Alignment inconsistencies

[WKansepa]

Why are the alignment tools not in sync?

Scenario:

1. Select two or more objects and from the Align dropdown list choose for instance align to “Last Selected” and click on Left alignment command. This will perfectly align as intended. (Refer to screenshot Alignment ‘A’)
2. Separate the objects and reselect the objects then try to click on Left alignment command (Refer to screenshot Alignment ‘B’). Illogical alignment will take place. Rather than syncing with the command from the other Alignment tools, Objects will align to extremes i.e. align left will align to the object which has an extreme left side, align right, top, bottom, ditto.
3. Align Centre and Align Middle will average the distance between the objects before settling for an alignment position.

From the above indicated it’s clear that the two Alignment tools are detached from each other either by design or it was unintentional…

Ordinarily when it comes to aligning artwork most users would choose not to go into the dropdown list to pick an alignment option.

What if Serif were to sync the two?

What if Serif were to extend Align functionality by introducing “Align / Distribute to Key Object”?

[Pšenda]

2 hours ago, william said:

What if Serif were to sync the two?

Personally, I think this difference is intentional. If the meaning/function of the button changed according to some setting in some other panel - so the same button would sometimes behave differently, it would be very confusing for many users.

[WKansepa]

11 hours ago, Pšenda said:

Personally, I think this difference is intentional. If the meaning/function of the button changed according to some setting in some other panel - so the same button would sometimes behave differently, it would be very confusing for many users.

Thanks for sharing your insights Pšenda.
 
Am still of the opinion that the second Alignment tools (refer to screenshot B) are mundane and do not offer enough options for aligning artwork. I strongly feel that these tools need to be reanimated. Like I said before, given a choice most users would not want to repeatedly dive into a dropdown list to choose an alignment option.

Team Affinity kindly please take a moment and observe CorelDRAW's Alignment model. The last selected object will always act as the anchor. Selected objects always align to the object which was selected last.

Let’s also take a look at Adobe Illustrator's "Align to Key Object". This is a very powerful Alignment command which offers unique alignment options. It greatly increases flexibility in the area of object alignment.

There is also Inkscape with a plethora of advanced alignment options.

The above are just some of the few examples out of many that Team Affinity can emulate or glean from and then implement in their own way. I am positive that this will make aligning artwork in Affinity a breeze.

[WKansepa]

On 10/14/2020 at 10:18 AM, william said:

Let’s also take a look at Adobe Illustrator's "Align to Key Object". This is a very powerful Alignment command which offers unique alignment options. It greatly increases flexibility in the area of object alignment.

I eat humble pie…

We are so used to Adobe's way of doing things that we take it for granted that their way is the only way. Armed with this deeply ingrained belief, we easily overlook some of the the things Affinity has so niftily implemented into their software to produce same results acquired in Adobe Illustrator. For example when you have multiple objects selected that need aligning, Illustrator's "Align to Key Object" functionality is easily replicated in Affinity Designer if you enable "Show Alignment Handles" on the toolbar.

Adobe's sometimes aggressive marketing propagates a truly false narrative that theirs is the the only true way… Reader be wary.

[Mithferion]

17 hours ago, william said:

We are so used to Adobe's way of doing things that we take it for granted that their way is the only way. Armed with this deeply ingrained belief, we easily overlook some of the the things Affinity has so niftily implemented into their software to produce same results acquired in Adobe Illustrator. For example when you have multiple objects selected that need aligning, Illustrator's "Align to Key Object" functionality is easily replicated in Affinity Designer if you enable "Show Alignment Handles" on the toolbar.

At first, I was missing something like the Align and Distribute Panel in Inkscape, but this makes it even better.

Best regards!

[kanihoncho]

I will often have two shapes with points in the same numerical position but are visually not at the same point in space and it visually affects the shape of the vector (it's not a handle issue).  I have to use the alignment tools to ensure they occupy the same position other wise i have to keep entering decimal numbers to align them . . . too time consuming