Chapter 3. HowTo

## Chapter 3. HowTo

This section shows how most common operations are performed in Knotter. Multiple items represent multiple ways to perform the same task.

3.1. Editing
  3.1.1. Insert a node.
  3.1.2. Insert edges.
  3.1.3. Remove nodes.
  3.1.4. Remove edges.
  3.1.5. Break an edge.
  3.1.6. Insert a regular polygon.
  3.1.7. Scale part of the graph.
  3.1.8. Rotate part of the graph.
  3.1.9. Flip part of the graph.
  3.1.10. Merge nodes.
3.2. Style
  3.2.1. Change knot style globally.
  3.2.2. Change the style for a specific node.
  3.2.3. Change the style for selected nodes.
  3.2.4. Remove node specific settings
3.3. Configuration
  3.3.1. Configure the grid.
  3.3.2. View only the knot line.
  3.3.3. Improve performance

### 3.1. Editing
3.1.1. Insert a node. 3.1.2. Insert edges. 3.1.3. Remove nodes. 3.1.4. Remove edges. 3.1.5. Break an edge. 3.1.6. Insert a regular polygon. 3.1.7. Scale part of the graph. 3.1.8. Rotate part of the graph. 3.1.9. Flip part of the graph. 3.1.10. Merge nodes.
3.1.1. | Insert a node.
| When in Edges and nodes mode, double click on the canvas.
| When in Edge list mode, left click on the canvas.
3.1.2. | Insert edges.
| When in Edges and nodes mode, select some nodes and click Nodes → Link (Ctrl+L).
| When in Tools → Edge list (Alt+Shift+L) mode, subsequent nodes are connected automatically with an edge.
3.1.3. | Remove nodes.
| Select some nodes and click Nodes → Erase (Del).
3.1.4. | Remove edges.
| Select the edges (or their vertices) and click Nodes → Unlink.
| Bring the edge context menu and click Remove.
3.1.5. | Break an edge.
| Insert a node when the edge is highlighted.
| Bring the edge context menu and click Break on intersections to add nodes where the edge intersects with others.
| Bring the edge context menu and click Break... to break it in even-length pieces.
3.1.6. | Insert a regular polygon.
| Click on Tools → Insert polygon...
3.1.7. | Scale part of the graph.
| Select some nodes and use the handles when Scale mode is active. By default, dragging a handle will set the anchor point to the opposing handle, if you hold Shift the anchor point will be the bounding box center.
| While dragging or pasting a part of the graph, use the mouse wheel.
3.1.8. | Rotate part of the graph.
| Select some nodes and use the handles when Rotate mode is active. Holding Ctrl will snap the rotation to steps of 15°
| While dragging or pasting a part of the graph, use the mouse wheel.
3.1.9. | Flip part of the graph.
| Select some nodes and click on Nodes → Horizontal flip or Nodes → Vertical flip.
3.1.10. | Merge nodes.
| Select some nodes and click Nodes → Merge (Ctrl+M).
3.1.10.1. | Snap to the grid or to a fixed line.
| To grid snapping is performed automatically for new items when the grid is active.
| Nodes will snap to the grid when are moved (if the grid is active)
| Both nodes and edges can be snapped to the grid with the context menu.
| Holding Ctrl in Edge list mode, will snap vertices on a line with a fixed angle. The angle changes with a step of 15°
### 3.2. Style
3.2.1. Change knot style globally. 3.2.2. Change the style for a specific node. 3.2.3. Change the style for selected nodes. 3.2.4. Remove node specific settings
3.2.1. | Change knot style globally.
| Use the Knot style settings to change overall knot appearance, Default node style settings to change style features that can be overridden node-wise
3.2.2. | Change the style for a specific node.
| Click on Context menu → Preferences... and the Node style dialog will be shown.
3.2.3. | Change the style for selected nodes.
| Use the Selection style dialog.
3.2.4. | Remove node specific settings
| Click on Context menu → Reset custom style.
| On the Node style dialog, check Use default.
### 3.3. Configuration
3.3.1. Configure the grid. 3.3.2. View only the knot line. 3.3.3. Improve performance
3.3.1. | Configure the grid.
| To set up grid size and shape click on View → Configure grid
| To move the grid origin, click on View → Move grid and click on the canvas to select the new origin.
3.3.2. | View only the knot line.
| The grid can be toggled with View → Enable grid, the graph with View → Show graph. The knot can be still be edited when the graph is disabled as the node or edge under the cursor will be displayed.
3.3.3. | Improve performance
| Change settings on the preferences dialog.
| Uncheck View → Show Knotline.

knotter |  | Chapter 4. Menu actions