Modifying shapes

[Hortice]

I'm experimenting with the trial version of Designer before I decide whether to buy it. I'm trying to create a shape which involves drawing a circle (using the ellipse tool), then drawing some intersecting straight lines through the circle ... so far, so good ... then I want to remove sections of the circle between points where the straight lines intersect the circumference of the circle. Is this possible?

[gdenby]

There are a number of ways to achieve what you are doing in AD, but the method you mention does not work. If you wanted parallel line divisions, the section tool instead of the ellipse will allow creation of circle portions. See:

 

 

What AD does not do is allow operations between open shapes, i.e. single strokes, and closed shapes. What could be done for non-parallel breaks would be to draw the circle, and then draw very thin rectangles that are effectively no wider than a plain stroke, These can then be subtracted from the circle at any angle they are positioned.

[Guest]

Hi Hortice,

 

If I understand the question correctly, you can use the ring tool to do this.

You draw a complete ring and reduce its thickness to a minimum: you position the inner edge on the outer edge so that you have a simple circle. Copy this circle.

Then draw the lines that cross the circle.

With the circle selected, resume the "Ring" tool and adjust the opening angle and rotation so that both ends are positioned on one of the lines.

Then paste the ring (circle) you copied and repeat the same operation for the second row.

[Guest]

You can also draw a circle and copy it.

You draw a very fine line (0.1 pt) which crosses the circle at the top and you vectorize its outline ("Layer", "Expand the stroke"). Then select the circle and the row, perform a boolean operation "Divide" and delete the lower part of the circle, then put both ends of the line at the same thickness as its central part.

Then paste the circle and repeat the same operation for the bottom line.

These two methods are not ideal and are a bit long to implement but can be used occasionally.

[Hortice]

Thanks gdenby and reglico. It's not a simple process (except in something like AutoCAD which handles it easily). I actually managed to do what I wanted (file attached). From memory, I think I created the circles and and all the intersecting lines then probably converted to curves. Then I added nodes at strategic points then went around breaking the curves and deleting where needed. Now I just want to get rid of the white background or make it transparent somehow. I'm sure I'll figure something out. Thanks for your suggestions.

 

..... Well I attached the file but I don't see it anywhere I'm sorry.

[Alfred]

..... Well I attached the file but I don't see it anywhere I'm sorry.

 

File attachment is a two-stage process on these forums. After browsing to the file, you need to press the 'Attach This File' button. (Although I'm well acquainted with the procedure, I managed to get caught out by this a day or two ago.)

[MEB]

Hi Hortice,

Welcome to Affinity Forums :)

To make the document transparent go to menu File ▸ Document Setup..., Colour tab section and check Transparent background.

[gdenby]

Thanks gdenby and reglico. It's not a simple process (except in something like AutoCAD which handles it easily). I actually managed to do what I wanted (file attached). From memory, I think I created the circles and and all the intersecting lines then probably converted to curves. Then I added nodes at strategic points then went around breaking the curves and deleting where needed. Now I just want to get rid of the white background or make it transparent somehow. I'm sure I'll figure something out. Thanks for your suggestions.

 

..... Well I attached the file but I don't see it anywhere I'm sorry.

 

It would be great to see what you managed to do. Plz try and attach a sample file again.

 

Between this thread, and the one on double contours, I've spent some time over that past24 - 36 hours trying lots of things w. the boolean operators. I suspect you might have gotten around most node adding & editing.