This is a read-only archive of the inkscapeforum.com site. You can search for info here or post new questions and comments at When using CorelDraw, if I duplicated an object and then moved it, pressing ctrl+R would create another copy, but also move it by the same amount. This also would work whatever the previous action was (rotate, rotate and move, etc..).
Is there any similar action possible in Inkscape ? I've looked at the keyboard/mouse shortcuts but found nothing.
John
EDIT I may be mis-remembering if it was ctrl+R, or just hitting ctrl+D again, did it on the second and subsequent hits, but the principle of a repeat is what I'm after. Being able to move a duplicate object to a given position, then each hit would step(or whatever) new copies by the same amount gave a very fast production tool.
Repeat action, shortcut sought
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grey1beard
- Posts: 17
- Joined: Tue Jan 22, 2013 8:25 am
- Location: Norfolk, UK
Repeat action, shortcut sought
It's like doing jigsaws in the dark !
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grey1beard
- Posts: 17
- Joined: Tue Jan 22, 2013 8:25 am
- Location: Norfolk, UK
Re: Repeat action, shortcut sought
I've come up with my own workaround, of sorts.
Say I wanted ten squares distributed along a sloping line. Ht the ctrl+D 9 times, move the last one to the furthest position, select them all, and then use the 'distribute' tool to space them out.
It's a method that I'm using to lay out a printed ciicuit board, but a proper tool would be a lot more versatile.
Is this where someone a lot cleverer than I might produce a new Extension ?
John
Say I wanted ten squares distributed along a sloping line. Ht the ctrl+D 9 times, move the last one to the furthest position, select them all, and then use the 'distribute' tool to space them out.
It's a method that I'm using to lay out a printed ciicuit board, but a proper tool would be a lot more versatile.
Is this where someone a lot cleverer than I might produce a new Extension ?
John
It's like doing jigsaws in the dark !
Re: Repeat action, shortcut sought
The tiled clones dialog lets you do this in one shot if you know how many and in what direction. Unfortunately if you just want to to 'repeat until it looks right' this dialog will not work for you. Clones are superior to duplication because a file with 1000 clones is about the same size as a file with 1 item, but a file with 1000 duplicates is 1000 times bigger. (These #s are for illustrative purposes and are not exact, people, so save your precise calculations! 
)
)Your mind is what you think it is.
Re: Repeat action, shortcut sought
That does sound like a nice feature. Maybe CAD programs have that kind of feature, I don't really know.
It was hard to offer alternatives to your original question, because it covered so much territory (duplicate any repeated any action). But now that you've explained your specific situation, I could suggest interpolation. You'll just need the 1st and last object along a path, then the extension or LPE does the rest. Or if it's not a straight line, interpolate sub-paths LPE would work. Here's a recent message about it viewtopic.php?f=5&t=13399#p51493. Although it would be harder to do, tiled clones might work as well. (With Interpolate SubPaths, the objects are placed reltive to the length of the path. With tiled clones, the objects are placed relative to the size of the object and the needed space between, using %age.)
To me, it sounds like something that would work better integrated with all the program features, rather than as an extension. But I guess an extension would be better than nothing
Oops, hi druban!
It was hard to offer alternatives to your original question, because it covered so much territory (duplicate any repeated any action). But now that you've explained your specific situation, I could suggest interpolation. You'll just need the 1st and last object along a path, then the extension or LPE does the rest. Or if it's not a straight line, interpolate sub-paths LPE would work. Here's a recent message about it viewtopic.php?f=5&t=13399#p51493. Although it would be harder to do, tiled clones might work as well. (With Interpolate SubPaths, the objects are placed reltive to the length of the path. With tiled clones, the objects are placed relative to the size of the object and the needed space between, using %age.)
To me, it sounds like something that would work better integrated with all the program features, rather than as an extension. But I guess an extension would be better than nothing
Oops, hi druban!
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grey1beard
- Posts: 17
- Joined: Tue Jan 22, 2013 8:25 am
- Location: Norfolk, UK
Re: Repeat action, shortcut sought
Hi brynn,
While I mentioned in my second post the workaround I am using for the current project, I didn't mean it to be anything more than an example of what I'm now doing.
