Deleting A Point Makes Outline Invisible

[bendangelo]

I uploaded a video. I'm on 1.8.6 Designer. Create a triangle of three points, then delete one of them, then the outline becomes invisible.

[loukash]

Because "Align Stroke to Inside".
If you switch the remaining path to "Align Stroke to Center", it reappears.
If you switch to "Align Stroke to Outside", it doubles. (Huh?)

Hm.
Not sure if it's a bug or a… "feature"?
Thinking of it, there seems to be some logic in the math though. But perhaps that's just me.

[loukash]

2 minutes ago, loukash said:

there seems to be some logic in the math though

And I think now I understand what kind of "logic" it is:
It's likely the same "logic" that falsely assumes that any open path is actually "closed".
Compare my bug report here:

My verdict:
It's a bug.

[lepr]

1 hour ago, loukash said:

It's a bug.

Not a bug, in my opinion.

Deleting one node of the closed triangular path should only remove that node from the path so the resulting path remains closed with two nodes and two coinciding linear segments, which is what happens.

Since no area is enclosed by the linear shape, an inside aligned stroke is not rendered at all.

An outside aligned stroke is rendered around the outside of the zero-area linear shape, so the appearance can be mistaken for a double-width centre aligned stroke on a single linear segment.

The outside half of a centre aligned stroke is rendered around the outside of the zero-area linear shape, so the appearance can be mistaken for an entire centre aligned stroke on a single linear segment.

 

[loukash]

2 hours ago, anon2 said:

Deleting one node of the closed triangular path should only remove that node from the path so the resulting path remains closed with two nodes and two coinciding linear segments, which is what happens.

Fair enough, that would explain the "logic". Real life experience notwithstanding.
So, alright, let's say it's not a "bug".
It's a Bad Thing™.

[lepr]

1 minute ago, loukash said:

Real life experience notwithstanding.

Imagine the closed triangle is a rubber band stretched around three pins knocked into the surface of a desk. Think about what would happen when you remove one pin.

[loukash]

3 hours ago, anon2 said:

Imagine the closed triangle is a rubber band stretched around three pins knocked into the surface of a desk.

I have now no problem imagining that, now that I know what happens.
It's just not what an average Jane Doe like my puny self would expect to happen when all you see is a line but you can't make it visible.
It's a WYSIWYG app. You know there should be a line, but you can't see it, and it's not immediately obvious why. It doesn't add up from the UX point of view, even though the math is apparently "correct".
That's the Bad Thing™.

Just checked the same example InDesign CS5.5 and Illustrator CS5:

• ID will assume that "inside" is "outside" at the same time. You'll always see a "double" line. Confusing, but at least you'll still see something. The path remains "closed", and if you add a new node, you can drag it to make it a triangle again.
• AI will automatically open the path if you delete one node. You'll get a plain open line, with the stroke being centered, regardless the previous align state. That's how I'd expect it to behave.

[Jowday]

2 hours ago, loukash said:

• AI will automatically open the path if you delete one node. You'll get a plain open line, with the stroke being centered, regardless the previous align state. That's how I'd expect it to behave.

Indeed and I could imagine that this is simply an unhandled scenario in Affinity Designer that needs to be fixed/handled. Not a deliberate design choice. 

[bendangelo]

9 hours ago, loukash said:

• AI will automatically open the path if you delete one node. You'll get a plain open line, with the stroke being centered, regardless the previous align state. That's how I'd expect it to behave.

I like this solution, because to me it was not obvious why I couldn't see an outline.

[Jowday]

9 hours ago, bendangelo said:

I like this solution, because to me it was not obvious why I couldn't see an outline.

Yes - and it is exactly what it is. A solution. Automagically applied so you just focus on drawing and the computer assists in cases like this. 

[Sean P]

Hi bendangelo,

Thanks for letting  us know - there is definitely something a little strange going on here. When Align Inner or Outer is used with an Open Curve, it should just fall back to Align Centre. This can be seen if you create a new open curve - trying to apply either Align Inner or Outer will just show them as Align Centre.

However in the case when the curve is opened, it fails to display them as you've experienced. I'll get this passed on to development to be looked into.

[lepr]

1 hour ago, Sean P said:

Hi bendangelo,

Thanks for letting  us know - there is definitely something a little strange going on here. When Align Inner or Outer is used with an Open Curve, it should just fall back to Align Centre. This can be seen if you create a new open curve - trying to apply either Align Inner or Outer will just show them as Align Centre.

However in the case when the curve is opened, it fails to display them as you've experienced. I'll get this passed on to development to be looked into.

The curve is not being opened when a node is deleted. The closed path with two nodes is being rendered correctly. I explained what is happening.

[Sean P]

43 minutes ago, anon2 said:

The curve is not being opened when a node is deleted. The closed path with two nodes is being rendered correctly. I explained what is happening.

Ahh sorry my apologies - everything is currently a little bit manic right now! Yes I do see that now - it is with development to be looked into still