X-Git-Url: https://git.pterodactylus.net/?p=synfig.git;a=blobdiff_plain;f=synfig-docs%2Ftrunk%2Fen%2Fsteps%2Fshapes.sgml;fp=synfig-docs%2Ftrunk%2Fen%2Fsteps%2Fshapes.sgml;h=23a46bb005dc877bff942d22db0608a430e9de03;hp=0000000000000000000000000000000000000000;hb=5044e6e370d2836bd13aef36ed6ed56f63a0bec1;hpb=e8ae5001d9daab250abb0e25a1fe1fd9b4292d78 diff --git a/synfig-docs/trunk/en/steps/shapes.sgml b/synfig-docs/trunk/en/steps/shapes.sgml new file mode 100644 index 0000000..23a46bb --- /dev/null +++ b/synfig-docs/trunk/en/steps/shapes.sgml @@ -0,0 +1,82 @@ + + + + Shapes + Basic primitives such as circles or +rectangles are all great, but they are pretty much geometrically +inflexible. What about shapes? To do this, we use the bline tool. + In Synfig, the construct for describing shapes is called a Bline. This +is roughly analogous to a "path" in other programs, except that it is +strictly a hermite spline. + When you click on the bline tool, you will see that the ducks from +your currently selected layer (if there was one) will disappear, but +the layer(s) will still remain selected in the Layers Dialog. This is +normal. Anything you create in the bline tool will be inserted above the +currently selected layer. Keep in mind that if you want to insert a shape +somewhere, you should select where you want to insert it before you go +into the Bline tool-changing the selection afterward will automaticly +swap you back to the normal tool. + If you take a look at the tool options dialog, you'll notice that the +first things you see are three checkboxes. Make sure that only "Fill" +AND "Outline" are checked. + First, go ahead and click on the "R" button in the lower left corner of +the FG/BG color widget in the toolbox. This will reset us back to black +and white. Also, go ahead and set the default line width (right next to +the FG/BG widget) to something nice and thick -- 10pt should do the +trick. + Clicking with your mouse in the canvas will place vertices. While you are +placing a vertex, you can drag out its tangent by dragging the mouse. Do +this over and over, and you construct a Bline. + Keep in mind, however, that during this construction, there is nothing +stopping you from just moving it if you don't like where you placed +a vertex or a tangent. Honest! If you want to remove a vertex, right +click on it and delete it. Want to split the tangents? Right click on +the tangent and hit "split tangents". Want to loop the bline? right +click on the first vertex and select "loop". + So I assume you got your first Bline laid out like you want it. That's +great. But we are still in construction mode -- the layers haven't been +created yet. There are two ways to create the layers: + + + just switch to another tool, or + + + press the "create" button at the bottom of the tool options tab + (it's the icon that looks like a gear). + + + For now, just go ahead and click on the normal tool because we + are done with the bline tool. + // Insert Figure about here + Ok, we now have a nice pretty white region with a thick black + outline. Notice that there are two layers that we have created--the + Outline and the Region. Despite the fact that they are two separate + layers, their vertices parameter has already been linked--so you + can select either one and move its ducks around and the other one + will also change. + If you want to manipulate the vertices after you have created + the layers, it is very easy to do so. Just click on one of the + layers and have at it. If you want to remove a vertex, right + click on it and hit "Remove Item (smart)". Want to insert a point + somewhere? Right click on the segment where you want to insert + something and his "Insert item (smart)". + NOTE: The only major difference between this normal editing mode + and the construction mode is in how you split the tangents--in + construction mode you right click on the tangent itself. In normal + duck editing mode, you must right click on the vertex that the + tangents are attached to. This could be considered a usability bug, + and it will be resolved at some point. + This may appear to be leading to a mess of layers. And yes, if + you aren't using the software properly, that is exactly what you + will get. But there is a way to make this more sane: Just study + the previous tutorial + One quick thing to mention before I finish up. You can change the + width of an outline at each vertex. You do this by selecting the + outline layer (NOTE: you must select the Outline Layer, the Region + Layer has no width data) and tweaking with the width ducks. By + default, these are masked. To show them, press Alt-5. Repeat to + hide them again. You can also see other things to mask via the + Canvas Menu Caret > View Menu > Mask Ducks Menu. + That should give you enough of a grasp of the software to be able + to figure out more stuff on your own. +