Welcome to TVPaint Community forums !

Question for you guys. Ok, let's imagine TVPaint could let you use different tools following the way you draw with your style. Then, how does the software can make the difference between :
• draw a shape (rectangle, circle...)
• apply a gradient
• draw a line
• select something

...If the gesture is exactly the same ?

The simple answer is that it does not function for all those variables, but just the main things people usually do with TVPaint, which is draw, select an area and move or resize it. You could select an option called "smart tool" and if using that, you get a tool which automatically changes from draw when you hover over an area which has been selected. If you don't want that to happen, you just do not use the "smart tool". It works exactly the same way in Pro Tools audio where the pointer changes depending on if you hover over a sound clip or not. If you don't want that, you deselect the smart tool option.

Another useful thing for TVPaint would be what I think is called sticky keys. If I am in draw and I want to go to the selection tool, I would like to press and hold a key, do the selection and when I release the key, it goes right back to the tool I was in last. So nice. Photoshop does this. Maybe TVPaint does too? Does it?

TVP has Tools: Swap Stylus Tips
Is this what you are looking for?

Paul, where do I find this? There is no Tools menu. Does "swap stylus tips" mean that it swaps between two drawing tools, or between any two tools?

Between any two drawing tools... hmmmm ... if you can't find it .... oops

Not only that, but "swap stylus" brings up zero results in the manual, so what is this mystery function?

I think Tools:Swap Stylus Tips was added in 10.5.0 or 10.5.7 (or even earlier). Not sure where it is documented though.

You can find it in two places:

1. Assign it to a button using the Set KeyStroke command, find under Tools:Swap Stylus Tips.
2. OR, Assign it directly to a shortcut key in the Configure Keyboard Shortcuts window... find under Tools:Swap Stylus Tips.

How it works:
Essentially, it lets you hop between the LAST TWO SELECTED DRAWING TOOLS like this:
select your first tool, press the "swap stylus" button or shortcut key, select your second tool. In use, you simply press the "swap stylus" button or shortcut key to call up either of the last two chosen tools. It does NOT let you hop between two TVPaint operations...

Usefulness:
Swapping Stylus Tips is helpful if you draw a lot using two different drawing tools while drawing. And, of course, one of the two tools you swap to can be any eraser tool you define... but you always have to setup the most recent two tools every time you want to start swapping during drawing, and, which ever tool is current, is always at risk of being replaced if you click on any other drawing tool. Some people find it very useful after they understand how it works.

Sven