Add Constrain options to context toolbar

[AP-]

When an image is pasted/placed the move tool will default to constrain the ratio of width to height, when manipulating the corner control points.

If you select more than the one image and use the corner control points, the ratio is no longer constrained. You have to press the shift modifier to get the behaviour back.

 

 

 

 

[walt.farrell]

This is standard, and not new with the Beta.

It also depends on your application Settings, under Tools, Move Tool Aspect Constrain Ratio. By default it's set to a mode that determines whether the ratio is constrained based on what kind of object you have selected:

1. For an object that has an inherent aspect ratio, the ratio will be preserved ("constrain"), unless you press Shift.
2. For an object that has no inherent aspect ratio, the ratio will not be preserved ("not constrained"), unless you press Shift.
3. When you have multiple objects selected, there is no single inherent aspect ratio, so it is not preserved ("not constrained") unless you press Shift.

Through the Settings, you can change that to (a) always constrain (unless Shift is pressed) or (b) never constrain (unless Shift is pressed), if you don't want to have to remember how the automatic mode works.

Edit: As you have noticed, an Image layer has an inherent aspect ratio. Many other object types don't.

 

[AP-]

[Sean P]

Hi AP-,

As Walt has described this behaviour is by design. However there is an dropdown option in Settings > Tools to change it to Automatic (behaviour as above), Always Constrain or Never Constrain.

[AP-]

It's good to be able to change this behaviour. But it's not immediately obvious. At the cost of making the tools parameters bar thing at the top of the UI more complicated (slightly) would it not be useful to have the constrain thing in there?

Eg:

[Sean P]

1 hour ago, AP- said:

It's good to be able to change this behaviour. But it's not immediately obvious. At the cost of making the tools parameters bar thing at the top of the UI more complicated (slightly) would it not be useful to have the constrain thing in there?

Eg:

I suspect there may be issues with the length of the bar, as some of these options get combined with others so could force the bar to be too long, however I will move this into the feedback forum.

 

[MikeTO]

Just now, Sean P said:

I suspect there may be issues with the length of the bar, as some of these options get combined with others so could force the bar to be too long

I was planning to suggest a change to the "Automatic (based on selection)" constraint feature this week so I'll use this thread. My two pet peeves are:

• If I select two objects with inherent aspect ratios (i.e., images or groups), they'll be unconstrained which isn't what a user would want. This is the OP's point.
• To scale an image proportionally with Transform, I must click Link and remember to turn it off when I scale a shape a moment later. I never remember and make this mistake a dozen times a day. The Link control is always set to what I last used, and doesn't reflect the object type.

With most other apps (Adobe, Apple, Microsoft...), selecting their version of Link constrains drag scaling and deselecting un-constrains it. Link also has separate states for images versus other objects. The default states are Linked for images and unlinked for other objects. Most apps go even further - if you drag scale an image and a shape together, the image will be constrained and the shape will not. Microsoft nailed this.

So my request is:

1. Change Link so it controls the automatic constraint behaviour
2. Have separate Link states for objects with inherent aspect ratios (default to Linked) versus other objects (default to Unlinked)
3. Scale objects per their Link state even in multi and mixed selections

A few notes on other apps:

• Photoshop doesn't have separate states for images versus shapes but it's image-centric. I don't have ID and Illustrator to test so they may work more like Apple and Microsoft.
• Microsoft doesn't have to worry about showing a mixed state value for Link when an image and a shape is selected because Office has separate Link controls in the Shape Format and Picture Format sections of the ribbon. Apple shows a mixed state value, but it's unimportant for them because their apps can't scale multiple objects simultaneously.
• Groups in Microsoft apps don't have an inherent aspect ratio which isn't great.