Converting shapes to landmasses

Development feedback on user interface, features and general design.

Moderator: Kyete

Post Reply
Drew
Posts: 2
Joined: Thu Nov 09, 2017 9:48 am

Converting shapes to landmasses

Post by Drew » Thu Nov 09, 2017 3:28 pm

My intention was to make a worldmap showing continental drift. I started with a square shape on a Mercator projection which I cut out with the partition tool. However, the shapes that I've now cut out are not recognized as landmasses and I can't convert them.

User avatar
Kanchou
Site Admin
Posts: 1021
Joined: Mon Nov 10, 2014 2:23 pm

Re: Converting shapes to landmasses

Post by Kanchou » Thu Nov 09, 2017 4:09 pm

Drew wrote:My intention was to make a worldmap showing continental drift. I started with a square shape on a Mercator projection which I cut out with the partition tool. However, the shapes that I've now cut out are not recognized as landmasses and I can't convert them.
Hello!

We haven't had any issues with partition tool since early beta, I'd like to address any problem before we release V0.9.3. Did you save the map file? Can you email the map file to us?

info@threemindssoftware.com

Thank you!

- Alejandro
Alejandro S. Canosa
Three Minds Software

User avatar
Kanchou
Site Admin
Posts: 1021
Joined: Mon Nov 10, 2014 2:23 pm

Re: Converting shapes to landmasses

Post by Kanchou » Thu Nov 09, 2017 4:11 pm

Drew wrote:My intention was to make a worldmap showing continental drift. I started with a square shape on a Mercator projection which I cut out with the partition tool. However, the shapes that I've now cut out are not recognized as landmasses and I can't convert them.
I re-read the question. And I think missed your point :)

Did you use the shape tool to make the square? If so, no there is no way to convert between item types right now.

However, you can draw a square with the landmass tool using the Line Pen from the pull down instead of Fractal (and perhaps the grid as a guide).

Let me know if that helps.

Thanks!

- Alejandro
Alejandro S. Canosa
Three Minds Software

Drew
Posts: 2
Joined: Thu Nov 09, 2017 9:48 am

Re: Converting shapes to landmasses

Post by Drew » Fri Nov 10, 2017 5:07 am

Yes, I used the shape tool to make the square.
Using the Line Pen works, but is a bit more cluncky. I also noticed that, even with the grid as a guide, it is pretty difficult to make a perfect straight line.

So in summerary I have three suggestions for future updates:
- A functionality to convert between shapes (made with the shape tool) and landmasses
- A functionality to make square shaped (round, etc.) landmasses
- A functionality to draw perfect straight lines (maybe similar to photoshop's hold shift functionality when drawing a line)

User avatar
Kanchou
Site Admin
Posts: 1021
Joined: Mon Nov 10, 2014 2:23 pm

Re: Converting shapes to landmasses

Post by Kanchou » Fri Nov 10, 2017 12:06 pm

Drew wrote:Yes, I used the shape tool to make the square.
Using the Line Pen works, but is a bit more cluncky. I also noticed that, even with the grid as a guide, it is pretty difficult to make a perfect straight line.

So in summerary I have three suggestions for future updates:
- A functionality to convert between shapes (made with the shape tool) and landmasses
- A functionality to make square shaped (round, etc.) landmasses
- A functionality to draw perfect straight lines (maybe similar to photoshop's hold shift functionality when drawing a line)
Thank you for the feedback!

You can enable grid snap from Map->Snap Mode (and from the main toolbar). This should let you make straight lines :).

On the other points
1. We'll look into this. We originally added the shape and line tools just to cover any generic item type that we didn't include with OWM (i.e. some people were using them to make weather lines or legend backgrounds, etc).

2. We'll look into it. We already have that with the river and road tools. We've trying to balance between functionality and cluttering the UI, but it maybe better to just follow the pattern from the river tool for all tools. Thank you!

3. We'll add this as a feature request. Hopefully we can fit it with V0.9.3.

Thanks!

- Alejandro
Alejandro S. Canosa
Three Minds Software

Post Reply