Streamline Shapes by Reducing Nodes and Smoothing Lines
The Optimize Selected Shapes tool in LightBurn simplifies and smooths vector objects by reducing node counts or fitting shapes to lines and arcs. It’s particularly useful for cleaning up imported artwork or vectors created through tracing.
Where to Find Optimize Selected Shapes
- Menu Location: Edit → Optimize Selected Shapes
- Keyboard Shortcuts:
- Windows: Alt+Shift+O
- Mac: Option+Shift+O
How It Works
The Optimize Selected Shapes tool adjusts selected shapes by:
- Reducing node count.
- Fitting shapes to straight lines or arcs.
- Smoothing jagged or wavy lines.
The degree of optimization is controlled by error tolerance settings, which define how closely the optimized shapes match the originals.
Using Optimize Selected Shapes
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Select Shapes to Optimize: Ensure the shapes are Ungrouped.
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Access the Tool: Navigate to Edit → Optimize Selected Shapes or use the shortcut Alt/Option+Shift+O.
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Optimize Shapes Window: Adjust settings as follows:
- Error Tolerance Sliders: Control how much deviation is allowed between the original and optimized shapes.
- Toggle Options: Enable or disable specific optimizations to refine results.
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Optimization Features:
- Smooth Source Shapes: Reduces jagged edges and smooths lines. Higher values increase smoothing but may round off sharp details.
- Fit Shapes to Lines: Simplifies shapes by turning near-linear segments into straight lines.
- Fit Shapes to Arcs: Converts line segments into arcs for smoother curves and fewer nodes.
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Review Changes: View the number of Points, Lines, and Curves in the original and optimized shapes displayed at the bottom of the window.
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Confirm or Discard: Click OK to apply changes or Cancel to revert.
Troubleshooting
- Menu Option is Grayed Out: Ensure you have at least one object selected.
- Shapes Aren’t Optimizing:
- Make sure shapes are Ungrouped.
- Convert Text Objects or Primary Shapes to Paths before optimizing.
- No Points, Lines, or Curves Detected: Verify the shapes meet the above criteria.
With the Optimize Selected Shapes tool, you can clean up complex designs, reduce node counts, and improve the overall efficiency and appearance of your vectors.