Shapes with rounded corners?

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Jmx
Posts: 49
Joined: Sun Dec 14, 2008 2:32 am

Shapes with rounded corners?

Postby Jmx » Mon May 10, 2010 7:16 pm

Hi,

Is there a faster and easier way to create shapes like this blue arrow with rounded corners?
I know the :tool_star: can make rounded star shapes (the red one) but the sides are bent outwards and just isn't the same.
The blue arrow was made with :tool_rectangle: + :tool_node: as steps 1-4 shown in this picture.
It isn't a problem making it this way, it just takes time and it's impossible to change your mind later and make the corners tighter.
It would be great to be able to use the :tool_rectangle: and set it to 3 sides and still have the corner radius.

Anyone have a better way for these kind of shapes with rounded corners?

Image

Cheers

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RobA
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Re: Shapes with rounded corners?

Postby RobA » Mon May 10, 2010 11:47 pm

The ability to round (or chamfer or fillet) a shape is still not available in Inkscape.

There are a number of feature requests:
https://bugs.launchpad.net/inkscape/+bug/171035
https://bugs.launchpad.net/inkscape/+bug/170149

As well as a CAD collector page in the wiki: http://wiki.inkscape.org/wiki/index.php/CAD
and a spec page for fillet and chamfer: http://wiki.inkscape.org/wiki/index.php ... letChamfer

But no developer has yet committed to it.

I would think that ideally, this could be implemented as a path extension.

-Rob A>

Jmx
Posts: 49
Joined: Sun Dec 14, 2008 2:32 am

Re: Shapes with rounded corners?

Postby Jmx » Tue May 11, 2010 12:16 am

Thanks for the info!

The links showed some very interesting things, it would be a highly welcomed future addition to Inkscape.
This link was interesting.
http://www.corel.com/servlet/Satellite/ ... 5614943669

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brynn
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Re: Shapes with rounded corners?

Postby brynn » Tue May 11, 2010 12:56 am

Here's another idea for creating the rounded corners. Make a triangle at whatever size you wish. Then add a very thick Stroke. Like in your example, maybe 10 px wide, or even more. I haven't tried it, so not sure the exact thickness to recommend. Anyway, of course you would make the stroke color the same as the fill color. Then go to Stroke Style tab and click the middle Join: and Cap: buttons. I find this makes nicely rounded corners on an arrow. Then if you still need a stroke, you can make the appearance of a stroke by duplicating the arrow and scaling it down by whatever width of simulated stroke that you want. Then change the color of the bottom one to whatever color you want for the simulated stroke.

Probably not exactly what you're after, but thought I'd share anyway.

Jmx
Posts: 49
Joined: Sun Dec 14, 2008 2:32 am

Re: Shapes with rounded corners?

Postby Jmx » Tue May 11, 2010 4:34 am

brynn... that worked perfect, just up the stroke with until the corner is what you want.
Then just make everything paths and union it all. :)

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heathenx
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Re: Shapes with rounded corners?

Postby heathenx » Tue May 11, 2010 5:26 am

@Jmx

brynn's technique works well but I have another. Use dynamic offset to scale the object inward. Convert the new shape to a path again and use dynamic offset to scale outward (back to the original size). You should have perfect radii everywhere there were corners. ;)

llogg
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Re: Shapes with rounded corners?

Postby llogg » Tue May 11, 2010 9:16 am

those are both genius solutions.

Jmx
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Joined: Sun Dec 14, 2008 2:32 am

Re: Shapes with rounded corners?

Postby Jmx » Tue May 11, 2010 4:27 pm

Yes, both ways works great, thanks guys!

Heathenx: you actually only need to do the dynamic offset to scale outwards (saves two steps) :mrgreen:

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heathenx
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Re: Shapes with rounded corners?

Postby heathenx » Tue May 11, 2010 9:22 pm

@Jmx

Yes but only if you can tolerate scaling your object outward without it effecting other objects in your project (if there are any). Usually, I duplicate an object before I dynamically offset it and use the original as a reference. A really useful feature would be the ability to snap the dynamic offset node to something (guides, other objects) so we could get it back to the original size. A work around for a work around. ;)


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