Jump to content
You must now use your email address to sign in [click for more info] ×

Feature request- snap anchor handles to grid option


Recommended Posts

Hi Mattyd,

 

You can activate the snapping via the toolbar by expanding the submenu of the icon that looks like a magnet. You can then choose the snapping options you want.

If this icon is not visible on the toolbar, you may see it: "View", "Customize Toolbar".

post-37692-0-90472000-1491423409_thumb.png

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Reglico,

 

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think the snapping of curve control handles cannot be enabled using the snapping manager.

I agree with Mattyd that feature would be a most welcome addition.

Hi Bauke,

 

You are right, the control handles of a curve do not snap. By handles of control I understood the handles of a rectangle par exemple, those by which one can modify this rectangle.

 

Thank you for clarifying the situation.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...
  • 5 months later...

Has this been implemented in some way yet? I'm currently evaluating Designer and can't figure out how to get the handles to snap to Grid, which is a pretty substantial deal-breaker. A couple of input fields to allow x/y coordinate input for currently selected nodes/handles would be nice too... (but not essential, which grid snapping certainly is!).

Windows 7 & 10 64-bit, Dual Xeon workstation(s) 64gb RAM, and single i7 laptop 32gb RAM

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...
On 06/04/2017 at 5:28 AM, Mattyd said:

Would be great if there was an option to snap the anchor handles....

Not so much "great" as "essential". I quite liked Designer when I checked out the trial version and that's the only thing stopping me from purchasing a couple of licences. Once that functionality is available I'll definitely get a copy, as I have a unreasonably virulent hatred of Illustrator in particular, Adobe in general.

Windows 7 & 10 64-bit, Dual Xeon workstation(s) 64gb RAM, and single i7 laptop 32gb RAM

Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 hours ago, AndyQ said:

Not so much "great" as "essential". I quite liked Designer when I checked out the trial version and that's the only thing stopping me from purchasing a couple of licences. Once that functionality is available I'll definitely get a copy, as I have a unreasonably virulent hatred of Illustrator in particular, Adobe in general.

 

They said they'll introduce it but not when. I too am confined by using this feature. Also be sure to check vector exports. I had issues with clients that couldn't import affinity eps in illustrator successfully. I'd like to ditch Adobe too but it's hard to do that when everyone else (mostly agencies that are my clients and need to do further modifications) is using it. Maybe one day.  

Core i5 3570 @ 3.4GHz    |     8GB Hyperx Memory      |      Radeon R9 270X     |    Samsung 120 SSD

Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 hours ago, AndyQ said:

Once that functionality is available

 

Request for handles snapping is very old - try search in the forum.

For example:

https://forum.affinity.serif.com/index.php?/topic/1820-handles-snapping-to-grid-and-grid-size/#comment-8337

https://forum.affinity.serif.com/index.php?/topic/3794-ad-bezier-handle-snapping/#comment-15194

https://forum.affinity.serif.com/index.php?/topic/21701-line-handle-snap-feature/#comment-101558

 

And it still does not happen, unfortunately.

That's why you do not have a great deal of hope for a quick fix.

Affinity Store (MSI/EXE): Affinity Suite (ADe, APh, APu) 2.4.0.2301
Dell OptiPlex 7060, i5-8500 3.00 GHz, 16 GB, Intel UHD Graphics 630, Dell P2417H 1920 x 1080, Windows 11 Pro, Version 23H2, Build 22631.3155.
Dell Latitude E5570, i5-6440HQ 2.60 GHz, 8 GB, Intel HD Graphics 530, 1920 x 1080, Windows 11 Pro, Version 23H2, Build 22631.3155.
Intel NUC5PGYH, Pentium N3700 2.40 GHz, 8 GB, Intel HD Graphics, EIZO EV2456 1920 x 1200, Windows 10 Pro, Version 21H1, Build 19043.2130.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Staff

Hi all,

There will be more improvements to snapping and grids in the next update (1.7). I can't assure snapping handles to grids is one of them - i don't believe so - but things are moving forward. As said earlier the dev teams are relatively small and are already doing the best they can. Bear with them while they work on this.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

19 hours ago, Ben said:

So, I reworked the Pen/Node tool a while ago for 1.7.  In Node tool, when dragging a Bezier handle, you will be able to hold Shift to snap the handle to your grid axis, or the current direction.  This should give all the scope you need for realigning curve handles.

 

So, all those above constraining options will be in the Node tool. In Pen tool you'll be able to constrain while creating a new point - for corrections, you'd use Cmd to switch to Node tool, then press Shift.

