Alignment: Last Selected vs. Selection Bounds

[Joachim_L]

Aligning elements from the toolbar with the Alignment button has a pre-selection of Last Selected. Whereas aligning elements with the Align Middle button has a pre-selection of Selection Bounds. Why is there a difference? Is it by design?

Perhaps I am the only one primarily aligning elements to the last selected. So in my case over and over again I have to do two clicks instead of one.

[Dan C]

Hi Joachim_L

I've checked this with our QA team and received the following response -

Quote

This is By Design.
The reason the individual buttons use Selection Bounds is because it's a 'middle ground' that will work for most users as we have to assume this.

If we changed this preference then it might annoy the 75% of users who like to align to selection bounds - and unfortunately you can't please everyone, so we have to try and please the most common use.

The Alignment flyout allows the user far more options to align for the user as an alternative. You could also try using the Alignment Handle option on the Context toolbar as when they remain on your alignment options become a 1 click operation from the selection itself.

I hope this helps!

[Joachim_L]

Thank you for your assistance.

18 minutes ago, Dan C said:

If we changed this preference then it might annoy the 75% of users who like to align to selection bounds - and unfortunately you can't please everyone, so we have to try and please the most common use.

Hard to learn after 54 years, that I am not the centre of the universe.

21 minutes ago, Dan C said:

You could also try using the Alignment Handle option on the Context toolbar as when they remain on your alignment options become a 1 click operation from the selection itself.

Honestly, I never used the Alignment Handle option before, but now it becomes useful.

As said, big thanks!

[Move Along People]

-

[Thiagarajan]

Pls provide an option to choose what the default should be. Selection bounds or last / first selected or artboard.

Least, give an option to place the flyout menu as a studio panel, so it's always open.

Edited December 4, 2022 by Thiagarajan
Adding another suggestion.

[N A]

I agree - this forgetting defaults is driving me to insanity! Here's how it goes:

• I select two objects, and click the single Alignment button on the toolbar.
• Select the Align Center and Align Middle buttons, and also select Last Selected in both drop-downs.
• Click Apply and my first object aligns on the last selected, just as intended.
• Select two more objects, click the toolbar buttons called Align Center and Align Middle in the toolbar and what happens? Both objects move, completely forgetting the options I just set!

Therefore every alignment action means accessing a little dialog, instead of just clicking the (effectively useless) toolbar alignment buttons. Does anyone at Affinity ever use their own tools?