Curve is invisible. I'd like to see it.

[Fizmarble]

I opened a file that I had last used in Designer V1, but this is in V2. Almost all of my image is present, but I can't see a single letter (that is actually a curve). If I use the select tool, it's just a rectangularish shape around it. If I select the node tool, I can see my curve's ghost. I can't (or don't know how to) apply any fill or stroke to it.

 

I found this thread, but I wasn't able to resolve my issue with the information included. Any ideas?

 

[Fizmarble]

I was able to select a node and choose "smooth node". That revealed my curve and I can now change its appearance and everything. I suppose the smooth node change modified the curve in some way, and it may not be exactly as it was, but at least I can see it.

[GarryP]

Even though the Stroke is set to 0pt (essentially invisible), the Fill is clearly Black at 100% Opacity (Colour Panel and Context Toolbar).
Also, the curve seems to be closed since the Close Curve button on the Context Toolbar is disabled, so I would expect to see a fill. (Even if it wasn’t closed I would expect to see a fill with that shape.)

My only guess at the moment – if it’s not the same problem as described in the linked thread – is that the Fill Mode could be causing a problem.
If you still have a copy of the document where the problem exists, try selecting a different Fill Mode from the Layer menu and see if that makes a difference.

If that doesn’t work, if you can upload a copy of the document where the problem is extant then we can have a look to see what else could be wrong – it could be a different but related bug which needs squashing.

[Fizmarble]

I, unfortunately, don't know exactly what the fill mode is. Is it solid vs. gradient and the like? Regardless, I've attached a copy of the file with only the problem curve. It sure seems like a bug to me, though I don't know how to replicate it. It was part of a symbol and a series of other letters, but those letters were all visible.

Invisible M.afdesign

[Old Bruce]

It is the Contour tool, tiny negative value. Set that to zero.

 

[Fizmarble]

7 minutes ago, Old Bruce said:

It is the Contour tool, tiny negative value. Set that to zero.

 

On other curves, I'm allowed to have a negative value. But I also noticed on this one when I increase the contour to positive values, it seems to increase stroke but not fill, which I'm sure I'm saying it wrong, but that's how it looks.

[Fizmarble]

For example. I copied the M and changed one node to smooth node, making it visible. Then I applied a contour of -0.014 to both curves. The one on the right is the "good" one. The one on the left is the original, uncooperative one.

[Dan C]

Thanks for providing a copy of your document @Fizmarble!

I can confirm there is an issue with this Curve object, specifically this node:

If you select this node and convert it to Smart, then back to Smooth, you should find the object is 'fixed' -

Do you recall the last steps you took with this Curve object, that may have corrupted this specific Node?

[Fizmarble]

18 minutes ago, Dan C said:

Thanks for providing a copy of your document @Fizmarble!

I can confirm there is an issue with this Curve object, specifically this node:

If you select this node and convert it to Smart, then back to Smooth, you should find the object is 'fixed' -

Do you recall the last steps you took with this Curve object, that may have corrupted this specific Node?

That information is gone with the seasons  I did your same steps to the node to the left of the one you highlighted and the same action occurred, so maybe they are buddies. Also, What's with this mess?

 

 

[thomaso]

10 hours ago, GarryP said:

the Fill Mode could be causing a problem.

1 hour ago, Fizmarble said:

fill mode … Is it solid vs. gradient and the like?

The fill mode influences the fill in cases where curve(s) of an object are crossing each other and need a decision about inside / outside. https://affinity.help/designer2/English.lproj/index.html?page=pages/CurvesShapes/fillMode.html?title=Fill modes

Your M doesn't look like this. Also overlapping nodes can make a fill colour disappear in an object  – but they also don't get fixed by your experienced "Smooth Node"/ "Smooth Curve" solution.

Below some examples of one certain object with nodes placed on top of each other. In the variants to the right some of its nodes got moved. Each figure is one single curve only with the identical number of nodes. Changing fill mode and/or smoothening doesn't influence the appearance of the fill:

 

1 hour ago, Fizmarble said:

It sure seems like a bug to me, though I don't know how to replicate it. It was part of a symbol and a series of other letters, but those letters were all visible.

If it is a bug you should be able to replicate the issue by creating an M with this font & size + convert it to curves again. Either directly in V2 or in V1 first.

You uploaded a V2 file that possibly was edited somehow. – Since the issue did not occur in V1 to you, can you upload the initial V1 document, too?

[Fizmarble]

2 minutes ago, thomaso said:

The fill mode influences the fill in cases where curve(s) of an object are crossing each other and need a decision about inside / outside. https://affinity.help/designer2/English.lproj/index.html?page=pages/CurvesShapes/fillMode.html?title=Fill modes

Your M doesn't look like this. Also overlapping nodes can make a fill colour disappear in an object  – but they also don't get fixed by your experienced "Smooth Node"/ "Smooth Curve" solution.

Below some examples of one certain object with nodes placed on top of each other. In the variants to the right some of its nodes got moved. Each figure is one single curve only with the identical number of nodes. Changing fill mode and/or smoothening doesn't influence the appearance of the fill:

If it is a bug you should be able to replicate the issue by creating an M with this font & size + convert it to curves again. Either directly in V2 or in V1 first.

You uploaded a V2 file that possibly was edited somehow. – Since the issue did not occur in V1 to you, can you upload the initial V1 document, too?

Thanks for the info on Fill Mode. Here is a little more about my "font". I downloaded the font Art Brush and modified the ends of the "brush stroke" in the letters to make them look how I want. So, they aren't simply text letters converted to a curve. They are text letters converted to curves and then manipulated. It seems that this manipulation may have done something awry. But it worked fine with the many other letters I created via the same process. Big shrug.

[Dan C]

18 hours ago, Fizmarble said:

That information is gone with the seasons  I did your same steps to the node to the left of the one you highlighted and the same action occurred, so maybe they are buddies. Also, What's with this mess?

No problem at all, I certainly understand - thanks for letting me know!

When you move this node, the fill is then reapplied to the shape... but as the fill should have already been visible before moving this node, it causes a redraw issue with the fill.

After moving (or converting) the node, if you zoom in/out from the canvas, this will force a redraw of all layers and should stop this occurring with the fill for this object.

This issue has been logged with our development team using a copy of your file for further investigation, to try and stop such issues occurring in the future.

I hope this helps