Re-request: Draw Line/Curve from last endpoint

[MJW]

I've requested this before, but thought I'd do so again, since it's been a while.

 

My main use for the Line/Curve tool is tracing along curves, which requires multiple connected curve segments. Matching the new curve's starting point to the previous curve's endpoint is often difficult and always tiresome. Providing a way to do so automatically would greatly enhance the usefulness of the Line/Cure tool.

 

I suggest something like this: If there's a currently active curve (i.e., a curve with movable nodes), holding down the Shift key while left or right clicking would Finish the current curve, and draw a new curve from its endpoint to the cursor position.

 

EDIT: I thought I'd add a few details about how I think it should work.

- Holding the shift key down while pressing the mouse button would establish the previous endpoint as the starting position. As long as the mouse button was held down, the curve would act exactly as it would if the cursor had originally been at the previous endpoint, and moved to the current position. There would be a straight line between the previous endpoint and the cursor. Moving the cursor would move the endpoint of the straight line until the mouse button was released. Releasing the mouse button would set the beginning and end points.

- There would be absolutely nothing special about the new curve once the mouse button was released to establish its beginning and end points. The beginning point could be moved just like it can be for any other curve.

- I think it would be best if the Shift key only matters when the mouse button is first pressed; so releasing the Shift key before releasing the mouse key would not change the starting point, and neither would pressing the Shift key after a new curve is started. However, the other way of working would be fine.

[Red ochre]

1 hour ago, MJW said:

One of my main uses of the Line/Curve tool is to trace along curves

Hi MJW - have you tried using Shapemaker for your method of working?
I suggest copying your image to the clipboard, open and maximise Shapemaker. Select cubic spline (2nd blue icon), snap to grid off and deselect path before starting another.
(Other curves are available 😉)
I recommend saving the shape but the 'draw on canvas' function is much better now than it was.

Just a work-around if Rick's 'to do' list is too long!

[MJW]

1 hour ago, Red ochre said:

Hi MJW - have you tried using Shapemaker for your method of working?

 

Honestly, I find ShapeMaker rather difficult to use for simple tracing tasks. I suppose if I practiced more with it, I might get better.

 

One improvement that could be made to ShapeMaker (though I expect it would be quite complex to implement) is to allow the direction at the ends of splines to be specified.  As it is now, they're all "natural" splines, meaning the second derivative is zero at the ends, which determines the end directions. That works well for some situations, but looks (ironically) unnatural for others.