Feature request: swap two objects position (via key command)

[Schubi63]

I would see only advantages in a function, that would allow me to swap the position of 2 objects. They don't even need to be the same dimensions. They don't even need to be the same type (image, group, font...). 

For a flyer I am arranging lots of objects. In my case images, that all have the same size. And I have to arrange them in a grid layout.
Now I really "waste" a massive amount of time by moving them into the correct positions. Checking how the images look, if I swap 2 images - e.g. one pic from 5th row/2nd column to 1st row/ 6th column and the other pcitures vice versa.

It would genius, to just select two objects and hit a command key and they will be swapped.
It would save soo much time instead of dragging and hoping that snapping works fine. And that Publisher orientates on the adjacents objects correctly. Be

For me: the fastes way (because of using shortcuts) is:
cmd+c object1 - I wanna move from A-to-B
cmd+v and move the duplicate of object1 to B - it's correct position (above object2), then
cmd+x the duplicate, to see object2 again
select and move object2 to the position of the old object1
cmd+v to get get the duplicate of object1
and do the same cmd+x, delete,cmd+v stuff for getting rid of the old object1 and having object 2 only

I miss this option since years, when I started working with Affinity Designer.

 

Thanks in advance!!!
Schubi

[Old Bruce]

5 hours ago, Schubi63 said:

It would genius, to just select two objects and hit a command key and they will be swapped.
It would save soo much time instead of dragging and hoping that snapping works fine. And that Publisher orientates on the adjacents objects correctly. Be

I agree that it would be great to have the Swap Two Positions ability but I am sure it is a non-trivial programming challenge.

In the meantime, seeing as how you are using Publisher, try setting up a grid using the Guides Manager. View > Guides Manager... and then setting your snapping options as follows.

You may find it easier to use Outline instead of Filled for the Guides.

 

[Pšenda]

22 minutes ago, Old Bruce said:

but I am sure it is a non-trivial programming challenge.

... for very few happy users :-) 

[carl123]

6 hours ago, Schubi63 said:

For a flyer I am arranging lots of objects. In my case images, that all have the same size. And I have to arrange them in a grid layout.
Now I really "waste" a massive amount of time by moving them into the correct positions. Checking how the images look, if I swap 2 images - e.g. one pic from 5th row/2nd column to 1st row/ 6th column and the other pcitures vice versa.

Swapping 2 images around like those laid out in your screenshot would be relatively easy in a macro.

So, if you have APhoto you could just switch to the Photo persona in Publisher and do the swapping there via the macro.

Logging off now for the night but if you need a macro to do this then let me know and I'll have a look tomorrow for you

[Schubi63]

1 hour ago, Old Bruce said:

I agree that it would be great to have the Swap Two Positions ability but I am sure it is a non-trivial programming challenge.

I would say it's copying 2 (x/y) values and replacing them

 

But maybe I will invest the time to create the guides - thanks Bruce

[Schubi63]

54 minutes ago, carl123 said:

Swapping 2 images around like those laid out in your screenshot would be relatively easy in a macro.

So, if you have APhoto you could just switch to the Photo persona in Publisher and do the swapping there via the macro.

Logging off now for the night but if you need a macro to do this then let me know and I'll have a look tomorrow for you

Hi carl. I have APhoto too ... but: I would never swap the content of a files with correct naming ("James-PortraitXY",  "Marie-PortraitshootXY) - that makes no sense at all and would confuse not only me! Additionally I'm linking to original files in Publisher.

[thomaso]

👨‍🎨: "I miss this option since years,..."
🤓:  "...but I am sure it is a non-trivial programming challenge."
👨‍✈️: "... for very few happy users"

I miss it since years, too. (Though I'd use it in very few projects per year).
It seems neither simplicity nor number of users are relevant for a feature decision:

https://affinity.serif.com/de/tutorials/publisher/desktop/video/390003719/

These Smart Masters look indeed appealing + impressive. (Though I can't imagine yet a project to really use it)
However, if swapping of ALL objects and as placeholders made it to get programmed, a swap of just 2 concrete objects might be worth, too. 😎

[Seneca]

20 minutes ago, thomaso said:

However, if swapping of ALL objects and as placeholders made it to get programmed, a swap of just 2 concrete objects might be worth, too.

