Most wanted addition to Designer Pro

**pauland** · 20 February 2012, 10:33 PM

I beleive some software accomplishes this just by giving visual feedback as the line is drawn. My Xara software isn't the latest, but gives X,Y feedback of line endpoints as they are drawn, so it seems like a small step to add line length and angle to that.

Good idea.

**PhilM** · 21 February 2012, 06:28 AM

You have been able to specify lines in terms of length and angle since Version 1! In the shape editor tool, make sure the "straight line" button is selected then click to set an endpoint and then click and drag to create a straight line. As you drag you'll see the L (length) and A (angle) fields update in the infobar. Furthermore, while any point is selected the infobar will show the length and angle of straight lines on either side of it and let you type in new values to move the selected point.

It's also possible to draw things to scale. Use the Scaling tab on the Options dialog.

Phil

**pauland** · 21 February 2012, 08:13 AM

Aha! You're right!

All these years and I never really noticed.

**imjohn** · 21 February 2012, 03:56 PM

Originally Posted by PhilM

You have been able to specify lines in terms of length and angle since Version 1! In the shape editor tool, make sure the "straight line" button is selected then click to set an endpoint and then click and drag to create a straight line. As you drag you'll see the L (length) and A (angle) fields update in the infobar. Furthermore, while any point is selected the infobar will show the length and angle of straight lines on either side of it and let you type in new values to move the selected point.

It's also possible to draw things to scale. Use the Scaling tab on the Options dialog.

Phil

PhilM,
Thanks for that information.
The problem I have now is, after drawing a line (should I decide to modify it) and select it, the infobar only describes the line in rectangular coordinates (Width & Height) rather than polar (Length & Angle).
That means I would have to convert from W/H to L/A then change either L or Angle (or both) and convert back to W/H and enter the new values in the infobar.
I can, with the use of a calculator, do the conversions, but it would be nice if Length and Angle readings could be included on the infobar. Maybe there's a way and I just can't find it.
Also, is there a way to change the default zero angle direction to the East direction (which now is -180 deg.)? There are even times where zero would best be served in the North direction.
Thanks again for the response.
John

**pauland** · 21 February 2012, 05:51 PM

If you select a line point, you get the angle and length info.

The angle measurement does seem bizarre. I also expected 0 to be straight upwards.

**GerryI** · 27 February 2012, 09:20 AM

There are 3 sets of "point" fields in the shape editor infobar. The middle one always shows the x,y co-ordinates of the selected point. The other two (left and right) show either the x,y co-ordinate of the previous or next bezier control points (when the path segment is a curve) or the angle and length values to the previous or next points (when the segment is a line). It should be very easy to select the point you wish to measure from but there is an issue that does make it slightly more complicated. When you type in new values for angle and/or position then it actually moves the selected point rather than the next or previous one so you need to make sure that you select the point you want to move and then change the correct set of values on the infobar.

The angle field is measured from a horizontal line to the right (+ve x direction) in an anti-clockwise direction. The value is always displayed between -180 and 180. This is the standard way that angles are usually defined in any mathematical context. There is no way of changing this currently.

Gerry

**amoore** · 27 February 2012, 03:04 PM

Thanks, Gerry. Very helpful info.

**Albacore** · 28 February 2012, 08:58 AM

Sounds as if you are after a CAD programme. Having said that there is nothing wrong with your request as AI has a measurement tool although it does not work quite the way you want it to. To that end Illy has a plugin called CAdtools which does this job and more the only thing it adds $200 to the price of Illy making this programme really expensive while they are many free CAD drawing programmes around and one of the better ones is Siemens http://www.plm.automation.siemens.co...idedge/free2d/

I do all my woodwork drawings using this programme but it is only 2D but it does me. Like most CAD programmes it runs from a command box which for a little while seems strange but a fter following their vid. tutorials you will easily get the hang of it. You can bring your files into Xara for rendering to improve your overall look but it is not the place for editing the file.