Precise placement of arrow anchors












6














I have a (TikZ) diagram with several "blocks" of text connected by arrows. For reasons the (centers of the) blocks are not precisely horizontally aligned, but I'd still like my vertical arrows to be perfectly, well, vertical. Example:



documentclass[tikz]{standalone}

begin{document}

begin{tikzpicture}

  node[rectangle, draw] (a) at (0,0) {Some rather long text};

  node[rectangle, draw] (b) at (.5,-2) {Even more text};

  path[->] (a) edge (b);

  path[red, ->] (a.315) edge (b.130);

end{tikzpicture}

end{document}


MWE



Instead of the black arrow, I'd prefer the red one which I've created by fiddling around with stupid numbers. Hence:



Is there a way to create, automatically, instead of the black arrow-between-centers, an arrow which is (1) perfectly vertical and (2) intersects the original arrow roughly at its center?






tikz-pgf alignment







share|improve this question





























    6














    I have a (TikZ) diagram with several "blocks" of text connected by arrows. For reasons the (centers of the) blocks are not precisely horizontally aligned, but I'd still like my vertical arrows to be perfectly, well, vertical. Example:



    documentclass[tikz]{standalone}
    
begin{document}
    
begin{tikzpicture}
    
  node[rectangle, draw] (a) at (0,0) {Some rather long text};
    
  node[rectangle, draw] (b) at (.5,-2) {Even more text};
    
  path[->] (a) edge (b);
    
  path[red, ->] (a.315) edge (b.130);
    
end{tikzpicture}
    
end{document}


    MWE



    Instead of the black arrow, I'd prefer the red one which I've created by fiddling around with stupid numbers. Hence:



    Is there a way to create, automatically, instead of the black arrow-between-centers, an arrow which is (1) perfectly vertical and (2) intersects the original arrow roughly at its center?






    tikz-pgf alignment







    share|improve this question



























      6












      6








      6







      I have a (TikZ) diagram with several "blocks" of text connected by arrows. For reasons the (centers of the) blocks are not precisely horizontally aligned, but I'd still like my vertical arrows to be perfectly, well, vertical. Example:



      documentclass[tikz]{standalone}
      
begin{document}
      
begin{tikzpicture}
      
  node[rectangle, draw] (a) at (0,0) {Some rather long text};
      
  node[rectangle, draw] (b) at (.5,-2) {Even more text};
      
  path[->] (a) edge (b);
      
  path[red, ->] (a.315) edge (b.130);
      
end{tikzpicture}
      
end{document}


      MWE



      Instead of the black arrow, I'd prefer the red one which I've created by fiddling around with stupid numbers. Hence:



      Is there a way to create, automatically, instead of the black arrow-between-centers, an arrow which is (1) perfectly vertical and (2) intersects the original arrow roughly at its center?






      tikz-pgf alignment







      share|improve this question















      I have a (TikZ) diagram with several "blocks" of text connected by arrows. For reasons the (centers of the) blocks are not precisely horizontally aligned, but I'd still like my vertical arrows to be perfectly, well, vertical. Example:



      documentclass[tikz]{standalone}
      
begin{document}
      
begin{tikzpicture}
      
  node[rectangle, draw] (a) at (0,0) {Some rather long text};
      
  node[rectangle, draw] (b) at (.5,-2) {Even more text};
      
  path[->] (a) edge (b);
      
  path[red, ->] (a.315) edge (b.130);
      
end{tikzpicture}
      
end{document}


      MWE



      Instead of the black arrow, I'd prefer the red one which I've created by fiddling around with stupid numbers. Hence:



      Is there a way to create, automatically, instead of the black arrow-between-centers, an arrow which is (1) perfectly vertical and (2) intersects the original arrow roughly at its center?






      tikz-pgf alignment




      tikz-pgf alignment






      share|improve this question















      share|improve this question













      share|improve this question




      share|improve this question








      edited Nov 14 '18 at 15:24

























      asked Nov 14 '18 at 14:29









      Uli Fahrenberg

      975




      975






















          2 Answers
          2






          active

          oldest

          votes


















          4














          Or, if you want the arrow to be in the center,



          documentclass[tikz]{standalone}
          
begin{document}
          
begin{tikzpicture}
          
  node[rectangle, draw] (a) at (0,0) {Some rather long text};
          
  node[rectangle, draw] (b) at (.5,-2) {Even more text};
          
  path (a) -- (b) coordinate[midway] (aux);
          
  draw[->] (a.south -| aux) -- (b.north -| aux);
          
end{tikzpicture}
          
end{document}


          enter image description here






          share|improve this answer





















          • You guys are amazing: this is precisely what I wanted.
            – Uli Fahrenberg
            Nov 14 '18 at 15:11










