Snap to Grid

[Azin]

Hello, 

 

I'm looking for an option to adjust the grid size and to snap-to-grid. 

 

For some purposes, you can find a way around this, but it is a pain when working on a project that requires perfect precision. 

 

The topic has been brought up before, but I'm hoping to hear of any news on the possibility of implementing it.

I don't assume there has been made any plugins to cater this need since earlier posts on the matter, so I'm hoping to persuade developers to implement the feature in a new version of paint.net instead.

 

If you need to know more specifically what I'm looking for, then it's basically what you have in Adobe Illustrator or any decent 3D modelling software you will ever come across. It would work pretty much exactly like the grid already in place, except you would not be limited to working only with individual pixels, but rather groups of pixels as you zoom further out. The grid would preferably have thicker lines every 5, 10 or 15 lines, etc. to help the user position the various elements.

 

This feature might not seem very necessary if you aren't used to having it, but it is a huge help, and I can't imagine it being very difficult to implement; it is a relatively basic feature. Many consider this a core-feature, so I don't think it would be out-of place to have it in paint.net.

 

Thank you for reading my posts

 

 

 

[pdnnoob]

Zoom out to a factor of 100% and move things with the arrow keys.

For example, if you want to move something 5 pixels at a time, zoom out to 20%. Or if you want 10 pixels, 10%. etc.

By the way, this...

I can't imagine it being very difficult to implement; it is a relatively basic feature. Many consider this a core-feature, so I don't think it would be out-of place to have it in paint.net.

...is exactly what NOT to say when asking a programmer to do something. You'll get some annoyed comments about that in a moment.

[Azin]

I'm sorry if I came off disrespectfully, but compared to other features it really is simple, so I just assume it also would be so to program.

 

The arrow-keys is an alternative when you need to position stuff, but there are other uses for a grid. 

[Red ochre]

Why not use the grid maker plugin: http://forums.getpaint.net/index.php?showtopic=4175
- on a transparent layer with foreground only checked. Then use it as a guide to line up your objects?

I think a snap to grid plugin could be very decieving as the anti-aliased pixels around an object mean that edges are not always where they seem to be. So for it to look correct you would need a fine adjustment - so you may as well do it the long way I've suggested and decide if it 'looks' correct.

Have you tried the align object plugin ? : http://forums.getpaint.net/index.php?showtopic=4193

[david.atwell]

I'm sorry if I came off disrespectfully, but compared to other features it really is simple, so I just assume it also would be so to program.

If it's that easy, then do it yourself. It shouldn't be that hard. :-)

The point is, if you're not a programmer (and even if you are), you have no idea what the codebase is like and whether or not it would even be possible. It's like saying that "it shouldn't be too hard" to retrofit a car with a jet engine - in theory they're the same type of engineering, but they're really not compatible, it would take a lot more work than it probably seems like it would, and you might even have to start from scratch to get the stresses to work correctly. Saying that your requested feature "wouldn't be too hard" is like a slap in the face to any programmer. You shouldn't say it.

[jp2paint]

Is it possible to add Snap to Grid?

 

No one ever answered that.

 

I use PDN often to design stuff for myself before I try taking pics out to a machine shop to be built (they roll their eyes at me if I bring in a hand sketch and assume I don't know what I'm talking about).

 

When the program detects mouse movement (like what is shown in the status bar) and some new menu item (Image -> Snap to Grid) is checked, then the mouse coordinates would be rounded to the nearest x and y grid point.

 

I am a decent C# guy, but mostly with databases, forms, and DataGridView controls. I am not the best at GDI+, but I can give a line a color and draw it from one PointF to the next.

 

Is the source code for PDN still open to the public? I thought it went private a few years back.

 

If developers in the PDN group are going to dismiss this as trivial that the OP should look into, then perhaps I could look into it as well. So, how would I go about this? Where is the source code? What files and classes deal with the mouse movements? Is there a repository I need to plug my copy of VS2010 up to?

[Red ochre]

jp2paint,

There is one developer/author - Rick Brewster.

The source code is not available - I believe it once was but don't think it was ever technically 'open source' (but not sure).

Snap to grid as you have described it would not be allowed as a plugin as it would alter the Pdn U.I., but a plugin that snaps 'objects' to a grid or draws lines to a grid could be done. Have a read through the 'Developers central' section of the forum - particularly plugin rules. There are VS plugin templates there too.

I wonder if a vector program eg. 'Inkscape' might be more suited to your technical drawing needs?

[jp2paint]

How similar is the IDE in Inkscape (http://inkscape.org/en/)?

 

Work once let me spend a solid 6-months developing images using PDN, and that went a long way towards me understanding how this IDE works.

 

I don't typically have that much time to invest in something that does not contribute to the employer's bottom line.

[creamlapine]

Photoshop has a snap to grid feature you know (just photoshop costs and arm and a leg and a kidney), also the grids usually are not part of a picture, they are just on the UI. Snap to grid is really useful when you are actually drawing something yourself rather than just editing an existing image.

[Ego Eram Reputo]

Thread is ancient. Please start a new thread if you wish to begin this conversation anew. Thanks.