Having been using CorelDraw since ver 4.0, 15 years ago, when I was a fan maker, before migrating to ubuntu as an os, where I've intalled ver 8 in wine(can't afford anything later
), I have started using Inkscape.
As it offers a conversion of svg to gcode it greatly facilitates my use of a cnc machine.
So I suppose I'm looking for similar tools to the ones that have become second nature to me.
Another example. The creation of gear teeth. A single tooth, drawn with it's centre of revolution moved to the required position.
Create a duplicate, then rotate it by the apropriate angle. Then hit ctrl+R(in CorelDraw), and each new duplicate is rotated by the same amount, and creates a complete gear wheel.
Obviously there are other methods, but I merely hope to show the facility of having such a short cut.
I think my use of the word Extension was misplaced, and might not be what I should have suggested. Perhaps it might be a script, with a keyboard shortcut to implement it.
I know next to nothing about coding, and even less about what goes on "under the hood" when you hit Ctrl+D, but I guess that it might be a case of looping back a couple of lines previously, or a sort of combined Copy and Paste that would repeat all the code from the Ctrl+D instruction.
I will look at druban and your suggestion of clones, not a tool I've tried yet, and also Interpolation(ditto).
Regards,
John
While I mentioned in my second post the workaround I am using for the current project, I didn't mean it to be anything more than an example of what I'm now doing.
Having been using CorelDraw since ver 4.0, 15 years ago, when I was a fan maker, before migrating to ubuntu as an os, where I've intalled ver 8 in wine(can't afford anything later
), I have started using Inkscape.As it offers a conversion of svg to gcode it greatly facilitates my use of a cnc machine.
So I suppose I'm looking for similar tools to the ones that have become second nature to me.
Another example. The creation of gear teeth. A single tooth, drawn with it's centre of revolution moved to the required position.
Create a duplicate, then rotate it by the apropriate angle. Then hit ctrl+R(in CorelDraw), and each new duplicate is rotated by the same amount, and creates a complete gear wheel.
Obviously there are other methods, but I merely hope to show the facility of having such a short cut.
I think my use of the word Extension was misplaced, and might not be what I should have suggested. Perhaps it might be a script, with a keyboard shortcut to implement it.
I know next to nothing about coding, and even less about what goes on "under the hood" when you hit Ctrl+D, but I guess that it might be a case of looping back a couple of lines previously, or a sort of combined Copy and Paste that would repeat all the code from the Ctrl+D instruction.
I will look at druban and your suggestion of clones, not a tool I've tried yet, and also Interpolation(ditto).
Regards,
John
It's like doing jigsaws in the dark !
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grey1beard
- Posts: 17
- Joined: Tue Jan 22, 2013 8:25 am
- Location: Norfolk, UK
Re: Repeat action, shortcut sought
I've just googled "Repeat last action in Inkscape ubuntu" and it led me to a Bug #171673 report that describes exactly the same idea 5 years ago !
John
John
It's like doing jigsaws in the dark !
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grey1beard
- Posts: 17
- Joined: Tue Jan 22, 2013 8:25 am
- Location: Norfolk, UK
Re: Repeat action, shortcut sought
It now seems to me that a fundamental difference between CorelDraw and Inkscape duplication method is that in Corel, one can set an offset, both horizontal and vertical, for the duplicate position.
Without that in Inkscape, a repeat action would not be as versatile. I've looked at both the interpolation and cloning, and while each has significant uses, they each lack some of the advantages that a repeat method would bring.
Interpolation has the great advantage of being able to follow a path, but has several stages to set up, while cloning is quick, it lacks the universality that a repeat would have.
It's the combination of duplication of the object with the repeat of the last action performed upon it that is its great attraction.
John
Without that in Inkscape, a repeat action would not be as versatile. I've looked at both the interpolation and cloning, and while each has significant uses, they each lack some of the advantages that a repeat method would bring.
Interpolation has the great advantage of being able to follow a path, but has several stages to set up, while cloning is quick, it lacks the universality that a repeat would have.
It's the combination of duplication of the object with the repeat of the last action performed upon it that is its great attraction.
John
It's like doing jigsaws in the dark !
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nitro912gr
- Posts: 9
- Joined: Thu Aug 26, 2010 12:42 am
Re: Repeat action, shortcut sought
Hello, I just want to add my 2 cents here, a repeat tool is what I could love to see in inkscape as well.
