Resizing with Shift - inconsistency

[Lojza]

1) When resizing single element, proportions are preserved by default and Shift works as a modifier to change proportions.

 

2) When resizing multiple selected elements, proportions are NOT preserved. Shift works as a modifier to preserve proportions.

 

This feels like inconsistency and it makes learning AD harder. I would prefer behavior described in 1) as default for all resizing. Thanks for considering ;)

[MEB]

Hi Lojza.

That's by design. Here's the rationale behind it: all objects with a natural aspect ratio will be resized proportionally, like images and text. All the rest will be resized freely unless you press shift.

[Lojza]

Thanks for the rationale.

 

I still tend to disagree, though. When you select two elements with natural aspect ratio - like two texts - according to mentioned logic, both texts should resize proportionally. But they're considered a group and resizing is non-proportinal.

 

Moreover, it's hard to make such mental exercise continuously. For example, if I draw perfect circle holding Shift, I would consider it furher as a circle with "natural" aspect ratio 1:1. Yet it behaves like a shape without constant proportions.

 

Reverse example: if I resize artistic text horizontally or vertically alone, I wouldn't consider it "naturally" proportional further on. But it still keeps its distorted proportions when resizing with the corner point...

 

Hence I would prefer same sizing behavior for all elements, regardless of what they are.

[MEB]

The circle tool isn't limited to drawing circles. You can draw an elipse with it. It has no natural proportions set by default.

Regarding the text. That's only true for artistic text since it will be mostly used for effects. If you try with a frame text it will not distort the text, even inside a group. It will reflow the text instead.

[Lojza]

Thanks. Of course, I'm aware how circle/ellipse and frame text tools work :)

 

Anyway, I would like to hear some feedback from other users, too.

 

I still think the unified Shift modifier would improve general usability...

[MEB]

I see you point Lojza. I'm not arguing against you. I was just trying to explain the logic behind it.

Not everyone works the same way. There's other software that performs the way you describe (Corel). Illustrator does exactly the opposite (requires pressing shift to constrain proportions), so it's hard to find  solution that will please everyone. This was already discussed before, but we are still open to rethink it if the majority of users find this troubling.

[MattP]

Hi Lojza,

 

As Miguel says, we're definitely always open to ideas and feedback - we just want to make the best program we can, so we don't ever want to be ignoring great ideas and saying 'we just do it that way' without there being a very good reason for it... During the beta of Designer we've had all sorts of combinations going on - from a version that had more rules than the current one for times when/when not to constrain with/without modifier, to versions that never constrained without modifier (just like Illustrator) because people were asking for different things and we were trying to make it fit... However, we've got to the point that the rationale behind the logic is simple (as Miguel says: if it has a natural aspect ratio - text and images, it will be honoured, otherwise it will not) and I think it's fair to say that if you have an image and you want to make it bigger you don't normally want to modify its aspect ratio, so why should you expect to hold down a modifier to make that happen? The answer is probably just 'because that's what other programs made me do for consistency, so it's what I'm used to' - this is fine, but we don't want to just be a clone of another app's decisions that we don't agree with 'just because'. Instead, I think I'd prefer to see the addition of a preferences option that made it act this way if you prefer it... just like how we have a preferences option to make selection act the same as in Illustrator (which I personally don't like as much)

 

Hope that explains some of the reasoning behind it :)

 

Thanks!

Matt

[Lojza]

Thanks Matt, I really appreciate your positive attitude :)

 

In fact, I'm not used to Illustrator at all, neither other drawing apps except for Photoshop. Being rather UX than UI designer, I use prototyping tools more often (like Axure, for instance). So my point does not come from rather irrational "I am used to", but just from quite rational conviction that the same things should be achieved the same way. No more, no less.

 

Anyway, preference option, that would resolve this sometimes in the future, would be totally brilliant! :)

[MattP]

Excellent - thanks for that :)  We'll add something to preferences when we get chance :)

[chuckbaggett]

I aggree completely. Preserving aspect ratio should be he default for everything. Deforming things should take the additionial key regardless of what the objected being sized is. I've used both systems and observed both system used by others for decades. Default preservation of aspect ratio without a modifier key regardless of what the object is is by far the least error prone way to do it, as well as easiest to remember. It's a lot more important to keep circles round,, squares square, and equilateral triangles equilateral trianges equilateral that it is to make it take an extra key to stretch or squish the text slightly as the customer wants.

Thanks. Of course, I'm aware how circle/ellipse and frame text tools work :)

 

Anyway, I would like to hear some feedback from other users, too.

 

I still think the unified Shift modifier would improve general usability...

[Dave Harris]

This is quite an old thread. The option Matt mentions got added to Preferences sometime ago. It's in the Tools section, called Move Tool Aspect Constrain.

[reminous]

Dave,

 

The option is there, however at least for me, it does not change the behavior either in AD 1.4.2 or AD 1.5 (BETA 2).

 

First I thought I had to restart the App, but even so it does not take any effect. Am I doing something wrong?

 

Reminous

[Dave Harris]

The option is there, however at least for me, it does not change the behavior either in AD 1.4.2 or AD 1.5 (BETA 2).

 

First I thought I had to restart the App, but even so it does not take any effect. Am I doing something wrong?

 

I just tested it in 1.5 (beta 2) on Mac, and it did work for me. It doesn't need a restart, but if you have an object selected you'll need to unselect and then reselect it to so the difference. Also, it only affects the 4 corner handles. Using the 4 centre handles will always distort shapes - that's by design. If this isn't what you are seeing, can you give more details as to which shape and tool?

[reminous]

I just tested it in 1.5 (beta 2) on Mac, and it did work for me. It doesn't need a restart, but if you have an object selected you'll need to unselect and then reselect it to so the difference. Also, it only affects the 4 corner handles. Using the 4 centre handles will always distort shapes - that's by design. If this isn't what you are seeing, can you give more details as to which shape and tool?

 

Can't say what happened earlier, but it is working now... I'll keep in touch if something come up! thanks a lot.

[madebymarco]

So how do I resize a shape while maintaining proportion size, shift is not working :(

[MEB]

Hi madebymarco,

Welcome to Affinity Forums :)

Sorry the delay getting back to you. There's a setting in the Preferences to define the behaviour of the ⇧ (shift) key. Please check my reply here for more information.

[simonr]

I've only just discovered this setting - it has fixed my number one annoyance with Affinity Designer!

 

Now to number two: can the setting in this checkbox please also be applied to the link in the Transform dialog? (or, can we have another setting to always link width/height in that dialog?) I almost never use the direct entry in those boxes, except when I want to link the two, and it's frustrating to always have to click the link symbol first.