Curved corner rectangle irregularity?

I have been doing the gel button over and over again so I can do it automatically. I love the look of that button and Gary's tut is so simple and great!
I have found something odd - and it occurs both in Xtreme and Xtreme Pro.
If I simply draw the rectangle and watch the dimension numbers above and stop when I get to 300/100, and then change the curved corners to .7 using the arrows, it comes out fine. However, if I draw a rectangle close to those dimensions then type in 300 and 100 in the dimensions boxes, and then adjust the curvature to .7 using the arrows the rectangle is a different shape.
This happens consistently.
Why is this? Am I missing the obvious?

Probably >grin<

Though if the numbers are the same in both cases I dunno what it is, sorry.

The corner curvature is based on the original size of the rectangle when it's created, so if you don't create the exact size that you want the first time, the curvature you get is a little off. This is the same phenomenon as when you resize a rectangle with corners that are already rounded, and the curvature changes shape.

This has been hashed out on the forums quite a few times already. The official consensus seems to be that this is actually desired behavior in a lot of cases because it means that your drawings will look correct when they're skewed.

However, everyone and their uncle (plus me and my grandpa) wishes there was a button somewhere that would allow you to tell Xtreme "Pretend that the current size of the rectangle is the official size so that my curvature looks right". :)

FYI this situation of skewing rounded corners when a rectangle is scaled non-porportionally is found in other drawing applications as well so Xara is not alone. For what is worth, in CorelDRAW, scripts have been written which essentially redraw and re-round the corners of a skewed rectangle, and then delete the original rectangle. Corel users groups have begged for a better rectangle tool for YEARS which could make rectangles that automatically maintain their radius which scaled. Because it has never been done, I would assume its too hard/costly to impliment.

If you watch the movie on gelbuttons provided by Xara, they convert the rectangle to an editable object FIRST, then leave it up to the user to manually select the corner "nodes" to reshape/resize the rectangle.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by -=Drifter=-

However, if I draw a rectangle close to those dimensions then type in 300 and 100 in the dimensions boxes, and then adjust the curvature to .7 using the arrows the rectangle is a different shape.

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Hi Bob! If you unlock the aspect ratio before drawing a curved rectangle with either of your two methods, same width/height/curve, you will receive rectangles with identical shape. The aspect ratio unlock mode gives correct Rectangle Tool curvature result.

Cheers, Anders

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Odat

...wishes there was a button somewhere that would allow you to tell Xtreme "Pretend that the current size of the rectangle is the official size so that my curvature looks right".

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There is no Lock-Curve-Radius button available in Xtreme Pro, yet. But the Xara recommended processing is so far quite fast enough.

Cheers, Anders

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Anders 205

There is no Lock-Curve-Radius button available in Xtreme Pro, yet. But the Xara recommended processing is so far quite fast enough.

Cheers, Anders

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Thanks Anders & Drifter - You guys answered a question I was trying to figure out 'How-to' ask about Corner in Retangles Changing when I pulled to make either the width or height bigger (the curve of the corners changed -not nice)

Again Thanks (you too Odat) ;-) Tom :)

You're welcome, Tom.

Cheers, Anders

Thanks for the interest in this, but none of your suggestions are working.

Thank you, Bob, for telling. I am devastated! What appeared to be working was an illusion! The Aspect Ratio locking/unlocking does not affect the curvature as I thought I had experienced.

Your two curved rectangle drawing methods are:
1) Draw the rectangle, watch the dimension numbers, and stop when you get to 300/100 (width/height numbers are grayed out by default while drawing). Set curvature 0,7.
2) Draw a rectangle close to those dimensions then type in 300 and 100 in the dimensions boxes. Set curvature 0,7.

Method #1 is infallible.

Method #2 does NOT give the desired symmetric curvature. Aspect ratio lock/unlock does NOT affect rectangle curve radius in QuickShape setting, contrary to what I have earlier stated.

I have, when testing method #2, drawn various rectangles too close to targeted width and height. Rectangle curves appeared identical to curves in rectangles drawn with method #1, when unlocking aspect ratio. This was, as said, an illusion.

Proof of the rectangle curve distortion in method #2, compared to the method #1 drawing procedure, can be clearely perceived when drawing a rough shape more like a square, and then QuickShape setting width (300), height (100), and curvature (0,7), with and without aspect ratio locking.

I apologize for giving a false statement about the locking vs. unlocking of the aspect ratio in your case.

Cheers, Anders