Respectfully, this is really something that a macros should do as @carl123 remarked upstream. Hopefully, in not so distant future, we'll get a way automate Affinity apps.

[Schubi63]

19 minutes ago, Seneca said:

Respectfully, this is really something that a macros should do as @carl123 remarked upstream. Hopefully, in not so distant future, we'll get a way automate Affinity apps.

Thanks Seneca. But as I answered @carl123 already: I don't see this suggestion as a solution:
1.) I would never alter the contend of client files, especially not by swapping the content of thoses files. ("James-PortraitXY" with "Marie-PortraitshootXY ?!) - that makes no sense at all and would confuse not only me!
2.) I'm creating a layout consisting of links to original image files in Publisher.

[carl123]

1 minute ago, Schubi63 said:

1.) I would never alter the contend of client files, especially not by swapping the content of thoses files. ("James-PortraitXY" with "Marie-PortraitshootXY ?!) - that makes no sense at all and would confuse not only me!

I really don't understand what you mean by that

Aren't we just talking about swapping the position of 2 objects on the screen - not altering any contents of any file?

[Schubi63]

2 minutes ago, carl123 said:

I really don't understand what you mean by that

Aren't we just talking about swapping the position of 2 objects on the screen - not altering any contents of any file?

Only the position, right!
Then obviously I misunderstood you - by thinking you meant to record (create a macro) to copy/replace the content of 2 images

[Schubi63]

@carl123 to be honest, I'm to stupid to create a macro that swappes me the position of two selected objects

[carl123]

Ok here's a quickly made macro and a test document (both attached)

Open the test document in Publisher, switch to the Photo persona in Publisher, load the macro in the macro panel

To use, just select any two objects either on screen or in the Layers panel and run the macro - they will flip positions

 

squares.afpub flip two positions.afmacro

[Schubi63]

5 minutes ago, carl123 said:

Ok here's a quickly made macro and a test document (both attached)

Open the test document in Publisher, switch to the Photo persona in Publisher, load the macro in the macro panel

To use, just select any two objects either on screen or in the Layers panel and run the macro - they will flip positions

 

squares.afpub 103.46 kB · 2 downloads flip two positions.afmacro 882 B · 1 download

Heureka! Thanks @carl123 !!! It works fine.

[thomaso]

1 hour ago, carl123 said:

Ok here's a quickly made macro and a test document (both attached)

Thank you! – Interesting idea for this swap not to deal with coordinates at all.

Just a pity that StudioLink ignores "Transform Objects Separately"; it would avoid the hierarchical layer change.

[carl123]

1 hour ago, thomaso said:

Thank you! – Interesting idea for this swap not to deal with coordinates at all.

Yes, initially I thought it was going to take a lot of work swapping the x/y coordinates in a macro but in the end, it turned into one of the simplest macros I have done for such a seemingly difficult task.

1 hour ago, thomaso said:

it would avoid the hierarchical layer change.

Yes, that's due to the initial grouping of the 2 layers.

There may be another way to do it, without grouping, and thus avoid the hierarchical layer change but I have not looked into that any further at the moment

[thomaso]

3 minutes ago, carl123 said:

1 hour ago, thomaso said:

it would avoid the hierarchical layer change.

Yes, that's due to the initial grouping of the 2 layers.

...or rather due to the lack of maintaining original layer hierarchy when un-grouping 😉

[big smile]

Indesign had a user created script called Equalizer: http://www.indiscripts.com/post/2016/10/equalizer-pro-3-0-released

It let you swap objects, as well as copy and paste X, Y, W and H values via keyboard shortcuts.

It was one of the the greatest things to happen to DTP. 

+1 for having something like this built into APublisher. 

[davidtch]

Hi, to swap two objects position, I found this useful in Affinity Designer 2.