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CURVE TOOL

(11 posts)

  • rsands
    Member

    I use the curve tool to connect the dots, then add handles all at one, then drag the straight lines into curves.
    Matthew - your quote. I posted this here as I didn't want to interrupt the other interesting thread.
    Excuse my ignorance, but how do I 'add all handles at once'. I cant nut that out. Actually never found need to edit many handles as I use Canvas for GIS stuff with predefined lines - little need to edit lines. But I'm keen to learn.
    regards
    Richard

    Posted On May 30, 2007 - 01:39 AM (2 years ago) (Permalink to this post)

  • mrwinslow
    Moderator

    Use the curve tool and create the basic shape you want (add points with straight lines) then choose the selection tool, marque drag to select all your points (if not already selected) and click the "add handles" button on the property bar just below the "control handles" text. It looks like a small curve with a + sign.

    This adds control handles to all your straight lines (making them curves). Use the selection tool in edit mode to drag the line into your desired curve. I usually just drag the line itself, not the handles.

    This is particularly great when tracing logos or bitmaps by hand. Really fast and easy.

    Posted On May 30, 2007 - 08:34 AM (2 years ago) (Permalink to this post)

  • rsands
    Member

    Matthew Winslow said:

    Use the curve tool and create the basic shape you want (add points with straight lines) then choose the selection tool,

    Thanks Matthew, I wasn't double-clicking the resulting bezier curve and thus didn't get the options from just selecting it. It only works for me if i first double-click then select. I'm Windows, not sure if Mac is different?
    This sure is a neat tool.
    regards, Richard

    Posted On May 30, 2007 - 10:00 PM (2 years ago) (Permalink to this post)

  • mrwinslow
    Moderator

    Here's another cool trick. Use the polygon tool to set your points and straight lines. Then choose the selection tool and marque select all your point. Click the "add handles" button, and drag any line to make an instant curve. Even easier than the curve tool!

    Posted On May 30, 2007 - 10:20 PM (2 years ago) (Permalink to this post)

  • rsands
    Member

    Went looking and now wondering why the Curve Tool doesn't have the Smart Mouse functions that line tools etc have. Taking your workflow Matthew would mean then that we can snap these points to predeteremined snap positions. I can see why it shouldnt but equally can see this as an advantage.
    Or maybe I've missed something here?
    regards, Richard

    Posted On June 1, 2007 - 06:58 PM (2 years ago) (Permalink to this post)

  • suzannevaughan
    Member

    Richard S said:

    Went looking and now wondering why the Curve Tool doesn't have the Smart Mouse functions that line tools etc have. Taking your workflow Matthew would mean then that we can snap these points to predeteremined snap positions. I can see why it shouldnt but equally can see this as an advantage.
    Or maybe I've missed something here?
    regards, Richard

    Hi Richard,

    Are you thinking of Smart Line tools rather than Smart Mouse? I believe there are 4 Smart Lines + the Connection tool.

    You can however enable snapping technology with the Smart Mouse constraints and then use the different path tools.

    Posted On June 1, 2007 - 11:43 PM (2 years ago) (Permalink to this post)

  • rsands
    Member

    Canuck the evangelist said:

    Hi Richard,

    Are you thinking of Smart Line tools rather than Smart Mouse? I believe there are 4 Smart Lines + the Connection tool.

    You can however enable snapping technology with the Smart Mouse constraints and then use the different path tools.


    Matthews post sent me revisiting this whole area. (Mainly using GIS imported data ,editing linework wasn't something I entered into much.(
    I've been playing around with all options to 'put pen to paper' so to speak.
    I was following the 'Drawing with Snap options' per Canvas Help but couldn't get them to hold true when using the 'curve tool'. I'll persevere.
    regards, Richard

    Posted On June 2, 2007 - 01:32 AM (2 years ago) (Permalink to this post)

  • suzannevaughan
    Member

    Richard S said:

    Matthews post sent me revisiting this whole area. (Mainly using GIS imported data ,editing linework wasn't something I entered into much.(
    I've been playing around with all options to 'put pen to paper' so to speak.
    I was following the 'Drawing with Snap options' per Canvas Help but couldn't get them to hold true when using the 'curve tool'. I'll persevere.
    regards, Richard

    What snap constraints do you have enabled? Also, can you see the snap indicators?

    Posted On June 2, 2007 - 01:45 AM (2 years ago) (Permalink to this post)

  • rsands
    Member

    Suzanne I have been expecting the Curve Tool to do the impossible. When just clicking points and creating straights its just not possible (from how I see it) to snap according to snaps other than p'haps nodes. The program doesn't sense the direction and thus how to handle the snap constraint. If in the process one draws curves as the curve tool is designed to do then indeed the snaps do come into play.
    I s'pose thats why they invented other tools to do specific things!!

    Posted On June 2, 2007 - 04:42 AM (2 years ago) (Permalink to this post)

  • suzannevaughan
    Member

    Richard S said:

    Suzanne I have been expecting the Curve Tool to do the impossible. When just clicking points and creating straights its just not possible (from how I see it) to snap according to snaps other than p'haps nodes. The program doesn't sense the direction and thus how to handle the snap constraint. If in the process one draws curves as the curve tool is designed to do then indeed the snaps do come into play.
    I s'pose thats why they invented other tools to do specific things!!

    Why don't you post a screen cap of what you're trying to achieve? Unfortunately I don't understand what you want to do.

    Posted On June 2, 2007 - 10:06 AM (2 years ago) (Permalink to this post)

  • rsands
    Member

    I think its OK now Suzanne. It all started with Matthews very useful comment on the Curve Tool. He suggested ' use the curve tool to connect the dots, then add handles all at one, then drag the straight lines into curves.'
    So I thought it may be useful for drawing continuous lines with some curves. It was then that I noticed the snaps didn't work during the 'dot' process as I assume the program doesn't sense the direction of the mouse until its actually clicked somewhere and then dragged. When one 'dots' and then drags the snaps come into play, but only after a 'drag' mouse movement after the 'dot'.
    In my thinking about it I wondered what the difference was when using the Line Tool as that tool obviously tracks the movement of the mouse after the first click and offers snaps. Not being a programmer, I imagine the program knows that once a 'drag' is invoked then it activates the snap. But my thoughts were that the 'drag' is only the command to invoke the tracking that in turn invokes mouse snaps, and yet the program actually tracks every mouse move across the screen and so why shouldn't it offer snap locations for the curve tool as one places a 'dot' then another.
    So I concluded one cant use the Curve Tool purely as tool for drawing lines only and utilising the many very smart and useful snap options.
    Hope thats a bit clearer?
    regards, Richard

    Posted On June 2, 2007 - 05:10 PM (2 years ago) (Permalink to this post)

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