Smart spline question Please Help!

[smurfjeep]

A few months ago I designed a pattern and used the "Smart spline tool" (I think), it was a tool that after I placed the vectors around a design, I could move sliders on either side of the vector that would cause the vector to react differently if I either slid the slider out or in,, or moved its location. I learned this technique from Joe and Mikes tutorials. However now when I select and use the smart spline tool, I no longer get the sliding tangets, and the angles are fixed. What am I doing wrong?

I have recently switched computers, and I wonder if I did not instal something correctly. But I also upgraded to 3.1, so I am totally lost.

Please help

Woody

[bergerud]

As you draw each segment, you have to hold the mouse button down and move the mouse a little to turn the line segments into splines. It is the spline segments which have the blue control points.

[smurfjeep]

Thanks, that did the trick.

Was this a recent change. When I finish and click off of the line, the tangents (Blue Control points) disappear. How can I get them back to make adjustments?

[bergerud]

No changes I know of. ctrl-h or toggle control points under the view menu should bring the control points back.

[smurfjeep]

Wow!, now why can't we find that somewhere, you, my fine Sir, are outstanding! Thanks

[smurfjeep]

OK, how do I adjust the yellow points... feel like such a newb.72405

[bergerud]

The yellow points are just the midpoints if the line segments. All you can do with them is use them to move the segment. Click and drag.

[smurfjeep]

The yellow points will pop up when the vector on either side has only one adjustable tangent angle (not sure of the correct term) ( one blue movable adjusting point, instead of two) How do I get back 2 adjustable control points back to the vector. what ever I did to create this fixed angle, I cant remove it to make it adjustable again.

[bergerud]

When you draw with the smart spline tool you get two types of segments, spline and line, depending on if you click and move or just click. The spline segments have the blue, adjustable tangent controls, the line segments only have the yellow midpoint. To get the blue tangent controls, you have to convert the line segment to a spline segment. To convert one type to another, either right click on it and choose form->Segment,Arc, or Spline or use the buttons on the Utility Toolbar.

Also useful is to double click on the red control point between segments to make them tangent. It will turn pink and a yellow T appears. Double click again and it toggles back (but the segments will stay tangent).