I finally got a chance to download the nightly build and try out the new node conversion functionality. Thanks so much for making that change, Bulia. I really do appreciate it.
I have a question about it though. When trying it out I discovered a peculiar behavior with the adjacent nodes to the one converted with the "make node smooth" command. In order to move it twice, you have to click off the object in between moves or you pull out a control handle. Does it have to be like that, or can those adjacent nodes behave exactly like real cusp nodes instead? Having to click off the object in between moves is a hit to productivity and doesn't really make sense (imho). If the artist wants control handles on that adjacent node, eventually, then they can convert it. Then if they want one of those control handles to be in the node, they can use the Ctrl+click on the control handle feature (which is brilliant, by the way) to make that happen. Which brings up another interesting question as well, perhaps: How do I make a smooth node a cusp? That led me to another idea, which is better explained with pictures. I put up another demonstration page showing screenshots of what I'm talking about at http://www.angelfire.com/mi/kevincharles/inkscape/ncwf2.htm
By the way, I'm struggling with terminology. I take "cusp" to mean a node that doesn't have control handles and does not influence the direction of the line, as opposed to a "corner" node, which has control handles that can move in independent directions, and "smooth" which has control handles in the same plane but are different lengths, and "symmetric" which has control handles in the same plane and with the same length. Is this correct?
Thanks again, -Kevin Wixson
bulia byak wrote:
Kevin,
I reviewed your page at http://www.angelfire.com/mi/kevincharles/inkscape/ncwf.htm - thanks for the detailed description. I just committed a fix to Inkscape CVS. Now you can achieve your result with a single click. In Node tool, either Ctrl+click the node, or select it and click the "Make selected node smooth" button. The node will get handles and its adjacent segments will become curves, but the neighbouring nodes will remain cusp.