Points
Every path shape is a list of points. This page covers the point rows of the panel, the point handles in the viewport and the keys of their drags. Selecting points, G, S and X are on Edit Mode.
The Points panel
Under the shape’s own settings in Object Properties ▸ SDF:
| Setting | Default | Range | What it does |
|---|---|---|---|
| Points list | One row per point: its index, its Kind (icon menu), then its Radius (Tube, Rail) or its coordinates (Outline: X, Y; Lathe: X, Z). Click a row to make that point active | ||
+ / − | Add a point after the active one; remove the active one | ||
| Position | The active point’s place in the shape’s local space: X, Y and Z, or the two its plane allows | ||
| Radius (Tube, Rail) | 1 | ≥ 0 (soft 4) | Multiplies the shape’s radius at this point |
| Kind | Smooth | Smooth · Corner · Free | How the path runs through the point, see Point kinds. Greyed, with a line saying why, where the kind cannot change |
| Handle In, Handle Out (Free) | The point’s two handles, measured from the point. They replace the three rows below | ||
| Rounding | 0 | ≥ 0 (soft 10) | The corner’s fillet radius. Greyed unless the point is a Corner. A fillet never takes more than half of either leg |
| Corner Profile | Round | Round · Sharp · Soft · Tight · Chamfer | The corner’s profile, see Profiles. Greyed unless the point is a Corner |
| Corner Smooth (Chamfer) | 0 | ≥ 0 (soft 0.5) | Rounds the seams where the chamfer meets its legs |
Point kinds
| Kind | The path at this point |
|---|---|
| Smooth | Curves through the point, as gently as its neighbours allow. Three points in a line stay a straight line |
| Corner | Turns sharply at the point; its Rounding fillets the turn |
| Free | Follows the point’s own two handles, like a point of a Blender curve |
At the ends of an open path the kind makes no difference. The ends of a solid Lathe are always plain corners. Switching a point to Free keeps the path as it is: its handles take the path’s current shape. C during a point drag switches Smooth and Corner; the right-click menu’s Point Kind sets every selected point.
The handles in the viewport
They show only in the Chisel tool’s Edit mode. A point’s dot is black, blue when selected; a point’s own ring and handles respond only while it is selected.
| Handle | Shape | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Dot on every point | all | Click selects; drag moves every selected point |
| Orange rounding handle by a Corner | all | Drag away from the corner: sets the Rounding of every selected corner |
| Two small blue dots on a line, by a Smooth or Free point | all | Drag: bends the path. A Smooth point becomes Free |
| Green add dot on each span, and past each open end | all | Click: adds a point there. Next to a Free point the new one is Free; between two Corners a Corner; past an end it takes that end’s kind; else Smooth |
| Ring round a point | Tube, Rail | Sets the point’s Radius, see Tube |
| White twist dot outside the first or last ring | Rail | Twists the Rail, see Rail |
| Blue dot above the top face | Outline | Sets Depth, see Outline |
| White ring on a circle | Lathe | Sets Revolve Angle, see Lathe |
| Grey round button | Lathe | Switches Body, see Lathe |
The gizmo drop-down in the tool header, under Tube, Lathe, Outline, Rail, turns off Points (with Rounding Handles and Add Dots), Radius Rings and Shape Handles.
Drag keys
Every drag shows its value by the mouse. Release, Enter or Space confirms; RMB or Esc cancels.
| Drag | Keys |
|---|---|
| Point | X / Y / Z lock the shape’s local axis (an Outline offers X and Y, a Lathe X and Z; the same key again unlocks). Ctrl snaps the coordinates to 0.1 (Ctrl + Shift: 0.01). Alt slides the point along one of its legs. C switches Smooth and Corner. Shift is precision |
| End of a solid Lathe | Slides along the axis only. Ctrl snaps, Shift is precision |
| Ring | Ctrl snaps, C switches Smooth and Corner, Shift is precision |
| Rounding handle | 1–5: Round, Sharp, Soft, Tight, Chamfer. S switches to Corner Smooth and back. C switches Smooth and Corner. Ctrl snaps, Shift is precision |
| Handle dot | V frees the dragged handle from the other (V again lines them up). X / Y / Z lock an axis, Shift is precision |
| Twist dot, Angle ring | Ctrl snaps to 15° (Ctrl + Shift: 1°), Shift is precision |
| Depth dot | Ctrl snaps to 0.1 (Ctrl + Shift: 0.01), Shift is precision |
Note
With Emulate 3 Button Mouse on, Blender reads
Alt + LMBas a middle click: pressAltafter the drag has started.
Adding and removing points
Besides the green dots and +: − in the panel, or X / Delete with the mouse over a dot, removes that one point; X / Delete in Edit mode removes every selected point. A shape keeps its fewest points: two for a Tube or Rail, three for an Outline or Lathe (“A Tube needs at least 2 points”). A full path refuses another point (“No room for another point”).