NEW: Auto smooth nodes
Thanks to Thomas Holder for the patch:
Auto smooth nodes: a new "auto" node type was added, similar to the one Xara Xtreme has. An auto node is a smooth node which automatically adjusts (rotates and stretches) its handles when this node or its neighbors are moved. This adjustment (same as what you get when you convert node type to Smooth, but continuous) keeps the curve at this node as smooth as possible. It feels a bit like Spiro paths; although not as smooth as a Spiro, it may often be preferable as it works without any Path Effect. Whenever you manually adjust the handles of an auto node or drag the adjacent curve, it loses its auto state and becomes smooth; for this reason, it is recommended to edit smooth nodes with the node handles hidden via a toggle button on the controls bar. Auto nodes are represented by little circles, as opposed to smooth/symmetric nodes (squares) and cusp nodes (diamonds). To convert selected node(s) to auto, press Shift+A or use the corresponding node type button on the controls bar.
bulia byak wrote:
Thanks to Thomas Holder for the patch:
Auto smooth nodes: a new "auto" node type was added, similar to the one Xara Xtreme has. An auto node is a smooth node which automatically adjusts (rotates and stretches) its handles when this node or its neighbors are moved. This adjustment (same as what you get when you convert node type to Smooth, but continuous) keeps the curve at this node as smooth as possible. It feels a bit like Spiro paths; although not as smooth as a Spiro, it may often be preferable as it works without any Path Effect. Whenever you manually adjust the handles of an auto node or drag the adjacent curve, it loses its auto state and becomes smooth; for this reason, it is recommended to edit smooth nodes with the node handles hidden via a toggle button on the controls bar. Auto nodes are represented by little circles, as opposed to smooth/symmetric nodes (squares) and cusp nodes (diamonds). To convert selected node(s) to auto, press Shift+A or use the corresponding node type button on the controls bar.
This is fantastic! I added one more method to get to it, in the Ctrl+Click cycle. Only Q I have is, why does it lose it's state when the handles are adjusted? Or if it has to for editing, why wouldn't it automatically toggle back? Not a complaint, I'm just wondering why.
Cheers, Josh
On Mon, Oct 27, 2008 at 2:50 PM, Josh Andler <scislac@...400...> wrote:
This is fantastic! I added one more method to get to it, in the Ctrl+Click cycle. Only Q I have is, why does it lose it's state when the handles are adjusted? Or if it has to for editing, why wouldn't it automatically toggle back? Not a complaint, I'm just wondering why.
An auto node is a node which has a certain position of its handles. Once you move the handles away from that position, it must stop being auto. Otherwise, the handles will jump back to the auto position once you start moving it, which is most likely not what you want.
bulia byak wrote:
On Mon, Oct 27, 2008 at 2:50 PM, Josh Andler <scislac@...400...> wrote:
This is fantastic! I added one more method to get to it, in the Ctrl+Click cycle. Only Q I have is, why does it lose it's state when the handles are adjusted? Or if it has to for editing, why wouldn't it automatically toggle back? Not a complaint, I'm just wondering why.
An auto node is a node which has a certain position of its handles. Once you move the handles away from that position, it must stop being auto. Otherwise, the handles will jump back to the auto position once you start moving it, which is most likely not what you want.
Ahhh... makes sense. Thanks for the explanation! :)
Josh
I've been playing with this node type for a while now.. I'm impressed with how predictable and smooth the path becomes. In some ways i even prefer it to spiro splines. my favourite dimension is the handles getting larger as you move the node away from its siblings
I think i'm in love, fantastic work!
Andy
On Tue, Oct 28, 2008 at 3:20 AM, Josh Andler <scislac@...400...> wrote:
bulia byak wrote:
On Mon, Oct 27, 2008 at 2:50 PM, Josh Andler <scislac@...400...> wrote:
This is fantastic! I added one more method to get to it, in the Ctrl+Click cycle. Only Q I have is, why does it lose it's state when the handles are adjusted? Or if it has to for editing, why wouldn't it automatically toggle back? Not a complaint, I'm just wondering why.
An auto node is a node which has a certain position of its handles. Once you move the handles away from that position, it must stop being auto. Otherwise, the handles will jump back to the auto position once you start moving it, which is most likely not what you want.
Ahhh... makes sense. Thanks for the explanation! :)
Josh
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On Wed, 2008-10-29 at 18:18 +0800, Andy Fitzsimon wrote:
I've been playing with this node type for a while now.. I'm impressed with how predictable and smooth the path becomes. In some ways i even prefer it to spiro splines. my favourite dimension is the handles getting larger as you move the node away from its siblings
I think i'm in love, fantastic work!
Indeed! 90% of the problem with beziers in graphics apps is the way they the artist is typically forced to keep manually "herding" the control handles like an overworked sheepdog. Auto smooth nodes seem to mostly fix this problem.
-mental
On Mon, Oct 27, 2008 at 7:25 PM, bulia byak wrote:
Thanks to Thomas Holder for the patch:
That makes at least two patches from Thomas. And there is a rule... :-)
becomes smooth; for this reason, it is recommended to edit smooth nodes with the node handles hidden via a toggle button on the controls bar.
This makes me wonder if it's possible to automagically hide node handles when editing a Spiro curve. They don't make sense in that case anyway.
Alexandre
Alexandre Prokoudine wrote:
On Mon, Oct 27, 2008 at 7:25 PM, bulia byak wrote:
Thanks to Thomas Holder for the patch:
That makes at least two patches from Thomas. And there is a rule... :-)
becomes smooth; for this reason, it is recommended to edit smooth nodes with the node handles hidden via a toggle button on the controls bar.
This makes me wonder if it's possible to automagically hide node handles when editing a Spiro curve. They don't make sense in that case anyway.
Spiro or auto smooth? Or both? Now the things get a bit too complicated. Can secondary toolbar be able to reflect type of selected node? For example, if user selects one node of smooth kind, gray out "Make selected node smooth" button. This way it would be even more obvious what's the type of nodes.
Vlada
Alexandre
participants (6)
-
Alexandre Prokoudine -
Andy Fitzsimon -
bulia byak -
Josh Andler -
MenTaLguY -
Vladimir Savic