make center X handle of shapes, optional (wishlist)

[Brynn]

Hi Friends,
I've noticed since some recent new version (I guess probably 0.92, but maybe 0.91?) there is an X handle in the center of shapes, which is only showing when a shape tool is enabled and a shape is selected. As far as I can tell, its purpose is to drag the shape by that X. I suppose the benefit is to be able to move the shape without switching to the Selection tool.

There does not seem to be any way to remove it or at least disable it. I've tried Shift, Ctrl and Alt, and all possible combinations of them. The only way to avoid it is to deselect the shape.

The problem is that it disallows the user to start drawing another shape starting from the center of that shape. Because when the mouse is placed near the center, (a) snapping does not happen, and (b) it only grabs that X handle and drags the shape, instead of drawing another shape.

So the only way to draw a shape, starting in the center of another shape (something I do fairly often), is to deselect the first shape.

Please either make this X handle optional, or provide some way to temporariy disable it (like maybe with a key shortcut?), so that the user can start drawing a shape from the center of a selected shape, without deselecting the first shape (as it worked before).

Thank you very much :-)

[Brynn (brynn4inks-deactivatedaccount)]

I just had an extra thought. If the purpose of this handle is merely to drag the object (without switching to Selection tool), maybe the X doesn't need to be in the center of the object??

If the X were some place besides the center it would allow drawing a new shape from the center of existing selected shape.

Thanks again :-)

[Patrick Storz (ede123)]

Actually you *can* draw new objects from the center despite the center handle:
If you move the mouse cursor within "snapping distance" of the center you'll see the corresponding tooltip (i.e. "Handle to object midpoint" or "Handle to object rotation center") and can draw the shape you want.

Moving the center handle off-center does not make sense (as indicated by the name) as one of the major ideas behind this handle is giving users the ability to easily align objects (especially their centers) without switching to the selection tool and having to specifically enable one of the "snap to center" options.

[Brynn (brynn4inks-deactivatedaccount)]

Aahh, well that makes another extra step for me. Because until we can configure the snap notification (make it smaller or more transparent or further away or change the distance in which the mouse triggers it) I keep mine turned off because it blocks my view too much. Once in a while I need to see it, if I can't be sure where the snap happens, but otherwise I just watch for the visible snap. So I would have to first turn the notification on, before I could see it.

Personally, I don't have any problem switching to the Selection tool to move a shape. So it would still be nice to make the X handle optional, or have some way to temporarily disable it.

Thanks for the info, Patrick :-)

[Brynn (brynn4inks-deactivatedaccount)]

Migrated to: https://gitlab.com/inkscape/inbox/issues/1343

Closed by marking Invalid.

Migrated and closed by brynn.