          • +1: What is the aux node for?
            – Dr. Manuel Kuehner
            Nov 14 '18 at 15:19






          • 1




            @Dr.ManuelKuehner It is midway between a and b and placed solely for calculation.
            – TeXnician
            Nov 14 '18 at 15:19






          • 1




            @Dr.ManuelKuehner This is a trick to find out (what TikZ thinks is) the middle between the two nodes, which then will determine the horizontal position of the arrow.
            – marmot
            Nov 14 '18 at 15:20






          • 2




            @Dr.ManuelKuehner I guess the best explanation for what |- and -| do can be found here.
            – marmot
            Nov 14 '18 at 15:25



















          6














          You can specify the horizontal and vertical position in terms of nodes.



          vertical arrow



          documentclass[tikz]{standalone}
          
begin{document}
          
begin{tikzpicture}
          
  node[rectangle, draw] (a) at (0,0) {Some rather long text};
          
  node[rectangle, draw] (b) at (.5,-2) {Even more text};
          
  draw[->] (b|-a.south) -- (b);
          
end{tikzpicture}
          
end{document}





          share|improve this answer





















          • Nice (+1)... I think that the OP woyld like to use anchor=east too in order to not calculating manually the horizontal alignment. So, documentclass[tikz]{standalone} begin{document} tikzset{mynode/.style={rectangle,draw,anchor=east}} begin{tikzpicture} node[mynode] (a) at (0,0) {Some rather long text}; node[mynode] (b) at (0,-2) {Even more text}; draw[->] (b|-a.south) -- (b); end{tikzpicture} end{document} would be an easier way.
            – koleygr
            Nov 14 '18 at 14:58











          Your Answer








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          2 Answers
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          active

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          2 Answers
          2






          active

          oldest

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          active

          oldest

          votes






          active

          oldest

          votes









          4














          Or, if you want the arrow to be in the center,



          documentclass[tikz]{standalone}
          
begin{document}
          
begin{tikzpicture}
          
  node[rectangle, draw] (a) at (0,0) {Some rather long text};
          
  node[rectangle, draw] (b) at (.5,-2) {Even more text};
          
  path (a) -- (b) coordinate[midway] (aux);
          
  draw[->] (a.south -| aux) -- (b.north -| aux);
          
end{tikzpicture}
          
end{document}


          enter image description here






          share|improve this answer





















          • You guys are amazing: this is precisely what I wanted.
            – Uli Fahrenberg
            Nov 14 '18 at 15:11










          • +1: What is the aux node for?
            – Dr. Manuel Kuehner
            Nov 14 '18 at 15:19






          • 1




            @Dr.ManuelKuehner It is midway between a and b and placed solely for calculation.
            – TeXnician
            Nov 14 '18 at 15:19






          • 1




            @Dr.ManuelKuehner This is a trick to find out (what TikZ thinks is) the middle between the two nodes, which then will determine the horizontal position of the arrow.
            – marmot
            Nov 14 '18 at 15:20






          • 2




            @Dr.ManuelKuehner I guess the best explanation for what |- and -| do can be found here.
            – marmot
            Nov 14 '18 at 15:25
















          4














          Or, if you want the arrow to be in the center,



          documentclass[tikz]{standalone}
          
begin{document}
          
begin{tikzpicture}
          
  node[rectangle, draw] (a) at (0,0) {Some rather long text};
          
  node[rectangle, draw] (b) at (.5,-2) {Even more text};
          
  path (a) -- (b) coordinate[midway] (aux);
          
  draw[->] (a.south -| aux) -- (b.north -| aux);
          
end{tikzpicture}
          
end{document}


          enter image description here






          share|improve this answer





















          • You guys are amazing: this is precisely what I wanted.
            – Uli Fahrenberg
            Nov 14 '18 at 15:11










          • +1: What is the aux node for?
            – Dr. Manuel Kuehner
            Nov 14 '18 at 15:19






          • 1




            @Dr.ManuelKuehner It is midway between a and b and placed solely for calculation.
            – TeXnician
            Nov 14 '18 at 15:19






          • 1




            @Dr.ManuelKuehner This is a trick to find out (what TikZ thinks is) the middle between the two nodes, which then will determine the horizontal position of the arrow.
            – marmot
            Nov 14 '18 at 15:20






          • 2




            @Dr.ManuelKuehner I guess the best explanation for what |- and -| do can be found here.
            – marmot
            Nov 14 '18 at 15:25














