Size / Rotate objects to same

[bbrother]

12 hours ago, loukash said:

There is a thing why it shouldn't be a "regular" panel:
The Apply/Cancel buttons.

Those buttons are not required to perform an alignment.

 

On 1/3/2024 at 12:06 PM, Ash said:

Within alignment options you will see three new options to make all items in your current selection adopt the same width, height or rotation.

If I had to decide, I would add this feature to the transformation panel. Rotation, height and width have little to do with Aligning Objects.
Simple and intuitive solutions are the way to go.

Until yesterday, I had no idea that you could use a nominated key object along with the Alignment panel due to the non-intuitive binding to "First selected".
Not to mention that it is pointless to look for such information in the documentation, where functions and options for these functions are often described too generally or not at all. Outdated, poorly written documentation is a big problem.

[loukash]

29 minutes ago, bbrother said:

Those buttons are not required to perform an alignment.

They're not, but there are valid arguments why they are useful. Vive la différence.

[deepblue]

I would have liked to see a screen video showing how this is supposed to work.

[paolo.limoncelli]

5 hours ago, loukash said:

They're not, but there are valid arguments why they are useful. Vive la différence.

 

Sure... And this si the case: different usage for different use cases.

We can always use CMD+Z... Also... Those action buttons could be placed in the floating panel too.

Search Studio works with the same UX pattern (Buttons for live actions...).

Stroke Studio for example does not exist in AP, but works as modal only from context bar whereas APub and AD have both...

Affinity allows a customisation of the toolbar exposing "basic" alignment, and these work without a "commit" action.

Multiple way to access the same functions.

Anyway, we're not asking to remove the dropdown, but to add a sidecar "non modal" version because with large canvases and lots of artboards these alignment and spacing functions will be easier to reach.

😀

[bbrother]

56 minutes ago, paolo.limoncelli said:

Anyway, we're not asking to remove the dropdown, but to add a sidecar "non modal" version because with large canvases and lots of artboards these alignment and spacing functions will be easier to reach.

That's right. Access only thru main toolbar/menu is not enough.

[FraGar]

On 1/3/2024 at 12:06 PM, Ash said:

Apps: All
Platforms: Windows, macOS and iPad

Within alignment options you will see three new options to make all items in your current selection adopt the same width, height or rotation. By default this will transform all objects to match the first item selected, or alternatively if a key object has been nominated (alt-click) it will use that as the source.

Additionally you can choose to maintain the aspect ratio of the objects being resized.

On desktop this is available via the alignment dropdown:

And on iPad via the alignment options panel which you can get to via the transform panel:

 

Where did this go? Not able to get the drop down menu anymore. Only get "Align Left" and no drop down.

[walt.farrell]

1 hour ago, FraGar said:

Where did this go?

It's in the general Alignment button, not the Align Left, etc. buttons:

[FraGar]

2 hours ago, walt.farrell said:

It's in the general Alignment button, not the Align Left, etc. buttons:

Thanks, I was so hung up in "General Alignment" button I did not see it saying only "Alignment" and was the first one.

I will now go and ....

 

[R.I.P. Affinity 26.03.2024]

Is it possible to change the icon of H Size or Rotate? They are very similar. Or mb put a divider between them.

Also, since we are working with Alignment menu, can we get a button to H Align center and V Align middle in the same time? It seems like possible to do. Cuz right now we have to press 3 times with menu, or twice with hot keys. Would be nice addition. Or at least make it possible to bind on one key.

[Bit Disappointed]

When you create a simple test document with some shapes and try it out as Ash describes for just 5 minutes, try the different variations, it's very useful and meaningful. It makes complete sense to me. But I'm also a super experienced illustrator.

On behalf of others, I perhaps miss a direct link between the help and the dialogue boxes, or even better the online help that could be supplemented with embedded films, as I simply know from experience that many people don't even have the imagination to seek help there. In other words, small humble symbols that opened help in the browser at the relevant place.

By all means, no invasive bubbles with help and explanations directly in the program, but some real link between functionality and documentation. Not for me but for the average Joe.

 

[debraspicher]

Is it important that the "Set Selection Box" declaration isn't honored when using Make Same: Rotation? The other objects will match to the Base Box.

It is a "Selection" Box, so semantically it seems to behaving as expected. I just wonder if there's a use case where a workflow might follow whatever the Selection box rotation is? I was playing with it in Designer, made a rotation of the Base Box (an awkward number, say Rotation 57%), then cycle Selection Box, then "Set Selection Box". Then I rotated the Selection Box to -15%, and when I went to select it as a key with the other objects, they all matched the 57% of the Base Box.

