Simplify String
(You can also specify a tolerance value, or select a Simplify … (form) option from the tool menu.)
An XY tolerance factor is defined, forming a ‘gate’. The function starts by drawing a line between point 1 and point 3 and applying the gate to point 2. If point 2 lies within the gate, the line is then drawn between point 1 and point 4, and the gate applied to points 2 and 3. If both the intermediate points are within the gate, the process is repeated between points 1 and 5 (making points 2, 3 and 4 intermediate). This continues until an intermediate point falls outside the gate. At that stage, the point previously extended to becomes point 2 and the intermediate points (all of which fell within the gate) are deleted. The process then starts again from the new point 2.