 

 

 

Looks like it is planned for 1.7

intel core i5,  16GB 128Gb ssd win10 Pro Huion new 1060plus.

philips 272p 2560x1440px on intel HD2500 onboard graphics

Razer Tartarus Chroma

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Staff

That's correct - the handles won't snap to grid lines/intersections - they will snap to the directions of the grid lines and intermediates, relative to their linked curve node (so, vertical, horizontal and diagonal for regular grids). As far as I know, that caters for all the use cases that people have described - the direction of the handle the key thing, rather than its absolute position.  If anyone has a different use case, then please post it.

 

I'll look at other options for handle snapping soon.  There are other Pen tool improvements in the works.

 

CurveHandleSnappingWithGrid.mov

 

 

SerifLabs team - Affinity Developer
  • Software engineer  -  Photographer  -  Guitarist  -  Philosopher
  • iMac 27" Retina 5K (Late 2015), 4.0GHz i7, AMD Radeon R9 M395
  • MacBook (Early 2015), 1.3GHz Core M, Intel HD 5300
  • iPad Pro 10.5", 256GB
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Staff

Of course, everyone will already know about the existing snapping option for curve handles - these allow you to snap to smooth a node, and to find lines between nodes and right angles.

 

<removed>

 

 

SerifLabs team - Affinity Developer
  • Software engineer  -  Photographer  -  Guitarist  -  Philosopher
  • iMac 27" Retina 5K (Late 2015), 4.0GHz i7, AMD Radeon R9 M395
  • MacBook (Early 2015), 1.3GHz Core M, Intel HD 5300
  • iPad Pro 10.5", 256GB
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Staff

Yes - flip and rotate on grid plane, with scaling correction.

 

FlipRotateInPlane.mov

 

Of course - it's all smoke and mirrors.  It is not 3D - it just uses the knowledge of the different axis to work out how to transform shapes in 2D so that they are rotated, sheared and scaled to fit the other axis.

 

 

SerifLabs team - Affinity Developer
  • Software engineer  -  Photographer  -  Guitarist  -  Philosopher
  • iMac 27" Retina 5K (Late 2015), 4.0GHz i7, AMD Radeon R9 M395
  • MacBook (Early 2015), 1.3GHz Core M, Intel HD 5300
  • iPad Pro 10.5", 256GB
Link to comment
Share on other sites

35 minutes ago, Ben said:

That's correct - the handles won't snap to grid lines/intersections - they will snap to the directions of the grid lines and intermediates, relative to their linked curve node (so, vertical, horizontal and diagonal for regular grids). As far as I know, that caters for all the use cases that people have described - the direction of the handle the key thing, rather than its absolute position.

 

The handles should be able to snap in exactly the same way as the vertices, the same behaviour as supported in Adobe Illustrator or CorelDraw. Being able to place a handle point exactly can be critical for matching other elements, for creating curvatures of exactly the same proportions at different sizes, all sorts of things. Sometimes peeps may not want the handles snapping so perhaps some toggle switch to disable handle snapping would be necessary, but in 30 years of vector graphics I've never met a handle I didn't want to position exactly, either by snapping functionality or entering x,y coords.

Windows 7 & 10 64-bit, Dual Xeon workstation(s) 64gb RAM, and single i7 laptop 32gb RAM

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It’s really awesome to have the anchor handles snap to grid, like Andyq said, having the exact position for anchor handles is hugely beneficial, Illustrator removed this feature then re-added it due to popular demand.. It makes workflow super quick on precision work but also normal illustrations when you want symmetry. Still really hoping this gets added in future!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, filip89 said:

 I'd like to ditch Adobe too but it's hard to do that when everyone else (mostly agencies that are my clients and need to do further modifications) is using it. Maybe one day.  

I can't ditch Adobe regardless, as I receive a lot of packaging artwork files in Illustrator format, and no application is ever going to be guaranteed to be 100% perfect in emulating AI, or even support the same plug-ins.  I've also got CorelDraw, which I've been using since V1, although I rarely use it these days. I'd be happy with Corel, but I have to work with Adobe apps all day so small things like not being able to emulate Adobe's panning/zooming shortcuts and behaviours make it surprisingly painful. That's where Affinity seems to have hit the mark - it's similar enough in key respects to make it feel seamless swapping between Affinity and the Adobe tools. I just like the idea that Affinity feels faster and more responsive, but mostly that it's a perpetual licence, so if I do my logo and icon designs in Affinity I'm not held to ransom by some rental software.

