Feature Request: Repeat function

[Sheff]

Freehand used to have a great function for CTRL-R which was to repeat the last action.

If you're creating a row or column that needs to have the objects say .5 inches apart, you could do this any number of ways, such as a blend, or clone & flip.

In Freehand you would create the object, clone it and move it the correct distance. Then when you hit CTRL-R, it would duplicate the object again and move it that same distance from the last one. You could do this for however many number of times you need to create objects.

The other advantage of this is you can create objects in a circle by moving the center off of the original object and putting in a number for the move in degrees. So if you were to move the center off the original object and put in '36' degrees, and hit it ten times, you'd have the duplicates forming a circle. This is much faster than creating a blend and applying it to a circle and then making the circle line transparent.

http://www.sheff.com/xara/controlRepeat.jpg

If you had to do numbers in a circle, you could create the first number duplicate it and then edit each number to what you wanted it to be. This would be more accurate than typing text along a circle and then trying to space it out to line up with the object.

[gwpriester]

CorelDRAW has had this function for ever.

I have begged and pleaded with Xara to implement this but apparently it is not that easy. Or they would have done it.

[angelize]

Could we beg and plead some more? Please Xara? This would be awesome.

[jeffb]

This can be done in 4 pro just create object, in control panel make angle constrant 36 degrees double click on object, pull rotation point out to centre of req. circle and get hold of a outside double arrow, hold Ctrl and pull the arrow and it will move to the constrant, right click to drop a copy, keep going and the circle of objects will be formed.
Bingo, job done

[steve.ledger]

In Freehand you would create the object, clone it and move it the correct distance. Then when you hit CTRL-R, it would duplicate the object again and move it that same distance from the last one. You could do this for however many number of times you need to create objects.

You can do this also in Xtreme.
Instead of moving the first object the required distance, just set the required distance as the Duplicate distance in Options>>General.
Ctrl+D will then create a duplicate at that exact distance from the last for however many number of times you need to create objects.

[Sheff]

I was aware of the Options method of altering distance, but I would prefer to be able to determine the degrees on the fly rather than having to choose them from a dropdown.

[haakoo]

Hi,

Just to play with Sledger ctrl+d option
Do you think this is a bug?

Create object,hold ctrl+d and drag the duplicate away from the original.
When you hold the ctrl+d to long it will produce a lot of duplicates.
You could use rightclick and drag,i know.
BTW you could blend around a curve for the example you used for the rotating of the objects


Hans

[steve.ledger]

I was aware of the Options method of altering distance, but I would prefer to be able to determine the degrees on the fly rather than having to choose them from a dropdown.

You can keep the options box floating on the screen and change the Duplicate Distance with two clicks.

[alexbozhenov]

Anyway, "repeat the last action" will be the best solution. I am with Sheff.
All the rest tips how to achieve the same effect with current tools are just for this particular example...

[steve.ledger]

There will always be a 'best solution' no matter who you ask. And it will often be different, depending on who you ask.
Work-arounds are regularly seen as a negative thing, a chore, yet often they are simply step-by-step procedures that some just find laborious. Instead a quick-click solution is requested, but where's the skill, sense of achievement and art in that .