Union/Intersection/Exclusion contours issue in version 10

Post your bug reports here. Include information that helps us to understand and reproduce the bug.
delins
Posts: 15
Joined: Mon Jul 14, 2014 5:40 pm

Union/Intersection/Exclusion contours issue in version 10

Post by delins »

Hi. I've recently updated to version 10 and the first complication I've come across was with Union/Intersection/Exclusion operations. I used to create shapes directly in Font Creator and could edit them using features mentioned above, but now, when I use them for even very simple shapes the software halts so I have no choice but force close it with task manager.

What I'm trying to do is to unite or exclude shape A with shape B, see the attachment. Why can't I do these operations with version 10? Version 9 was able to do them within a click...
Attachments
Untitled-1.png
Untitled-1.png (33.29 KiB) Viewed 9736 times
Bhikkhu Pesala
Top Typographer
Top Typographer
Posts: 9873
Joined: Tue Oct 29, 2002 5:28 am
Location: Seven Kings, London UK
Contact:

Re: Union/Intersection/Exclusion contours issue in version 10

Post by Bhikkhu Pesala »

I can confirm the issue on FontCreator 10, but I just get an error dialogue. I don't need to close FontCreator with Task Manager.
Contours Too Complex.png
Contours Too Complex.png (3.28 KiB) Viewed 9733 times
While you're waiting for a fix, here is a work around:-
  1. Move the shapes apart slightly so that they no longer overlap (Ctrl + Cursor keys to move by 1 funit, and enable Real-time glyph valdiation in the Validation Toolbar to show when they no longer intersect).
  2. Insert another rectangle overlapping both of them
  3. Get Union of Contours
  4. Delete the unwanted nodes and redundant points.
Connector.png
Connector.png (2.13 KiB) Viewed 9733 times
My FontsReviews: MainTypeFont CreatorHelpFC15 + MT12.0 @ Win 10 64-bit build 19045.2486
Erwin Denissen
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 11108
Joined: Fri Oct 04, 2002 12:41 am
Location: Bilthoven, The Netherlands
Contact:

Re: Union/Intersection/Exclusion contours issue in version 10

Post by Erwin Denissen »

This feature sometime can handle very complex outlines, and sometime it just isn't able to work with a basic merge as you mention.

I'll see if this is indeed worse since version 10, and if we can further improve it.
Erwin Denissen
High-Logic
Proven Font Technology
MikeW
Posts: 625
Joined: Mon May 20, 2013 2:51 pm

Re: Union/Intersection/Exclusion contours issue in version 10

Post by MikeW »

Interesting.

I think why I haven't run into this issue with v.10 is because I always overlap the pieces by a single funit. Using the two shapes above, if I align them directly touching, I get the described problem, including having to force close. If I overlap by a single funit, it instantly joins the two into a single piece.
Bhikkhu Pesala
Top Typographer
Top Typographer
Posts: 9873
Joined: Tue Oct 29, 2002 5:28 am
Location: Seven Kings, London UK
Contact:

Re: Union/Intersection/Exclusion contours issue in version 10

Post by Bhikkhu Pesala »

Note that to get the two shapes in my screen shot I just inserted two rectangles, and changed one corner node to off-curve.
My FontsReviews: MainTypeFont CreatorHelpFC15 + MT12.0 @ Win 10 64-bit build 19045.2486
delins
Posts: 15
Joined: Mon Jul 14, 2014 5:40 pm

Re: Union/Intersection/Exclusion contours issue in version 10

Post by delins »

Thanks for the quick reply. Yes, I'm aware of workarounds (and they are more complicated when excluding), but I didn't need to do them with v.9, so it's better that you look into it. Thank you all.
Alfred
Top Typographer
Top Typographer
Posts: 1030
Joined: Thu Apr 18, 2013 8:08 am

Re: Union/Intersection/Exclusion contours issue in version 10

Post by Alfred »

MikeW wrote:I always overlap the pieces by a single funit.
That would be my natural inclination, too. I think butting up two shapes without overlap in any vector application and trying to add them together is asking for trouble!
FC14 Pro (Help) + MT11.0 Pro (Help) • Windows 10
delins
Posts: 15
Joined: Mon Jul 14, 2014 5:40 pm

Re: Union/Intersection/Exclusion contours issue in version 10

Post by delins »

Erwin Denissen wrote:This feature sometime can handle very complex outlines, and sometime it just isn't able to work with a basic merge as you mention.

