Curved corner rectangle irregularity?

[-=Drifter=-]

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?

[Intbel]

Probably >grin<

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

[Odat]

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".

[jclements]

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.

[Anders 205]

...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".

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

[Hwy101]

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

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

[Anders 205]

You're welcome, Tom.

Cheers, Anders

[Anders 205]

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.

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