vector pen draw

[posterart]

A quick question: I place 1 point with the pen tool, a 2nd point for a inside curve for a vase drawing. The 2nd point has 2 handles, I need the 2 handles to retract for a small curve to a 3rd point for the vase base. The 2 handles do not retract when clicking the point, I get a wild curve off the point. In Freehand and Illustrator I simply click the 2nd point, handles retract and I get a new curve for my smooth corner, I can also use control or alt to retract the handles manually. Now, this is really simple and I am missing something here right? I cannot get those 2 handles to retract on the 2nd point.
Thanks

[Egg Bramhill]

Hi posterart and welcome.

I don't know what you mean by retracting handles. I NEVER use the pen tool but use the shape editor tool instead. I think the majority of us do. Try drawing with the shape editor tool, I think this will act more like Illustrators handle editing.

[Intbel]

I NEVER use the pen tool ...

Never say never - I said the same thing a few months ago now I use it frequently.

[Intbel]

A quick question: I place 1 point with the pen tool, a 2nd point for a inside curve for a vase drawing. The 2nd point has 2 handles, I need the 2 handles to retract for a small curve to a 3rd point for the vase base. The 2 handles do not retract when clicking the point, I get a wild curve off the point. In Freehand and Illustrator I simply click the 2nd point, handles retract and I get a new curve for my smooth corner, I can also use control or alt to retract the handles manually. Now, this is really simple and I am missing something here right? I cannot get those 2 handles to retract on the 2nd point.
Thanks

Use the shape editor tool instead - that might well give you your solution.

[gwpriester]

There are a few things you can try. If you are comfortable working wth the Pen Tool then rough out your shape with the Pen Tool, then switch to the Shape Editor Tool to edit your curves.

You can also draw directly with the Shape Editor Tool though it works a bit different. Click to add the starting point then click to place the next point. Depending on your setting on the Infobar, you will either be drawing a series of straight line segments (If Make Line (/) is selected) or a series of Spline Curves, if Make Curve ( C ) is selected. You can edit either as you draw. If you are drawing a series of line segments, you can drag on the line legments to change them into curves. If you are drawing with Make Curves selected, you can edit the Bezier control handles at the same time.

The Pen Tool was a concession to Illustrator users but it lacks a lot of the refinements that Illustrator's Pen Tool has. And since there are two other ways to draw a line or curve (don't forget the Freehand and Brush Tool), most Xara users never use the Pen Tool.

For more information, see Xara's 3 Drawinig Tools in Workbook 34.

Gary

[Colin Carpenter]

Does anyone know if there's a method of using the pen tool in orthogonal mode and forcing the end point to sit on the orthogonal line?

I know that by holding down the CTRL key, the projected line will extend in an orthogonal direction, but unless I actually position the cross hairs on the projected line, the next point won't be on the line. I would like a way of ensuring that the line is either horizontal or vertical, if possible.

[Anders 205]

Colin, try Window>Show Grid+Snap to Grid+Snap to Objects. For quick and very apparent snapping to grid you can change grid at Utilities>Options>Grid and Ruler and set Major spacing = 10-20px, Number of subdivisions =1

Anders