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The only thing you are missing is all the requests for a path cutting tool (variously called a knife or scissors tool) that have been made since Designer was first released for the Mac.

 

For now, since AD does not (yet) have that tool, you must use workarounds, like the Boolean operations to cut apart overlapping closed paths or the Break Curve action on the Context menu for the Node tool (which only works on existing nodes & only one node at a time).

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I see I'm not the only person puzzled by the absence of this tool. And I appreciate all of your several posts over the last two years that explain that I should be able to select a node on a curve or on a shape, and then use the "Break Curve action on the context menu." 

 

But darned if I can find anything remotely resembling such a command anyplace on the screen or in the menus. I'm new to AD, but I gather that the "context menu" is supposed to appear immediately above the work space, after I have selected (and used) the node tool to select a node. If that's the context menu, then there simply ain't such a button or action that suggests I can "break curve." In my case , what I see for choices on the screen above the workspace includes just these choices: Corner...Fill...Stroke...(line thickness).. Corner type.. Radius.. Bake corners.

 

Can you give me a hint as to where to find the "break curve" action? (Affinity Designer 1.5.4 Yosemite OS 10.10.5)

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If you have used one of the shape tools, such as the rectangle tool, and then use either the "convert to curves" menu option, or click the widget for the same process, the node tool becomes active, and the break curve widget is available.

 

A vector shape can be modified by the available corner tool options for the defining nodes. Once the object has been converted to curves, the nodes can be individually modified by breaking, made sharp, etc. Note, if the node(s) are suitable, the corner tool can still reshape the line, but not in mass, but by selection.

 

If you are drawing a shape w. the pen tool, the break, close, and join options are always available. If you have used the pencil tool, you need to switch to the node tool to modify the "pencil" line.

 

With a little practice, it becomes routine.

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In my case , what I see for choices on the screen above the workspace includes just these choices: Corner...Fill...Stroke...(line thickness).. Corner type.. Radius.. Bake corners.

 

The options on the Context toolbar change according to the context, hence the toolbar's name. The options that you've described are for the Corner Tool, not the Node Tool.

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Affinity Designer/Photo/Publisher 2 for Windows • Windows 10 Home/Pro
Affinity Designer/Photo/Publisher 2 for iPad • iPadOS 17.4.1 (iPad 7th gen)

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I was hoping this fundamental tool, was resolved by now as I have just discovered Affinity Designer and the fact that its available for windows, desperate for a decent graphics functionality Prog to take over from Freehand and avoid having to use Photoshop to do the raster effects.

 

It is vital to have a very efficient trim tool, like CAD, select item to cut, then select item to cut or split with, bingo !  accurate cut made. Anywhere on a line or curve.

 

Could someone either do a video of this or point us to one ?

 

I am on the verge of getting this prog as its seems almost too good to be true, but this lack of easy tool is very worrying, especially after 2 years of folk asking. I fear it never will have one.

 

Steve1

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I am on the verge of getting this prog as its seems almost too good to be true, but this lack of easy tool is very worrying, especially after 2 years of folk asking. I fear it never will have one.

 Fear not! A Knife Tool is on the roadmap, which means we've been promised that it will be included in a free AD 1.5 update.

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Affinity Designer/Photo/Publisher 2 for Windows • Windows 10 Home/Pro
Affinity Designer/Photo/Publisher 2 for iPad • iPadOS 17.4.1 (iPad 7th gen)

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The options on the Context toolbar change according to the context, hence the toolbar's name. The options that you've described are for the Corner Tool, not the Node Tool.

Thanks to everybody who responded. I did eventually figure this out. Curves and lines can be divided... shapes cannot—except by Boolean operations. 

 

Like Steve1, I am a refugee from Freehand, the finest, fastest and most reliable and intuitive vector program ever built. Steve, I'm here to tell you I've tried 6 different alternatives to replace Freehand, and Affinity Designer comes the closest. It still has puzzling omissions, along with all its delightful additions. But it's stable, reliable and consistent. Not to mention astonishingly affordable. I sincerely hope that the very moderate cost does NOT mean the company will eventually be hurting for cash and have to sell out, as did Freehand. I have 25 years of Freehand files that are now, sadly, only accessible with the great pain of using an old Mac and sending them to my current machine. I hope the AD does not go the same route.

 

But Steve1, in the mean time, I have to admit that AD is a great, modern vector program that does not insist on a cloud model. Hallelujah! (Now we'll both hope to see a knife tool sometime in the future... and after that, I'll hope for named colors!)

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Hi Lew.Harriman,

I am running Freehand 9 (didnt like what they did to MX, minute data entry windows, couldnt tell if I had a 3 or an 8 in them, needed mm by default yet it insisted on pt), didnt like though a complete inability to design to screen, colours chosen from a cmyk swatches looked nothing like them on screen).

I can tell you that I am able to run FH9 on windows 7 64 bit pro , though you being mac, not much use  I guess.

 

Curves and lines can be divided

 

I dont want a cut tool for lines and curves that relies on zooming in to ensure I am cutting at a junction, having been using CAD I love the ability to select one line then the other and it cuts or splits at the junction. Exactly how does AD cut a line or split a line ? Do the ends curl at all or stay exactly where they should be ?

 

I have to know how this prog cuts/splits before even committing to its low price, I would have bought it last week but for this apparent big issue, and its so fundamental.

Just to see a video of the cut/split in action would be something. Anyone know of one ?

 

Secondly...

 

and after that, I'll hope for named colors!

Do you mean we cant place a colour in some kind of dialog/windows box and name it, e.g. 21 47 55 0  car body then later on drag drop 25  56 34 10 to it and have all uses of that colour change ?  again fundamental.  How does one change all instances of a colour ?

 

One could have that colour more than once in the colour list e.g 21 47 55 0  car body and 21 47 55 0  car body car interior , thus named as different things, and drag drop a different colour to the car body one in the list would just update car body to the new choice.

 

Again any videos on colour editing such as this I urgently seek.

 

Itching to buy AD but need to see how both these are done.

 

We need AD to steer clear of pissing us all off and going cloud and or subs.

 

I dont use FH9 much, but cant get Rhino into Pshop to apply raster effects to 2D artwork.

 

I am also wondering if CAD into AD will give intelligent AD compatible curves etc. Else I can see myself retracing everything, or is there a trace tool ?

 

Steve1

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