Making Multiple Copies

Making Multiple Copies

Making Multiple Copies

Use the Copy and Paste commands to make multiple copies of selected objects through the Clipboard. If you want more control over placement, number of copies, scaling or rotation, use the Duplicate and Replicate commands to make multiple copies.

  • With a selection on the Clipboard, choose Paste to insert the selection in the center of the active document’s current view. Repeat the Paste command to make multiple copies.
  • The Duplicate command copies selections immediately and lets you space copies evenly. The Replicate command lets you scale, rotate, and offset multiple copies.

Duplicating Selections

The Duplicate command quickly copies selected objects into the same document, without affecting the contents of the Clipboard.

The Duplicate command offsets copies a preset distance horizontally and vertically from the original. You can move the copy (without deselecting it) to adjust the offset distance and direction and then repeat the Duplicate command to make more evenly-spaced copies.

You can change the Duplicate command’s preset offset values. (See Setting Preferences.)

To Duplicate and Space Copies Evenly:

  1. Select one or more vector, text, paint, or group objects to copy.
  2. Choose Edit | DuplicateCanvas X Draw duplicates the selection and offsets the copy a preset distance from the original.
  3. The copy must remain selected as you drag it or use the keyboard arrow keys to move it into position. The new position establishes the offset distance and direction from the original selection.
  4. Choose Edit | Duplicate again. Canvas X Draw creates the next copy using the offset defined from the original selection to the first copy. Repeat this step to create additional evenly-spaced copies.

Canvas X Draw offsets and stacks duplicates, placing the newest copy in front of the stack.

Duplicated objects are offset a preset amount (gray circles). By moving the first copy and repeating Duplicate, you can set a custom offset distance and direction (light gray circles).

To Duplicate Selected Objects with Modifier Key:

You can duplicate an object by pressing a modifier key as you drag the object. When an object is selected, press a modifier key to duplicate and resize it as you drag a handle. In Freeform mode, you can press a modifier key to duplicate while rotating or skewing an object.

  1. Select the objects you want to duplicate.
  2. Press Option as you drag the objects.

To Make Multiple Copies While Dragging:

Select the objects you want to duplicate. Press OptionCommand as you drag the objects.

To Duplicate While Resizing:

  1. Select an object to duplicate.
  2. Begin to drag a handle on the object’s bounding box to the size you want the duplicate to be.
  3. As you drag, press and hold Option. When you release the mouse button and the modifier key, the duplicate object appears in front of the original.

To Duplicate While Rotating or Skewing:

  1. Select an object and choose Effects | Freeform to put the object in Freeform mode.
  2. Point to a handle and press Option as you drag the handle.
    • To rotate the object: Drag one of the four corner handles.
    • To skew the object horizontally: Drag a horizontal skew handle to the left or right.
    • To skew vertically: Drag a vertical skew handle up or down.

The duplicated object rotates or skews depending on which handle you drag. You cannot rotate and skew the object at the same time. When you release the mouse, the duplicate is in front of the original.

Duplicate with Transform

You can now create duplicates of objects that have been skewed, rotated, or offset.

  1. Select the original object.
  2. Duplicate the object.
  3. Select the duplicate and apply a transformation, such as rotation, to the duplicate object.
  4. Choose Edit | Duplicate with Transform.

The duplicate object is then duplicated as well as transformed.

Remember that each time you choose Edit | Duplicate with Transform, the duplicate object is duplicated and transformed once again; e.g., duplicate an object and then rotate the duplicate by 20°. Choose Duplicate with Transform and the new duplicate is transformed by another 20°.

The multigon on the left was duplicated and then rotated 20°. Each time Duplicate with Transform was applied, the resulting duplicate would rotate an additional 20°. The final duplicate had a rotation of 200°.

To Create Multiple Duplicates:

After you duplicate an object using a modifier key, make more copies with the same offset distance, angle of rotation, or skew factor.

  1. Select the duplicated object.
  2. Choose Edit | DuplicateCanvas X Draw creates another duplicate and applies the same offset distance, angle of rotation, or skew factor.

Scaling, Rotating, and Offsetting Copies

The Replicate command offers powerful capabilities for duplicating objects. Use the Replicate dialog box to set the number of copies and to rotate, scale, and position copies with one command.

To Replicate a Selection:

  1. Select one or more objects to copy and choose Edit | Replicate.
  2. In the Replicate dialog box, specify the number of copies. Enter the scaling, rotation, and offset values you want to apply. For information on these settings, refer to the table below.
    • To preview the replication: Click ApplyCanvas X Draw draws the copies and the dialog box stays open. You can change settings and click Apply to preview the new settings.
    • To cancel the replication: Click CancelCanvas X Draw closes the Replicate dialog box and erases preview copies.
  3. Click OK to copy the selection and close the Replicate dialog box. The original object is deselected and the copies are selected.

Replicate Options

Copies

Enter the number of objects you want to create.

Rotate

To rotate each copy relative to the preceding object, select Rotate. Type the rotation amount from (minus) ‑359.0 to 359.0 degrees. The center of rotation is shown in the “Around” box by a hollow handle; click to select another handle as the rotation center.

Scale by

To incrementally change the size of each copy, select Scale by. In the pop-up menu, choose PercentageLength, or Ratio. In the text boxes, enter horizontal and vertical scaling factors.

Percentage scales each copy by the specified percentages of the proceeding object’s dimensions. Enter whole numbers from 1% to 999%.

Ratio lets you resize copies by fractional amounts. Canvas X Draw scales each copy to ratios of the previous object’s horizontal and vertical dimensions.

Type ratios with whole numbers from 1 to 999. The left number represents the copy; the right number represents the previous object. A 1/1 ratio maintains dimensions; 1/2 halves dimensions; 2/1 doubles dimensions.

Length increases or decreases by a fixed amount each copy of the object using the values in the horizontal and vertical text boxes.

Proportional

If selected, Canvas X Draw makes the vertical value in the Scale by or Offset area equal to the horizontal value.

Offset

Check this option to place copies a specified distance from the previous object. In the text boxes, enter the horizontal and vertical offset distance. Positive numbers offset copies up and right; negative numbers offset objects down and left.

Flip

Select to flip the replicated object.

 

Direction

Select which direction the replica will be flipped.

  • Horizontally
  • Vertically
  • Both Axes

Every

Specify which position in a sequence of objects will be flipped.

Object data

Displays the selection’s height and width. These values can’t be edited.

To Replicate and Position Objects:

You can replicate objects and then strategically position them according to specified X/Y coordinates.

To Replicate and Position an Object:

Select an object and then choose Edit | Replicate and Position.

Replicating and Positioning Options

Bounding box icon

Canvas X Draw performs the positioning according to the selected handle. By default, the center handle is selected. Select another handle, if necessary.

Coordinate table

Enter the X/Y coordinates in the appropriate fields. The # column lists the replicates in sequence.

Position original object

If selected, the coordinates for the first replicate correspond to the original object; i.e., the original object will move to the coordinates entered for replicate #1.

Menu icon

Click to access available commands.

Copy: Copy selected points within the Coordinate table.

Paste: Paste points that have been copied to the Clipboard.

Load: Open .txt, .csv (comma delimited), and .prn (space delimited) files that contain points.

Save: Save points to a .txt file.

Clear: Removes all the points within the Coordinate table.

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