- With Illustrator, when you pull the handles out of a node, it is
symmetric until you release the mouse button.
Just make it symmetric (Shift+Y) if you want symmetry.
I probably didn't explain myself well... It's not that the nodes are truly symmetric, it's that they are "equal" on first pull/extension of the handles. If I use the angle node tool on a non-modified node in Illustrator it "creates" the handles, and pulls the "mirror handle" out from the object automatically. And on first "creation" of handles it will create an "opposite" handle that is equal (it's mirrored and basically like how our symmetric ones work). It doesn't remain symmetric, but it saves time on having to pull a second handle from the other side of the node (yes we don't have to pull a second one as is, but you have no control of placement/distance either).
Basically, you pull the handle out of one side of the node and it automatically extends the other handle the same amount in the opposite direction (but once you release the button, the handles are free to move on their own).
What's the advantage of this? In Inkscape nodes are either symmetric or smooth, and it's easy to switch that.
It's a pain having to switch that though... In the same way that when you ctrl+click an object and it creates two handles at a set distance from a node. The Illustrator way lets you CHOOSE the distance and angle of the handles from the get-go.
It's not sooo different from what you added, but the difference is choice of distance from node is involved. If you'd like screenshots to illustrate, that's not a problem... but it's not so much different than what you added other than the interaction and control part. If I had these controls available when doing "Gaze", it would have taken a bit less time.
The thing that makes this handy is that you can control how far the
handles
extend from the node, instead of them just appearing at a set
distance.
The advantages of Inkscape approach are that 1) it is more obvious and 2) you can select any number of nodes and do Shift+S on all of them, and each one will be "smoothed" by an appropriate amount, depending on the position of its neighbors. After that you can manually adjust handles as needed.
Is it more obvious because you are stuck with the same result every time lacking control? I honestly don't see the "more obvious" part otherwise. I agree that auto-smoothing is awesome, but I think that initial node creation and working with them could be a little more user-friendly and a little more interactive/intuitive. I think that manually adjusting handles is good, but it shouldn't just be a "you can manually adjust it AFTER it's created thing". It should be you modify it while creating it/it being interactive at the initial creation... as opposed to the create then modify approach.
The nodes are also basically cusp after that first mouse-up too...
Just Shift+C to make it cusp (handles will remain).
I know how to do that, I'm just saying that pulling out the handles and working with them in Illustrator can be much easier in Illustrator than in Inkscape. I'm trying to describe a behavior that is hard to understand unless you work with it frequently. You can extend the handles from a "blank" node in Illustrator, which is handy, and then edit them as need be. No switching "modes", only working with modifier keys to get the behavior desired. I can create a step-by-step for you if you'd like, please let me know. The benefit is not HAVING to choose modes, but getting the desired effect by using modifier keys.
- Another benefit of node editing in Illustrator that may already
be
possible in Inkscape (although I don't know how), is independently getting rid of node handles. What I mean is that if you have handles pulled out of a node, you can snap 'em back into the node (so they
don't
extend from it at all). This is also very handy.
That makes sense, I just implemented it:
- In Node tool, Ctrl+click on a node handle moves it back to its node.
You rock! =)
Bulia, I love your work... you honestly add the most useful stuff to inkscape of any of the devs (for my workflow at least)... but this is one area, where I think that suggestions from users of software other than Xara will benefit YOUR workflow as well. I'm more than happy to even record a movie of how it works, especially since vodka doesn't help my communication skills. ;)
-Josh