I use illustrator and it is done with ctrl+D or cmd+D (I work both in win/linux and osx) and it really helps with many designs.
For example I made this http://www.behance.net/gallery/Patternity/2504815 with repeat and I just can't find a way to do with the current functionality of inkscape.
It could be nice to have this for inkscape, since as it seems it will be one popular alternative for many people now, that adobe moved to cloud only services.
I use illustrator and it is done with ctrl+D or cmd+D (I work both in win/linux and osx) and it really helps with many designs.
For example I made this http://www.behance.net/gallery/Patternity/2504815 with repeat and I just can't find a way to do with the current functionality of inkscape.
It could be nice to have this for inkscape, since as it seems it will be one popular alternative for many people now, that adobe moved to cloud only services.
Re: Repeat action, shortcut sought
Off topic:
Pilosopong Tasyo wrote:Maybe it's just me, but my general attitude when it comes to these is, we (read: users) just need to adapt how something that we take for granted in another application, is implemented in Inkscape.
Not only do I second your statement, PT, but I would add that it's good for mental health to NOT have every application uniform. Having to change my ideas and methods a little all the time keeps my thoughts creative and my mind flexible. Think of it as not having to play the same tune over and over again.... Even if you get really good at it, how horrible would that be? I guess some people might think, "Well, that wouldn't be so bad," but I am definitely not one of them. E.g. I like the fact that my different applications require me to navigate the work space in different ways - even though I used to change the mouse and key shortcuts to try and make them all be uniform these days I leave them in their different states. Sure there's a little jolt when switching back and forth - I find it stimulating!
Your mind is what you think it is.
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nitro912gr
- Posts: 9
- Joined: Thu Aug 26, 2010 12:42 am
Re: Repeat action, shortcut sought
I don't have any problem to adapt to slightly different workflows, the function I want it is just not there.
I want to use transform and then repeat the same action BUT from where the last one landed the object.
Let me explain it in detail, just in case there is actually a workaround I'm missing here.
(Also checking the link again will help you understand what I want to make with repeat, it is back online now)
I draw a circle and I want to move, rotate and copy it.
In illustrator I use the transformation tool as well and move it 1cm left and rotate it 35 degrees on the right-down corner of the object, also I press a third button that says copy, which copy the transformation to a new object and leave the original in place.
So now I have 2 circles, one in place and one moved and rotated, by using the repeat function I clone the last circle AND the transformation.
So I can make an abstract image like the aboves in my link.
You guys may find interesting to change UI and workflows all the time, but if you have a deadline and you make a living out of graphics design, you just don't have the time to "play" around.
I want to use inkscape in pro level, but I don't have time to do big adaptations here, and so far inkscape is using a similar UI philosophy in it's UI as other vector programs and I find it very easy to adapt.
I want to use transform and then repeat the same action BUT from where the last one landed the object.
Let me explain it in detail, just in case there is actually a workaround I'm missing here.
(Also checking the link again will help you understand what I want to make with repeat, it is back online now)
I draw a circle and I want to move, rotate and copy it.
In illustrator I use the transformation tool as well and move it 1cm left and rotate it 35 degrees on the right-down corner of the object, also I press a third button that says copy, which copy the transformation to a new object and leave the original in place.
So now I have 2 circles, one in place and one moved and rotated, by using the repeat function I clone the last circle AND the transformation.
So I can make an abstract image like the aboves in my link.
You guys may find interesting to change UI and workflows all the time, but if you have a deadline and you make a living out of graphics design, you just don't have the time to "play" around.
I want to use inkscape in pro level, but I don't have time to do big adaptations here, and so far inkscape is using a similar UI philosophy in it's UI as other vector programs and I find it very easy to adapt.
Re: Repeat action, shortcut sought
You can do that through the tiled clones panel.
For an example the base circle is 10 cm wide.
Then, set the rotational centerpoint to the right-bottom corner.
Then, at the tiled clone panel set the parameters to
1 row, 10 columns,
-110% for x offset and a 35° rotation to the columns.
The result should look similar as in the attachment.
For an example the base circle is 10 cm wide.
Then, set the rotational centerpoint to the right-bottom corner.
