How to add a node at intersection?

[Vishnu Raghav B]

Good day everyone!

I am trying to add a node here(refer to Sketch.png attached). I couldn't achieve it using the node tool, as it doesn't snap to the intersection.

In Adobe Illustrator, we can achieve this by selecting both the open paths and selecting "divide" in the Pathfinder panel.

When I do the same in AD, the straight line disappears and the open path(selected path) turns to a closed one.

I'm trying to figure how to achieve this simple thing in AD.

Please help!

 

[JimmyJack]

Hi Vishnu,

 

This workaround will only work if one of the intersecting elements is a straight line or segment. So in this case you're in luck .

 

Add a node anywhere on the straight line. 

Make sure Snap to Object Geometry is checked in snapping options.

Now hold down the shift key and move the new point. If your cursor movement follows reasonably close to the line the point will be constrained to the straight line. Move it til it snaps onto the target geometry.

 

If you want the new point on the curve instead, do the above then zoom in super close to the snapped point on the straight line. Add a point on the curve right close to it and snap the curve point to the first point. Delete the first point if needed. Sure technically it's changing the curve slightly, but if you do it when zoomed in 1,000,000% I really don't think it'll be noticeable at 100% 

(Edit: but then again if you have to zoom way in you probably don't even need the first point. Just add a point on the curve super close to the intersection and snap it to the straight line.)

 

(But, we really do need a simple intersect option)

[Vishnu Raghav B]

Hi JimmyJack,

Thanks for the help!

What you have said definitely works but it is hard to zoom in super close to add a point every time and is not precise.
I agree it is not noticeable at 100% but precise one is much better.

14 hours ago, JimmyJack said:

Add a node anywhere on the straight line. 

Make sure Snap to Object Geometry is checked in snapping options.

Now hold down the shift key and move the new point.

It would be really helpful if your above mentioned process works with curves too.

But a simple intersect option is a must.

 

[R C-R]

19 hours ago, Vishnu Raghav said:

In Adobe Illustrator, we can achieve this by selecting both the open paths and selecting "divide" in the Pathfinder panel.

When I do the same in AD, the straight line disappears and the open path(selected path) turns to a closed one.

For what very little it is worth, this happens because in Affinity a straight line is considered to be a one dimensional object that has no area (the stroke width is ignored). So when it is part of a divide operation it is removed. For some unknown reason, the divide op also closes open paths, even if applied to a single open path.

 

Even if the line is a two node open path, if you bend it slightly, that gives it an area, & the divide operation will work, but it won't help much because you end up with 3 closed paths, like in this divide op.afdesign example:

It isn't obvious from the screenshot, but the black curve includes all the nodes of the blue curve & attempting to subtract the blue one from the black one probably will generate a bunch of extraneous nodes. That can be cleaned up, but you still end up with two nodes on the black path at the two intersection points, & deleting one of them will deform the shape at least slightly. Even if you don't delete one of them, the tiny segment connecting them is straight, so the curve is still deformed slightly.

 

It ends up being an exercise in futility. 

[Vishnu Raghav B]

1 hour ago, R C-R said:

Even if the line is a two node open path, if you bend it slightly, that gives it an area, & the divide operation will work, but it won't help much because you end up with 3 closed paths,

Wow this worked, I didn't know that before.

By doing a subtract operation by selecting both the paths, it leaves only one closed path.
By selecting both the end nodes of the path which needs to be remove, we can select the break curve option and delete the unwanted path.

So it has become little easier than before.
But a path intersection option is a must.

[JimmyJack]

Yeah a Boolean solution is possible, but still a pain in the monkeys.

 

Here's my take on it. 1 minute long. 

(that last node deletion is an ALT Delete to preserve the curve. (wish youtube hadn't got rid of the annotation option. Am I supposed to use cards now?))

 

 

[metawops]

I’m having the exact same question – but for Designer on iPad! (Will ask in the iPad specific forum.)

Your discussion dates back to 2017 ... any news on this? Did Serif add a feature to help creating a node at an intersection of two curves?

Edited January 27, 2021 by metawops

[Blake Gearin]

I am also interested in a better solution for this. The current behaviors make it feel like shapes are given first-class support while lines are difficult to work with.

[PixelPest]

Not sure what you want - it´s already there. Check for highlights:

[Blake Gearin]

Those yellow lines don't appear for me. Based on the comments above it sounds like they don't appear for others either. Feel free to share if you know how to replicate what you're seeing.

Versions

    macOS: Big Sur 11.5.2
    Affinity Designer: 1.10.5

[PixelPest]

Works for me every time: Take the Node tool select both objects - hoover cursor along curves till it gets highlighted either the upper or the bottom object - click to insert node.

My specs:

26 minutes ago, Blake Gearin said:

Feel free to share if you know how to replicate what you're seeing.

[N.P.M.]

You don't even have to select both curves.
 

 

 

[PixelPest]

Sure - but you can just insert new nodes to what´s selected.

[N.P.M.]

4 minutes ago, PixelPest said:

Sure - but you can just insert new nodes to what´s selected.

Was just to point out that the snapping colors do appear on either occasion.
 

[thomaso]

1 hour ago, Blake Gearin said:

Those yellow lines don't appear for me.

Make sure at least the snapping option "object geometry" is checked:

[N.P.M.]

Or when both curves selected,this option when using the nodetool.