And many, many other uses, some of which are very different.
The problems sometimes encountered with “Illustrator-style curves” are not inherent in the tools used to create the curves. Rather it is in the original intended use of the curves, and the knowledge of the user, and how the tools are used. It is equally possible to create problem curves using current Rhino tools.
??? Perhaps there is a difference in paradigms. The basic curve in Rhino is a NURBS curve which can be multi-span.
I have explained previously, but here goes again. In illustrator or other design software using bezier curves you are able to draw a continuous curve until you close it. this curve can contain tangent curves, straight segments, not tangent curved corners, any possibility, all in the same tool, all without stopping the line until you close it or specifically choose to end it leaving it open. within Rhino’s handle curve you must stop the segment every time you want to change hard direction, and restart. So with a complex shape you will have tons of starting and stopping and also you will have to then join it or curve boolean it to get a closed shape. Also, in other bezier software you are able to manipulate the anchor points and handle points as you are drawing the line without ever ending your line or changing tools. So dumb example below, but it illustrates the different corner and tangent types that can be drawn quickly without changing tools and without breaking the line. If this can be done with the handle curve tool using ctrl and alt, please upload a vid, because for me it does not work without ending segments.
The Alt key option in HandleCurve is intended to provide the ability to create kinks on the fly without stopping and restarting the curve.
So it sounds like you have not been successful using the Alt and Ctrl keys in HandleCurve. Perhaps a new thread is needed about improving the use of those keys in HandleCurve. Asking for improvements to HandleCurve is likely to be more successful than asking for a new tool.
I’ll revive this thread to make this request again. I think the HandleCurve tool could use additional command-line options that would make it function with the same seamless workflow that the Adobe Pen Tool has. I used this video to take stock of all of the Pen Tool’s capabilities and compare them below to the Rhino HandleCurve tool. It would be great if the precision of Rhino’s HandleCurves could be combined with the Pen Tool’s fluid drawing workflow through some additional command-line options and a few additional shortcuts.
I also tried to come up adaptations that would work in the Rhino environment. Other people may also have other ideas about how to create this workflow and if other users are interested I hope this opens up a discussion about it.
Adaptations:
Separation of Bezier Handle Points: having the ability to separate the two Handle points via a ‘SeparateHandlePoints=Yes or No’ command-line option would allow users to choose to automate kinks in a way that is similar to illustrator if they prefer that workflow.
Precise Handle Angles: right now when you type a number while drawing a HandleCurve it sets the handle length, but being able to type the angle would also be useful. Options for this would be a command-line option called “Angle” (Tap A for shortcut.) Maybe you could tap spacebar to repeat the last inputted value if you have a bunch of lines that have the same angle.
Editing Handle Curves Mid-Drawing: In Rhino there are two separate commands for making HandleCurves and editing them (the HandleCurve and HBar command). In Illustrator you can edit a curve while drawing. It really makes sense to combine these tools so you if you need to edit a curve, you can just do it fluidly and keep drawing. Also, the ability to separate the two handles would ideally be integrated into HBar. Also, the Pen Tool allows you to press Alt while drawing and adjust the Handle Curve by clicking anywhere on the curve and the points adjust accordingly. This makes drawing way more seamless.
Adding Anchor Points Mid-Drawing: In Illustrator, you can use the anchor point tool to add additional points mid-drawing. This could be an option in the HandleCurve tool (I.e. InsertKink)
Switching between curve types Mid-Drawing: As others have mentioned, having the ability to switch between curve types mid-drawing (i.e. HandleCurve to Line, Polyline, Curve, etc.) would allow drawing to be more fluid and versatile. The easiest thing would be to be able to type (Line, Polyline, Curve, InterpCrv, or one of your aliases) while drawing another type of line, and then you could switch around between line-types going from HandleCurve to Line, etc.
Drag Curve to Edit: the Pen Tool allows you to shift click and drag on a curve to edit it from that point. It’s very smooth and intuitive. For this to exist in Rhino it almost feels like it would need to be a separate command, where you create all the points for a degree 2 or 3 curve and then place the control points in a second round? Idk.
Final thoughts: There are significant differences between the Pen Tool and the HandleCurve tool. This starts to sketch what some of the missing capabilities are. It might make sense instead of completely changing the HandleCurve tool to make a new curve tool called IllustratorStyleCurve or something like that has this functionality built in. Some things though, like point 5, could apply across all curves and make drawing generally more fluid in Rhino.
Piggybacking here. Yes, this most certainly should be a better tool for linework, and editing said linework prior to creating 2d/3d shapes with said linework, a tool more akin to the pen tool as in on the fly editing from flat to curve. @hunterstabler & @pdfaze make good points, as well as it’s something I’ve worked through and found frustrating both as a designer and a machine programmer/operator opening vector programs for the linework, then importing to rhino as I see it can be done, it is just clunky and wastes time.