I'll see if this is indeed worse since version 10, and if we can further improve it.
Hi. I wonder if there's any update on this?
PJMiller
Top Typographer
Top Typographer
Posts: 977
Joined: Tue Jun 16, 2015 8:12 pm
Location: Sheffield, South Yorkshire
Contact:

Re: Union/Intersection/Exclusion contours issue in version 10

Post by PJMiller »

I too am having some trouble with the union/intersection/exclusion feature in version 10, it seems a lot more picky than version 9 but usually there is a workaround. I think the problem is with coincident edges, edges which follow the same path (especially when they are going in opposite directions).

The answer is, save your project before doing a union, don't have too much coincident edge, if the operation fails then don't be impatient, the program becomes unresponsive for a time proportional to the amount of coincident edge but it will recover from it's catatonic state most of the time so wait for the error message and re-arrange the curves and try again.

Sometimes reversing all the curves works, you can always reverse them again when the operation is over.
delins
Posts: 15
Joined: Mon Jul 14, 2014 5:40 pm

Re: Union/Intersection/Exclusion contours issue in version 10

Post by delins »

Hi. I've just updated to version 10.1 and it seems the issue has been fixed. Correct me if I'm wrong.
Bhikkhu Pesala
Top Typographer
Top Typographer
Posts: 9873
Joined: Tue Oct 29, 2002 5:28 am
Location: Seven Kings, London UK
Contact:

Re: Union/Intersection/Exclusion contours issue in version 10

Post by Bhikkhu Pesala »

delins wrote:Hi. I've just updated to version 10.1 and it seems the issue has been fixed. Correct me if I'm wrong.
It as been improved. You will still encounter issues if trying to join contours, one of which has intersecting co-ordinates. Contours may disappear, for example. Use the glyph validation toolbar (f7) to see if there are any problems besides the expected warnings. Move overlapping contours apart to see the other errors.
My FontsReviews: MainTypeFont CreatorHelpFC15 + MT12.0 @ Win 10 64-bit build 19045.2486
Toxman
Posts: 150
Joined: Wed Dec 07, 2016 9:09 am
Location: Ostrava, Czechia

Re: Union/Intersection/Exclusion contours issue in version 10

Post by Toxman »

Hi, for simple Union error, try this test:

1. Snap grid: ON
2. Create trianlgle as show below (follow the order of the points 1,2,3)
3. Create second triangle (follow the order of the points 4,5,6)
4. Second triangle slighly shift (only) left (image step 7)
5. Try Union (bad result), Intersection (OK), Exclusion (bad result)

Simple project attach (below this image).
Bad Union Test.
Bad Union Test.
BadUnionTest.png (39.44 KiB) Viewed 9310 times
BadUnionTest.fcp
Bad Union test Simple project.
(3.03 KiB) Downloaded 354 times
Windows 8.1 Pro 64-bit, resolution: 3840 x 2160, scale = 200%
Bhikkhu Pesala
Top Typographer
Top Typographer
Posts: 9873
Joined: Tue Oct 29, 2002 5:28 am
Location: Seven Kings, London UK
Contact:

Re: Union/Intersection/Exclusion contours issue in version 10

Post by Bhikkhu Pesala »

I don't see anything wrong there. The contours are in opposite directions. Reverse one and the operations work as usual.
My FontsReviews: MainTypeFont CreatorHelpFC15 + MT12.0 @ Win 10 64-bit build 19045.2486
Toxman
Posts: 150
Joined: Wed Dec 07, 2016 9:09 am
Location: Ostrava, Czechia

Re: Union/Intersection/Exclusion contours issue in version 10

Post by Toxman »

Bhikkhu Pesala wrote:I don't see anything wrong there. The contours are in opposite directions. Reverse one and the operations work as usual.
But exist procedure, how combine these curves?

If change direction one triangle, result is,
not the expected merged curve:
Bad Union Test2
Bad Union Test2
BadUnionTest2.png (5.06 KiB) Viewed 9305 times
Windows 8.1 Pro 64-bit, resolution: 3840 x 2160, scale = 200%
Bhikkhu Pesala
Top Typographer
Top Typographer
Posts: 9873
Joined: Tue Oct 29, 2002 5:28 am
Location: Seven Kings, London UK
Contact:

Re: Union/Intersection/Exclusion contours issue in version 10

Post by Bhikkhu Pesala »

My mistake, I should have tested with your file instead of creating my own.
My FontsReviews: MainTypeFont CreatorHelpFC15 + MT12.0 @ Win 10 64-bit build 19045.2486
Post Reply