Eagle and Chain.c2d (416 KB)
New User here so I’m sure this is an easy fix…Not for me. I want to make it look like the eagle is clutching the chain. When I “trim vectors” I get the look I want. However, the line then turns purple which I believe means there is an open vector. I can’t seem to figure out how to fix that. Hoping for some help. Thanks
Right now the magenta vector is grouped with a bunch of closed vectors. Ungroup them, select ONLY the magenta, and it will now close (using the ‘Join Vectors’ command).
It’s a bit of a sucky UI experience. There should be a warning to the user that you can’t use already closed vectors for ‘Join Vectors’.
You will need to duplicate things or go back to the original and duplicate things.
Basically you need two closed regions (which will need to be assigned different toolpaths):
- the chain
- the eagle’s claw
This will be easier with a set of layers:
- original geometry (we can use DEFAULT for this)
- eagle
- chain
Select everything:
copy-paste to duplicate:
Move Duplicate Selection to Layer:
Repeat for the other new layer.
Hide the layers which one doesn’t wish to work with:
Ok
Select the overlapping geometry and decide what will be in front (middle claw), and what will be in back (left/right claw):
and use Trim Vectors to remove what is not wanted:
Repeating until one arrives at:
OK
Select the elements of the claw which need to be joined:
and use Join Vectors to close them:
Then do the same thing for the other claw/chain link, but first it will be necessary to draw in additional geometry so that the necessary claw segments may be added to the chain:
Done
Done
Select everything:
and repeat:
until one arrives at:
OK
OK
Select the outline of the chain link areas:
Join Vectors
Select
and Delete what is not wanted:
Repeat this for the Eagle:
If need be, ungroup vectors:
Join Vectors:
Show both layers and adjust as necessary:
Apparently some geometry needs to be restored:
Do so using the Curve tool:
Use Node Editing to remove what is not wanted:
Then join things together:
Repeat until one arrives at:
Attached as a v7 file.
Eagle and Chain_v7.c2d (744 KB)
Wow, that’s a lot of work. Thanks for all the detail. Do you think this is something that will get “easier” with software updates? Seems like an awful lot of steps for something relatively simple. I appreciate your time and effort.
It would have been easier when the geometry was still open. The doubling of of geometry for highlights further complicated things.
The underlying math for this is hard, and making this easier for the user would require having Boolean operations which support composite paths.