Translate part of a drawing

[JKerr]

Hello,

I use affinity for schematics and I like the intuitive grid snapping. Here's the question: I often need to come back to stretch a complicated schematic to add new elements.  See the screenshot #1 for a small example of what I mean by stretching. 

I was hoping to find a way that I can drag a box to select objects (including the text and the groups) AND a subset of nodes on the paths that make up the connections and then drag everything at once.  However, I am finding I need a lot of clicks.  For example, in screenshot #2 you can see that if I select a bunch of objects with the move tool (with CMD since the whole drawing is in a group), then switch to the node tool and try to drag select all the nodes, I am only capturing about half of them (and not capturing the text at all).  I have to manually select the missing ones, and have to move the text separately.  Also, I am finding that sometimes I cannot drag select a group of nodes consistently in other contexts.  For example, in screenshot #3 you can see that the nodes are not changing to solid blue even though the paths are selected and I've boxed the nodes with the selection rectangle.  I have to select them one at a time.

Is there something I am doing wrong?  Also, is there a better way to achieve the stretch? 

I can alter how I construct the objects and layers if that makes things easier.  I have seen some suggestions to convert all shapes to curves, but would prefer not to do this, especially not the text, since it may need editing later.

Thanks in advance.

Schematic.afdesign

[Gabe]

Hi @JKerr,

Welcome to the forums. 

We are aware of this issue and has already been logged with our developers. Currently, if you have a straight line (horizontal or vertical) in the selection, it fails to select its nodes when using the node tool. 

Thanks,

Gabe. 

[JKerr]

Thanks for the quick reply!  Good to know this is being worked out!  

Assuming that one is fixed, is there a way to move nodes and text simultaneously without converting the text to curves?

[Gabe]

You will not be able to move text ( non-curves ) and the node at the same time, because the text layer, before being transformed to curves, does not have any editable vertices. Unfortunately, you cannot achieve this in one go. You would have to either move the nodes and the text separately or convert the text to curves. 

[JKerr]

Ok thanks!  Makes sense.

I'll make a feature request then. In AI I remember selecting a whole part of a drawing (including any fully enclosed objects, text boxes, and then partial sets of nodes on paths), then translate everything in one shot. Seems useful here too!

Also, lasso selection would be great.

[gdenby]

Hi, JKerr,

24 minutes ago, JKerr said:

Also, lasso selection would be great.

Check out the 1.7 customer beta. !lasso tool. Also, transforms tor selected nodes. 

Even in the current release, all curve objects can be selected, and by switching to node tool, all of the nodes of objects and some nodes of other objects can be selected, and moved/transformed as a mass.

[Polygonius]

2 hours ago, GabrielM said:

You will not be able to move text ( non-curves ) and the node at the same time, because the text layer, before being transformed to curves, does not have any editable vertices. Unfortunately, you cannot achieve this in one go. You would have to either move the nodes and the text separately or convert the text to curves. 

Why not put SELECTED segments and selected TEXT in a  group and handle the group PROPORTIONALLY  instead this single-stuff????

[R C-R]

2 hours ago, Polygonius said:

Why not put SELECTED segments and selected TEXT in a  group and handle the group PROPORTIONALLY  instead this single-stuff????

As shown in the second screenshot in the first post, the goal is to change the position of a group of text objects along with the selected nodes of several vector objects. You can't put just some nodes of vector objects into a Group layer -- it's all or nothing.

[JKerr]

Thanks for the suggestions all.  I tried the beta and the lasso and polygon are fantastic.  Interestingly, the straight line issue referred to by @GabrielM is still there when I drag-select nodes using a rectangular selection (screenshot 4). But I can select the nodes correctly using the lasso or polygon selections (see screenshot 5 and compare with screenshot 4).

And yes, for the missing feature, was hoping to move non-curve objects (like text, rectangles, circles, etc) plus selected nodes on curves all at once.  Ideally lasso around everything I want to move and translate in one step...