Do you use the Shape Editor Tool or the Pen Tool?

**Egg Bramhill** · 18 October 2007, 03:05 PM

In a recent thread it was discussed regarding users preferences for either the Shape Editor Tool or the Pen Tool or the Freehand Tool. Personally in all the years I've been using Xara I've never used the pen tool. I thought it would be interesting to run a poll on your preferred tool.

So, which tool of choice to you use to draw lines?

**remi** · 18 October 2007, 03:12 PM

I voted for Pen Tool, because I use it most of the time to draw a shape. But if you ask for the tool, to draw a straight line, then I prefer the Freehand Tool together with STRG+Alt.

Remi

**iamtheblues** · 18 October 2007, 04:02 PM

I use only the Shape Editor Tool for shapes, and a combination of the
Shape Editor Tool + Ctrl Key for straight vertical or horizontal lines.
Saludos,
Bob.

**a4hire** · 18 October 2007, 04:16 PM

I use the shape editor tool because you have more control. I never use the freehand or pen tools.

**Soquili** · 18 October 2007, 05:23 PM

I use the Pen Tool to create the basic shape quickly, then the Shape Editor Tool to refine the shape.

If I try using the Shape Editor Tool to create the basic shape my cusp nodes randomly change to curved nodes and change the shape.

**MarkMyWords** · 18 October 2007, 05:33 PM

I use the shape editor tool almost 100% of the time, occasionally I will use the freehand tool for when I want a looser more 'natural' line.

**bcire68** · 18 October 2007, 05:44 PM

I usually use the freehand tool and come back to edit with the shape editor tool, though I use the pen tool too on occasion.

Eric

**suunto** · 18 October 2007, 06:08 PM

always used the pen tool but whats the differnce between the two (shape editor and pen tool) for say cutting out a part of a photo?

**ss-kalm** · 18 October 2007, 06:41 PM

I use the shape editor tool all the time. In fact I have never used either the freehand tool (except to edit stroke width) or the pen tool, but then again my drawings tend to have a technical lean, which leads to straight lines and regular curves rather than freehand shapes. Can someone explain to me what advantage/disadvantages each have.

**MarkMyWords** · 18 October 2007, 06:57 PM

Yes, it is a pain to keep having to go back to the freehand tool in order to access line shapes, I tried keeping the line gallery open all the time, but there is no provision to make the icons smaller so it takes up a lot of space and you often have to scroll around the gallery to find the line you want.

You know what would be really great? Speaking as someone who does a LOT of linework, the option to assign hotkeys to favourite line shapes, I generally use only four or five shapes for 80% of my lines. No doubt that is pie in the sky and not something most would find useful LOL!