Precisely adding node / moving handles symmetrically ?

[madno]

Hi,

 

new to Affinity Designer (win beta). Want to replace old trustworthy Illustrator (sorry Adobe, I don't like your subscription).

 

The questions:

How to add a node exactly in the middle of a line?

How to move node handles symmetrically?

 

Please see screenshot:

 

 

Thanks for help

[MEB]

Hi madno,

Welcome to Affinity Forums :)

These operations weren't implemented yet. In the first case you can drag a guide to the middle of the object with snapping enabled as a workaround. Then click anywhere on the line to add the node and drag it to the center using the guide as reference.

In the second case if you press Shift while dragging one of the control handles it will snap to the same distance as the other (a small vertical line appear in the middle of each handle when they match). Currently there's no way to adjust both symmetrically simultaneously.

[madno]

Many thanks for the reply.

 

Second case works fine.

 

Regarding first case (guide and adding node snapped to it)

When I zoom into the image it seems the snapping does not work accurately. Maybe something is wrong with the snapping settings?

 

[Uuiop]

Hi madno. Maybe "Screen tolerance  = 20" a top of your screenshot?

[MEB]

Hi madno,

It should work with the settings you have selected.

Follow this order:

1. click to add the node (don't drag it)

2. press ⇧ (shift) to constrain the node movement to the horizontal axis, while you drag the node in direction of the guide.

3. when the node snaps to the guide, the guide should become green

 

This on a Mac. Let me know if you still have trouble and i will check on a Windows machine.

[madno]

Ok, got it.

 

thought snapping works when initially creating the node (first make guide -> mouse snaps to guide -> node is created at guide position).

But now I understand it works differently (make guide -> create node somewhere -> shift move node to guide)

So snapping to guide becomes available once a node exists.

 

Thanks.

[Ben]

Inserting a new node at a pre-snapped position hasn't been added yet.  I'll put it on the to-do list.

[Aammppaa]

@Ben From other threads I see that you are looking at node snapping at present, so will you be able to look at…

 

1. Inserting nodes at pre-snapped positions?

2. Symmetrically opposite movement of node control handles?

 

At present it is tedious to adjust one control handle (holding Shift to Constrain) and then go back to move the other side to match. I don't think that Ctrl modifier is used at present when moving control handles, so could this be the key to symmetrical movement?

 

Thanks

[Ben]

The Ctrl modifier is used to switch down to the Node tool from the Pen tool, so it is already used.

 

We will have to have a careful think about how we could offer symmetrical editing.  It would require some method of selection...

 

[lserpes]

Is this possible now? It's been three years.
 He can do that in the video, but it's not clear how it was done.

 

 

[lacerto]

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[firstdefence]

@lserpes Do you mean the enveloping (shaping) of the text?

If yes, then no there is no warp feature in Affinity Designer at the moment. Although in the video it is an epic (time consuming) workaround.

If no, then please explain a bit more about which part of the video relates to your possible question. 

[firstdefence]

From another post PixelPest suggested ArtText if you are on Mac and it's a faster way to get warped text into Affinity. If you are a windows user take a look at Xara until such time as Affinity get around to giving us warping capabilities.

As a side note the amount of nodes generated is a tad excessive. 

[lserpes]

5 hours ago, Lagarto said:

 To add a node at the middle of the vertical or horizontal line segment, I have not found other means than first dragging a guide, as it snaps in the selection (bounding) box middle point. Then the node tool snaps in the middle point, as well. I do not think that there is equivalent to e.g. CorelDRAW's plus key (or Illustrator's Object > Path > Add anchor points), which can be used to add a new node in the middle of two control points defining a line segment.

To move handles of a smooth node symmetrically with equal distances hold down the left and right mouse buttons while dragging (shift to constrain at 45 degrees angles). Note that if the node is not symmetrical, dragging this way does not make it symmetrical, either. To convert a node symmetrical (or at least behave as if it were symmetrical, as I do not think there is actually a symmetrical node type in Designer), the way I have done this is using the Pen Tool and clicking the node to be converted and then dragging (and holding down the shift key to constrain).

 

Thanks for the answer, but couldn't solve it.

[lserpes]

1 hour ago, firstdefence said:

@lserpes Do you mean the enveloping (shaping) of the text?

If yes, then no there is no warp feature in Affinity Designer at the moment. Although in the video it is an epic (time consuming) workaround.

If no, then please explain a bit more about which part of the video relates to your possible question. 

It is not distortion in the text. It is able to increase the curve of a knot equally to both sides. The video starts at 3:51

[MEB]

Hi lserpes,
Welcome to Affinity Forums
To make the handles longer or shorter at the same time (same length increase) press ctrl while dragging one of the handles.

If one of the handles is currently bigger longer than the other press and hold shift and drag it until you see a small vertical mark appears on both handles. It means the handles have now the same length. Then as said above press ctrl while dragging one of the handles to make both longer or shorter at the same time.

[lacerto]

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[lserpes]

1 hour ago, Lagarto said:

Para mover as alças de controle simetricamente em direções opostas: clique em uma das alças de controle com o botão esquerdo do mouse e, mantendo o botão esquerdo do mouse pressionado, pressione o botão direito do mouse e arraste. Contanto que você tenha os dois botões do mouse pressionados, as alças de controle se movem simetricamente.

Para forçar um nó suave simétrico: use a Ferramenta Caneta (não a ferramenta Nó) e clique no nó que você deseja tornar simétrico, mantenha pressionado o botão esquerdo do mouse e arraste, e as alças de controle se movem simetricamente.

Nos dois casos, você pode restringir o ângulo em incrementos de 45 graus, mantendo pressionada a tecla Shift.

Não consigo reproduzir nenhuma das operações Shift + Ctrl mencionadas. Em vez disso, pressionar o botão esquerdo e direito do mouse força esse comportamento (pelo menos no Windows). Talvez isso seja configurável?

It worked that way. Clicking both sides of the mouse!

 I use Windows 10.

Thank you!

[MEB]

2 hours ago, Lagarto said:

I cannot reproduce either of the mentioned Shift+ Ctrl operations. Instead, pressing down left and right mouse button forces this behavior (at least on Windows). Perhaps this is configurable?

The shortcuts i gave are for Mac. Didn't know the user was using Windows. Should have posted for both OS. And no, these are not configurable.

[lacerto]

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[MEB]

Hi Lagarto,
The shortcut is actually ctrl while dragging the node on Mac (not shift+ctrl as i said earlier). I've corrected/fixed the posts above to avoid more confusion.

Windows uses different shortcuts for a few things/operations because there's only three modifier keys available. macOS provides four.

The cmd key on Mac (the additional key modifier) was mapped to ctrl on Windows. The ctrl key on Mac was mapped to the right mouse button on Windows thus the differences you are seeing on functions that use those shortcuts. Here's the full list:

Mac Command key = Windows Ctrl key
Mac Shift key = Windows Shift key
Mac Alt key = Windows Alt key
Mac Ctrl key = Windows Right Mouse button

We are aware the right mouse button is not very intuitive or easy to use but that's how the current setup stands.

[lacerto]

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