Distribute objects along path

[telemax]

Distribute Vector objects along path. With interactive preview. 

 

[Pšenda]

 

[Alfred]

That video demonstrates the 'Power Duplicate' feature, which transforms copies of the original object. It doesn't distribute objects along an arbitrary path.

[Pšenda]

Alfred: Yes, this is not an arbitrary path, but telemax Fig. 2 and 3 is not only distribution of objects, and transformation (rotation, size) is also required.

[Alfred]

I haven't tried it, Pšenda, but I don't think the size changes in Fig. 2 or the rotations in Fig. 3 can be achieved by simply power duplicating without manual intervention. The last three circles in Fig. 2 look much smaller than the first four, and the rotation of the last three rectangles in Fig. 3 looks greater than the rotation of the first three.

 

[lepr]

.

[telemax]

With Random Distribution.

 

1. add object in list

2. pick path

3. play with settings

 

 

 

 

Falloff Scale:

[BatteriesInc]

This is where software/scripting would come in handy, I guess.

[Dean Reardon]

While it is not a vector along a path and you can't interact with it, you can create a raster brush image and then have the image brush run along the path. Not great if you want to resize a vector design as the brush is a raster image. But if you initially make your image (say a round ball) to the size you expect to use it, save the object as an image and use that as a brush, you can then have it follow a path, you can then manipulate the path, etc. 

 

It is a work around. Albeit not a perfect one. 

[mfarooqi]

any plan in next coming updates?

[Jowday]

On 3/20/2019 at 4:16 PM, mfarooqi said:

any plan in next coming updates?

The only thing costumers know is that it is not available and that development of new features takes forever. If you are not already working around this limitation you can

• get it for free in Inkscape
• get it for only £40 in Xara Photo and Graphics Designer (reduced price in April, Windows only)

From a trial version of Xara - examples took me a minute to create. Export to PDF and import in AD. 

Envelope distortion (also missing feature in AD) is just a click away too:

 

[Dazzler]

+1 for this feature to be added. I'm a little bit surprised that you can't already do this, as it's not exactly a new thing, pretty sure you could do this in some vector packages in the 90s?

For some inspiration, take a look at the way the 3d package 'Modo' by The Foundry does it's replicators - they are superb, allowing not only one item to be duplicated, but a group of items can be used and it picks items to duplicate from that group - very nice for more organic ideas. Would love to see this sort of thing in a 2d version.

[Jowday]

On 7/7/2019 at 11:59 AM, Dazzler said:

+1 for this feature to be added. I'm a little bit surprised that you can't already do this, as it's not exactly a new thing, pretty sure you could do this in some vector packages in the 90s?

Indeed you could - and ever since.

[walt.farrell]

It may not solve all the requirements expressed in this topic, but it does seem to be possible to place objects along a path, as mentioned a few weeks ago:

Basically, you make a path and convert it to a text path (Layer > Convert to Text Path). You then copy an object, select the Artistic Text Tool and click on the Text Path, and paste.

Here's a simple example:

objects-on-path.afdesign

[Dazzler]

That works, although it feels really strange. Nice that you can scale objects and the other objects kind of slide along to absorb the space. Also reordering is possible by dragging the the objects along the line.

[angeljs]

What is the command key? ( I use Windows )

[Old Bruce]

Mac's fourth modifier key; Control, Option/Alt, Shift and Command.

[Alfred]

39 minutes ago, angeljs said:

What is the command key? ( I use Windows )

 

11 minutes ago, Old Bruce said:

Mac's fourth modifier key; Control, Option/Alt, Shift and Command.

Command/Cmd on Mac is Control/Ctrl on Windows (and Control+drag on Mac is RMB+LMB+drag on Windows).

[angeljs]

Ah, that explains why I couldn't find it!  Thanks!

[promao]

On 7/15/2019 at 2:53 AM, walt.farrell said:

It may not solve all the requirements expressed in this topic, but it does seem to be possible to place objects along a path, as mentioned a few weeks ago:

Basically, you make a path and convert it to a text path (Layer > Convert to Text Path). You then copy an object, select the Artistic Text Tool and click on the Text Path, and paste.

 Here's a simple example:

 objects-on-path.afdesign

Hello Walt or anyone else,

this is exactly what I was looking for but why can't I do this on AD for iPad?

If I copy the object as drawn anywhere on the screen I can't paste in as artistic text.

but if I create this on the desktop version (windows), where the procedure mentioned above does work, and import it into the iPad and copy (or cut for that matter) the symbol from the artistic text itself then I can paste it back, no problem.

am I missing something?

thanks!