Windows 7 & 10 64-bit, Dual Xeon workstation(s) 64gb RAM, and single i7 laptop 32gb RAM

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 minutes ago, Mattyd said:

It’s really awesome to have the anchor handles snap to grid, like Andyq said, having the exact position for anchor handles is hugely beneficial, Illustrator removed this feature then re-added it due to popular demand.. It makes workflow super quick on precision work but also normal illustrations when you want symmetry. Still really hoping this gets added in future!

I had to go back to using the CS6 version until Adobe fixed that issue. They'd promoted removing handle snapping as a "feature". Even the stupidest software designer would have figured if you are going to remove functionality some folk might not be pleased. I would have thought the obvious thing to do was simply introduce a switch to allow choice of behaviours. I suspect the "feature change" was a cover up for a bug or new code that wasn't fully completed. Thankfully enough whining on the Adobe forums got them to change their minds...

Windows 7 & 10 64-bit, Dual Xeon workstation(s) 64gb RAM, and single i7 laptop 32gb RAM

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...
On 14/12/2017 at 4:33 PM, Ben said:

That's correct - the handles won't snap to grid lines/intersections - they will snap to the directions of the grid lines and intermediates, relative to their linked curve node (so, vertical, horizontal and diagonal for regular grids). As far as I know, that caters for all the use cases that people have described - the direction of the handle the key thing, rather than its absolute position.  If anyone has a different use case, then please post it.

 

My need is that handles snap to grid intersections. I am not using snapping to draw something in perspective. I am using snapping to construct precise and symmetic shapes.

 

Quote

I just read the book "Vector Basic Training: A Systematic Creative Process for Building Precision Vector Artwork" by Von Glitschka. His techniques allow you to draw precise or symmetric shapes very very fast. When I read the book in 2011 I had just purchased DrawPlus and was surprised of the poor snapping features in DrawPlus - it made no sense. The tips in the book are hard and often impossible to follow. Well you can if you zoom in and make adjustments with your shaking hand and manual aligning. It just takes ages compared to automation. That is what we have software for, right? Then Affinity Designer surfaced and I was again surprised that these features were promised since 2014. You are SO close to being awesome. Please walk the last meters towards the goal! It is just the core of shape design that the software can assist your shaking hand and guarantee precision and symmetry.

 

  • Inkscape has a toolbar with snapping options that can be enabled/disabled on the fly. Its awesome. Snapping to grid intersections is one of the options.
  • Illustrator CC too can snap handles to grid intersections

 

It is simply essential to shape construction in my work. You can also control the (precise) length of each handle fast and easy. It really is a key feature and it is very frustrating to have the grid right in front of you. But you cant utilize it. :(

 

Thanks

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Staff

Not saying that we are not going to implement this, but I'm still unclear on the use case for snapping handles to grid intersections.  Because of how beziers work, the position of the handle only defines the initial direction of the curve.  If you were to try and form something such as an accurate arc, only the direction of the handle relative to its node would matter - snapping to a grid intersection does not help at all because the handle position would need to be a factor of 0.551915024494 along the vector from the node.  Not something that can be achieved by snapping the handle to a grid intersection.

 

So, what cases require the position to be absolutely snapped, and not just the direction?
 

Just to be clear also, when we talk about handles - we refer to the bezier control handles, not the on-curve nodes.  They already snap to grid.

SerifLabs team - Affinity Developer
  • Software engineer  -  Photographer  -  Guitarist  -  Philosopher
  • iMac 27" Retina 5K (Late 2015), 4.0GHz i7, AMD Radeon R9 M395
  • MacBook (Early 2015), 1.3GHz Core M, Intel HD 5300
  • iPad Pro 10.5", 256GB
Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 minutes ago, Ben said:

Not saying that we are not going to implement this, but I'm still unclear on the use case for snapping handles to grid intersections.  Because of how beziers work, the position of the handle only defines the initial direction of the curve.  If you were to try and form something such as an accurate arc, only the direction of the handle relative to its node would matter - snapping to a grid intersection does not help at all because the handle position would need to be a factor of 0.551915024494 along the vector from the node.  Not something that can be achieved by snapping the handle to a grid intersection.

 

So, what cases require the position to be absolutely snapped, and not just the direction?
 

 

 

How would you achieve a shape similar to this using Affinity? You could eyeball it but it's not accurate.

 

 

asdasd.png

Core i5 3570 @ 3.4GHz    |     8GB Hyperx Memory      |      Radeon R9 270X     |    Samsung 120 SSD

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Guidelines | We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.