Any way to perfectly align handles?

[HydroJLW]

Hi,

Sorry if this has been asked before, but I can't seem to figure out a way to make sure handles are perfectly aligned. I would like to make sure the shape/angles in the attached image are symmetrical and the same thickness throughout - I know I could also possibly use the pen tool, but is there a best way to do this, whilst making sure that the shape is even/symmetrical?

Thank you,

Jack

[thomaso]

There is no option to move the handles of several selected nodes "synchronously" … or to move handles of different nodes at a time at all. Alternatively there are various possible workflows:

A. For symmetric objects another workflow would be to create one half of the wanted object, then copy + flip this and merge the two curves / join according nodes to one common node.

B. If you prefer to drag the node handles the various snapping options may help + display guides and sizes. Also creating custom guides as snapping axis or cross point. Instead of custom guides any extra object (e.g. rectangle) can get aligned with the wanted object + used as snapping edges for the node handle dragging.

C. Another option in your shown example would be to copy + move + edit the black ellipse to achieve the gray object.

D. Finally a special feature of "auto-node-adjustment" may be useful in your situation (unfortunately I don't know the true / official Affinity name). Therefore you select certain nodes of the object to edit, –> select a "target" object (not its nodes), –>  drag one node onto one of the target and hold a moment. This will move the nodes + their handles as "copies" of the used target object without changing the unselected nodes – like so at 1:05 min …

[HydroJLW]

3 minutes ago, thomaso said:

There is no option to move the handles of several selected nodes "synchronously" … or to move more than one handle at a time at all. Alternatively there are various possible workflows:

A. For symmetric objects another workflow would be to create one half of the wanted object, then copy + flip this and merge the two curves / join according nodes to one common node.

B. If you prefer to drag the node handles the various snapping options may help + display guides and sizes. Also creating custom guides as snapping axis or cross point.

C. Another option in your shown example would be to copy + move + edit the black ellipse to achieve the gray object.

D. Finally a special feature of "auto-node-adjustment" may be useful in your situation (unfortunately I don't know the true / official Affinity name). Therefore you select certain nodes of the object to edit, –> select a "target" object (not its nodes), –>  drag one node onto one of the target and hold a moment. This will move the nodes + their handles as "copies" of the used target object without changing the unselected nodes – like so at 1:05 min …

 

Amazing, thank you so much! - That's very helpful 😄

In my case, I ended up using 2 circles and a rectangle to make the shape in a symmetrical way, similar to your suggestion A, which seemed to work well in this instance. I will definitely be putting the rest of the above to use soon as well.

Cheers,

Jack

[Oufti]

59 minutes ago, thomaso said:

A. For symmetric objects another workflow would be to create one half of the wanted object, then copy + flip this and merge the two curves / join according nodes to one common node.

This is what I would have done, even with the shape as it is: I would cut vertically in the center, then mirror an half and join it back. 

In v2, there is the Knife tool that's handy for that:

https://affinity.help/designer2/English.lproj/pages/Tools/tools_knife.html 

[HydroJLW]

5 minutes ago, Oufti said:

This what I would have done, even with the shape as it is: I would cut vertically in the center, then mirror an half and join it back. 

In v2, there is the Knife tool that's handy for that:

https://affinity.help/designer2/English.lproj/pages/Tools/tools_knife.html 

Thanks @Oufti, I appreciate the reply. I will check out the knife tool - haven't had to use it yet!

[Oufti]

I'm not found of videos but this demo could be interesting… 

 

[thomaso]

13 minutes ago, Oufti said:

could be interesting

It is! But also it points me to a question: Are such sliced / merged curves in V2 not named with plural s anymore?

[lepr]

2 hours ago, thomaso said:

Are such sliced / merged curves in V2 not named with plural s anymore?

They do get the plural name, but the Layers panel doesn't always update immediately. That happens with a few particular operations in v1, also. If you force an update by modifying the stacking order or toggling the visibility of some object, then the name will become Curves.

[thomaso]

18 minutes ago, lepr said:

the Layers panel doesn't always update immediately. That happens with a few particular operations in v1, also.

I thought so first from my experience in V1 – but then I was wondering because the layer thumbnail got updated / re-rendered while the "Curve" type remained singular until the end of the video. – However, good to know, thank you!

[v_kyr]

As always many ways lead to rome, for symetrical side objects one can also make use of symbols in ADe, so ...

E. For two sided symmetric objects another workflow would be to create one half of the wanted object and make a Symbol out of it, then copy + flip this and use the whole in an mirrored fashion...

 

 

[R C-R]

5 hours ago, thomaso said:

D. Finally a special feature of "auto-node-adjustment" may be useful in your situation (unfortunately I don't know the true / official Affinity name).

I don't think it has a name. At least it is not named in the Edit Curves and Shapes help page. All it says there is:

Quote

▼ To copy control handle length/direction from another curve's node:

• Drag a node from one curve directly over another on a second selected curve until the cursor changes to two overlapping squares, then wait until the node's handles adjust to their new positions.

So I think yours is as good a name as any.