Then, at the tiled clone panel set the parameters to
1 row, 10 columns,
-110% for x offset and a 35° rotation to the columns.
The result should look similar as in the attachment.
- Attachments
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- tc1.svg
- (7.72 KiB) Downloaded 250 times
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nitro912gr
- Posts: 9
- Joined: Thu Aug 26, 2010 12:42 am
Re: Repeat action, shortcut sought
Thanks for your answers, I will check them once I arrive home. 
Re: Repeat action, shortcut sought
If you are looking for a dialog in Inkscape which lets you repeat in a single step a transform that consists of rotations, scales, and translations Inkscape does not have one... Have you tried the transform dialog, ctrl-shift-M which allows you to apply a transform to objects repeatedly? As Lazur points out if you want to work with clones the tiled clones dialog offers something very similar with the addition of alternating and cumulative as well as the choice of the seventeen possible plane symmetries...
Now that I have seen the art you are linking to, I can tell you that there is no tool in Inkscape that produces something like that automatically given a single input. Nor do I think that Nikolas Karampelas (is that you? I'm not clear whether you mean you recreated it or originally made it) generated the graphics using a single tool. As best I can tell he is taking an interesting path and copying it and rotating it by 90 degrees to generate his first order objects. Then he is rotating a copy of the first order object by 45 degrees and overlaying it on another first order object to produce the second order objects.
He might possibly have started with an array of copies of an interesting path and copy-rotated (also not in inkscape, sorry! Use the stamp feature instead.) some of them by 45 degrees and then again, and some of them just once by 90 degrees....
You can also move the rotation center of several selections to a common location making it easier to create radial symmetry.
Ouch, guilty as charged!
I know where you're coming from - people often do ask me to produce someone else's 'effect' and I am sure I would make better money if I agreed to do that.... But I am scraping by making stuff for people who say they want something different, and this is when it helps not to have everything nice and 'uniform'.
Now that I have seen the art you are linking to, I can tell you that there is no tool in Inkscape that produces something like that automatically given a single input. Nor do I think that Nikolas Karampelas (is that you? I'm not clear whether you mean you recreated it or originally made it) generated the graphics using a single tool. As best I can tell he is taking an interesting path and copying it and rotating it by 90 degrees to generate his first order objects. Then he is rotating a copy of the first order object by 45 degrees and overlaying it on another first order object to produce the second order objects.
He might possibly have started with an array of copies of an interesting path and copy-rotated (also not in inkscape, sorry! Use the stamp feature instead.) some of them by 45 degrees and then again, and some of them just once by 90 degrees....
You can also move the rotation center of several selections to a common location making it easier to create radial symmetry.
Off topic:
nitro912gr wrote:You guys may find interesting to change UI and workflows all the time, but if you have a deadline and you make a living out of graphics design, you just don't have the time to "play" around.
Ouch, guilty as charged! I know where you're coming from - people often do ask me to produce someone else's 'effect' and I am sure I would make better money if I agreed to do that.... But I am scraping by making stuff for people who say they want something different, and this is when it helps not to have everything nice and 'uniform'.
Off topic:
PT, you posted a video reply while I was writing my post with the same answer! Is that any way to treat your past life blood brother?Your mind is what you think it is.
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BetaTestingPro
- Posts: 38
- Joined: Mon Aug 15, 2011 3:27 am
Re: Repeat action, shortcut sought
Pilosopong Tasyo wrote:nitro912gr wrote:...the function I want it is just not there. I want to use transform and then repeat the same action BUT from where the last one landed the object.
Let me explain it in detail, ... <snipped for brevity> ... So I can make an abstract image like the aboves in my link.
This screencast might interest you.
HTH.
While this explanation seems to achieve the desired result, it seems to me that using the Tiled Clones dialog would do the same thing much faster and in a single step. Referring specifically to your video, that is. I almost did a screencast myself but was able to find one already made on youtube that shows how simple it is to do this using the Tiled Clones.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZLwVpeu2-g
This video is worth a watch just to learn a little bit about using Tiled Clones and how easy it can be to create some amazing things rather quickly, with just a little imagination.
Re: Repeat action, shortcut sought
Off topic:
druban wrote:
This kind of imagery is better when being accurate in my opinion, and I was wondering, how those curves would be constructed in the basic shape?
