Vertices are specified by a pair of coordinates (x/y values). Vertices are used to define the position of points, lines and areas.
There are 3 types of vertices:
The commands for adding new vertices can be found in the
Editing and Drawing Toolbar
.
Add normal vertex
Add corner vertex
Add dash vertex
Add Normal Vertex
The
Add normal vertex
function is enabled when a line, line text or area object is selected. Click this button to change the cursor to the
Add normal vertex
mode.
When this mode is selected, you can insert additional normal vertices or change existing vertices to normal vertices.
Select a line, line text or area object, change to the
Add normal vertex
mode and move the mouse pointer to the desired position on the line object or on the border of the area object. Then, click the left mouse button. A new normal vertex is inserted.
You can also insert normal vertices in
Select and Edit Object
or
Select Object and Edit Vertex
mode when holding down both the
and the
Ctrl
key.
Change a Vertex to a Normal Vertex
Select a line, line text or area object, change to the
Add normal vertex
mode and move the mouse pointer to the vertex to be converted. Then, click the left mouse button. The vertex is changed to a normal vertex.
If you want to change all vertices of an object to normal vertices use the
Change Vertex Types to
function.
Add Corner Vertex
A
Corner Vertex
is a special vertex of line, line text and area objects. You can use this function if a line, line text or area object is selected.
Corner vertices have 3 effects:
they influence how line objects are drawn
they influence the editing of a Bézier curves
when smoothing (automatically or manually) they remain in the same position
When an object is selected, corner vertices are marked with an empty rectangle (
).
Corner vertices are automatically created when drawing in the
Straight Line
mode.
Select a line, line text or area object, change to the
Add corner vertex
mode and move the mouse pointer to the desired position on the line object or on the border of the area object. Then, click the left mouse button. A new corner vertex is inserted.
Change a Vertex to a Corner Vertex
Select a line, line text or area object, change to the
Add corner vertex
mode and move the mouse pointer to the vertex to be converted. Then, click the left mouse button. The vertex is changed to a corner vertex.
If you want to change all vertices of an object to corner vertices use the
Change Vertex Types to
function.
Influence on line objects
Corner vertices influence structured line objects such as dashed lines. When OCAD renders a dashed line it distributes dashes of equal length on that line. Corner vertices divide a line into several line sections. OCAD distributes the dashes on each section as if they are individual objects.
In the
Comparison
part of this page some examples can be found.
Influence on Bézier curves
Corner vertices allow you to create corners in Bézier curves. The
Bezier vertex
before and after a corner vertex can be moved individually without influencing each other. This allows you to create sharp corners.
Add Dash Vertex
A
Dash Vertex
is a special vertex of line or area objects. Dash vertices influence how line objects are rendered. When an object is selected, dash vertices are marked with a diamond (
). You can use this function if a line, line text or area object is selected.
Select a line, line text or area object, change to the
Add dash vertex
mode and move the mouse pointer to the desired position on the line object or on the border of the area object. Then, click the left mouse button. A new dash vertex is inserted.
Change a Vertex to a Dash Vertex
Select a line, line text or area object, change to the
Add dash vertex
mode and move the mouse pointer to the vertex to be converted. Then, click the left mouse button. The vertex is changed to a dash vertex.
If you want to change all vertices of an object to dash vertices use the
Change Vertex Types to
function.
Influence on line objects
Dash vertexes influence structured line objects such as dashed lines. When OCAD renders a dashed line it distributes dashes of equal length on that line. Insert a dash vertex to force a dash to a certain position.
In the
Comparison
part of this page some examples can be found.
Comparison and Examples
Dotted Line
Dotted line with normal vertex (1) and corner vertex (2) at the corner.
Dashed Line
Dashed line with normal vertex (1), dash vertex (2) and corner vertex (3) at the corner.
Dashed Line with Intersection
Remove Vertex
Click the
Remove Vertex
button in the
Editing and Drawing Toolbar
to remove a vertex.
This function is enabled when a line or area object is selected. When you use this function, the cursor changes to the
Remove Vertex
mode.
Remove a vertex from a line or area object by clicking the desired vertex on the selected object with the left mouse button.
Remove multiple vertices
by clicking the
Remove Vertex
button and
holding down
the
Ctrl
key and the
left mouse
key while moving over the vertices. The mouse movement works like an eraser for the vertices of the selected object.
