How easy can you make it for others to draw three 200px circles of red, green and blue colour so that they just touch each other?
The Challenge is to use no other shapes. Snapping is allowed.
Attachment 122412
Acorn
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How easy can you make it for others to draw three 200px circles of red, green and blue colour so that they just touch each other?
The Challenge is to use no other shapes. Snapping is allowed.
Attachment 122412
Acorn
.
Open Options
Units > Set Units to Pixels
General > Set Angle Constraint to 60 and set Nudge size to 200
Draw Circle > Edit size on Infobar to 200 x 200
Clone (CTRL-K) twice
Select one circle > Nudge Left
Marquee Select ALL > CTRL-Rotate to 60° anti-Counter-Clockwise.
Select top circle > Nudge left
Colour to suit.
???
Gary, would you check if circle (3) has a rotation of 60deg as this is the only alignment I can get that snaps the third circle into place.Quote:
Originally Posted by gwpriester
Acorn
Keith, I like the use of the Nudge setting.Quote:
Originally Posted by ss-kalm
I do believe there is a simpler approach though your does work.
Acorn
ernie, my start point is there is no assured single step that locks the third circle in place exactly.Quote:
Originally Posted by ernie-f
Acorn
… and why not? We have magnetic snap. Where is the problem? I don't see it.Quote:
Originally Posted by Acorn
One Circle – two copies. Nothing else.
If I'm wrong pls correct me, it's maybe the older I've.
If I drag and drop a duplicate circle approximately between the top two circles, then I can select the bottom circle and move it until the snap guidelines appear when centered.
Hi Garry,
that's what I meen! I't see a problem.
But you can't SNAP it accurately to the tangent points of the circles above.
Gary, I contend you can only do this accurately when the bottom circle has a rotation of 30deg (or -30deg) so that its tangent point gets to just touch the top circle edge while the vertical alignment guide is showing. The horizontal guide is an outcome of the final position of the bottom circle is is not a guide until after the event.Quote:
Originally Posted by gwpriester
Acorn
There isn't a snap for the bottom circle unless it has a rotation of ±30°.Quote:
Originally Posted by ernie-f
Acorn
Thanks Keith, that is the Challenge in a nutshell.Quote:
Originally Posted by ss-kalm
Acorn
Here is my approach.
Don't look if you still wish to present your own solution: Attachment 122417
My estimate is 11 Steps.
Acorn
Thanks for providing your .xar file with the proposed answer.Quote:
Originally Posted by Acorn
HOWEVER...
I don't think that everyone will be able to open your file.
I have XDP11, 64bit and 32bit instaalled.
Neither can open your file. Well, the file does open, but, all I can see are grey rectangles.
Attachment 122432
Rik, thank you. either my bad or Xara's?Quote:
Originally Posted by Rik
I used Text Inside on all the circles but didn't expect past versions not to render at least the circles.
This should work: Attachment 122434
Acorn
The new file is OK, Acorn.
And I like your solution.
Thank you Rik for both comments.Quote:
Originally Posted by Rik
I am hopeful there is an fantastical solution that someone knows of that I can smack my head when we find out.
Acorn
Acorn, your solution and mine are very similar. You basically used snap where I used nudge ... I generally don't trust the magnetic snaps - although to be fair, they are better than they were.
Actually, I've had situations where I've had 2 objects side by side, and the 3rd just doesn't want to snap below them in the centre.Quote:
Originally Posted by Acorn
This exercise has obviously shown why that doesn't happen?!
Keith, I have never had problems with Snap to Objects. I may sometimes lock other items or go Solo. If Snap to Grid is on, I can see where the snap point can jump around.Quote:
Originally Posted by ss-kalm
Nudging is fine but if I change the diameter to 201px, you have to change the Nudge so it is more fussy.
Acorn
Rik, that is the precise nub of the Challenge.Quote:
Originally Posted by Rik
If you select "Show object edit handles", you will see a circle only has one selection point and you would have to rotate this around to the required angle to make a Snap work properly.
It is also an exercise in lateral thinking where you change the problem to a solution you know works already.
Thank you all for your contributions and interest.
Acorn
Last part of the Challenge.
How can you use Xara to prove your solution is exactly touching and not have a small gap or overlap somewhere?
Acorn
Well, if you have a circle diameter of 200px then two horizontal and adjacent touching ones must be 400px across. This is using Xara as a straight ruler.Quote:
Originally Posted by Acorn
If you rotate all three circles 120° and measure again you get a width of 400px. Do the same once more and if the third measure is 400px, the circle all touch with no gap or overlap.
Xara has a little noticed pair of measurements you get for free: Perimeter (P) and Area (A).
If you select all three circles of 200px diameter, Xara reports a combined perimeter of 1884.8px and an area of 94,200sqpx (px²). [Xara thinks pi is 3.14 - @Dear Xara, use 355/113 instead - I know, you are probably counting whole sqpx]
Here is the trick. Select and clone all three circles then Add Shapes. Then check the P & A. If there is no overlap then both values are identical.
Try it with moving one circle in 1px H & 1 px V so if overlaps.
The combined P is now 1747.1px and the A is 94,100sqpx.
My best trick is to switch to Outline view. Even a small overlap shows a break in the outline.
Acorn