Combining and Breaking Apart

Terminology that applications use can sometimes be confusing and misleading especially when it is

in conflict with our usual appreciation of the same terminology. In the case of Corel DRAW a curve

for example may consist of only straight lines. It may also be comprised of several seemingly separate entities. This can often be a difficult concept to grasp because the tendency is to think of these entities as a group.

Individual components can be combined into a single curve. This provides very useful properties

regarding fills and editing capability. The process of separating them is called breaking apart. A

number of com mands we apply to our work automatically combine curves and it may be necessary

to break these curves apart before we can continue editing them.

A simple way of understanding this is to think of text characters. The letter A for example comprises

an outline shape with a triangle inside. The fill surrounds the triangle but the triangle itself is not

filled.

Try the following. Draw the letter A using the text tool. It may help if you enlarge it to a size you

can see clearly. Convert this to curves (Arrange Convert to Curves). With the object selected look

at the status bar at the bottom of the screen. It will tell you it is a curve. Now break the curve apart

(Arrange Break Curve Apart) and notice what happens to the fill and what the status bar tells you.

We now have 2 objects. Because the triangle s a curve in its own right now it has its own fill. Now

combine them again (Arrange Combine) i and you will see the letter A as before.

About Curves

A curve is a series of line segments, each line segment have a node at each end. Line segments can be

straight or curved and they need not be connected to each other within a single curve.

Curve objects can be modified in different ways to the other objects you create. Each simple shape

you draw using the tools in the toolbox can be modified in its own particular way. Rectangles can

have their corners radiused, ellipses can be converted to arcs or pies, polygons to stars etc and text

can be edited. Converting any of these to curves loses that ability but gives you the ability to

infinitely modify the shape of the object.

Certain commands automatically convert objects to curves. An example is when using the Shaping

Docker tools. Converting to curves is a one-way street so make sure your object is exactly as you

want it to be before you do this. You will not be able to correct a spelling mistake once you convert

text to curves and the process of changing the radius on a rectangle is much more complicated.

One of the great assets CorelDRAW has is the powerful curve editing capability. This is provided by

the Shape tool in the Toolbox (Not to be confused with the Shaping Docker tools). See the section on

Curve Editing for more information.

Curve Editing

We have almost infinite ability to change the shape of the curves we create. The position and type of

nodes can be controlled, whether the line relating to the node is straight or curved, whether

adjoining nodes are connected, whether nodes exist at all.

Node editing is achieved with the Shape tool in the Toolbox. You can use this to select the curve you

are editing, pick up individual nodes and move them around, drag the line segment to change its

form, move the node control points to alter the form of line segments, add and remove nodes.

There are four node types: cusp, smooth, symmetrical, or line. Nodes can be changed from one type

to another.

Cusp nodes make the node’s intersecting line take on the shape of a corner or point when you adjust

the position of the node’s control points.

Smooth nodes make the node’s intersecting line take on the shape of a curve. Each control point can

be shortened or lengthened independently, giving you smaller or larger angles to work with.

Symmetrical nodes make the node’s intersecting line take on the shape of a curve as well as intersect

the node at exactly the same angle.

Line nodes let you shape objects by changing the shape of their segments. You can make a curve

segment straight or a straight segment curved.

The more nodes there are in a curve, the greater degree of control is possible with its shape however

beware of adding too many as this will increase the work your laser has to do and may slow down

its operation.

Nodes can be added by clicking on the point of the curve you wish to add the node then clicking on

the + con on the Property Bar. They can be removed by selecting them and pressing delete, clicking

on the icon on the property bar or by double-clicking on the node.

Selecting a node and clicking on the Break Curve icon separates adjoining nodes. You can also use

the shape tool to click on a line segment then click on the Break Curve icon to break the curve at that

point. If the path has 2 separations it is possible to break the curve apart using the Break Curve

Apart command in the Arrange dropdown menu. This will produce 2 separate curves.

Selecting 2 adjoining nodes and clicking on the Join 2 nodes icon connects them.

You do not have the ability to define an absolute position for nodes directly but you can get them to

snap to guidelines or to a grid to achieve this. You can also get their control points to snap to guidelines.

Aligning Objects

As you build your drawing you will find it necessary to arrange components so that they align with

other components. There is a variety of ways to do this and Corel DRAW has some quick methods.

Select the objects you wish to align then go to the Arrange drop down menu Align and Distribute

then select the method of alignment you need. Note the shortcuts listed to the right of the options:

• L aligns the objects to the left of their bounding box

• R aligns the objects to the right of their bounding box

• T aligns the objects to the top of their bounding box

• B aligns the objects to the bottom of their bounding box

• E aligns the objects to the to their centers Vertically

• C aligns the objects to the to their centers Horizontally

• P aligns the objects to the center of the page

Remembering these shortcuts will speed up the production of your drawing. Just select the objects and press the keyboard character corresponding to the alignment mode.

A few things to note:

All the components you select will be aligned in the same way and this may not be quite what you

intended. Imagine the example below for a simple key ring. The key ring shape has been drawn, a

hole for the ring has been drawn and you are ready to place the text to be engraved.

