fc4b217c4a
help system Piers Cornwell <piers.cornwell@bigfoot.com> who has taken the burden to continue this project Karin and Olof started. --Sven
121 lines
5.8 KiB
HTML
121 lines
5.8 KiB
HTML
<!doctype html public "-//w3c//dtd html 4.0 transitional//en">
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<HTML>
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<HEAD>
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<META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1">
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<TITLE>The Paths Dialog</TITLE>
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</HEAD>
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<BODY text="#000000" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" link="#0000FF" vlink="#FF0000" alink="#000088">
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<TABLE width="100%" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1">
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<TR bgcolor="black">
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<TD width="100%" align="center"><FONT size="+2" color="white">The Paths
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Dialog</FONT></TD>
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</TR>
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<TR bgcolor="white" >
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<TD width="100%" align="left"><P>
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<P>
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Basically paths is a way to store bezier selections. But if you limit path
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to that statement you will miss a lot of functionality. A better way to see
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it is a way to manage vectors curves. If you are familiar with vector drawing
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programs such as e.g Sketch, Illustrator® or Corel Draw® then paths
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will be something that is very natural.
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<P>
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You will work with paths just like you work with bezier curves. Bezier
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(select)curves are as a matter of fact Paths you may just not be aware of
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the power that is hidden. The big difference is that you can edit your curve,
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and you can paint with your curve or even save, import and export the curve.
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<P>
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There are three commando areas in the Paths dialog, the top edit area, the
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path area with it's right button popup menu and the bottom control area.
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<P>
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<DL>
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<DT>
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<EM>Control area:</EM>
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<DD>
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From left to right we count<BR>
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<BR>
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New Path, you will create a new path and activate the bezier tool. The path
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is named Path X where X is a number. If you want to rename it you have to
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double click on the path in the path area. If you do so a name dialog will
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appear.<BR>
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<BR>
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Duplicate Path: Will duplicate your currently active path. To activate/mark
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a path you single click on it in the path area. The name is by default OldName#X
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where X indicates the N:th duplication of the path.<BR>
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<BR>
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Path to selection: Will create a selection out of a path. Note the path doesn't
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have to be closed. The created selection will simply join the endpoints with
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a line that will follow the curves direction in each endpoint.<BR>
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<BR>
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Selection to Path: Will create a path out of a selection. Beware of complicated
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selection such as selections done by quick mask or select by color. Such
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selection will create very complexed paths, which are hard to control.<BR>
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<BR>
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Stroke path: Will stroke the path with the currently (active device) active
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brush. The path doesn't have to be closed. The stoke will stoke from one
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endpoint to another.<BR>
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<BR>
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Delete Path: Will delete the currently active path (Note: no confirmation
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dialog).
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<DT>
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<DD>
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<DT>
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<EM>Edit area:</EM>
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<DD>
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To be able to edit a path the bezier tool must be active, if it isn't you
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will not be able to edit a path. In the top edit area we count from left
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to right.<BR>
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<BR>
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New point. This command will add a control point to the path and make aline
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from the last control point to the new point. There a two ways to create
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a path either you just click to add a point. This will crate a curve with
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sharp corners. However if you click and drag you will stretch and form the
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curve related to the added control point. If you create the path this way
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you will end up with a curve with smooth "corners". You can naturally combine
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the two ways to create curves. <BR>
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You close your path by joining the first and last point (this is done by
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adding the last point really close to the first point) a square sign will
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now appear inside the path. This command will turn the path into a selection.
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However if you click outside the previously closed curve you will start a
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new bezier curve. The square path to selection command will now be deactivated
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and you can add more points inside the previously closed curve. You can have
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as many closed curves as you want but you can only have one that isn't closed
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in the same Path. This may look like a limitation but you can have as many
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paths as you like which will enable you to have as may unclosed curves as
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you want as long as they are in separate paths.<BR>
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<BR>
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Add point: Will add a point to your curve. The new point must be located
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on the curve, you can't add a point outside the curve. You will notice that
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your cursor will have a little + sign when you are over a curve in the image.
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When the + sign appears it means that you are able to add a point by clicking
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on the curve. The new point will be adjusted to fit the curve and the curves
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shape will not be altered.<BR>
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<BR>
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Remove point: Will remove a point in your curve. The point must be a between
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the endpoints in a non-closed curve. If the curve is closed it can be any
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point within the curve. You must however always have two point in the curve.<BR>
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<BR>
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Edit Point: Will allow you to adjust the curve. When you click on an anchor
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point, two little handles appear. If you pull the handles, they will change
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size and direction and shape a curve. By pressing Ctrl, you can move an anchor
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point anyway you like. To be able to adjust each handle separately you have
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to press Shift.
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<DT>
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<DD>
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<DT>
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<EM>Path area:</EM>
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<DD>
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The path area is where you choose the path that you want to work with. If
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you right click on a path a popup menu will appear with command for copy,
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paste etc. please see <A HREF="../../paths/index.html">Path Index</A> for
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reference of those commands. The default name of a path is simple it's just
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Path followed with a number. It can sometimes be really useful too change
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name. To change name simply double click on the path and a name dialog will
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appear.
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</DL>
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<P>
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<A href="index.html">Index</A>
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</TD>
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</TR>
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</TABLE>
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</BODY></HTML>
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