A number variable can generate a scale — spacing, font sizes, radii — from a base value and a ratio.
Open it from the Steps button on any ungrouped number row or number group header, or by clicking the fx row of a steps card in the graph.
The controls
- Base Reference — the source variable. The base step is stored as a reference to it, not as a copy of its number, so the scale stays tied to the source.
- Scale Ratio — a musical interval: Minor Second (1.125), Minor Third (1.2), Major Third (1.25), Perfect Fourth (1.333), Augmented Fourth (1.414), Perfect Fifth (1.5), Golden Ratio (1.618), Octave (2), or a custom number.
- Steps — a naming preset: T-shirt (
xs–4xl, basemd), Numeric (1–10, base5), Gutenberg (xs–ultra), or custom.
The step table
Each row is one step:
- The radio in the Base column chooses which step is the base — the one that equals the source value.
- Label is editable; it becomes the variable's name.
- Value is editable for every step except the base. A hand-edited value gets a reset icon to put it back to the calculated number.
- Drag a row to reorder it; the values recalculate from the new positions.
- + Add Step adds a row, and the trash icon removes one.
Values follow base × ratio^(distance from base), rounded to two decimals.
Managed steps
Like shades, a generated scale is managed: the source remembers its ratio, labels and base, per mode. Reopen the modal and it comes back as you left it.
Change the source number and every step recalculates for that mode.
Unlike shades, renaming the source does not rename the steps. Rename them yourself, or regenerate.
Remove Steps deletes the generated variables. It removes every number variable under the source's name, so anything you added there by hand goes too.