Seems to me it's just where the node bevel topic ended.
An interesting one.
Could come up with a construction method, but there appeared some inaccuracy that I can't tell wether it's from the wrong theory, or from inaccurate computing?
Here is an image where it actually works:
-Creating an image with four times more lines caused the problems-
Re: Repeat action, shortcut sought
Off topic:
Lazur, I was wondering, how did you do the animation in that image? Very subtle but hypnotizing. My example was just a scribble to show the way to do this in Inkscape, wasn't meant to have any artisitic merit. I confess that I was watching a movie on the other half of the screen at the same time, that's why it's so muddled and all over squiggles....
Your mind is what you think it is.
Re: Repeat action, shortcut sought
Off topic:
That black and white one is a still image, didn't animate it yet -maybe it would be posssible with using only svg's capabilities.Only that torus one was animated from what I posted. That animation was rendered to separate png-s in blender then all the images were put together in gimp to a gif.
Re: Repeat action, shortcut sought
Off topic:
Wow, this one looks pretty animated to me. The lines keep moving to the center.Your mind is what you think it is.
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BetaTestingPro
- Posts: 38
- Joined: Mon Aug 15, 2011 3:27 am
Re: Repeat action, shortcut sought
The image isn't animated at all, it's simply an optical illusion because of the stark contrast (Black & White) and the curves. There are many such images that appear to be animated and hypnotizing that are really just still images and your EYES are creating the illusion because of the way we view things. It's really neat I think.
Check these out:
http://www.google.com/search?q=still+image+optical+illusions&client=opera&channel=suggest&biw=1198&bih=663&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=vKnNUY2SOpTi4AP_64DACg&ved=0CCoQsAQ
And check these out:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/23/10-optical-illusions-that-will-blow-your-mind_n_3307500.html
Your eyes will think they are moving or that there are shapes that do not exist in these graphics. But they are ALL simple optical illusions. You can create some really cool ones in inkscape w/o even trying sometimes.
Check these out:
http://www.google.com/search?q=still+image+optical+illusions&client=opera&channel=suggest&biw=1198&bih=663&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=vKnNUY2SOpTi4AP_64DACg&ved=0CCoQsAQ
And check these out:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/23/10-optical-illusions-that-will-blow-your-mind_n_3307500.html
Your eyes will think they are moving or that there are shapes that do not exist in these graphics. But they are ALL simple optical illusions. You can create some really cool ones in inkscape w/o even trying sometimes.
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nitro912gr
- Posts: 9
- Joined: Thu Aug 26, 2010 12:42 am
Re: Repeat action, shortcut sought
druban wrote:If you are looking for a dialog in Inkscape which lets you repeat in a single step a transform that consists of rotations, scales, and translations Inkscape does not have one... Have you tried the transform dialog, ctrl-shift-M which allows you to apply a transform to objects repeatedly? As Lazur points out if you want to work with clones the tiled clones dialog offers something very similar with the addition of alternating and cumulative as well as the choice of the seventeen possible plane symmetries...
Now that I have seen the art you are linking to, I can tell you that there is no tool in Inkscape that produces something like that automatically given a single input. Nor do I think that Nikolas Karampelas (is that you? I'm not clear whether you mean you recreated it or originally made it) generated the graphics using a single tool. As best I can tell he is taking an interesting path and copying it and rotating it by 90 degrees to generate his first order objects. Then he is rotating a copy of the first order object by 45 degrees and overlaying it on another first order object to produce the second order objects.
He might possibly have started with an array of copies of an interesting path and copy-rotated (also not in inkscape, sorry! Use the stamp feature instead.) some of them by 45 degrees and then again, and some of them just once by 90 degrees....
You can also move the rotation center of several selections to a common location making it easier to create radial symmetry.
Hello again, sorry for the late response, back when I started posting here I was in vocations and since then my job and everyday life just kept me busy.
Yeah I'm Nikolas, the link is for my behance, I made this using the tools I said in illustrator and while it is more like abstract art than anything else, there are uses in visual design for abstract creations, so that's why I'm interesting in that.
I still haven't found time to test what you guys posted as a walkaround to what I want to do, but I have this thread bookmarked to check back once I have time again.
Thank you all for your responses