Unable to figure out why the Contour tool doesn't like my text

[Wayne Burrows]

Hello All,

I am unable to figure out why sometimes the contour tool works just fine when I apply it to text, but most times it doesn't perform correctly. Within the video, I show what it is doing with me trying to apply it to the word 'contour' and then I show how it correctly performs with the box underneath. No matter if I increase or decrease the pixel size of the text, I get the same results seen in this video.

Can anybody see if I'm doing something wrong when trying to manipulate the text? I barely try to use this tool because it's been doing this since 2023 (through all of the different updates during that span of time) and I just gave up trying - but now I am determined to add it to my 'creative arsenal' so I'm forcing myself now to figure out what is going on with this thing.

Thanx
WB

[thomaso]

I don't know if that's a culprit but your Context Toolbar looks like cropped at its left edge, the tool name and the options "Fill", "Stroke", "Stroke Properties" aren't displayed.

https://affinity.help/designer2/English.lproj/index.html?page=pages/Tools/tools_contour.html&title=Contour Tool

Compare V1:

[Old Bruce]

Try changing the Mitre to something higher than 1. I get some weird slow down and redraw issues when I set mine to 1.

Also it could be that the font (Basic Red) is messing it up.

[Wayne Burrows]

6 minutes ago, Old Bruce said:

Try changing the Mitre to something higher than 1. I get some weird slow down and redraw issues when I set mine to 1.

Also it could be that the font (Basic Red) is messing it up.

Lol. I forgot to mention - When I first started trying to get it to work correctly, the mitre was actually higher. I just happened to leave it at 1 once I started recording. I've had it up as high as 10. It didn't change a thing. And the font that I have it as now is about the 4th different font that I've used. I am unable to get the results that shows in the video to change one iota. But Again - it's MOST of the time. Every blue moon it acts as if nothing is wrong with it.

@thomaso - I didn't notice that at first - But I don't believe that is connected to my issue. I've gone back over a few tutorials and courses just now and a couple don't have them showing up on their context tool bar either.

#Stumped 🫤

[thomaso]

15 minutes ago, Old Bruce said:

Try changing the Mitre to something higher than 1. I get some weird slow down and redraw issues when I set mine to 1.

Do the "type" options visually affect text to you? To me in V1 the three "type" options aren't active with text (= don't react) but with curves only.

[kenmcd]

Hard to see in your video, but it looks like there are some artifacts.

This may be caused by defects in the font outlines (kinks, collinear lines etc.).
Since it is a CF font, the quality is suspect.

Would have to see the font.
You can PM it to me if you would like me to check it.
(and perhaps fix it if it is not too much)

[Wayne Burrows]

3 hours ago, kenmcd said:

Hard to see in your video, but it looks like there are some artifacts.

This may be caused by defects in the font outlines (kinks, collinear lines etc.).
Since it is a CF font, the quality is suspect.

When you say 'artifacts' (I've seen the word used from time to time in the Affinity space, but have never taken the time to learn its actual definition) I am assuming you are referring to the visual >imperfections<?? If so, I just figured that was how this particular font was intentionally created. (for unique appearance purposes) But... I have dealt with this foolishness while 'trial and erroring' my way thru many fonts over the past year or so. I, of course, always choose the more bold fonts in efforts to get the desired contour effect.

And aside from Creative Fabrica, I have to say that the majority of my fonts have come from various sites on the web. Some purchased - most free.

[kenmcd]

Yes, visual artifacts.
But I am not sure what I am seeing in the video.

There have been issues before with the manipulation of font outlines when converting to shapes, or when adding a stroke, etc. where font defects (or simply unusually close nodes) affected the shape - and visual artifacts appeared to tell us "something is wrong."

Given that this is a single font (not one in a family created from multiple masters), it could be kinks or whatever.
Or simply another bug.
Dunno. Without eliminating the font as the problem, we are just guessing.

 

[Wayne Burrows]

1 hour ago, kenmcd said:

Given that this is a single font (not one in a family created from multiple masters), it could be kinks or whatever.
Or simply another bug.
Dunno. Without eliminating the font as the problem, we are just guessing.

Okay, I believe I follow you.

Well that is why I demonstrated that this is happening with any font that I use. I figured that each and every font isn't going to have embedded artifacts that won't allow the Contours effect to perform accordingly. That's my 'non-expert' assumption anyway.

As of right now, this tool is the only one that I has given me issues for the 2 years that I have been using Affinity. At least to this level anyway.

[Wayne Burrows]

5 hours ago, thomaso said:

Do the "type" options visually affect text to you? To me in V1 the three "type" options aren't active with text (= don't react) but with curves only.

The different 'type' options do not change anything at all. Exact same results.