Q: Compress or Expand selected objects positions ?

[X-Raym]

Hi !

Beginner question

With transform tool we can make items close to each other by reducing scale.

But can we do that while preserving item size, so only space between them is scale ?

In other words, how to set item closes to each others ?

 

Thx !

 

 

EDIT: Screenshots in this post:

 

[Alfred]

I don’t think there’s an automatic way to do this, and I can’t see how the app would be able to determine which objects to move in the general case where they aren’t laid out evenly in rows and columns.

[X-Raym]

@Alfred

Actually the math involved would be quite simple : change anchoir point positions (like with scaling) and set shape position to these new anchor points positions.

It is really like the scale selection feature but preserving object size. Extra basic.

Edited May 8, 2020 by X-Raym
more clear

[X-Raym]

Maybe I don't get the title right. It could be "compress/scale space between objects".

or "Scale tool only for pos, not for width and height" etc...

I don't find any way to do this.

[GarryP]

Can’t you just move the items closer to each other? Or am I missing something?

[X-Raym]

@GarryP

Maybe I miss an obvious way to move without scaling a lots of items toward a center point.

Am I correct to assume you speak about the regular way of moving object (click select a object, move it a bit, click select another, move it a bit in opposite direction ?)
If yes in this case, consider the case where there would be 100 scattered items (like 100 random circle on a canvas), to compress (only spaces) on X and Y axis.

Maybe you want a demo screenshot of what I need ?

[GarryP]

Yeah, if you can show us what you have then that should help, but now that you mention lots of objects – which you didn’t mention earlier – I have a feeling that you won’t be able to automatically do what you want. Might have found an answer below.

[GarryP]

Oh, actually, I think you can do something which might be near to what you might want to do.
Group the objects, then select all the objects in the Group and open the Constraints Panel.
In the Constraints Panel click on the left-right and up-down arrows.
Then select the group and resize it.
See attached video.

[Gear maker]

X-Raym, do you mean something like this:

[thomaso]

If I understand right you want to scale the distance between objects without changing their size? in this case Alignment options might do it as wanted, for any number of selected items.

[X-Raym]

@GarryP Oh ! Your example is very interesting I didn't knew about constrain feature. But I'm surprise, cause at the end of your screenshots, some shares are truncated at group border, how come ?

@Gear maker This would have worked if spacing could be expressed in percentage... This only output fixed value.

 

Thanks guys for your help

[GarryP]

It is something to do with the way layers are constrained. If you put the shapes in a larger layer – such as a rectangle with no stroke or fill – that might be better.

[X-Raym]

Quote

If you put the shapes in a larger layer – such as a rectangle with no stroke or fill – that might be better.

@GarryP It's a bit weird, the group layer size seems to adjusted to what was the width of the future group before it's creation : if I resize the rectangle after group creation, Group width and Height will still be equal to what the rectangle was before.

I guess with few adjustment we might get close to what I need, but these workaround (having to set constrain individually on each objects, having to have them in a group) is  a bit more complex that simply using a tool like transform tool. I think a Feature request will be very welcome And your screenshots will deeply help to explain what it is all about.
How shall we call such feature request ?

 

Maybe "Spread" object positions ? Multiply ? Not sure what keywords would be the most relevant (obviously my thread title was a bit off).

[GarryP]

I’m not sure if the Constraints are supposed to do what you want to do so they could well be working as expected and it’s possible that the technique I showed you isn’t right for what you want.
I think we should see if someone can come up with a solution before you create a feature request.
Can you give us an idea of what you are working with?

[X-Raym]

@GarryP You are right Constraints is not the right tool, but your clearly understand the request : having shapes, compressed or expand them on some axis like with Transformation tool, but without altering scale (just changing anchor points).

This could be useful in a lots of situation really.

• Compress the space between two eyes objects on a character face while being sure they are well spaced according the middle symmetry axes (Align tool doesn(t work here because it spread from the object on the left, not from center of selection),
• or spacing planets and stars vector elements (the Align tool will be not useful here cause it has only fixed value).
• etc...

I can really see myself using that a lot. Just like the scale tool.

 

The most handy workarround so far is to

1. select items
2. note one object width as ref,
3. scale with transformation tool,
4. then set transformation to object independently,
5. enter the initial value in width

It works but it doesn't have the benefit of live preview like Transformation tool.

 

Here is a demo: https://monosnap.com/file/tP4wN2lgvVlhhkEiqqhLCR9l4kN5oy

(not sure how to embed photo on the forum, so here is final screenshot results, before and after:

 

Having a Transformation tool option just for that would make it work like a breathe.

[X-Raym]

@GarryP I just rename the thread to something more explicit "Q: Compress or Expand selected objects positions ?".

Edited May 8, 2020 by X-Raym
change title

[X-Raym]

@GarryP

Hi

Do you think my screenshots are explanatory enough to open a vamid feature request ?

[GarryP]

I think so (given the discussion etc. in this thread), but the developers might have way more questions than me.

[thomaso]

22 hours ago, X-Raym said:

(not sure how to embed photo on the forum, so here is final screenshot results, before and after

In your new feature request you can upload your video directly (instead of linked) with a click on "Drag files here to attach, or choose files..."  below your editor area.

[X-Raym]

I just open the FR :

I hope it sum up this case well and will get a bit of attraction.

Thanks for your support !