Omber lets you combine shapes and lines together to make more complex shapes. You can combine shapes and lines together by "welding" together their points and segments. Welded points and segments make it easier to work with multiple shapes that have been combined together into a more complex shape.

When two points on two different shapes have been welded together, then the two shapes will share the same position for that point. When that point is moved on one shape, the point on the other shape will also be moved. If one shape is moved, the two shapes will remain connected at the welded point. Although welded points share the same position, the two shapes can have different colors for that welded point.

Here, the point of one shape is welded to a point on the other shape. When that welded point is moved, it is moved on both shapes.

It is also possible to weld line segments on different shapes together. This is similar to welding two points on one shape to two points on another. The difference is that when you adjust the handles on a welded curved segment, the curve will be adjusted on both shapes.

When a segment of one shape is welded to the segment of another shape, the two endpoints of the segment are welded as well. When the segment is moved or altered, both shapes change.

The points and segments of many different shapes and lines be welded together. By choosing the colors of welded points and welded segments of different shapes so that they match, one can create very complex gradients. The effect is similar to the gradient mesh feature available in other vector drawing programs except that Omber lets you create a mesh of arbitrary shapes as opposed to the grid shapes supported in standard gradient meshes.

Welding points

To weld two points from different shapes, you need to select the "Edit Points" tool from the tools panel at the left of the screen.

Edit Points tool

Then select one of the points from one of the shapes.

Choose the "Weld to" button from the context panel at the top of the screen. The selected point should become circle.

Select a point, then choose the 'Weld to' button

Then, move your cursor near to the point on the other shape that you want to weld to. When you get close to it, that other shape should become highlighted, and the point should show a square handle around it.

Choose the point to weld to

When you choose that point, the point on the first shape will move to the position of the chosen point, and the points will become welded together.

After welding, the point will move to the position of the other point

Welding segments

To weld together two segments from two different shapes, you need to select the "Edit Points" tool from the tools panel at the left of the screen.

Edit Points tool

In order to weld a segment of one shape to the segment of a different shape, one point from that segment must already be welded to a point on the other shape. If that is the case, you should then select that segment that you want to weld.

Choose the segment to weld. at least one endpoint of the segment must already be welded.

Choose the "Weld to" button from the context panel at the top of the screen.

Choose the 'Weld to' button

Then, move your cursor near to the segment on the other shape that you want to weld to. You can only weld to segments that shared a welded point with the original segment. When you get close to a valid segment on the other shape, it will become highlighted.

Choose segment to weld to, and the segment will change its shape to match the shape of the other segment

When you choose the segment, the segment on the original shape will move to match that of the other shape. The points on both ends of the segment will also be welded to the corresponding points on the other segment.

Unwelding

Unwelding a point or segment is done using the "Edit Points" tool that can be chosen from the tools panel at the left of the screen.

Choose the point(s) or segment that you want to unweld.

Then choose the "Unweld" button from the context panel at the top of the screen.

Nothing will visually change on the screen when you unweld something, but you can then move the unwelded points and segments without having the previously welded points and segments move as well. When unwelding a segment, the two points at both ends of the segment remain welded to their corresponding points. You must separately unweld those points (or you can simply unweld the points without unwelding the segment, and the segment will automatically be unwelded).

Welding when creating shapes

It is also possible to create welded points and segments when creating shapes and lines. When you are using the shape tool, there is a "Weld to Points" option for creating welded points and there is a "Follow Segments" mode for creating welded segments.

To create a welded point, you can be in any of the Straight, Curve, or Follow Segments mode. Simply choose the "Weld to Points" option from the context panel at the top of the screen. When you create a new point for a segment and that point is near another shape's point, Omber will automatically weld the new point to the other shape's point.

To create a welded segment, you must be in Follow Segments mode. The last point that you created must already be welded to the point of another shape. Then, you can choose one of the segments that are connected to that point. Omber will create a new segment that "follows" the shape of that segment and is welded to it.