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Closing Curves. Why so challenging?!


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Ok I have spent way to much time trying to figure this out...

Ive created a diagram using curves.

It took a while, but I successfully navigated Affinity Designer's method of breaking apart curves on a circle to create the YinYang shape I was after.

Problem is, I was able to connect the open nodes of the curves in all cases except for the "tails" of the shapes. I just cant get the endpoints to fuse together for a closed shape.

How in the heck do you do that?! I have attached screenshots and the actual file.

 

All suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

Screen Shot 2019-10-08 at 6.47.48 PM.png

Screen Shot 2019-10-08 at 6.48.07 PM.png

Yin Yang w Trigrams.afdesign

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Thanks Lagarto,

I was planning on merging some of the elements for a cut-through effect. Good idea.

But even after Closing the Curve, still, the beginning and ending points are not fused. When I move one of them, there is a line between them but they dont become the same point. Weirdly difficult. How do I fuse a beginning and endpoint that overlap?

 

 

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I think that what you both want to do is Join the curves, which is different from Closing a single curve.

From the Designer Help for Edit Vector Curves and Shapes:

To join curves:

  1. With the Node Tool (hold down the Ctrl key if using the Pen Tool), hold down with the Shift key and select both curves.
  2. Click Join Curves image.png.a76db0f5443127d2af680ee6c0b1fbf5.png on the context toolbar.


 

 

-- Walt
Designer, Photo, and Publisher V1 and V2 at latest retail and beta releases
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18 minutes ago, walt.farrell said:

I think that what you both want to do is Join the curves, which is different from Closing a single curve.

From the Designer Help for Edit Vector Curves and Shapes:

To join curves:

  1. With the Node Tool (hold down the Ctrl key if using the Pen Tool), hold down with the Shift key and select both curves.
  2. Click Join Curves image.png.a76db0f5443127d2af680ee6c0b1fbf5.png on the context toolbar.


 

 

Ive tried that a dozen times. When you do it, does it make the beginning and endpoint of the curve a single node? When I do it, it does not. They remain separate points. Thus the issue.

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1 hour ago, thomasbricker said:

Ive tried that a dozen times. When you do it, does it make the beginning and endpoint of the curve a single node? When I do it, it does not. They remain separate points. Thus the issue.

It should work in Lagarto's example, because that one has two curves, which must be joined. If you have a single curve, then you would need to close the curve, not join it (joining requires two).

My main point, I think, was about terminology.

But yes, if I properly overlay the endpoints of both curves, and then Join the curves, the endpoints merge. To make sure the endpoints are properly overlaid, use the Node Tool and move one of them over the other until you get the color change. Then when you Join the curves the points will merge. (But I have not yet tried that with your file; only one of my own.)

-- Walt
Designer, Photo, and Publisher V1 and V2 at latest retail and beta releases
PC:
    Desktop:  Windows 11 Pro, version 23H2, 64GB memory, AMD Ryzen 9 5900 12-Core @ 3.00 GHz, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 

    Laptop:  Windows 11 Pro, version 23H2, 32GB memory, Intel Core i7-10750H @ 2.60GHz, Intel UHD Graphics Comet Lake GT2 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU.
iPad:  iPad Pro M1, 12.9": iPadOS 17.4.1, Apple Pencil 2, Magic Keyboard 
Mac:  2023 M2 MacBook Air 15", 16GB memory, macOS Sonoma 14.4.1

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I will try the move and re position trick. Weird that that’s necessary but such is life.

Generally  I’ve found that many times Affinity will utilize a different way to do what you are used to in Adobe software. 
usually it’s a better solution once you get used to it. In this case, I am failing to see the advantage so far. 

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  • 4 weeks later...

You mean this? MergingNodes.afdesign

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.
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1 hour ago, Lagarto said:

but I would not say "easily"

??? About one minute for me?

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.

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11 hours ago, Tazintosh said:

Edit: who can easily merge those curves so there is no overlapping nodes (file attached MergingNodes.afdesign)?

  1. Select all the curves.
  2. Layer > Geometry > Merge Curves.

Takes about 2 seconds. Merged Curves.afdesign (with History).

All 3 1.10.8, & all 3 V2.4.1 Mac apps; 2020 iMac 27"; 3.8GHz i7, Radeon Pro 5700, 32GB RAM; macOS 10.15.7
Affinity Photo 
1.10.8; Affinity Designer 1.108; & all 3 V2 apps for iPad; 6th Generation iPad 32 GB; Apple Pencil; iPadOS 15.7

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1 hour ago, Lagarto said:

That's what in other applications is called a compound path. It does not merge the nodes.

@Tazintosh asked about easily merging the curves, & that is literally what Layer > Geometry > Merge Curves does.

All 3 1.10.8, & all 3 V2.4.1 Mac apps; 2020 iMac 27"; 3.8GHz i7, Radeon Pro 5700, 32GB RAM; macOS 10.15.7
Affinity Photo 
1.10.8; Affinity Designer 1.108; & all 3 V2 apps for iPad; 6th Generation iPad 32 GB; Apple Pencil; iPadOS 15.7

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1 hour ago, R C-R said:

@Tazintosh asked about easily merging the curves

Tazintosh asked:

18 hours ago, Tazintosh said:

Merging two overlapping points is a nightmare.

You think it's a detail? Try adding a stroke pressure to such a curve and you'll see awful glitches :(

Edit: who can easily merge those curves so there is no overlapping nodes

Layer > Geometry > Merge Curves has overlapping nodes :-)

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.

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18 minutes ago, PixelPest said:

Regarding Inkscape it´s actually just "Join Selected Nodes" - combining as an extra step isn´t necessary.

To be fair about it, the Inkscape example uses constant width curves (no stroke pressure variation) unlike the MergingNodes. afdesign file. I don't use Inkscape enough to know if it has a comparable feature (because for whatever reason on my iMac it is about as stable as a bowling ball balanced on the end of a cue stick), but if it does what is the shape of the joined curve?

Edited by R C-R
added explanation for why I do not use Inkscape much

All 3 1.10.8, & all 3 V2.4.1 Mac apps; 2020 iMac 27"; 3.8GHz i7, Radeon Pro 5700, 32GB RAM; macOS 10.15.7
Affinity Photo 
1.10.8; Affinity Designer 1.108; & all 3 V2 apps for iPad; 6th Generation iPad 32 GB; Apple Pencil; iPadOS 15.7

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