How to snap to the mid-point of a line? I cannot found snap setting beside the end point.
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How to snap to the mid-point of a line? I cannot found snap setting beside the end point.
A Xara straight line has no mid-point as it can be transformed into a curved one at any time.
Clone and Rotate 900. The crossing is the mid-point, to which you can Snap.
Clone and Scale 50%. Align end point. Mid-point is then the other end of the halved line.
The mid-point of a curved line is far more intriguing.
You could add a Point and Break there and keep approximating as. as each Line or segment has a Perimeter (P).
I would make a Text Column of pattern 1234567890 and then Fit Text to Curve. Count the numbers along the line and halve to get to the mid-point.
Accurate to about 5px but could be improved.
Acorn
Another way is create a rectangle with the same length as the line and find the mid point of that by selecting and where the center is put a guide and that will be the be the center or mid point of your line
Thank you for the recommendation, but if my line is not horizontal or vertical, I need to rotate the rectangle and align to the line, this is counter intuitive.Quote:
Originally Posted by wizard509
Thank you, but that workaround sounds too complex to me, and reduce efficiency significantly if I need to snap to multiple mid-points.Quote:
Originally Posted by Acorn
In CorelDRAW I can snap to mid-point on a line or bezier curve in a snap.
"Toto, I have a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore."
There is a paradigm shift when you ken the Xara way and it all falls into place.
Acorn
I have spent some time writing a tutorial but on my version at least (XDP16) just selecting the line and converting to editable shapes shows the bullseye in the center anyway so really I didn't need to do anything.
No we're not but I do have to go there from time to time.Quote:
Originally Posted by Acorn
@ Flim
Complex...:-O
Q - When is a Line not a Line? A- When it's an Editable Shape. Ha-ha-ha.Quote:
Originally Posted by wizard509
Try bending it.
Acorn
It's really not difficult maybe I still need to write a tutorial.Quote:
Originally Posted by flim
I did and it does bend. I like the humor though, thanks for that.Quote:
Originally Posted by Acorn
I found there is no tangent and quadrant snap :-O
No, this is not a CAD system ... There is only snap or NOT snap.
CAD style snap points are something I've asked for on a number of occasions, but apparently I'm alone in wanting that request.
CorelDRAW has tangent and quadrant snap, those are essential to me.
then it looks like you may need coreldraw... not xara
someone here may know a workaround, but you have already said you find these 'complicated' [everything usually is at first]
Quote:
Originally Posted by flim
What kind of image are you wanting to snap to? That may give us a clue how to help.
This is one of the example I tried, but cannot figure out how to do that in Xara. I save it as CorelDRAW version 11 format.Quote:
Originally Posted by wizard509
Attachment 126555
Snap what to what?Quote:
Originally Posted by flim
So I tried two quick ways to gain a result, not knowing what the purpose of the end design is to be.Quote:
Originally Posted by flim
Attachment 126557 and Attachment 126559
My design file: :pointAttachment 126560
For both, I created three circles and aligned to match your image.
I did a 500-step extrusion from bit to small blue circles (I changed the larger to red to show the effect).
I then just used snapping point for the second approach to create the red rectangle that I then rotated around its left corner. As its width was the circle radius, it guaranteed a tangent. The other end was by eye but I could have flipped the approach and gained tangents both ways.
I converted the Rectangle to Editable Shapes (green) and moved one corner into the smaller circle and Cloned and flipped (yellow).
Finally, Add Shapes and made Blue.
I deleted some points to smooth out a bit.
I did the above with all aligned with you image but there is a cleaner construction if you lie things on their sides.
Attachment 126562
The "trick is adding the line centre to centre as you can use Ctrl+Snap to get it horizontal, bringing the other shapes along.
Finally, Clone and vertically flip the bar.
I left out the Add Shapes and made Blue.
Surely, none as slick as Tangent Snap but the obverse may be true than it would be equally difficult to perform the above operations in corelDraw. They are two different tools that have their own domain and range of approaches.
Acorn
But to be fair, a series of snap points similar to CAD systems would seriously improve the ability to draw accurately that way. I think the key word is accurately. Xara doesn't seem to understand that accuracy is important in a graphic, by eye is probably good enough, and in most cases should be, but since we have computers to need to be exact seems to be much more important than it was.
Creating the same item in a CAD system is very simple and quick. Because of that limitation, I frequently draw what I need as a CAD symbol and import into Xara as a PDF. It really shouldn't be needeed to do it that way. However, there's NO chance that ANY vector tools are ever going to be improved.
I do agree but when someone come along and insists Product X's Tool Y is essential, the usual response is go and use Tool X then; I was trying to show that in a design if you understand what you want to achieve then you probably will.Quote:
Originally Posted by ss-kalm
Some things will be impossible and will result in a feature request. Xara has oodles of features that other packages have never considered: I have made things in corelDraw that require great precision and repeatability and I did such because I knew its strengths and weaknesses. In Xara, a QuickShape can be a square/circle/pointy star/rounded star or rectangle/ellipse as all have four sides. Change the number of sides and you have much more - all without have to change the tool and create and replace a shape. All these constructs are primitives that were chosen for speed. Line widths are centred around a shape, not inner, not outer. To achieve these, Xara uses Contours. The list is extensive and shows Xara's approach is and never will be a CAD approach.
I use it because it is different.
Acorn
Thanks for the detail of how to do that in Xara.Quote:
Originally Posted by Acorn
Early this month I have purchased a Designer Pro X license for the company to make website.
I have my own company that design watches, the image above was made with CorelDRAW, it is a simple hour hand. CorelDRAW has tangent, quardant snap, and a function like trim between two end-point. I don't know how to trim in Xara.
I almost buy a copy for myself, I want to switch to Xara completely. But after tried the drawing functions, I hold the purchase. I will keep using Xara to create website for my full-time job.
Snap is about accuracy, Xara has very good object snap, that is very good for web design, but drawing snap is very primitive, compare to CorelDRAW. I cannot even snapping my start point on another line/curve.Quote:
Originally Posted by ss-kalm
I understand that ... I am a CAD draftsman by profession. I would love Xara to incorporate CAD style snapping. However, because of my profession, typically I don't use Xara for anything that requires high precision. I have other tools for that!
indeed.. you only get so much for your 199 GBP Xara Designer Pro 17, compared with 599 GBP for CorelDraw Suite and you do not get a feel for what the program can do until you try it
CorelDraw site gives usage examples including:
Xara makes no such claims, it overplays the headline description maybe, but they all tend to do that including CorelQuote:
Blueprints, maps & schematics
CorelDRAW is a trusted name in engineering, manufacturing and construction firms, with dedicated, precision tools for creating detailed product and parts illustrations, diagrams, schematics, and other intricate visuals.
None of the examples XaraMagix put on their site are anything like this
Xara is ok for animated gif's for example, but beyond that, more trouble than it is worth for me because it has no timeline