Selecting a single line in Designer (and not the ones it's attached to)

[colinml]

Another Designer newbie question.  Imagine a square.  I want to select one line of the 4 in order to edit it.  (I'm adding a seam allowance to a pattern, but the particulars aren't important).  As far as I can tell, I must first convert to curves, then select the node tool, then right click on the points at each end of the line, choosing "break curve" each time,  then select the move tool and, then, finally, select the line I want to edit.  Is it really that many actions just to select a single line, or is there a more efficient way?  Thanks!

Edited January 18 by colinml
clarity

[loukash]

2 hours ago, colinml said:

is there a more efficient way?

There are many ways to achieve certain goals.

2 hours ago, colinml said:

the particulars aren't important

Except that sometimes they are…  
Like: Does it have to be a single object at all? Can't you just add more objects and simply group them?
Or convert to curves and merge them all at once after you have them all ready?
Or use advanced tools like the Shape Builder?

2 hours ago, colinml said:

Designer newbie

Make sure you watch the official video tutorials to make yourself familiar with various techniques. It takes some time to get an overview. 

[colinml]

If I knew the answer to any of your questions, I wouldn’t need to ask here.   

[firstdefence]

3 hours ago, colinml said:

Another Designer newbie question.  Imagine a square.  I want to select one line of the 4 in order to edit it.  (I'm adding a seam allowance to a pattern, but the particulars aren't important).  As far as I can tell, I must first convert to curves, then select the node tool, then right click on the points at each end of the line, choosing "break curve" each time,  then select the move tool and, then, finally, select the line I want to edit.  Is it really that many actions just to select a single line, or is there a more efficient way?  Thanks!

Short answer yes, albeit with a bit of streamlining

1. If you are using the shape tools, create a shape and convert to curves (If you are tracing or just using the pen tool (P) there is no need to convert to curves.)
2. With the curves layer selected and node node tool (A) selected, press and hold Shift to select the nodes points you want to break, then use the context menu above the workspace to break at those node points.
   
3. Now you can select the line you want to edit.

[GarryP]

3 hours ago, colinml said:

Imagine a square.  I want to select one line of the 4 in order to edit it.

If you find yourself doing this often then you might like to have a look at using Assets.

See attached video for a basic example. (You would probably take more time creating the original design before making it into an asset.)

[colinml]

21 minutes ago, firstdefence said:

Short answer yes, albeit with a bit of streamlining

1. If you are using the shape tools, create a shape and convert to curves (If you are tracing or just using the pen tool (P) there is no need to convert to curves.)
2. With the curves layer selected and node node tool (A) selected, press and hold Shift to select the nodes points you want to break, then use the context menu above the workspace to break at those node points.
   
3. Now you can select the line you want to edit.

Thank you.  Yes, that streamlines it a little. Appreciate the help!

[colinml]

16 minutes ago, GarryP said:

If you find yourself doing this often then you might like to have a look at using Assets.

See attached video for a basic example. (You would probably take more time creating the original design before making it into an asset.)

I’ll have to study this some more.  Thanks for taking the time to make this video.  This may indeed be something I need to incorporate.
 

It’s so frustrating being at the beginning of the learning curve because I know there must be a good reason why something as (seemingly) simple as selecting a line would involve multiple steps, but I just don’t have enough experience to be able to comprehend the reason.  So I end up just wondering if I’m doing it wrong, especially after reading everything in the help menu and watching every video with “selecting” or “selection” in the title, and not finding anything related to my question.

[loukash]

19 minutes ago, colinml said:

there must be a good reason why something as (seemingly) simple as selecting a line would involve multiple steps

Because predefined shapes created with the dedicated shape tools are meant for what they are: shapes you want to use as is, without involving multiple steps. And vice versa, having to create many of those predefined shapes from the scratch would definitely involve multiple complex steps.

So if you need a specific complex shape, then you may e.g. want to create it with the Pen tool from the scratch.
Or you can combine multiple simple objects into a complex shape using the Shape Builder tool, or the Boolean tools in the main toolbar.

19 minutes ago, colinml said:

It’s so frustrating being at the beginning of the learning curve

We all have been through that at some point in time…  
Try to turn this "frustration" into fun learning new tricks.