          4












          4








          4






          Or, if you want the arrow to be in the center,



          documentclass[tikz]{standalone}
          
begin{document}
          
begin{tikzpicture}
          
  node[rectangle, draw] (a) at (0,0) {Some rather long text};
          
  node[rectangle, draw] (b) at (.5,-2) {Even more text};
          
  path (a) -- (b) coordinate[midway] (aux);
          
  draw[->] (a.south -| aux) -- (b.north -| aux);
          
end{tikzpicture}
          
end{document}


          enter image description here






          share|improve this answer












          Or, if you want the arrow to be in the center,



          documentclass[tikz]{standalone}
          
begin{document}
          
begin{tikzpicture}
          
  node[rectangle, draw] (a) at (0,0) {Some rather long text};
          
  node[rectangle, draw] (b) at (.5,-2) {Even more text};
          
  path (a) -- (b) coordinate[midway] (aux);
          
  draw[->] (a.south -| aux) -- (b.north -| aux);
          
end{tikzpicture}
          
end{document}


          enter image description here







          share|improve this answer












          share|improve this answer



          share|improve this answer










          answered Nov 14 '18 at 14:40









          marmot

          88.9k4102191




          88.9k4102191












          • You guys are amazing: this is precisely what I wanted.
            – Uli Fahrenberg
            Nov 14 '18 at 15:11










          • +1: What is the aux node for?
            – Dr. Manuel Kuehner
            Nov 14 '18 at 15:19






          • 1




            @Dr.ManuelKuehner It is midway between a and b and placed solely for calculation.
            – TeXnician
            Nov 14 '18 at 15:19






          • 1




            @Dr.ManuelKuehner This is a trick to find out (what TikZ thinks is) the middle between the two nodes, which then will determine the horizontal position of the arrow.
            – marmot
            Nov 14 '18 at 15:20






          • 2




            @Dr.ManuelKuehner I guess the best explanation for what |- and -| do can be found here.
            – marmot
            Nov 14 '18 at 15:25


















          • You guys are amazing: this is precisely what I wanted.
            – Uli Fahrenberg
            Nov 14 '18 at 15:11










          • +1: What is the aux node for?
            – Dr. Manuel Kuehner
            Nov 14 '18 at 15:19






          • 1




            @Dr.ManuelKuehner It is midway between a and b and placed solely for calculation.
            – TeXnician
            Nov 14 '18 at 15:19






          • 1




            @Dr.ManuelKuehner This is a trick to find out (what TikZ thinks is) the middle between the two nodes, which then will determine the horizontal position of the arrow.
            – marmot
            Nov 14 '18 at 15:20






          • 2




            @Dr.ManuelKuehner I guess the best explanation for what |- and -| do can be found here.
            – marmot
            Nov 14 '18 at 15:25
















          You guys are amazing: this is precisely what I wanted.
          – Uli Fahrenberg
          Nov 14 '18 at 15:11




          You guys are amazing: this is precisely what I wanted.
          – Uli Fahrenberg
          Nov 14 '18 at 15:11












          +1: What is the aux node for?
          – Dr. Manuel Kuehner
          Nov 14 '18 at 15:19




          +1: What is the aux node for?
          – Dr. Manuel Kuehner
          Nov 14 '18 at 15:19




          1




          1




          @Dr.ManuelKuehner It is midway between a and b and placed solely for calculation.
          – TeXnician
          Nov 14 '18 at 15:19




          @Dr.ManuelKuehner It is midway between a and b and placed solely for calculation.
          – TeXnician
          Nov 14 '18 at 15:19




          1




          1




          @Dr.ManuelKuehner This is a trick to find out (what TikZ thinks is) the middle between the two nodes, which then will determine the horizontal position of the arrow.
          – marmot
          Nov 14 '18 at 15:20




          @Dr.ManuelKuehner This is a trick to find out (what TikZ thinks is) the middle between the two nodes, which then will determine the horizontal position of the arrow.
          – marmot
          Nov 14 '18 at 15:20




          2




          2




          @Dr.ManuelKuehner I guess the best explanation for what |- and -| do can be found here.
          – marmot
          Nov 14 '18 at 15:25




          @Dr.ManuelKuehner I guess the best explanation for what |- and -| do can be found here.
          – marmot
          Nov 14 '18 at 15:25











          6














          You can specify the horizontal and vertical position in terms of nodes.



          vertical arrow



          documentclass[tikz]{standalone}
          
begin{document}
          
begin{tikzpicture}
          
  node[rectangle, draw] (a) at (0,0) {Some rather long text};
          
  node[rectangle, draw] (b) at (.5,-2) {Even more text};
          
  draw[->] (b|-a.south) -- (b);
          
end{tikzpicture}
          
end{document}





          share|improve this answer





















          • Nice (+1)... I think that the OP woyld like to use anchor=east too in order to not calculating manually the horizontal alignment. So, documentclass[tikz]{standalone} begin{document} tikzset{mynode/.style={rectangle,draw,anchor=east}} begin{tikzpicture} node[mynode] (a) at (0,0) {Some rather long text}; node[mynode] (b) at (0,-2) {Even more text}; draw[->] (b|-a.south) -- (b); end{tikzpicture} end{document} would be an easier way.
            – koleygr
            Nov 14 '18 at 14:58
















