Path Plotter: a Java2D shape editor

Snap Objects

tool

Drop the photo to trace it

build once

Copy Click a code line to select its shape

Integration notes

Nothing selected

Nothing selected. Click a shape to edit it, or choose a drawing tool to begin.

Geometry GeneralPath

Use the Pen to click corners or drag smooth curves. Click the starting anchor to close the path. Clicking another anchor selects it without adding a point. Enter finishes; Continue resumes the selected path.

Anchor editing

Select a point on the canvas.

Java path settings

Java shape class

closePath()

Winding rule

Combine & clip

Area operation against the shape below

Use as clip region Clip to region above

Scale selection

× x

× y

Lock aspect Scale each in place

Arrange

Flip and centre act on every selected shape at once.

Align & distribute

Transform

rotate°

scale x

scale y

shear x

shear y

Applied about the shape's centre, then undone with g2.setTransform. Selection handles follow the transform.

Measure

Show measurements

Snap to

The end you are about to place is named on the sheet before you commit it, so “midpoint” means the real midpoint of that segment — not the nearest grid line to your click.

Measurements

Measurements are editor furniture: they save with the project, never reach the Java, and never appear in the window preview or an exported PNG. They keep the coordinates they were taken at, so moving a shape afterwards leaves its measurement where it was.

Rendering

Paint

Fill

angle°

Opacity (AlphaComposite)100%

Line (BasicStroke)

Colour

Width

Cap

Join

Dash pattern

Phase

Miter

Image layer (drawImage)

An image layer emits g2.drawImage(…). The generated code reads the file by name, so keep it in the Java process working directory.

Trace image

You can also drag a photo onto the canvas, or paste one with Ctrl+V. The trace image is a guide only; it is never generated.

Shapes front ↑

In this drawing

Saved

PREVIEW Java window

ShapePanel

Canvas JPanel600 × 450

Window JFrame616 × 489

Shown at100%

SET LAB Scratch sheet for Area algebra operands snap

Operands

result—

Expression

∩ binds tightest, then −, then ∪ and ⊕. Brackets beat all of them. + - & ^ work as plain-keyboard stand-ins.

Java

Tools

`V`	Select: drag points, corners, or a whole shape
`F`	Pen: click corners, drag smooth curves
`Enter`	Finish the current path; Continue resumes it
`Esc`	Release the drawing tool and deselect everything
`1` `2` `3`	Line, quadratic, cubic path segment
`R`	Rectangle; set an arc width for RoundRectangle2D
`E`	Ellipse
`A`	Arc
`T`	Text
`H`	Pan the canvas
`K`	Perspective: drag a corner pin; `Shift` mirrors the opposite corner
`L`	Ruler: measure distances, angles and gaps
`I`	Move and resize the trace image

Editing

`Ctrl`+`Z` / `⇧Z`	Undo / redo
`U`	Remove the last path point
`Delete`	Remove the selected point, or the selected shapes
Double-click	Insert a point on a segment (Select tool)
Arrows	Nudge 1px, with `Shift` 10px
`Alt`-drag	Fine placement: ignores the grid. Set the key and step under Grid
Double-click text	Type straight onto the sheet
Right-click	Rotate, flip, group and delete the selection
Rotate handle	The round grip above the selection; `Snap` steps it by 15°
Hold `Ctrl`	Show the scale grips around the selection, then drag a corner
Arc grips	Drag the two round handles to set start° and extent°
`M`	Start a new subpath
`N`	New shape layer
`[` `]`	Previous / next shape

Selecting & grouping

`Ctrl`+click	Add or remove a shape from the selection
`Shift`+click	Select a run of shapes in the list
`Ctrl`+`A`	Select every shape
`Ctrl`+`C` / `X` / `V`	Copy, cut and paste shapes, also between browser tabs
`Ctrl`+`D`	Duplicate the selection in place
`Ctrl`+`G` / `⇧G`	Group / ungroup the selection
drag a row	Reorder the shape list

View

`Ctrl`+scroll	Zoom at the cursor
scroll	Pan, `Shift`+scroll horizontally
middle-drag	Pan from any tool
`0`	Fit to window
`G` `S`	Grid, snap
`P`	Preview the Java window at 1:1, with its real dimensions
`B`	Set operation lab: try `Area` algebra off the sheet
`?`	This panel