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Let's say I have two rectangles, and I use the Connector Tool to connect their centers (which are the only ones indicated when the tool is used):

Inkscape-0.png

The connector line is drawn as a usual line:

Inkscape-1.png

If I then move the right rectangle, the connector line is redrawn, as expected:

Inkscape-2.png

Now, let's say with the Node tool, I add a third, "knee" node in the straight connector line, so that the connector line now is "with an angle":

Inkscape-3.png

If I now move the right box a bit to the left, the connector line is redrawn again - but the additional, "knee" node is lost:

Inkscape-4.png

Is it possible to somehow have both connector lines (snapping with their end nodes to their attached shapes), and the ability to remember additional nodes added to that line? If an object moves, I'd imagine only the node attached to that object to move, while the rest forming the connector lines would stay (i could then adjust them manually).

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2 Answers 2

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No it is not possible to keep a node static in between, after altering the position of end node. The connector lines doesn't behave like normal path. It keeps on updating as soon as you change the position of the objects. The connector creates a path with minimum number of nodes. So even after adding a node between the path if you try to move the position of the object the connector gets updated but deletes the new node (to maintain the minimum number of nodes in the connector path) created. You can convert the path to a normal path by simplifying if adding a node in the path is critical, but the live behavior of updating the path once the object is moved is lost.

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  • Thanks @chanduc - I guess that settles it for now, but I hope eventually an answer might pop up, with say an extension that would be able to handle this use case... Cheers!
    – sdaau
    Mar 4, 2015 at 18:50
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  1. Create a small circle or square (fill only) with the same dimensions as your connectors’ line width and the same colour. This is your makeshift knee node.
  2. Create a connector from your first object to that knee node.
  3. Create a connector from your knee node to your second object.
  4. Use square caps for your connectors.

Steps 2. and 3. require some target practice or zooming. Moving the knee will be somewhat nasty as it is difficult to select. I suggest selecting it with the rectangle selection tool and move it with the arrow keys.

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