Inkscape.org
Beginners' Questions Unable to draw an arc
  1. #1
    Decaffeinated Decaffeinated @Decaffeinated

    When I choose the "Ellipse/Arc" tool on the left, the toolbar up top changes to show 4 options
    ย 

    • Switch to Slice
    • Switch to Arc
    • Switch to chord
    • Make the shape a whole ellipse

    Unfortunately it seems to be stuck on "Switch to slice".ย  When I try to click the other options (I want to draw an arc), nothing happens and there is no indication as to why I cannot choose them.

    What do I need to do to draw an arc?

  2. #2
    Tyler Durden Tyler Durden @TylerDurdenโš–
    ๐Ÿ™

    While drawing, there is a dynamic aspect to the ellipse tool...

    • If you are dragging the start/stop handles and the mouse is outside the ellipse, the shape will be a slice
    • If you are dragging the start/stop handles and the mouse is inside the ellipse, the shape will be an arc.

    ย 

    ย 

  3. #3
    Decaffeinated Decaffeinated @Decaffeinated
    *

    ย I'm sorry I know I sound dense but I cannot get to even the point that you are showing.ย  ย  I put my mouse button down and it draws a closed ellipse.ย  I lift it up and the ellipse is done.ย  If I put the mouse button down again, it draws another ellipse.

    Mostย  importantly, I am not able to select any of the 4 buttons up top the way do you do in your GIF.ย  They are disabled for me

    EDIT: OK Somehow I was able to enable them.ย  I was able to change the category to "arc" (the 2nd button) And I can now move the circles the way you do.ย  But now it is giving me what you were showing in the GIF:ย  A pie with a piece removed.ย  I just want a single line arc without any of the fill.ย  Essentially I want a circular arc covering more than 50% of the radius of a circle

  4. #4
    Tyler Durden Tyler Durden @TylerDurdenโš–
    *

    Observe the mouse position in the gif closely...ย ย to create arcs, the pointer must be inside the perimeter of the ellipse.

    To remove the fill, simply click the red Xย at the left end of the palette.

  5. #5
    Decaffeinated Decaffeinated @Decaffeinated
    ๐Ÿ†๐Ÿ‘

    Ah I get it now.ย  Thanks!