# Asymptote FAQ - Section 3
Questions about paths

- Q3.1. Why do I get a syntax error message when I specify an integer value for the path tension?
- Q3.2. Shouldn't dots always be the same size?

## Question 3.1. Why do I get a syntax error message when I specify an integer value for the path tension?

What is happening here is that

    draw((0,0)..tension 2..(0,50)..(100,100));

is read as

    draw((0,0)..tension 2. .(0,50)..(100,100));

So the first . after the two is treated as a decimal point. Just put a space after the integer tension value:

    draw((0,0)..tension 2 ..(0,50)..(100,100));

## Question 3.2. Shouldn't dots always be the same size?

From the documentation:

"The dot command defined in the module plain draws a dot having a diameter equal to an explicit pen linewidth or the default linewidth magnified by dotfactor (6 by default)."

Thus, when you use the default pen, the dot will have size 6*linewidth, but when you give a pen with an explicit width specified, you will have a dot of size linewidth. If you want the first case to behave like the second, you may set dotfactor=1.

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Extracted from Asymptote Frequently Asked Questions, Copyright © 2026 .