt

[MaxClass]

Hi Max,

 

Is this what you mean?

 

PenTool.mov

 

I just clicked that off-curve handle with Alt pressed and it disappears. In Illustrator you have to go back to the on-curve handle and Alt-click it to achieve the same thing. In our next beta you will be able to additionally do this so that Illustrator users realise we have this functionality :)

 

Thanks,

Matt

 

Matt,

 

That is exactly what I was looking for and your drawing follows exactly what I described.

 

So, when you make the second curve point and drag out the handle you then ‘option-click’ (a Mac does not have ‘Alt’) on the extended handle point to remove it thereby now making it a corner point, then continue drawing a straight line segment.

 

This works perfectly once you understand exactly how to do it. I seriously doubt I am the only one that didn’t figure that out. Maybe I need to experiment more more often. It just didn’t quite seem intuitive though.

 

Thank you very much for the help on this point.

 

Max



[MattP]

Hi Max,

 

Glad that was what you were looking for. I'm not aware of a faster way to achieve that in Illustrator? If there is then please let me know and we can consider how it would fit in with our tool :)

 

My MacBook Pros (2013 model and 2008 model) and iMac keyboard all have an 'alt' key (which is labelled with the word 'alt' printed on it, hence why I used the term so that anyone looking at their keyboard will know which one to press :) I'm aware that the official name is 'Option', but anyone unfamiliar with that term will wonder what I mean, so for the sake of helping as many people as possible here, I've just used the term 'Alt' as it's written on the keyboard itself so is easy to find. In theory, I suppose it would be better to type ⌥ as that is both the correct identifier and is printed on the keyboard so would be best of all.

 

Thanks again,

Matt

[MaxClass]

Matt,

 

I have been thinking this over and here is my current thoughts.

 

Since you can use the “option-click” at the end of a straight line segment to change the next segment from a line to a curve why not consider using the same “option-click” on the last point of a curve segment to automatically remove the extending handle and start a straight line segment to follow.

 

This would make all segment changes simple an “option-click” away.

 

Just my thoughts on this.

 

Max



[MattP]

Hi Max,

 

As I mentioned in my reply to you with the movie, this is an extra tweak that we've already put in for the next beta, so hopefully it'll be what you're after :)

 

Thanks,

Matt