Inset Path Tool

[lettergothic]

"A true outline tool is in the Affinity Designer roadmap, and will arrive some time before version 2.0 . . ."

an Inset Path Tool for irregular shape path inset — PLEASE!  This is basic and an essential tool for logo design.

Thanks,

lettergothic

[firstdefence]

There is already the contour tool in the beta version of Affinity Designer.

 

[lettergothic]

Thanks for responding.

The inner path is similar to the outer path but obviously it's not a smaller size duplicate of the outer path. I need the inner path to be an exact, smaller version of the outside path, as it is in Ai. Is that possible?

thanks,

lettergothic

[firstdefence]

Do you mean Adobe Illustrators offset path, which the Contour tool is comparable too?

Offset and contour is -3mm

[Solivan]

The contour tool is a wonderful development. I look forward to its public release. If I may, firstdefence, what are the options provided when using the tool? Can you keep the original shape?

[lettergothic]

On 1/17/2021 at 5:00 PM, firstdefence said:

Do you mean Adobe Illustrators offset path, which the Contour tool is comparable too?

Offset and contour is -3mm

thanks, firstdefence,

This is great (how do I do this?) BUT, what I really need now are two identical paths, one inside the other (no fill). For example, in your demonstration (above), I would want a second--let's say identical, but thinner, cyan path--inside inside the existing cyan path--with the gray background visible in between the two paths (and how to do it...).

many thanks,

lettergothic 

[GarryP]

You can use the Appearance Panel in Designer to apply two different strokes to the curve or shape to get something like what I think you want but the two cyan lines might have to be the same width, see attached image.
If that’s not what you and then you might need to be a lot more precise when you talk about “inside”, “between”, “identical”, etc.

[lettergothic]

GarryP,

Thanks for responding.

"you might need to be a lot more precise when you talk about “inside”, “between”, “identical”, etc."

I'm not sure I know how to be more precise, but I'll give it another try:

First and foremost, above all, I want to be able to do, in Af Designer, what I've always been able to with the A. Illustrator "offset path" effect.

Imagine a closed, irregularly shaped path on a transparent b.g. with a stroke width (no fill) of 6 pts. I want an identically shaped stroke inset (inside of the orig. path) 6 pts from the original path with a 3 pt stroke width {no fill) on the same transparent b.g..  So, using your example, I want no gray fill; I want the inner cyan stroke to be half the thickness of the outer cyan stroke; I want the corner miters on the inner path to be identically scaled versions of the outer stroke corner miters (not rounded corners on the outer stroke vs. sharp corners on the inner stroke). I'd draw an example but I don't know to accomplish it--hence my posted question.  I hope that this is "a lot more precise". I can't think of a clearer way to say it. 😞

many thanks,

lettergothic

[prophet]

My best attempt without the offset tool (white and blue are both inner strokes). But fails the "corner miters on the inner path to be identically scaled versions of the outer stroke corner miters" requirement. Does the offset tool really do that?

[firstdefence]

 

[GarryP]

Is the attached what you want? (Colours are not what you specified but that’s easy to change.)
I created the original red shape, then set the Stroke Alignment to Outside, then gave it a 6pt Stroke Width, made the Join a Mitre Join and upped the Mitre setting to 3.
Then I duplicated the original (blue curve in attached image) and used the Contour Tool (in 1.9) to offset from the original curve by 6pt, then set the Stroke Alignment of the duplicate to Inside, then set the Stroke Width of the duplicate to 3pt, and set the Contour Type to Mitre.

[G13RL]

If the general shape does not need to be changed afterwards, you can draw it with an outline of the desired thickness for the final result. "Expand Stroke" and invert the colors. If needed, you can then modify the strokes individually after you have done "Layer", "Geometry", "Separate Curves".

[lettergothic]

On 1/27/2021 at 4:25 PM, firstdefence said:

 

 

[lettergothic]

firstdefence,

Thanks for sticking with it! Your solution looks like it ticks all the boxes! I'll be trying it myself, right away. Thanks as well for the helpful diagram. Now, all I need is for Affinty to implement a simple, 1-click solution for this.

lettergothic

 

[lettergothic]

13 hours ago, GarryP said:

Is the attached what you want? (Colours are not what you specified but that’s easy to change.)
I created the original red shape, then set the Stroke Alignment to Outside, then gave it a 6pt Stroke Width, made the Join a Mitre Join and upped the Mitre setting to 3.
Then I duplicated the original (blue curve in attached image) and used the Contour Tool (in 1.9) to offset from the original curve by 6pt, then set the Stroke Alignment of the duplicate to Inside, then set the Stroke Width of the duplicate to 3pt, and set the Contour Type to Mitre.

 

[lettergothic]

GarryP,

Thanks for responding! Your solution looks like it ticks all the boxes! I'll be trying it myself, right away. Thanks as well for the helpful, annotated screen shot. Now, all I need is for Affinty to implement a simple, 1-click solution for this.

lettergothic

[lettergothic]

11 hours ago, G13RL said:

If the general shape does not need to be changed afterwards, you can draw it with an outline of the desired thickness for the final result. "Expand Stroke" and invert the colors. If needed, you can then modify the strokes individually after you have done "Layer", "Geometry", "Separate Curves".

 

[lettergothic]

G13RL,

Thanks very much for responding Your solution looks like it ticks all the boxes! I'll be trying it right away. Thanks for the diagram. This looks like a alternate way to achieve my goal. Now, all I need is for Affinty to implement a simple, 1-click solution for this.

lettergothic

[G13RL]

You're welcome, hopefully this feature will be added soon!