When working on a piece recently I had attempted to use the selection tools to make some potential tech style line work. I typically would do this in photoshop by simply holding shift and drawing my lines in a set angle that gets lock. Typically this would be 90 horizontal/vertical, and 45 degree angles in either direction. This is incredibly useful because you can draw custom shapes easily and either fill or cut away things you want to add or remove by a geometric form… For tech lines this is nice because you can easily form circuitry like lines and do what you need with them…
I understand there is an ability to do this with the vector tools, however it creates added steps for the workflow. IF the vector shape elements can lock to a degree, there is no reason why a selection tool can not. (my logic anyway)
This may be a very minor thing in the long run, but would be a sensible addition in my opinion.
This direction lock I think would be beneficial with the transform tool as well… From my experience it doesnt seem you can lock a direction of movement for a selected object.
No worries, thats okay… And again it may be a redundant thing and im already incredibly greatful for how awesome this software is for free… but it seems that an angle lock using a shift parameter for anything that “moves” is pretty standard… This is the first time ive come across a software that doesn’t do it… BUT this is also my first time using a software that is free. So ya know… beggers cant be choosers kind of thing… but we can all request right lol?
I think its a good QOL request.
and I would love the lock increment to be expanded beyond where it is now to other tools - like what you said the polygonal selection and for me the assistant i think can use it too or maybe even the shape brush.
i think something similar to how it is in line tool.
where if you press shift while moving the mouse - the line get snap to 5 degree angle so you can make like at 45 or 30 degree.
As far as we discussed earlier, its the ability to snap the direction of poly selection edges to those angles which i think other tools like assistant rulers can also benefit.
ah its because earlier, I miss read their request and i wrote a reply regarding line tool and parallel and the snapping that exist there. They corrected that its like that but for selection , but i delete my answer because its completely off base. and offered to write a better description explaining it.
Angle Snapping is a feature available in Line tool that allows the line to be snap/lock in an angle of 15° increment. This allow the line to be controlled and drawn precisely on that angle. It is a handy feature that allows for great control over line and quick way to draw something geometric.
This feature exist but only on Line Tool and partially on Assistants on current version
15° Angle Snapping Is currently available in the line tool by pressing the modifier key SHIFT after the tool has been activated and then line to a direction. This allows for a line to be drawn at specific angle - 15, 30, 45, 60. …
Angle snapping activated on a line tool
This also partially exist on Assistant, only on two angle 0 or 90. Which I think adequate for some assistant but having more angle to snap on I think would benefit other assistant such as the parallel ruler assistant, ruler assistant and spline.
Ruler Assistant Anlge Snap at 0
Expanding this feature to other tools
I think that other tools would benefit to having Angle snapping, As such here is a list of Tools that I think the snapping will be useful.
Polygonal Selection
– An image of my attempt to do selection on the shape of an octagon base;
– Selection is one of those that not only get use to select but also to select and block. Sometimes you want to draw a selection block with parts of it that are at a certain angle. Having angle snapping will give artist quick way to generate geometric shapes that they can then fill or move. There are plenty of interesting effect this can make.
Assistants [Parallel Ruler, Ruler, Spline]Already merge 2 months Ago
–An image of me trying to create parallel ruler in criss cross. Parallel ruler and ruler could use an angle, infact it can already snap at 0 and 90 if SHIFT is pressed.
–I visited the Tiar’s thread on planned assistant changes and this one is already done ^-^. Thank you @tiar
–Anyway leaving this here as point of reference.
Shape Engine Brush
–Shape engine brush is mostly use to create quick shapes and blocking. Adding Shift to angle lock the next point / side of the shape being created opens up the possibility of quick build up of interesting geometric shapes.
Polyline and Polygon tool
– A tool for quick polygonal shapes, this one that I think. It should already have it. Polytools are meant to draw polygons, and it would be nice to be able to snap it at angle to create a sharper more geometric shapes i actual angle like nonagons, octagons, partial heptagons where only one side is following the shape of a heptagon. or making comic panels.
Activate tools + SHIFT to activate angle lock + move mouse to direction + LMB to confirm length and angle of side.
Summary
This seemingly little combo of Shift + move mouse to direction to angle lock a side is a feature that will benefit not only the tools that already has it [line and in the near future assistant] but other tools.
From creating quick blocks of building, scifi patterns, map blocks, blocking etc.
I think that tools that deal with shapes could increase its usability by having it ^-^.
and offered to write a better description explaining it.
