Line
A line segment between two points.
What it does
Line draws a segment, or a flat curve, between a Start and an End point. In its default Line mode it is two points and a stroke, and like Circle and Rectangle it is an analytic shape by default: crisp at any zoom, composited as a flat 2D layer. Mode set to Arc, Spiral, Wave, or Zigzag turns the same two endpoints into a parametric curve instead of a straight segment.
Fill and Stroke work as they do on the other primitive shapes: paint them directly or wire in a Fill, Stroke, or Color node. Turn Analytical off to convert the line into a mesh for the 3D scene, or set Render Mode to Tube to sweep a straight line into a 3D tube ribbon that preserves depth.
When to use it
A straight connector, guide, or stroke between two points
An arc, spiral, wave, or zigzag without building a full curve rig
A 3D tube or ribbon running between two points in space: set Render Mode to Tube
A mesh version of the line for simulation or 3D compositing: turn Analytical off
| Parameter | Type | Default | What it does |
|---|---|---|---|
mode | String | "Line" | Straight line or a flat parametric curve (arc / spiral / wave / zigzag). One of: Line, Arc, Spiral, Wave, Zigzag. |
start | Vec2 | (-50, 0) | Start point (X, Y) — also the CENTER for Spiral |
end | Vec2 | (50, 0) | End point (X, Y) — ignored for Spiral |
resolution | Number | 64 | Number of anchors sampled along the curve (parametric modes). |
turns | Number | 3 | Number of turns (Spiral). |
radius | Number | 100 | Outer radius (Spiral). |
arc_bulge | Number | 40 | Arc height off the start→end chord (Arc). |
amplitude | Number | 30 | Oscillation amplitude (Wave / Zigzag). |
frequency | Number | 4 | Number of oscillation cycles (Wave / Zigzag). |
fill | Color or Color Field or Color[] or Field or Material or Material[] or Frame Sequence | rgba(0.00, 0.00, 0.00, 0.00) | Fill color, or connect a Fill/Color/Image node |
stroke | Color or Color Field or Color[] or Field or Material or Material[] or Frame Sequence | rgba(1.00, 1.00, 1.00, 1.00) | Stroke color, or connect a Stroke/Color node |
stroke_width | Number | 2 | Line thickness in pixels |
render_mode | String | "Path" | 2D filled path (Trim Path / composable) or 3D tube ribbon (preserves Z). One of: Path, Tube. |
analytical | Boolean | true | Analytic: emit a resolution-independent CRC stroke (composites as a flat 2D layer). Turn off to sweep the stroke into a Geometry tube mesh for the 3D scene. |
position | Vec3 | (0, 0, 0) | Translation (X, Y, Z) |
rotation | Vec3 | (0, 0, 0) | Rotation in degrees (X, Y, Z) |
scale | Vec3 | (1, 1, 1) | Scale (X, Y, Z) |
anchor | Vec3 | (0, 0, 0) | Pivot offset (X, Y, Z) — rotation/scale orbit this point |
opacity | Number | 1 | Layer opacity (0 = transparent, 1 = opaque). Editable, wirable, keyframable. |
Gotchas
Render Mode "Tube" only takes effect when Mode is also "Line". With Mode on Arc, Spiral, Wave, or Zigzag, the line renders as a flat 2D curve regardless of the Render Mode setting.
Resolution, Turns, Radius, Arc Bulge, Amplitude, and Frequency only matter when Mode is Arc, Spiral, Wave, or Zigzag. They are ignored while Mode is Line, since a straight line is its two endpoints.
The curved modes are polylines, so raise Resolution for a smoother Arc, Spiral, Wave, or Zigzag.
In Tube render mode, a fully transparent Stroke makes the tube fall back to Fill for its colour.
Worked example
Add a Line. Drag Start and End to place the two endpoints.
Raise Stroke Width and set a Stroke colour for a visible line.
Set Mode to Arc, Spiral, Wave, or Zigzag to bend the segment into a curve, and raise Resolution for a smoother result.
For a 3D connector, keep Mode at Line and set Render Mode to Tube.
Turn Analytical off for the line as a mesh, for simulation or a 3D scene.
See also
Circle · Connect Points · Pen · Sweep