How to change corner points to curve points

[martupp]

After importing from Open Streetmaps all the lines (roads) appear to have only corner points. Is there a way to change them to curve points?

[pkturner]

If you select a road, then the Tools > Convert to curves tool becomes active. There's an icon in the toolbar for the same purpose.

[martupp]

Thanks a lot Scott. That does the job. Now I now the answer I can also find the actual button in the manual :-).
This tool serves most of my needs, but I wonder if it is also possible to insert a corner point in a finished curved path or a curve point in a finished straight path? I now I can make straight and curved segment, but sometimes I later want to add a corner in a curved segment. Maybe it is to much to ask...

[pkturner]

I wonder if it is also possible to insert a corner point in a finished curved path or a curve point in a finished straight path?

I don't think it's possible to do precisely that. If you insert a point into a curved path, it will be a curve point. However, two handy actions are available.

1. Use the "Edit lines" tool to change the path between two points. Hold down the control key, and you can change a segment from curved to straight, or the reverse.
2. If you have a point on a curve that you want to make into a corner, use the usual "Edit objects" tool while holding down the shift key. You can then drag either of the two tiny circular "handles" that guide the curve, making it into a corner point. (I went a long time before discovering this. It still delights me.)

[martupp]

Thanks again. I tried and here is what i get.
Action 1. I running OSX on a Mac so I have to use the CMD key + klick after selecting ¨Edit Lines¨. The section changes from curved to straight, or reverse and after selecting ¨Edit Objects¨ I see then that the segment gets a curvepoint at each end with one handle. I can now position the segment as I want it to be. Thats Fine!
Action 2. Just to be sure I added a curvepoint between the two curvepoints from action 1. I Selected ¨Edit Objects¨ again and while holding ¨Shift¨ I tried to drag the handles to the centerpoint. I came a long way but the point did not change to a corner point. I did the same action without holding ¨Shift which gave the same results. That did not work for me.
What did work was using action 1 on a segment with curvepoints and change that with CMD key + klick to a straight line. After selecting ¨Edit Objects¨ I could ad a cornerpoint in that section. A bit of other way around thinking but it will do.
I just wonder why the Shift action did not work for me in action 2...

[pkturner]

I just wonder why the Shift action did not work for me in action 2...

Your original question focuses on "curve point" versus "corner point". There are varieties of corners, such that I don't know the proper words to name them.

When you import a road from OSM, or when you draw a path with simple clicks, then all the segments between points are straight lines and all the points are simple corner points.

When you convert a path to smooth, or you draw a path while dragging the cursor to indicate tangents, then all the segments between points are curves and all the points are smooth curve points.

When you use the "Edit objects" tool on a smooth curve point, if you hold down the shift key while dragging either of its two tiny circular "handles", then the point becomes a corner. Note that the affected segment continues to be a curve. The point is now neither a simple corner nor a smooth curve point.

[martupp]

Thanks to Scott Turner I have learned how to edit curved and straight paths. Because I use mapper on OsX I had to use the Command key instead of the Control key. I gathered all the questions and answers here below.

Common behaviour for OsX and Windows platform:

1. Change Corner points to Curve points.
Select a road, then the Tools > Convert to curves tool becomes active. There's an icon in the toolbar for the same purpose.

Beneath are other actions that works in mapper on OsX platform.

1. Change a segment of a finished path from cornered to curved or curved to cornered.
Use the "Edit lines" tool to change the path between two points. 
Hover over a segment (between to points). Hold down the Cmd key, and click to change a segment from curved to straight, or the reverse.

2. Add a Corner point in a finished curved segment
Select the "Edit lines" tool to change the path between two points. 
Hover over a segment (in a curved path). Hold down the Cmd key, and click to change the segment from curved to straight.
 Now select the ¨Edit Objects¨ tool and add a corner point in the segment while holding down the Cmd key, and clicking in the segment.

3. Add a Curved point in a finished straight segment.
Select the "Edit lines" tool to change the path between two points. 
Hover over a segment (in a straight path). Hold down the Cmd key, and click to change the segment from straight to curved.
 Now select the ¨Edit Objects¨ tool and add a curved point in the segment while holding down the Cmd key, and clicking in the segment.

Scott Turner wrote this action for mapper on Windows.

1. Change a point in a finished curved segment from Curved to Corner.
If you have a point on a curve that you want to make into a corner, use the usual "Edit objects" tool while holding down the shift key. You can then drag either of the two tiny circular "handles" that guide the curve, making it into a corner point. Note that the affected segment continues to be a curve. The point is now neither a simple corner nor a smooth curve point.

[martupp]

Hi Scott. I updated my ¨behavior¨ tekst with your last remark. For me (on OsX) it did not make a difference while using Shift or not. I could drag the handles to the center but they did not disappear, so the corner was sharp but not really a corner. So, unless I do something wrong, this action does not work on OsX.