Sections of work disappear, pen tool still having the restart issue

Boldline

I've been struggling with the pen tool as I have been testing it out tracing over a logo for practice. I repeatedly lose whole sections of work I've done. I zoom out and a whole section i just did shortly before is missing. I'm trying to use the control key to stop a path curve from affecting the next point and instead it brings up the stylus sub-menu. I'm still having issues with the cursor icon disappearing, it's difficult to use overall. it's still not a fluid operation - Not trying to make too many comparisons, but it's not as easy to just use as say, Affinity's pen tool is. I can send the file I'm working on

VectorStyler

@Boldline I will try to replicate this issue.

Boldline

OK I was able to recreate the disappearing nodes and strokes issue again. I recorded a video that captures the disappearance at the very end of the video
It happened prior to this recording as well, when I was starting a new stroke line inside the four sides of an existing closed path. In this case, I made the square around the outside of the E and then was adding paths inside that outer shape to make the inner lines of the E. I would go to place my first node inside that existing closed path and it would not register a node there... I'd click again and it would disappear.
When I turned on the screen capture and replicated the problem, it worked decently at that spot, but as you see, at the end, it all erased and hitting command-z to undo had no effect. Hitting command-z to go back actually just starts going back into the prior letter, skipping all steps I made in the E which is really odd....

Boldline

OK did one more test on it - here is that new video](https://recordit.co/eC1o3OnHh5)

You can see in the beginning, I was unable to start a path from inside the existing closed path again... I kept pressing and clicking to no avail. I can start it from outside the box.
I got through all the steps and right at the end it wouldn't cooperate and I clicked a second time and again, the last section disappeared...
I am going to save the file at this point... and send it over.

Boldline

Not sure if this ties in with the missing sections of path and nodes, but now I have no layers available in that file. I used to have three layers - one with the image locked, another with the nodes and work I was doing, and the third was just empty and unused. I'll send this updated file to you as well with a new name of "lost layers"
0_1612845484374_lost layers.png

syllie

@Boldline I tried to replicate this issue - and was not totally successful, but I can see one persistent issue - perhaps you can check if this happens to you too? It may provide some further insights.

I work on Win10, beta 209

Test one

Pen tool -> create a closed path.
Pen tool -> attempt to create a new path with its starting point within the closed path from (1) : fails

Test two

Pen tool -> create a closed path.
Pen tool -> attempt to create a new path with its starting point outside the closed path from (1) moving the second node within the shape : works
Close the path(2)
Pen tool -> attempt to create a new path with its starting point within the closed shape from (3): fails

Based on those 2 tests it looks like starting a new path within the 'last' created closed path fails.

Test 3

Pen tool -> attempt to create a new path next to/on an existing close path (no matter when created) and the first click does not register.
It places what looks like a normal node, not the starting triangle node, but it has no function. The next click will be the 'starting node'.

Boldline

@syllie - You did a great job explaining those tests. I had the same results in the first two tests as you did.
I found I had no problem closing paths and the magnet effect worked this time in a new document... so not sure why it works now but not before.
For test 3 - When I click on the existing path, I get a small circle on the path that remains there until I click my next point and then a starter triangle node appears and the first circle is gone. I think that is in alignment with what you also saw happen

syllie

@Boldline said in Sections of work disappear, pen tool still having the restart issue:

For test 3 - When I click on the existing path, I get a small circle on the path that remains there until I click my next point and then a starter triangle node appears and the first circle is gone. I think that is in alignment with what you also saw happen

Yes - sounds exactly like what I was trying to explain.

Thanks for your feedback - hopefully the dev can do something with this. @vectoradmin

VectorStyler

Thanks for the detailed explanation.
Starting a path drawing inside a closed shape is an issue and can be fixed.
Opened a new bug on this one.

I will also investigate more the disapearing act of shapes, there must be a reason for this.

VectorStyler

@syllie Pen tool: starting path inside a selected path should work now.

VectorStyler

@Boldline Please check this in the new build (210), there were fixes around how the Pen tool handles existing drawings.

Boldline

@vectoradmin I tested starting a path inside a selected path and it works great! thank you! Now that the improvements have been made, I will test more with the pen tool and see if the other issue with sections disappearing is also fixed

syllie

The pen tool behaviour is much improved. The experience in itself is much smoother and this definitely looks like a step forward.