Resize multiple objects at once

[Malauch]

Is there any option to resize multiple diffrent object at once in Affinity Designer? For exmaple I have 3 diffrent rectangle selected and I would like to change sizes of these rectangles to 20x20 mm each. I couldn't find anything like that in Designer. 

[firstdefence]

Just use the Transform Panel.

1. Select the squares
2. in the Transform Panel make sure the height and width are  linked
   
3. Now just change the W: Value to 20mm

All of the squares will adjust to 20mm x 20mm

Note to self: Don't reply when in a rush 

[dutchshader]

@firstdefence when i do this the way you say, it changes the size of the grouped rectangles. Not the size of each rectangle

[Malauch]

6 minutes ago, dutchshader said:

@firstdefence when i do this the way you say, it changes the size of the grouped rectangles. Not the size of each rectangle

Exactly this is a problem which I have. Below quick animation how it looks. 

[Pšenda]

1 hour ago, dutchshader said:

Not the size of each rectangle

However, the size of all rectangles will change!
Their positions will change, but this is not required in the first post.

[Malauch]

2 minutes ago, Pšenda said:

However, the size of all rectangles will change!
Their positions will change, but this is not required in the first post.

But none of them is 20x20 mm - that's the clue of problem. I would like to resize all of them to have all rectangle exactly 20x20 mm

[firstdefence]

Sorry misread your post, the answer is no, you cannot resize multiple "differently sized" rectangles en masse to a fixed height and width using the Transform Panel or any other method that I can see.

 

[firstdefence]

Can you explain what you are actually doing?

Could you not just create a Symbol and use that to make as many exact shapes as you want that are all changeable en masse, or create an Asset that is 20x20mm and use that.

[Pšenda]

I just wanted to ask, what is the advantage of drawing ten rectangles and then changing them into squares.

[Bri-Toon]

I wasn't aware that the dimensions in the Transform panel works for the selection box and not necessarily the shapes (for multiple objects).

[Malauch]

7 hours ago, firstdefence said:

Can you explain what you are actually doing?

Could you not just create a Symbol and use that to make as many exact shapes as you want that are all changeable en masse, or create an Asset that is 20x20mm and use that.

I design signage system for trails network. I need something like this when manualy editing some symbols on map (manualy means in Affinity Designer not GIS software). For exmaple make symbol for all parkings bigger and etc. In this situation defining Symbols seems the right thing to do but I couldn't find a way to swap existing object for defined symbol. Something like this would solve a lot of headaches.

 

[firstdefence]

Unfortunately there is no "replace/swap" shapes for symbol option either, any shape, text or curve would, initially, have to be manually replaced but once you have your symbols in place it would be much easier to make adjustments. 

[Malauch]

However replacing manualy 100 objects is at least very time consuming. 

[walt.farrell]

44 minutes ago, Malauch said:

However replacing manualy 100 objects is at least very time consuming. 

True. Presumably with more experience one would recognize at the start that the design will have a number of such objects. They could then be created as symbols from the beginning of the design process.

[Bri-Toon]

I feel bad, because that's tiresome of having to go back now and make symbols. And it's not your fault, because you didn't know that the Transform panel wouldn't change the dimensions of all shapes at once. So you had a plan. I don't know what to say, but I guess from here on, you will need to either change the shapes manually or start from scratch and make symbols. Sorry man.

[firstdefence]

It might be tedious but using the layers panel you can delete layers en masse and you can generate symbols rapidly, the hard part is placement.

There isn't any software that can do what the OP wants, even the mighty Adobe Illustrator can't do this. The closest comparable function is the Find & replace Text, used in Word Processor Apps.

I would suggest the OP make a feature request for such a function in the request section of the forum. 

[JimmyJack]

9 minutes ago, firstdefence said:

It might be tedious but using the layers panel you can delete layers en masse and you can generate symbols rapidly, the hard part is placement.

There isn't any software that can do what the OP wants, even the mighty Adobe Illustrator can't do this. The closest comparable function is the Find & replace Text, used in Word Processor Apps.

I would suggest the OP make a feature request for such a function in the request section of the forum. 

Illustrator CAN do this. It's called Transform Each. Fantastic tool! We need it badly.

Inkscape can do it too.

 

[firstdefence]

Hi Jimmy but he wants to replace, not just transform, he also wants to change different sizes not uniform.

[JimmyJack]

I think the original problem was to change several objects at once.
Because it was thought to be not possible the problem morphed into replacing those items instead.

But the original is in fact possible:

Illustrator: it's true the Transform Each tool only has a % option (bizarrely). But absolute values can be used with a script found here.

Inkscape: Native

 

[gdenby]

Gotta say, unless I had several thousands of objects to scale, and assuming I knew how to write that script, by the time I'd written it, and gotten it to work, doing a couple of hundred manually would have been quicker.

If Affinity ever gets a scripting interface, it would be great, and hopefully various kindly people will donate their efforts.

I use Inkscaoe sometimes, but haven't needed this facility. Is it sort of batch resample for vector objects on a page?

[JimmyJack]

55 minutes ago, gdenby said:

Gotta say, unless I had several thousands of objects to scale, and assuming I knew how to write that script, by the time I'd written it, and gotten it to work, doing a couple of hundred manually would have been quicker.

If Affinity ever gets a scripting interface, it would be great, and hopefully various kindly people will donate their efforts.

You don't need to know how to script. There are so many to choose from, I would be hard pressed to not find one that does.... whatever. There are even scripts that draw trees for you. 
(Although..... just like guitars..... there's always room for one more !)

55 minutes ago, gdenby said:

I use Inkscaoe sometimes, but haven't needed this facility. Is it sort of batch resample for vector objects on a page?

I'm not sure "resample" is the right word for vectors..... but it works on Vector and/or Raster.

(I can't stand working in Inkscape . Only do it as a last resort.)

[Pšenda]

On 8/14/2018 at 10:48 PM, firstdefence said:

The closest comparable function is the Find & replace Text, used in Word Processor Apps.

What do export to eps/svg, edit it in the text (using Replace text, macros or program a simple application), and import it back.

[firstdefence]

It all seems just as much work if not more than just making a symbol and supplanting the unwanted graphic, thereafter it becomes easier. I'm all for labour saving workflows but it all sounds like another but more convoluted way to do the same thing. Also the scripting doesn't always exactly fit your need, so you have to spend time asking advice and modifying it. They are cool when they work as you want them too but I've always found you have to do some tweaking.

I'd misread the post initially and wasted peoples time replying to my post so I asked for the clarification of his objectives. That's when I suggested Symbols as the better option. Tedious as it may be it will be the best option in the long run. There just aint no way out of repetition sometimes lol!

I'm not sure how usable a Swap graphic feature would be but its worth a punt.

[Alfred]

4 minutes ago, firstdefence said:

There just aint no way out of repetition sometimes lol!

You can say that again!

 

[Pšenda]

28 minutes ago, firstdefence said:

Swap graphic feature

I think "Replace graphics" will be more accurate. Swap has a different meaning, it exchange the elements between itself.