Ndtyjky

The expected output of this MWE is two overlaying nodes (i.e. B and C).

However, node [draw, right = 1cm of A] (B) {B}; successfully overrides the global setting of node distance=2cm, while node [draw, right = of A, node distance = 1cm] (C) {C}; doesn't.

So, why do both syntaxes result in different outputs?

documentclass[border=1cm]{standalone}

usepackage{tikz}

usetikzlibrary{shapes,arrows,positioning}



begin{document}

begin{tikzpicture}[auto, node distance=2cm,>=latex',align=center]

    node [draw] (A) {A};

    node [draw, right = 1cm of A] (B) {B};

    node [draw, right = of A, node distance = 1cm] (C) {C};

end{tikzpicture}

end{document}

The ordering is important. The TikZ parser parses from left to right. This means that you need to first set the node distance (locally) to 1cm by saying node distance = 1cm, and then let TikZ compute the actual coordinates of the C node by saying right = of A.

documentclass[border=1cm]{standalone}

usepackage{tikz}

usetikzlibrary{shapes,arrows,positioning}



begin{document}

begin{tikzpicture}[auto, node distance=2cm,>=latex',align=center]

    node [draw] (A) {A};

    node [draw, right = 1cm of A] (B) {B};

    node [draw, node distance = 1cm, right = of A] (C) {C};

end{tikzpicture}

end{document}

As you can see, now the B and C nodes are on top of each other.

The operation of the node distance key is particular and far from obvious. It only works if and only if there is an of part but no shift part.

I quote p 231 of 3.0.1a manual:

/tikz/node distance=<shifting part> (no default, initially 1cm and
1cm) The value of this key is used as is used if and
only if a <of-part> is present, but no <shifting part>.

Look at this example.

• Nodes colored blue do not have a shifting part in their code, so the node distance key is active.


• The red colored nodes have a shifting part and therefore the node distance key is inactive.

documentclass{book}

usepackage{tikz}

usetikzlibrary{positioning}

begin{document}



foreach i in {8,13,17}{

begin{tikzpicture}[noeud/.style={draw,node distance=i mm},

                    entre/.style={midway,draw=none,fill=white,inner sep =1pt}]

draw[fill=green!10] (-1,-.1) rectangle (3,5);

draw[help lines] (-1,-.1) grid (3,5);

% No shifting part

begin{scope}[every node/.append style={fill=blue!20,font=scriptsize}]

node[noeud,align=center] (a1) at (0,0) {node distance\ actived};

node[noeud] (b1) [above=of a1] {1};

node[noeud] (c1) [above=of b1] {2};

draw [<->](a1)--(b1)node[entre]{i mm};

draw [<->](b1)--(c1)node[entre]{i mm};

end{scope}

% Shifting part

begin{scope}[every node/.append style={fill=red!20,font=scriptsize}]

node[noeud,align=center] (a2) at (2,0) {node distance\ inactived};

node[noeud] (b2) [above=1cm of a2] {1};

node[noeud] (c2) [above=1cm of b2] {2};

draw [<->](a2)--(b2)node[entre]{1 cm};

draw [<->](b2)--(c2)node[entre]{1 cm};

end{scope}

end{tikzpicture}

}

end{document}

Your code is

right = 1cm of A

The shifting part is present and equal to 1 cm. So the key distance node=2cm is disabled. Point B is therefore located 1 cm from A as you have specified.

Then for point C, you write this:

 right = of A, node distance = 1cm

As there is no shifting part in this code, the distance node=2cm key is active and therefore the node is placed at 2cm. Then you specify this distance again, but it has already been computed and so pgf does nothing more, as you can see with a 10 cm distance node key.

documentclass{article}

usepackage{tikz}

usetikzlibrary{shapes,arrows,positioning}



begin{document}  

begin{tikzpicture}[auto, node distance=2cm]

    node [draw] (A) {A};

    node [draw, right = 1cm of A] (B) {B};

    node [draw, right =of A,circle,fill=red!40,opacity=.5,inner sep =10pt] (B) {B};

    node [draw, right = of A, node distance = 10cm,fill=blue!40,opacity=.5,inner sep =10pt] (C) {C};

    node [draw, node distance = 3cm, right = of A,fill=violet,opacity=.5,inner sep =10pt] (D) {D};

end{tikzpicture}   

end{document}

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