Power Duplicate, just like FreeHand had.

[rui_mac]

As it is now, the Duplicate command creates a copy of the selected object at the exact same location of the original object.

If we duplicate again, even after modifying the copied object, another copy will be created at the same location of the newly duplicated object.

Well, it would be much more powerful if it worked like the Power Duplicate feature of FreeHand.

It works like this:

 

Select an object. Duplicate it with the Duplicate command.
A new copy is created on top of the original object (like it is now).

WITHOUT deselecting the newly created object, we can move it, rotate it and/or resize it (or a combination of these).

Hitting Duplicate again, a new copy would be created with all the modifications executed to the object in-between the two duplication commands, added to the previous copy. Any additional Duplicate commands would continue to add those transformations, as longs as the object doesn't get deselected in-between duplications.

[Andy Somerfield]

I like the idea - I'll give this some thought..

 

AndyS

[krollian]

Yeah! Replicate objects from a window palette is a must!!!

[designerUK]

Vote here for Rui_Mac's suggestion and perfect description of how it worked. Very powerful, very useful feature it was. Miss it (the Power Duplicate ability) still, at times, even now - all these years later.

 

(Haven't used FreeHand [thinks] since my Tiger OS MacBook, which would be er, 10 years, thereabouts.).

[krollian]

A lot to learn from FreeHand (from the guys of FreeHandForum):

 

http://www.freehandforum.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=919

 

The PDF comparison FreeHand vs Illustrator is awesome!!!

[Andy Somerfield]

Yes, 

 

We're seeing Freehand pop up in many a discussion at the moment - we also recognise the unfortunate situation many Freehand users are in on the Mac.

 

We're looking into adding the capability to import Freehand files into Affinity Designer - so we can offer these guys a way forward with their Freehand files. There's a thread about it in Feature Requests - asking for Freehand files from users to help validate the new importer - so if you have any, please check the thread out!

 

AndyS

[designerUK]

Krollian: Good lord, I had no idea that FreeHand Forum was out there.

 

Anyone: There's no equivalent for QuarkXpress, or the old PageMaker (unless someone knows different). Must be something about illustration software. (I don't mean to open up a debate about it btw and won't get drawn into one as I doubt it'll help the Affinity team who are providiing this space).

[rui_mac]

The FreeHand forum started out because a group of people tried to, legally (in court), get Adobe to deliver the source code from FreeHand so that it could go on being developed.

But since Adobe has lots of money (and can afford big attorneys), and doesn't want to get his "crappy" vector application overshadowed, it never let go the source code.