          6














          You can specify the horizontal and vertical position in terms of nodes.



          vertical arrow



          documentclass[tikz]{standalone}
          
begin{document}
          
begin{tikzpicture}
          
  node[rectangle, draw] (a) at (0,0) {Some rather long text};
          
  node[rectangle, draw] (b) at (.5,-2) {Even more text};
          
  draw[->] (b|-a.south) -- (b);
          
end{tikzpicture}
          
end{document}





          share|improve this answer





















          • Nice (+1)... I think that the OP woyld like to use anchor=east too in order to not calculating manually the horizontal alignment. So, documentclass[tikz]{standalone} begin{document} tikzset{mynode/.style={rectangle,draw,anchor=east}} begin{tikzpicture} node[mynode] (a) at (0,0) {Some rather long text}; node[mynode] (b) at (0,-2) {Even more text}; draw[->] (b|-a.south) -- (b); end{tikzpicture} end{document} would be an easier way.
            – koleygr
            Nov 14 '18 at 14:58














          6












          6








          6






          You can specify the horizontal and vertical position in terms of nodes.



          vertical arrow



          documentclass[tikz]{standalone}
          
begin{document}
          
begin{tikzpicture}
          
  node[rectangle, draw] (a) at (0,0) {Some rather long text};
          
  node[rectangle, draw] (b) at (.5,-2) {Even more text};
          
  draw[->] (b|-a.south) -- (b);
          
end{tikzpicture}
          
end{document}





          share|improve this answer












          You can specify the horizontal and vertical position in terms of nodes.



          vertical arrow



          documentclass[tikz]{standalone}
          
begin{document}
          
begin{tikzpicture}
          
  node[rectangle, draw] (a) at (0,0) {Some rather long text};
          
  node[rectangle, draw] (b) at (.5,-2) {Even more text};
          
  draw[->] (b|-a.south) -- (b);
          
end{tikzpicture}
          
end{document}






          share|improve this answer












          share|improve this answer



          share|improve this answer










          answered Nov 14 '18 at 14:38









          TeXnician

          24.6k63087




          24.6k63087












          • Nice (+1)... I think that the OP woyld like to use anchor=east too in order to not calculating manually the horizontal alignment. So, documentclass[tikz]{standalone} begin{document} tikzset{mynode/.style={rectangle,draw,anchor=east}} begin{tikzpicture} node[mynode] (a) at (0,0) {Some rather long text}; node[mynode] (b) at (0,-2) {Even more text}; draw[->] (b|-a.south) -- (b); end{tikzpicture} end{document} would be an easier way.
            – koleygr
            Nov 14 '18 at 14:58


















          • Nice (+1)... I think that the OP woyld like to use anchor=east too in order to not calculating manually the horizontal alignment. So, documentclass[tikz]{standalone} begin{document} tikzset{mynode/.style={rectangle,draw,anchor=east}} begin{tikzpicture} node[mynode] (a) at (0,0) {Some rather long text}; node[mynode] (b) at (0,-2) {Even more text}; draw[->] (b|-a.south) -- (b); end{tikzpicture} end{document} would be an easier way.
            – koleygr
            Nov 14 '18 at 14:58
















          Nice (+1)... I think that the OP woyld like to use anchor=east too in order to not calculating manually the horizontal alignment. So, documentclass[tikz]{standalone} begin{document} tikzset{mynode/.style={rectangle,draw,anchor=east}} begin{tikzpicture} node[mynode] (a) at (0,0) {Some rather long text}; node[mynode] (b) at (0,-2) {Even more text}; draw[->] (b|-a.south) -- (b); end{tikzpicture} end{document} would be an easier way.
          – koleygr
          Nov 14 '18 at 14:58




          Nice (+1)... I think that the OP woyld like to use anchor=east too in order to not calculating manually the horizontal alignment. So, documentclass[tikz]{standalone} begin{document} tikzset{mynode/.style={rectangle,draw,anchor=east}} begin{tikzpicture} node[mynode] (a) at (0,0) {Some rather long text}; node[mynode] (b) at (0,-2) {Even more text}; draw[->] (b|-a.south) -- (b); end{tikzpicture} end{document} would be an easier way.
          – koleygr
          Nov 14 '18 at 14:58


















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