Draw object as vector (as default)

[WilliamH]

Is there a way to draw an object (eg. square/circle/trangle etc.) as a vector by default?

It's a bit unhandy that I need to convert it to curves everytime I want to modify it's form...

[Raskolnikov]

It would be a nice idea, I don't see the need of making an non-editable object.

[Dave Harris]

Most of our Shape objects are editable. Triangle is, for example. They are editable as shapes, which is at higher level than as curves. So for example, with a Star shape you can change the number of points, the inner radius, and how the points curve. If we automatically converted to curves we would lose that.

 

There was a previous suggestion that the Rectangle tool should create Rounded Rectangles with a radius of zero, and perhaps the Ellipse tool should create Donuts with a hole radius of zero. I don't think anything is lost by doing this and we'll probably do it at some stage.

 

Would it help if Convert to Curves was available on a Tool bar, and/or as a keyboard shortcut?

[Raskolnikov]

Would it help if Convert to Curves was available on a Tool bar, and/or as a keyboard shortcut?

 

I think having it on the toolbar (that menu over the tabs) while the forms tool it's selected would be great, :) and not having to select the "Move tool" everytime to make it appears.

 

 

There was a previous suggestion that the Rectangle tool should create Rounded Rectangles with a radius of zero, and perhaps the Ellipse tool should create Donuts with a hole radius of zero. I don't think anything is lost by doing this and we'll probably do it at some stage.

 

Glad to hear it :D Nothing would be lost, but a lot would be gained, even more simplicity and usability on the left tool bar.

[MaxClass]

How about this thought!

 

Only one rectangle tool, but, if before dragging it to shape the “option” key is depressed then it becomes a rounded rectangle instead. Two birds, one stone.

 

This would eliminate the need for a rounded rectangle tool plus provide for both in the same tool. Regular rectangles in the regular way. Option-drag and you get the “option” of a rounded rectangle with its specific capabilities.

 

How simple is that. Using the “Option” key give you the optional results.

 

Max



[Raskolnikov]

We have been discussing that here:

https://forum.affinity.serif.com/index.php?/topic/1260-applying-round-corners-to-a-box/&p=4900

[WilliamH]

...or a new, direct selection tool that edits the shape as a vector upon selecting.

(I keep missing at least one selection tool in the palette!) or a modifier key that converts on the fly when selecting the shape.

Now cmd-select and ctrl-select act as duplicate-item. Why not use one of these?

Or  kill the magnifier in the node select tool and replace it by a shape-to-vector converter. Who needs a magnifier? :)

 

To me: pressing extra buttons is not intuitive and if it's not a modifier key, I'd rather have a default setting that can be enabled/disabled in the prefs.

 

There's more;

- I can't move the shape with the node selection tool. Nor can I select all nodes (activate) of a vector while double-clicking the object.

- select-all does nothing when in tool mode node. so what's active now?

- You can't merge layers (you need to make a group, but if you ungroup this again, all the layers are back)

- the lock in the layerssection needs to be embedded in the layer-selector-line, not apart on top - too timeconsuming and userunfriendly.

- You give lots of forks and spoons... but there's no knife. I need a knife.

 

To my opinion: to get a good basis to convert AI or former FH users to AD adepts,

you need at least to mimic the tools they're used to use, and if possible make 'm even better.

But that is not the case in this release.

 

Users need to step in and feel home at once (at least, I do).

I'm not home yet. But I feel it's coming.

Anyhow: you at Serif did a great job so far and I hope you make it the new standard in vectordrawing

Adieu Dragon illustrator.

[MEB]

 

To my opinion: to get a good basis to convert AI or former FH users to AD adepts,

you need at least to mimic the tools they're used to use, and if possible make 'm even better.

But that is not the case in this release.

 

 

 

And so they need to mimic Illustrator, Freehand, Fireworks (yes there's some too) Corel and Xara workflows to please everyone, which equals to a big mess. Not to mention that some of those programs are old, use obsolete concepts/UX and/or doesn't offer nothing new.

What's the point in developing and launching a new software with a robust modern architecture if all that people ask is a clone of existing solutions? For that... just use the existing solutions.

[WilliamH]

The point is that the userinteraction in ai and fh is/was well thought out and results in fast, responsive and direct actions. Make 'm even better as they are now, but use an inguinity that is unsurpassable. Not by pushing 2 buttons and clicking three times, but to be able to do at least what you can do in AI: with just a modifier key. The toolsets you need - need to be where you need them, not in a menu or some clickbox on top of the screen, but right under your hand. Like I said, take the best of both worlds and make 'm better. There is no need to reinvent the wheel, there's need to make it roll smoother and faster and ingenious.

What I miss in AI, i'd like to see it in AD. What I missed in FH, i'd like to see it in AD. A once and for all and forevever- solution

 

As I understood, AD profiles itself as a competitor to AI, and as a substitute for FH. These two are/where the professionals choices, and AD needs to be the answer to that! Corel and xara are nice but were never adopted by professional designers. Canvas once did, but is on the same dead road as freehand.

But, that's just my opinion, of course.

[Ben]

Actually, I don't think we ever said we wanted to be a substitute for FH. We added FH import because there was clear demand, and we listened to requests on this forum from people who were FH users. If those requests didn't match our app, we didn't use them.

 

As MEB says, we are writing a new app, not just making a direct replacement for every other design app. Don't confuse us supporting common file formats as us replacing those apps outright. We have a very unique document model that allows us to do way more than other apps. We have a unique file format that gives us faster raster saving and loading than other apps, and allows us to deal with massive raster documents in a way that other apps can't. We have a more diverse set of live shapes, which we intend to build on.

 

We hope that Affinity will become the go-to suite for many people. You can argue about workflows and muscle memory, but every app out there has its owns methods and quirks, and people adopt them. Sometimes taking on these things just because one app did them before is not the best approach. We will never please everyone doing that. A number of threads on this forum show how polar people's views can be about a single feature. Who is more right? In the end we will try make the best choices based on our overall plan.

 

All views are welcome, but we can't make everyone happy all the time. You never know, in time you might refer to the way we did things in as much nostalgic light as AI and FH.

[WilliamH]

Super. i'll adapt, that's for sure. AD is superfast and I like that!