There are instances in my case where I prefer to use a non-Basebox rotation as the main rotation characteristic for that element. For example, maybe the original rotation was for presentation. Whereas after, I cycle Selection Box and then adjust the Rotation again to coordinate better with a grid or other elements in a design or work. So maybe a toggle for it next to Aspect Ratio might be useful here? Especially if working with multiple elements where the Selection Box is set to a new default.

**Edit: I was testing it more and can see now the math is shared with Basebox when changes are made to Selection Box. It's a bit nuanced, so hard to catch if you don't recall the initial number in Basebox with multiple tests.

[TheSnooze]

Dope!

[fde101]

Out of curiosity, is there some reason that shear was omitted from this?

[JhonatanS]

Hi, @Ash good feature
While using the new Make Same after a while, using the Dropdown panel is quite redudant.

In logic terms of UI/UX This is a kind of function that should be included in the Transform panel,
1. I believe it would make more sense and make users happy to not click twice to reach this useful function

thanks anyway

[albertkinng]

20 minutes ago, JhonatanS said:

In logic terms of UI/UX This is a kind of function that should be included in the Transform panel

As a UI/UX designer, the "Make Same" feature is appropriately positioned within the alignment tools, given its direct relevance to that function.

[ronnyb]

1 hour ago, JhonatanS said:

While using the new Make Same after a while, using the Dropdown panel is quite redudant.

In logic terms of UI/UX This is a kind of function that should be included in the Transform panel,
1. I believe it would make more sense and make users happy to not click twice to reach this useful function

FWIW, I agree 100% and brought it up during the beta test... when using these 3 functions (match height, width, and rotation) one does not align rotation angles or scale. Those are called transformations not alignments. This is basic English, very odd/disappointing coming from a British/English speaking company. A more intuitive UI/UX approach would be to select all items and use the Transform panel to adjust the height, width, and/or rotation by matching the Key or first selected object.... These are transformations, not alignments!

[albertkinng]

33 minutes ago, ronnyb said:

These are transformations, not alignments!

Through my experience, I've come to understand that rationality seldom raises its voice. Confusion between perception and reality can arise when the functionality of certain tools appears to address one need over another. Ultimately, these tools are designed to meet alignment requirements. Having said that, you're entitled to your opinion, regardless of whether I agree or not. It's important to note that I'm not disputing your viewpoint; rather, I'm simply providing clarity on the intended uses of specific tools within Affinity Designer. Wishing you a fantastic day ahead.

[ronnyb]

20 hours ago, albertkinng said:

Wishing you a fantastic day ahead.

Thanks and likewise!

 

20 hours ago, albertkinng said:

Ultimately, these tools are designed to meet alignment requirements

As a UX/UI Designer, I would say designed, in the way used here, is a very subjective definition for such generalized functions (not really tools, they don’t belong in the tool palette either) and as such, they ought to reside in the a Transform studio. 
 

You’re obviously entitled to your opinion as well… 

[Alfred]

20 hours ago, ronnyb said:

FWIW, I agree 100% and brought it up during the beta test... when using these 3 functions (match height, width, and rotation) one does not align rotation angles or scale. Those are called transformations not alignments. This is basic English, very odd/disappointing coming from a British/English speaking company. A more intuitive UI/UX approach would be to select all items and use the Transform panel to adjust the height, width, and/or rotation by matching the Key or first selected object.... These are transformations, not alignments!

Transformations are obviously not necessarily alignments, but if you’re aligning objects you have move (i.e. transform) at least one of them, don’t you?

[JhonatanS]

21 hours ago, albertkinng said:

As a UI/UX designer, the "Make Same" feature is appropriately positioned within the alignment tools, given its direct relevance to that function.

mate, As UX you should know that the function is about resize and rotate
as the headline topic says,
which is relevant to a transform function, not very much as an alignment tool.

My suggestion is that, this tool could be included inside the Transform Panel, for better convenience.
not only on the dropdown alignment which makes users clicking twice (again, not very convenient in terms of User Experience).

[ronnyb]

41 minutes ago, Alfred said:

Transformations are obviously not necessarily alignments, but if you’re aligning objects you have move (i.e. transform) at least one of them, don’t you?

Options

1. Instead of splitting functions across 2 studio panels, combine the Transform & Align Studio panels into a master studio that handles both.

2. Put another set of Match scale and rotation buttons in Transform Studio. 
 

Easy peasy. But the current “solution” is confusing for many forcing one to tunnel thru the UI needlessly… 🤷‍♂️

[Alfred]

1 minute ago, ronnyb said:

Instead of splitting functions across 2 studio panels, combine the Transform & Align Studio panels into a master studio that handles both.

In the iPad apps the Alignment panel is accessed via the Transform Studio. I don’t see why the same couldn’t be done in the desktop versions.