Why can’t I find edit handles for a copied gradient?

[LionelD]

Found this on M3 MBP with Sequoia 15.2, Designer 2.5.7

I can’t find the controls to edit a copied stroke style.  Don’t see them anywhere, but if I rotate the gradient (after telling gradient tool to show what it has for the stroke), you can see the appearance of the stroke on the curve at left change.  So, it’s there, no visible edit handles.  The way the copied stroke changes makes me believe it has changed effective size, but that may just be due to the relative positions of the underlying stroke and the gradient controls.

I have attached a document with history that shows the whole process, from document create to vanishing gradient.

Is there a way to find the gradient handles/controls for the copied gradient?  Please note: gradient was copied from curve on the right to the curve on the left, so the gradient handles/controls I’m looking for are whatever is attached to the curve at left).  The last few steps in the history are me poking around trying to find the gradient handles.

I can reproduce this at will on my iPad (iPadOS 18.2.1, Designer 2 v2.5.7) too.

EDIT: I see that the history refers to “line fill”.  While I assume that’s technically correct, I am working with the Stroke.  No Fills anywhere in the attached file.

Regards

Lionel

Gradient Stroke.afdesign

Edited January 21 by LionelD
Clarity: gradient context toolbar changes when the Style is applied to the curve at left (that’s actually the first curve I created)

[GarryP]

If you select the layer on the right, select the Gradient Tool, and then change the Context from Fill to Stroke on the Context Toolbar you should see the gradient stops.

See attached image.

Edit: After re-reading the post I don't think this is what you want, but I'll leave it in in case it's useful for someone else.

Edited January 21 by GarryP
Added note.

[LionelD]

Yes, I tried that too.  I can edit the gradient on the right, the one on the left is the problem.  After creating the gradient stroke ion the right I copied that object (CMD-C) and did Paste Style on the left (CMD Shift-V) on the left.  When I do the paste with the stroke context toolbar showing, it changes immediately to reflect the fact the left curve now has a gradient stroke.  And that’s the gradient for which I can’t find edit handles/controls.  Clicking on the gradient thumbnail in the context toolbar shows the expected gradient with it’s stops, but not the handles for the gradient, so there’s no way to move the gradient with respect to the stroke.

Curve at right is always well-behaved.

Thanks for your quick response.

Regards

Lionel

Edited January 21 by LionelD
Typo

[Hangman]

Hi @LionelD,

I'm not entirely sure what is going on but changing the stroke from Linear to Solid and back to Linear reveals the Gradient handles after which you can apply the gradient from the right curve...

[LionelD]

@Hangman Thanks, that’s reassuring (for my sanity), even though it amounts to applying the desired gradient manually when a copy is what is required.  I have one document with hundreds of gradient strokes, so I need to find a more workable approach.

I’ve tried creating a Style, but that seems to disregard the gradient.  I’ve tried the Style Picker, but that fails too - perhaps the Style Picker does not handle gradients?  Gradients do not appear explicitly in the Style Picker context toolbar, and I haven’t yet found an option in that toolbar that reproduces the gradient.  Perhaps I’m looking in the wrong place, or hoping for too much?

The only approach that seems to work is to duplicate the object, move it into the correct position using the Move tool, editing the new object’s shape/size as required, and then adjusting the gradient to match.  At least this keeps the gradient and the edit handles intact.  But it’s painful in my circumstances.

Thanks again.

Lionel 

Edited January 21 by LionelD
typo

[LionelD]

@Hangman  My apologies - I posted before I watched your video, and that makes a very big difference, thanks.  I never thought of using the gradients from the source you used, learned something new today!

Regards

Lionel

[Hangman]

@LionelD,

It's happening because the gradient has been added as a Style and Styles can't be edited which is why you don't see the Gradient handles for the left curve but hopefully, the approach shown in the screen recording gives you a workable solution...

[LionelD]

@Hangman Thanks, I’m now able to replicate what you showed in that video, and that will make a very big difference for me.

Regards

Lionel

[Hangman]

@LionelD,

No problem, happy I could help...