How to compose left-right symmetrical shapes?

[Contours]

I've used Xara for a couple of years ... but I've never found an easy way to build symmetrical shapes (so that the left half exactly matches the right half). I'm not talking about circles or elipses or such, but shapes that require adjustments to the curves involved.

Typically, I start such a shape by clicking four, six or eight points together to form the basic shape ... and then set about modifying the curves between the points to get the shape. But it's then a tedious process to get one side to match the other.

Using the simple shape below as an example, what's the shortest way to get the result? The only other way I've tried is bisecting a half-built shape ... duplicating ... flipping the duplicate ... and then joining the halves. But that procedure has some problems of its own.

Thanks for any help.

[Christine Farrelly]

If you follow these instructions your symmetry should work just fine.

Create half of your shape - ensure you drag a guide to the edge where you want the symmetry to start and that the shape is magnetically locked to the guide.

Double click the shape to bring up the rotation handles and the centre pivot point. Drag the pivot point to the guide line, this also sets the flipping point. Clone the shape and flip.

Christine

[stygg2003]

Hope this helps along with Christine's help

Stygg.

[gwpriester]

My old technique carried over from CorelDRAW is make a selection, hold down the Ctrl key. Drag the middle control point (in this case the left middle control point) to the opposite direction and click the RIGHT mouse button to drop a duplicate.

With both lines selected, switch to the Shape Tool (F4).

Select and drag one of the ending control points a short distance then back again. The cursor will display a small +.

Repeat this for the opposite end control point. When you drag the point back to the other control point the shape will close and fill with your default fill color.

[Contours]

Thanks for all three methods. I'm working with each and trying to improve my skill at getting pixel-level matchups of the junctions. Snap-to-grid certainly helps when roughing out the shape, but modifying curves is where it gets tricky. (BTW, is there a way to exactly position curve handles ... the equivalent of Alt+Arrow when positioning a shape?)

The good news is that I'm finally getting some good results ... in 1/10th the time it was taking me.

I appreciate the help.

[gwpriester]

I wish it were possible to nudge the control points with the arrow keys but alas no.

[Rik]

My old technique carried over from CorelDRAW is make a selection, hold down the Ctrl key. Drag the middle control point (in this case the left middle control point) to the opposite direction and click the RIGHT mouse button to drop a duplicate.

With both lines selected, switch to the Shape Tool (F4).

Select and drag one of the ending control points a short distance then back again. The cursor will display a small +.

Repeat this for the opposite end control point. When you drag the point back to the other control point the shape will close and fill with your default fill color.

Is there any way to do this, by using some keyboard shortcuts?
I use a MacBook, where I don't really have separate left and right mouse buttons.

[Soquili]

Rik does the MacBook have a numeric keypad? If it does tap the + key to drop a copy similar to how the tapping the right mouse button works.

[Rik]

Hi Bill.

No. I'm afraid the MacBook does not have a Keypad.

[Soquili]

Sorry Rik the right mouse button and the numeric keypad + are the only two ways I know to drop a copy.