Segments & Structure
Reshape curves, add nodes, copy parts of a path, and open or join contours.
The Point on a Segment
Move the pointer over a line or curve, and Vextra marks a small point on it. That point is where the next drag or node insertion happens.
While you drag a curve, the point travels with the changing curve.
Reshape a Curve
Press the marked point on an unselected curve and drag. Vextra adjusts the handles so the curve follows the pointer, preserving smooth and tangent joins wherever they still hold.
Hold Option / Alt while dragging to change both the length and the direction of the curve handles. At smooth nodes, the handle on the far side rotates along to keep the join smooth.
Press and release without dragging, and Vextra selects the segment instead.
Edit a Straight Segment
Drag the marked point on a straight segment to move the nearest end node.
Option-click / Alt-click turns a straight segment into a curve, ready for you to edit its new handles.
Add a Node
Control-Option-click / Ctrl-Alt-click adds a smooth node at that exact place without changing the curve. The same keys add a node to a straight segment.
Move Selected Segments
Select a segment and drag it. Vextra moves the whole selected run, nodes and handles together.
- Hold Shift to move only horizontally or vertically.
- Hold Control / Ctrl to turn off Vextra snapping.
- Press Escape to cancel the move.
A tangent end becomes sharp once it can no longer stay tangent. Smooth nodes stay smooth as long as the surrounding curves allow it.
Copy a Run in Place
Select a run of at least two neighboring nodes or segments, then hold Option / Alt before the drag begins.
Vextra makes a copy and moves the copy. It becomes a new contour inside the current path and stays selected on mouse-up.
Option-drag / Alt-drag does not copy:
- An unselected segment.
- A single node.
- A drag that started before you pressed Option / Alt.
Copy and Paste Contours
Command-C / Ctrl-C copies the current Vextra selection, and Edit → Copy Vextra Contour does the same.
Command-V / Ctrl-V adds the copied contours to the active path and selects them. It does not create a separate Illustrator object.
The clipboard also carries the shape as SVG, so other vector applications and supported Vexy web tools can receive it with its contour structure intact.
For the full clipboard behavior, see Keyboard, Undo & Documents.
Delete or Duplicate
Press Delete or Backspace to remove the current selection.
The Duplicate panel command copies the selected path part in place.
When two neighboring nodes sit in the same spot, Vextra marks them with a red diamond, which makes stray points and deliberate overlaps easy to spot.
Break and Join
Break opens a contour at the selected nodes, keeping the Smart Corner and G2 settings that still apply to other nodes.
Join connects matching open ends. You can also drag one open end onto another.
Each command is one Illustrator undo step.
Select a Full Contour
Double-click a segment to select the full contour, and Shift-double-click to add or remove it from a larger selection.
Do this before moving, copying, flipping, simplifying, or expanding a whole contour.
For the panel commands, see Contour Commands.