I’m not sure if there is any value in a rectangle remaining a rectangle that is not a path, but I do a ton of work that requires me to convert it to a path. Could you add a default in the settings to “Always Convert Drawn Rectangles To A Path”?
Interesting idea. We could really just have it so that all shapes are auto converted to paths - would not be difficult. @LightBurn - what do you think?
Not sure what your specific use case is, but the reasons shapes aren’t converted to paths automatically is that, if they did, you couldn’t use the “Shape Properties” window to modify them after the fact. Beyond simple scale/rotate/skew/move.
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Open the ‘Shape Properties’ and select a rectangle. You can set a positive or negative corner radius value, and those are retained when you drag scale the rectangle, like a primitive form of CAD.
What work are you doing that requires convert to path? For rectangles, ellipses, and polygons, because they’re simple / single / predictable, we could auto-convert them if you try to node edit. There isn’t anything else in LightBurn that would require them to be converted first, is there?
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So we are cutting a lot of acrylic shields of varying shapes. I start with a rectangle, convert to path, maybe round a corner or two depending, and then using node edit, delete the lines that are bordering the edge that doesn’t get cut.
I start with a rectangle so I get precise dimensions without having to draw the individual components. Many of them look like an upside down U with a flatter top.
Maybe I’m missing something in the current functionality. I was unaware that I could do the rounded corners in shape properties and it held. And I’m guessing that there’s no good way to allow node edit to delete sides of a shape (or make that segment invisible).
I have never really understood the rectangle property for corner radius versus the corner rounding tool that automatically converts a rectangle into a path.
Seems like two methods of doing the same thing, but I am sure I am missing something subtle.
The corner radius in shape properties will radius all four corners equally. With the radius tool, you can radius individual corners, or do them at different radiuses on different corners.
It sounds like the radius tool does everything the radius property does plus allows more flexibility. So I still am not sure why the radius property is needed. But it does not hurt me so I just leave it alone and use the radius tool.
Using the ‘Radius’ tool changes the geometry of the shape, and it loses its ‘ancestry’ - IE, it has no idea what it used to be.
Using the Corner Radius properly on the rectangle doesn’t do this - It remembers that you asked for a rectangle with a specific radius of corner, and changing the rectangle size rebuilds the rectangle with the new size and keeps the corners at the requested radius, like this:
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Thanks @Lightburn (Oz). Is there a solution for then deleting sides of a shape other than convert to path? And if not, could you consider the option to auto-convert to path in settings or at least if you click on a shape with node edit, it asks you do you want to convert to path?
For now you have to convert to path. I could make it ask or just make it automatic, but “ask” means a pop up, and those are annoying, and “auto” means that new users might not realize they’re doing it, and that can be trouble for other reasons.
I could make it happen automatically for simple shapes like ellipses and rectangles. Text shapes turn into multiple objects when converted to paths, so even what you have selected would change.
@Lighburn And as I recommended, only automatically if you check a box in your settings. So by default it doesn’t. I agree on the popup - annoying. I like the idea of only converting box and ellipses.
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