Open contour negative overcut

[David_Lelen01]

Hey Les, looks like the open contours on jet operations do not support the negative overcut values. Well, any value for overcut for that matter. Could that be changed without too much trouble?

Another request, and no matter how strange I promise I have a good reason, could the leadin values be changed to allow negative values? It looks like leanins/outs only support positive values. I ran into another program that had a lot of open contours and I needed a tab on both ends of the open contour cut and it took me literally forever to trim all the lines to make those tabs. It would be so much simpler to just do a negative leadin. I wouldn't think that is something that would affect/confuse other users.

[Les Newell]

Hi David,

Overcut doesn't really make much sense on an open contour. I guess a positive overcut could extend a tangent to the end of the contour and a negative value would make it shorter. The big problem with implementing this is that it changes established functionality, which could cause problems for other users.

My brain imploded trying to imagine negative leadins. What would a negative arc leadin be? <ERROR> <DOES NOT COMPUTE> <HELP!>

I understand what you actually want but I'm afraid I don't see any sensible way of implementing it.

[David_Lelen01]

okay, okay.... you got me, I didn't think that one all the way through. I was just thinking my tangent leadin straight line perfect world case here. Yep, you're absolutely right, negative arc leadin doesn't make any sense. I can picture how it would work, but it would be stupid. It would work with tangent and perpendicular leadin, but arc would be problematic. And anything other than a straight line would be very problematic, but yes the intention would be a tangent continuation of the last segment, whether its a line or arc.

I must say, if it worked I don't see how it would change any established functionality and cause problems for others. Everyone is used to putting positive values in and 99.99% have probably never considered trying to put a negative in unless it was by accident which would be apparent. I would bet 99.99% of users wouldn't even know that option would be there.

but I'm afraid I don't see any sensible way of implementing it.

No worries then... its probably a rare use case anyways and like I said above 99+% of users would never even think of it. I am just used to a lot of features of sheetcam and how much time they end up saving me in the long run.

[Les Newell]

Negative leadin wouldn't affect anyone but changing the behaviour of overcut in any way would cause issues for other users. Currently overcut does not affect open contous so if it started affecting them there could be some confusion.

[djreiswig]

I don't think I would ever use overcut on open paths, but maybe a checkbox option like lead in on open paths. This should eliminate the established functionality issue.
As a side note, I'm not sure where using a lead in on an open path would be useful. I'm wondering why a lead in, but not a lead out? Or does this check also add lead outs?

[Les Newell]

Yes, it does both leadins and leadouts.

[David_Lelen01]

but maybe a checkbox option like lead in on open paths. This should eliminate the established functionality issue.

I like this plan, lets go with this lol. But in realty, this wouldn't help with what I was wanting to do without being able to do a negative leadin. Still I can see it being useful in one of my exceptionally rare use cases one day. I still ask to put it on the suggested features to add list, but it could be at the bottom if it would be difficult to do.