Delete unnecessary nodes and keep the curve

[Simei Smoler]

Is there a tool to remove unnecessary and excess nodes to form a curve?
For example, a circle only needs 4 nodes to be formed, but if it has 200 nodes, is there a tool to clean it up and keep only the 4 necessary?

[MikeTO]

You might want to check out this thread:

 

[Simei Smoler]

I'm going to post the tool I've always used in Corel to reduce the number of nodes as an example to see if there's something similar in Affinity Designer.

I'm abandoning Corel because I really liked Affinity Designer and I'm looking to see if the good Corel tools exist in Affinity.

[HCl]

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[karenlepage]

I actually have been paying $100+ annually for this functionality in illustrator as a plug-in for nearly a decade. I absolutely need it for working between CAD and vector illustration software. I was so excited to see "smooth" curve, thinking it would help, but it doesn't maintain the shape. Making sewing patterns requires precision, and removing extraneous nodes would help me make the jump to Affinity full-time. 

Are node tools going to be improved in upcoming releases? I would love to recommend Affinity Suite to my clients and fellow patternmakers, but as it is, it's not precise enough.

[lacerto]

5 hours ago, karenlepage said:

I actually have been paying $100+ annually for this functionality in illustrator as a plug-in for nearly a decade.

I wonder why? Isn't the native functionality enough? This is from CS6 (perpetual license, no need to pay since 2012):

In modern version the functionality has further been improved, but perhaps there is a specific functionality that is only available in an external plugin?

[karenlepage]

1 minute ago, lacerto said:

I wonder why? Isn't the native functionality enough? This is from CS6 (perpetual license, no need to pay since 2012):

 

In modern version the functionality has further been improved, but perhaps there is a specific functionality that is only available in an external plugin?

No, unfortunately it is not accurate enough for my work. Vector First Aid from Astute Graphics is the plugin I use, and it's also able to move the remaining points to tangents without changing the shape, and while leaving sharp points/nodes as they are.  As it stands, I am still paying for Adobe and AG for this feature alone, even though I'd love to switch over to Affinity for all my work.  

[lacerto]

2 hours ago, karenlepage said:

Vector First Aid from Astute Graphics is the plugin I use

Yes, it is an excellent package worth every penny, even if you'd need only one of its many features! I would not expect Affinity Designer to have any time soon natively anything that comes even close to functionality offered by this expert package. 

Unfortunately it also seems that there is no way Designer can have this kind of functionality from a third party, not at least by AG:

 

[karenlepage]

Oh, I'm aware I can't use the plugins with affinity designer, but I still want to be able to simplify paths without losing their shape, or I'm stuck with adobe monthly + AG annual subscriptions for the rest of my work life, when all I use is vector first aid and occasionally pathfinder.

I think drawing my technical illustrations is *so* much easier and intuitive in affinity, so I would love to say goodbye forever to adobe, but the CAD part of my work makes so many nodes that need simplification before I can use them for my weirdly specific purposes.

[Bound by Beans]

9 minutes ago, karenlepage said:

Oh, I'm aware I can't use the plugins with affinity designer, but I still want to be able to simplify paths without losing their shape, or I'm stuck with adobe monthly + AG annual subscriptions for the rest of my work life, when all I use is vector first aid and occasionally pathfinder.

I think drawing my technical illustrations is *so* much easier and intuitive in affinity, so I would love to say goodbye forever to adobe, but the CAD part of my work makes so many nodes that need simplification before I can use them for my weirdly specific purposes.

Yes, Affinity makes you want to create, but Serif’s algorithms will make your eyes water. They’re simply poor, and when what you're creating is serious—not cartoons and clipart, but logos and other work where the output must be precise and professional—they just can’t be used.

Vectorstyler can simplify curves exactly how you want, to the point where you almost sing with delight when you see how few nodes are needed. That’s because the developer behind Vectorstyler is incredibly skilled. That’s why I use Vectorstyler for vector graphics and serious work + output, and Affinity for illustrations that are going to be rasterized anyway.

It has never succeeded Serif to create anything better than these mediocre algorithms, so do you think it’ll get better? They would need to involve one or more other developers and rewrite the very core of Affinity before that could happen. And that won’t be in 2025. I also doubt it’s something they’ll ever prioritize, since neither their nor Canvas’s target audience seems to have the kind of professional needs that attract customers to Astute and Adobe. I’m pointing this out to reiterate that Affinity was never meant to be — and isn’t going to become — a real competitor to Illustrator.

[karenlepage]

Thanks @Bound by Beans - I don't do logo work, but I do make technical illustrations that need to be vector until they are final (and because I keep a library for re-use in my personal workflow) and agree that affinity does make me want to create, so I'm quite happy with my universal license purchase. 

I even enjoy drawing my vector diagrams on the ipad which until now was just a very expensive media screen. I haven't even started exploring the pixel persona yet, which I'm sure I'll enjoy when I can make time to do personal projects. 

I tried Inkscape, too, and will keep giving it a chance from time to time, but I definitely prefer Designer's tools and the ease with which I can simply start working every time I open the app.