Selecting everything and aligning them centrally will place the key ring hole in the center too. To avoid this happening, first group the key ring shape and the hole, then align the text on the key ring.

Format text before you align it as formatting after will lose the alignment.

Outlines and Fills

We can set the outline colour by simply right-clicking on a colour in the colour palette. It can also

be set using the Outline Tool in the Object Properties Docker.

We can set the fill colour by simply left-clicking on a colour in the colour palette. It can also be set u

sing the Fill Tool in the Object Properties Docker. You will only be able to see and print a fill

in a closed path however the object will own fill properties if these were applied. Once the path

is closed the fill will be visible and can be printed. For information about closing paths refer to the

section on curve editing.

You will have received a Corel DRAW colour palette .Window - Colour Palettes - Open Palette then

locating the palette from its location.

The Shaping Docker

The Shaping Docker lets you achieve the following things; Weld, Trim and Intersect. Late versions of

Corel DRAW have added more functions to the shaping Docker that advanced users may find useful

but of all the functions Weld and Trim will be found to be powerful tools that are the most useful.

In each function you are given the option to leave the original Source object and/or Target object.

Checking these tick-boxes when you use these functions will create duplicate objects. This is useful

for advanced users with good planning skills and enables better productivity. It is advised that you

leave these tick-boxes unchecked until you are fluent with using the Shaping tools.

The Source Object is the object you originally select to weld or trim. The Target Object is the object

you subsequently act upon.

It is important to understand that using these tools will affect the properties of the objects you are

working with. The source object will take on the properties of the target object.

Weld.

Draw a rectangle. Now draw a second rectangle that overlaps the first. Apply a colour fill to the

second rectangle.

With the second rectangle selected,

click Weld and with the arrow cursor that appears click on the first rectangle. You will find the two

rectangles have combined into a single object without a fill.

Try this again, this time selecting the first object and welding this to the second. You will achieve the

same shape but this time the new object has a fill.

Trim

Draw 2 rectangles as before. Select one and trim this to the other. You will find that the target object

has a piece missing where the source object overlapped.

        Using the shaping tools automatically converts objects to curves.

The Weld Command

The Weld command creates a single curve from 2 or more components. The components may overlap, sit next to each other or be some distance apart.

You are given the option to leave the original Source object and/or Target object. Checking these

tick-boxes will create duplicate originals. This is useful for advanced users with good planning skills

and enables better productivity. It is advised that you leave these tick-boxes unchecked until you are

fluent with using the Shaping tools. The Source Object is the object you originally select to weld

or trim. The Target Object is the object you subsequently act upon. It is important to understand that

using these tools will affect the properties of the objects you are working with. The source object

will take on the properties of the target object. The best way to understand how these tools are used

is by example.

Draw a rectangle. Now draw a second rectangle that overlaps the first. Apply a colour fill to the second rectangle. With the second rectangle selected, click Weld and with the arrow cursor that appears click on the first rectangle. You will find the two rectangles have combined into a single object without a fill.

 The Trim Command

The Trim command creates a single curve from 2 or more components. The components must overlap. Trim forms the shape of the selected object (Source Object) into the object you trim to where it overlaps. (Target Object).

You are given the option to leave the original Source object and/or Target object. Checking these

tick-boxes will create duplicate originals. This is useful for advanced users with good planning skills

and enables better productivity. It is advised that you leave these tick-boxes unchecked until you are

fluent with using the Shaping tools. The Source Object is the object you originally select to weld or

trim. The Target Object is the object you subsequently act upon. It is important to understand that

using these tools will affect the properties of the objects you are working with. The source object

will take on the properties of the target object. The best way to understand how these tools are used

is by example.

Draw a rectangle. Now draw a second rectangle that overlaps the first. With the second rectangle

selected, click Trim and with the arrow cursor that appears click on the first rectangle.

The Intersect Command

Intersect creates the shape that is formed by the overlap of 2 components.

You are given the option to leave the original Source object and/or Target object. Checking these

tick-boxes will create duplicate originals.

Draw a rectangle. Now draw a second rectangle that overlaps the first. With the second

rectangle selected, click Intersect With and with the arrow cursor that appears

click on the first rectangle.

The Transformation Docker

The Transformation Docker enables us to modify the objects we create or import in a precision way.

We can move objects to a precise location, rotate, mirror, size and skew accurately.

Dockers

A Docker is a type of dialogue box that can reside on the screen to allow you quick access to commands, provide information about your work, to allow you to modify your work, to control your

drawing in many ways.

There are a number of dockers that you may choose to keep open at all times. They can be minimized

to keep your work space as large as possible but are readily accessible, and can be closed down if you don’t use them very frequently.

Dockers that are particularly useful and worth keeping open all the time are: the Object Properties

Docker; the Transformation Docker; the Shaping Docker; the Undo Docker and the Object Manager

Docker.

Dockers are opened through the Window drop-down menu.