Transform Again

[Matt_Spaugh_Photo]

Relatively new user - struggling with being able to adapt to this new environment after 32 years of working in Adobe Illustrator  (yes, I started with Illustrator '88 - in 1988!). I know that using the eyedropper for applying text formatting is not yet in Designer, but another feature I use constantly is what Illustrator calls the "Transform Again" function. You select an element, move, rotate, or scale it, hold down shift to grab an additional element hit command-d and that same move, rotation or scale is applied to both objects. I've looked through my printed Workbook and combed the forums but I can't seem to find anything on it. Does this functionality exist? It seems pretty basic. Thx.

[Matt_Spaugh_Photo]

FWIW, I just want to know if this functionality exists. I'm not looking for a 12-step workaround. This function (along with the eyedropper for formatting text) is so central to my workflow that without it, I cannot see how Designer will be a viable Illustrator alternative for me.

[Matt_Spaugh_Photo]

This is from February of last year, but if it's accurate, I guess it answers my question. I don't know why I didn't find this thread in a my previous searches. 

 

I can't imagine anyone working without this functionality. It is so core to how I create graphics from scratch. Anyone who has used this feature knows how powerful it is for streamlining repetitive tasks.

 

[walt.farrell]

If you have existing objects that need an identical transformation, have you tried:

1. Selecting all the objects with the Move Tool.
2. Clicking the Transform Objects Separately button on the Context Toolbar:
3. Then performing your Transform operation.

[Matt_Spaugh_Photo]

This would not accomplish what I'm trying to achieve. The beauty of the Transform Again function is that you can do it over and over with a single keyboard click - and mimic almost any transformation.

[walt.farrell]

1 hour ago, Matt_Spaugh_Photo said:

This would not accomplish what I'm trying to achieve. The beauty of the Transform Again function is that you can do it over and over with a single keyboard click - and mimic almost any transformation.

That sounds closer to power-duplicate, which allows you to, for example, draw an object, then duplicate it (Ctrl/Cmd+J), then transform it, and then continue using Ctrl/Cmd+J to duplicate and automatically transform additional copies of the object.

So you could, for example, draw a square. Then duplicate it, and move it a short distance, and rotate it. Then use Ctrl/Cmd+J) again to get a new square, which will be automatically moved the same distance and rotated the same amount.

But there's nothing that will apply a previous transformation to another object that already exists.

 

 

 

[Matt_Spaugh_Photo]

That only works with an element that you are duplicating. The power of Transform Again is that you can apply it to objects that already exist - and they do not have to be Identical. For tweaking artwork and complicated layouts it is invaluable.

[walt.farrell]

And it doesn't exist in Affinity, so feel free to make a Feature Request, or concur with an existing one.

[Pšenda]

17 minutes ago, walt.farrell said:

or concur with an existing one.

Which is exactly what Serif recommends as the right course of action.

[t_sch]

any news on that, I also urgently need that feature

[t_sch]

On 1/31/2020 at 4:17 PM, walt.farrell said:

And it doesn't exist in Affinity, so feel free to make a Feature Request, or concur with an existing one.

somehow this link just brings me back to the general forum/discussion?

[Pšenda]

6 minutes ago, t_sch said:

somehow this link just brings me back to the general forum/discussion?

No, the link goes to the Feature Requests & Suggestions forum.

[t_sch]

13 minutes ago, Pšenda said:

No, the link goes to the Feature Requests & Suggestions forum.

...which will then take me back to exactly this here, unless I would start a new post with the same request? So how do we move on from here and finally get this simple, basic and essential feature finally implemented after talking about it for years now?

[walt.farrell]

16 minutes ago, t_sch said:

...which will then take me back to exactly this here, unless I would start a new post with the same request? So how do we move on from here and finally get this simple, basic and essential feature finally implemented after talking about it for years now?

The Serif team looks at topics in the Feature Requests part of the forum for their planning, so unless a request is posted there there's no guarantee they will look at it.

So, if you want a change, you should post there. That will still not guarantee it will be implemented, as Serif has no obligation to implement any particular enhancement, but it helps improve the chances of them implementing it.

[felipevaz]

On 10/16/2022 at 12:20 AM, t_sch said:

any news on that, I also urgently need that feature

Hi, can you explain what's the difference between this and power duplicate? Except for being able to do it without copying the original (for which I don't see an important use case), I think it works identically. Pick an object, duplicate it and apply a series of transformations, then power duplicate it. For instance, I draw a square, then duplicate it, rotate, resize etc. and then power duplicate it multiple times, generating a spiralling series of growing squares. Is that any different from a practical use of transform again? I agree that "remembering" the transformations to any given object so that they can be used with power duplicate without having duplicated it beforehand would be better, but that's not dramatic.