Request: show nodes on paths when snap active: bezier tool

Bug #872057 reported by ottadini
6
This bug affects 1 person
Affects Status Importance Assigned to Milestone
Inkscape
Confirmed
Wishlist
Unassigned

Bug Description

When using Bezier tool, and snap is active, it would be useful to show all nodes on current paths, to allow for quick and easy snapping to nodes etc.

Current workflow necessitates creating markers for paths, or dwelling for a little while, or various permutations of this.
Forum thread of discussion: http://www.inkscapeforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=10380

My current Inkscape version: 0.48.1.

Revision history for this message
su_v (suv-lp) wrote :

> to show all nodes on current paths

Could you explain what "current paths" does refer to with regard to the bezier tool context? Is it the current selected path(s) (duplicate of or at least related to bug #605190, and possibly bug #838210), or indeed _all_ paths in the document, or only those which are moused over while in search for the intended snap target (similar to highlighting the path outline in the node tool context)?

> and snap is active

Does this refer to the global snap setting (i.e. highlight possibly _all_ nodes in the current document even if the user only wants to snap nodes to the grid or guides or paths only (when drawing a new path with the pen tool)) or is the request limited to the combination of 'bezier tool context' and the active snap settings 'Snap nodes and handles ' + Snap (to) cusp nodes' + Snap (to) smooth nodes'?

> easy snapping to nodes etc.

What's hiding behind the 'etc.'? ;)

> Current workflow necessitates

In the related forum discussions alternatives to your current workflow have been mentioned a) to avoid manually redrawing (partially) identical paths segment by segment (using path operations, e.g. 'Divide') as well as b) to avoid the "dwell" time by reducing the snap delay (Preferences > Snapping).

My current concern would be a) having the nodes obscuring drawing content (most feature requests by users so far have been to to optionally allow _hiding_ nodes and their handles when editing paths) as well as b) possibly performance issues / additional lagging with huge paths or even moderately complex drawings.

tags: added: node-editing snapping
Changed in inkscape:
importance: Undecided → Wishlist
Revision history for this message
ottadini (ben-harrison) wrote :

I see I need remedial launchpad lessons :(

Exec summary:
When using Bezier tool, and snap* is active, it would be useful to show all nodes on paths**, to allow for quick and easy snapping to nodes, and path-path and path-guide intersections.

Further details:
* snap active: when global snapping is on, and when in the context of the Bezier tool the user has active snap settings, such as 'Snap nodes and handles ', 'Snap to path intersection', 'Snap (to) cusp nodes', and 'Snap (to) smooth nodes'.

** Only nodes that fit snap criteria for * above. Apart from that, this is open for discussion! I could imagine that at maximum the nodes necessary to be made visible are those within the viewport, however this could be hundreds or thousands depending on the job, and be a serious drain on resources. Alternatively or additionally it could mean only for paths in the active layer; only those nodes within a certain 'snap distance' of the cursor or existing path end-point (if user has started drawing a path with the Bezier tool); or some other way of handling it. Snap already has a setting of 'Only snap the node closest to the cursor', so I guess there is some sort of algorithm here that would help.

> My current concern would be a) having the nodes obscuring drawing content (most feature requests by users so far have been to to optionally allow _hiding_ nodes and their handles when editing paths)

I didn't think that nodes were displayed when using the Bezier tool?

> In the related forum discussions alternatives to your current workflow have been mentioned a) to avoid manually redrawing (partially) identical paths segment by segment (using path operations, e.g. 'Divide') as well as b) to avoid the "dwell" time by reducing the snap delay (Preferences > Snapping).

Yes, and these were very good suggestions, and helped a lot. However, I think the request should still stand.

Revision history for this message
su_v (suv-lp) wrote :

> I see I need remedial launchpad lessons :(

Thanks for the clarifications ;)

Changed in inkscape:
status: New → Confirmed
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