*The Return of the Handles*

[steve.ledger]

Looking for a [quick] way to return handles to anchor? [snap handles to anchor point?]

Anyone?

[MarkMyWords]

Not sure what you mean, but you can change a cusp join to a smooth join by double-clicking on the node.

Is that any use?

[steve.ledger]

Yes the curve to cusp toggle is usful when 'shaping', but if I have a series of curved lines that I want to come to a point I need to pull the handles in to the anchor. This is fine for one or two curves, but if there are many then is soon becomes laborious.
If there was a way to select the anchors I want to edit then hit a key that would snap the handles back [to zero?] it would save time.

I know I can select all anchors (F4 then draw rectangle around entire shape) and hit 'L' for lines rather than curves, but this destroys all curves. I want to select only some of the curves in a shape.

[MarkMyWords]

When using the shape editor tool, you can hold down shift and either click on the nodes you want, just like grouping objects, or draw a rectangle around just a few nodes and change their state with the buttons on the info bar.

Unfortunately this only changes from cusp to curve, or vice versa. Try selecting your points and holding down the CTRL key while clicking the cusp join button, is this anything like what you want?

[Soquili]

Hi Sledger,

If I understand correctly.

[The Alien]

A method that's easier and more accurate than dragging:
- Select the node that you're interested in with the shape editor tool
- You'll see 3 sets of X&Y coordinates in the toolbar
- The middle one is the Anchor point's coordinates; the other 2 are the handle's coordinates
- Copy the anchor point's coordinates to either or both of the handle's coordinates

This should work, but you'll lose the "smooth joins"; they will turn into cusp joins.
But you'll still have to do this for every anchor point...

[steve.ledger]

A method that's easier and more accurate than dragging:
- Select the node that you're interested in with the shape editor tool
- You'll see 3 sets of X&Y coordinates in the toolbar
- The middle one is the Anchor point's coordinates; the other 2 are the handle's coordinates
- Copy the anchor point's coordinates to either or both of the handle's coordinates

This should work, but you'll lose the "smooth joins"; they will turn into cusp joins.
But you'll still have to do this for every anchor point...

Thanks for the great responses everyone!

And thanks to The Alien for suggesting a method closest to what I am looking for.

Now if I just had a button/key to snap those next/previous curve handles to the [selected] point handle coordinates (Charles??)

[MarkMyWords]

Now if I just had a button/key to snap those next/previous curve handles to the [selected] point handle coordinates (Charles??)

Well...I hesitate to say it, but I'm gonna anway, that is the kind of operation a dedicated Macro/Action recorder can do very well. That would be about five mouse clicks, plus keyboard strokes (copy and paste), reduced to one click (select node) and a keypress (run action). It's easy to see if you do lots of things like this how much time, and repetition, Actions can save.