Hiya 'Heads, I know this has been discussed here many times, but I don't recall ever seeing a simple solution. You know the problem, when you apply a contour to a shape in Corel and you get too many nodes on the outline? Well, heres a down and dirty simple fix....
You have to break the contour apart from the original shape. From there use the shape tool and select the nodes you want to clean up. Then apply curve smoothness. Hope this helps!
Havin' fun,
Checkers
Posted by James Donahue (Member # 3624) on :
That's cool, time to think about getting version 12...
Posted by Dave Grundy (Member # 103) on :
Brian..Just to add to what you said. If the object and contour are "curved shapes", the smoothness tool will yield even better results if you first select all the nodes and change them to "curves" AND "smooth nodes" before using the tool.
Just an addition to your excellent suggestion.
[ March 28, 2005, 12:39 AM: Message edited by: Dave Grundy ]
Posted by Denis E. Renaud (Member # 4610) on :
That option was available on 10 also.
Posted by Catharine C. Kennedy (Member # 4459) on :
works in Corel 11 as well
Posted by Bruce Williams (Member # 691) on :
Corel has had node-reduction since Version 8 at least. But they keep putting it into different places. Perhaps to enhance our Thrill of Discovery when we try a new version.
As Dave said, it helps to turn contour nodes into curves, and smooth, before reducing. If Corel can't think of a way to eliminate that extra step, I wonder if someone can make a script?
Posted by Bill Diaz (Member # 2549) on :
Actually this curve smoothness slide bar does not work properly on my version 12. They had it in version 9 and it worked well. I figured that you could go to setting 14 on that sliding bar with good results in 9, but in 12 you can't go past the 3 setting. Unless I have a bum version or need to change a setting somewhere. (WHERE) I have tried changing the nodes to curves and using the smooth command as suggested by Dave. But going to even setting 3 distorts the outline. Some fonts work on the 3 setting and some get distorted if you are trying to clean up nodes using the contour command in 12. If I don't use the node reduction I won't get a smooth plot on my Graphtec (I plot from Corel.) It's been frustrating and I posted about it before. I had to put version 9 back on and begin the process there and then transfer the image into 12.
Since I am still a plot guy and haven't gone to a digital printer, I haven't been able to use some of the unique qualities of 12 and have been disappointed with it. It's inconvenient to go from 9 to 12 just to smooth a contour without distortion. If somebody can help out, let me know. I have already tried everything mentioned above and have found better results with outlines by using the "Change Outline to Object" command.
Posted by Dave Grundy (Member # 103) on :
Bill...I, too, find the smoothness slider to be kind of iffy. And I agree that converting outline to object is a more accurate way to go. But in actual fact I don't really worry too much about reducing nodes on contours. I find that the excessive nodes don't slow down my cutter much anyway.
A much more useful tool to me are the Oberon Curveworks scripts that will automatically put a tiny curve on the end of those sharp cusp nodes that can cause huge "flyouts" when doing a contour.
Posted by Bill Diaz (Member # 2549) on :
Yeah, Dave, I use that Curveworks and round curves on everything. I like that program and want to thank you or whoever suggested getting it. Sometimes that program will give an "End" command when rounding a complicated shape and I have found that welding the shape to a rectangle and then breaking it apart and then using the round feature works, but don't ask me why. I found out that welding scripts and extruded shadows to rectangles and then breaking them apart and pulling out stray nodes works for for plotted outlines.
I wish my plotter would straighten out the little jags on those outlines on the contour feature in 12, but it doesn't. Graphtec may have a smoothing feature I'm not aware of.
Posted by Rovelle W. Gratz (Member # 4404) on :
Sometimes when I'm cleaning up an area in Corel I select all the nodes in that area, then deselect the nodes I want to keep by holding my shift key, then delete. This gets rid of all the unwanted nodes.
With experience, you will know which nodes to keep to maintain the smoothness of the curves.
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