As already noted, do not underestimate the power of the video tutorials: affinity.serif.com/learn/designer/desktop
I'm no newbie to the subject at all, having started in the late 1980s with layout apps like the Aldus PageMaker. Still, I have watched all those tutorials and I have enjoyed them, always learning something new, finding there details I wasn't aware of yet.

[thomaso]

4 hours ago, colinml said:

 (I'm adding a seam allowance to a pattern, but the particulars aren't important)

Adding a seam allowance to a pattern, with unimportant particulars, makes me think of the Contour Tool:

Another approach could add stroke(s) to the existing shapes via the Appearance Panel. Depending on the details it needs different workflows and settings. – Alternately you could use a (image) brush which has an offset from its centre.

[colinml]

19 minutes ago, thomaso said:

Adding a seam allowance to a pattern, with unimportant particulars, makes me think of the Contour Tool:

 

Another approach could add stroke(s) to the existing shapes via the Appearance Panel. Depending on the details it needs different workflows and settings. – Alternately you could use a (image) brush which has an offset from its centre.

Yes, I was using some brushes created by a user that she made specifically for adding seam allowances.  The problem I was having was that I was struggling to figure out how to NOT add seam allowance to some lines, and that led me to figuring out how to select only certain lines to add seam allowance to.

[colinml]

33 minutes ago, loukash said:

...So if you need a specific complex shape, then you may e.g. want to create it with the Pen tool from the scratch....

If I draw a square with the pen tool, I still need to do the same steps in order to subsequently select just one line, so I'm not sure what you mean.

33 minutes ago, loukash said:

As already noted, do not underestimate the power of the video tutorials: affinity.serif.com/learn/designer/desktop
I'm no newbie to the subject at all, having started in the late 1980s with layout apps like the Aldus PageMaker. Still, I have watched all those tutorials and I have enjoyed them, always learning something new, finding there details I wasn't aware of yet.

Why do you assume I haven't been watching the videos or that I underestimate their value?

[loukash]

5 minutes ago, colinml said:

I'm not sure what you mean

This:

41 minutes ago, loukash said:

predefined shapes created with the dedicated shape tools are meant for what they are: shapes you want to use as is, without involving multiple steps

So e.g. the purpose of the Rectangle tool is, being able to create rectangles in one step and to keep them that way.
Logically, to break such a predefined shape apart will then require specific additional steps, starting with Convert To Curve and defining which nodes to break. The software can't read the user's mind to decide this on its own.

So depending on the complexity of the result you're aiming at, it may be faster or more efficient to begin from the "opposite" direction, e.g. by using the Pen tool and various aligning and snapping aids to construct a shape from the scratch.

9 minutes ago, colinml said:

Why do you assume I haven't been watching the videos or that I underestimate their value?

My apologies. I shouldn't have skipped those telepathy lessons while I was in the primary school I guess…  

[colinml]

29 minutes ago, loukash said:

This:

So e.g. the purpose of the Rectangle tool is, being able to create rectangles in one step and to keep them that way.
Logically, to break such a predefined shape apart will then require specific additional steps, starting with Convert To Curve and defining which nodes to break. The software can't read the user's mind to decide this on its own.

So depending on the complexity of the result you're aiming at, it may be faster or more efficient to begin from the "opposite" direction, e.g. by using the Pen tool and various aligning and snapping aids to construct a shape from the scratch.

My apologies. I shouldn't have skipped those telepathy lessons while I was in the primary school I guess… 

[R C-R]

5 hours ago, colinml said:

Why do you assume I haven't been watching the videos or that I underestimate their value?

Possibly because you mentioned being a newbie at the beginning of the learning curve and/or because the videos explain various ways to do what you are asking about.

[colinml]

Just following up to say that many of my questions I've had about *why* things work the way they do are being cleared up as I go to make changes in an existing drawing.  Thanks to everyone who offered guidance.

[thomaso]

20 hours ago, colinml said:

 Imagine a square.  I want to select one line of the 4 in order to edit it. (...) I must first convert to curves, then select the node tool, then right click on the points at each end of the line, choosing "break curve" each time,  then select the move tool and, then, finally, select the line I want to edit.

1 hour ago, colinml said:

about *why* things work the way they do

You might like this square. – Just choose "Convert to Curves" to get 4 lines. –  Or: choose "Geometry Add" to get 2 squares, invisible … ;•)

square4lines.afdesign