Node type order should change when double clicking

[pieter3d]

When CTRL double clicking nodes, the type changes from smooth to symmetrical to corner. However the order should be smooth, corner, symmetrical.
This is because often when a new node is created (by double clicking on a segment), it is certainly done more often to create a corner than to create a symmetrical node.
When you then try to change the type from smooth, symmetrical is selected first, causing the original curvature to be lost. Therefore inserting a corner requires using the corner button, and not the convenient double click.

[prkos (prkos)]

I also vote for preserving the curve and putting symmetrical option last

[Vladimir Savic (vladimir-firefly-savic)]

I've run into same problem today. Changing order would not distort a path that much.

Or, alternatively, even better solution - or addition to already existing - holding CTRL key and dragging node handle could convert node type to corner. You'd be able to operate on newly created corner node by handling already selected node's handle.

[prkos (prkos)]

I like that idea too, although Ctrl is used already to snap at angles.

Shift might be a good option, now it is used to rotate both handles simultaneously but smooth nodes handles always do that. Using Shift also makes sense as its equivalent to controlling handles while drawing with Bezier tool (drawing a cusp node).

It might be nice to have Shift as a modifier on smooth nodes handles that turns them into cusp.

[Vladimir Savic (vladimir-firefly-savic)]

Summary:
Reorder node types so that cycling through them maintains curvature as much as possible.
Make SHIFT key modifies any kind of node to cusp (when click-at-handle-edited, that is).

[su_v (suv-lp)]

> This is because often when a new node is created (by double
> clicking on a segment), it is certainly done more often to
> create a corner than to create a symmetrical node.

If you want a newly inserted (smooth) node to have independent handles (cusp with extracted handles), keep it selected and press 'Shift+C' once: this will convert it into a cusp node without retracting the handles (shape is preserved). If you then press 'Shift+C' again, both handles will be retracted (actually changing the curvature of both adjacent segments).

[su_v (suv-lp)]

This report seems to have been filed against Inkscape 0.46 which didn't have 'Auto-smooth' node types.

The node tool in Inkscape 0.46 cycles in this order through the node types:
cusp -> smooth -> symmetric -> cusp

The old node tool in Inkscape 0.47 cycles in this order through the node types:
cusp -> smooth -> symmetric -> auto-smooth -> cusp

The new node tool in Inkscape 0.48.x and current trunk cycles in this order through node types:
cusp-> smooth -> auto-smooth -> symmetric -> cusp

Can this report be closed?

[Vladimir Savic (vladimir-firefly-savic)]

As you wish, but I still think it's wrong order.
No visual distortion of the path:
Symmetric -> Cusp
Smooth -> Cusp
Auto -> Cusp

Deformation:
Cusp -> Smooth
Cusp -> Symmetric
Cusp -> Auto
- except if cusp's node handles overlap with handles of desired node type -

You could safely assume that changing any node type into cusp is always the best choice. Therefore, I think the better order is:
Cusp -> Symmetric -> Smooth -> Auto -> Cusp

[su_v (suv-lp)]

Old states:
Cusp -> Smooth -> Symmetric -> Cusp
Cusp -> Smooth -> Symmetric -> Auto -> Cusp

Current state:
Cusp-> Smooth -> Auto -> Symmetric -> Cusp

prkos wrote:
> I also vote for preserving the curve and putting symmetrical option last
(i.e. Cusp -> Smooth (-> Auto) -> Symmetric -> Cusp)

vlada wrote:
> Therefore, I think the better order is:
> Cusp -> Symmetric -> Smooth -> Auto -> Cusp

v1nce wrote elsewhere [1]:
> symmetric => soft => hard => automatic => symmetric
(i.e. Cusp -> Auto -> Symmetric > Smooth > Cusp)

It seems to me that the order of the cycling largely depends on the user's preferred workflows?
Reverting bug status to 'Confirmed' for now.

---
[1] <http://www.inkscapeforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=12234#p45480>

[v1nce (vincent-pennec)]

> I also vote for preserving the curve and putting symmetrical option last

> You could safely assume that changing any node type into cusp is always the best choice. Therefore, I think the better order is:
Cusp -> Symmetric -> Smooth -> Auto -> Cusp

You forget symmetric to smooth which is lossless too.

With [Cusp -> Auto -> Symmetric -> Smooth > Cusp] 2 of 4 steps are lossless

Symmetric -> Smooth -> Auto -> Cusp got 2 of 4 too but I like this sequence less :
 When reworking traced shapes I often want symmetric/smooth turned into cusp ;
 if auto comes into the workflow then the curve will change (what I don't want)

I think order of icons in the "node bar" should be modified accordingly. (I don't know which should come first but the 3 next should follow the "order" (and symmetric and smooth can't be splitted apart IMO))