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Duplicate an item and space it evenly

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How do I duplicate an item in coreldraw and space it out evenly ?

 

In SCALP I have this dialog box and with a few clicks it is done.

 

I'm sure it's that easy in Coreldraw but I haven't been able to find it.

 

The attached image is the SCALP version of duplicate

post-64078-0-60496200-1452908961_thumb.j

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The step and repeat window should work. I'm not sure if there is another way.

 

 

I searched to web and finally ended up buying a macro to weed and duplicate.... it works great for weeding but it only duplicates upwards Not what I was looking for, I don't recommend it.

 

So I put my VBA hat on and discovered adding macros to Corel is similar to Excel.... well once you know the terminology thats half the battle.

I found a macro to duplicate objects with a little modification it now duplicates objects by row & column. I have attached a copy to this message.

 

To use it open the macro editor and import the basic module into Corel's global folder. I suggest adding the macro to your toolbar. Go to Tools>Customize

 
Click on Macros from the dropdown box. A list of all of your installed macro files will then appear. You can drag the one you need to a desired place on one of your toolbars. 

DuplicateMacros.zip

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I don't under stand what you mean by to "weed and duplicate."  Maybe you meant repeat with some space between them so you can weed easily.  It seems you labeled rows and columns backwards in your macro or I am missing something.  Running the Row Macro makes a column and visa versa.  It seems you are adding .2 to the dimension, w = ActiveSelection.SizeWidth + 0.2, as a spacer.  What isn't clear is what units the 0.2 represent.  Are they document units, pixels, inches?  I am a macro noob.

 

In any event this seems more or less what step and repeat does.  Say you had an item you wanted to duplicate in a row.  It is 1.25 inches in width.  In step and repeat you enter 1.25 for horizontal, 0.0 for vertical, the number of copies and hit apply.  If you wanted some spacing in between, say to make weeding easy, you could enter 1.25 + .02 in the horizontal, (or just 1.27), or any value you want as a space.  Flip the horizontal and vertical values to go the other way.

 

You can also do this another way, but more laborious via duplicate.  If you change the default offset value for duplicate, each time you hit ctrl+d it will copy and repeat based on the offset value. The Positions option in the Transformations docker will do this also.  

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I don't under stand what you mean by to "weed and duplicate."  Maybe you meant repeat with some space between them so you can weed easily.  It seems you labeled rows and columns backwards in your macro or I am missing something.  Running the Row Macro makes a column and visa versa.  It seems you are adding .2 to the dimension, w = ActiveSelection.SizeWidth + 0.2, as a spacer.  What isn't clear is what units the 0.2 represent.  Are they document units, pixels, inches?  I am a macro noob.

 

In any event this seems more or less what step and repeat does.  Say you had an item you wanted to duplicate in a row.  It is 1.25 inches in width.  In step and repeat you enter 1.25 for horizontal, 0.0 for vertical, the number of copies and hit apply.  If you wanted some spacing in between, say to make weeding easy, you could enter 1.25 + .02 in the horizontal, (or just 1.27), or any value you want as a space.  Flip the horizontal and vertical values to go the other way.

 

You can also do this another way, but more laborious via duplicate.  If you change the default offset value for duplicate, each time you hit ctrl+d it will copy and repeat based on the offset value. The Positions option in the Transformations docker will do this also.  

 

 

Yeah I could have the row / col mislabeled is so that's an easy fix,  I needed an easy way to duplicate and object and space it evenly  in corel since I couldn't find the function in Corel.

 

You are correct after playing around with the Transformations Docker it will work just the same I appreciate you pointing that function out. Corel has a bunch of useful tools but since I installed Windows 10 my help dialog stopped working so I kind of go at it blind.

 

I will explain the macro a bit:

The .2 is the space between the objects add that on both sides you get a box .4+ width & height of the object & you have your rectangle ( weedbox ) . I suppose I could add a dialog box to make it user friendly but I was looking for an easy way to make dups. I may improve upon it as time permits.

 

Once again thanks for pointing out the Transformations docker, I just wish I could get my help files to work it would make life easier.

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Am I missing something? Coreldraw has had (for all versions since inception) a duplicate X and Y input field built right into the main interface information bar (look for the X and Y values with two little stacked paper like icons - its two form input fields). You can even put in negative values to move down or left (up, and right are positive values, down and left are negative values). Then simply select the object you're wanting to duplicate, type in your X and Y input values and then press CTRL + D. Done! Keep repeating that and the same spacing will occur as long as you keep repeating CTRL + D. For accuracy, the key to doing this is finding out the distance of your overall object from a single node point and then add in the desired spacing, then enter this value into the correct X or Y axis and CTRL + D until you're blue in the face. Also, Coreldraw has a very accurate dimensioning tool [1/1064" accuracy possible] too to help you find the real overall distance between objects including spacing - seriously AutoCAD like accuracy. You can also do math in the form input fields. For example: Size, find that field and say the object is 2.5" wide. After the 2.5" type in a space and a + sign and then 2.5 and a space and then " (or "in" without quotes) and press enter to make a 5" object. You can do complicated math too using brackets, division, multiplication, etc. You can even do non-matching units. 2.5 " + 0.3 cm...powerful stuff!

 

In fact, there are many more ways to power duplicate too. One is to select an object, drag it to the new desired position and WITHOUT letting go of left mouse button (you can hold down CTRL to constrain to an axis), simultaneously press the right mouse button to get a + sign tool tip on screen. Then let go of right button and then left button. Then keep pressing CTRL +D and you'll get the repeating distance. You can of course do rows this way too and columns of an infinte number of objects. 

 

Others have mentioned the step and repeat docker and even look at the Transformation docker, you can do some amazing things with duplication even along irregular (squiggly lines) or regular paths (circles, squares, etc).You can even combine all this with rotate and scale functions to make duplicated objects do some crazy things (rotate and grow or shrink).

 

I would strongly suggest going to YouTube to watch some videos on duplication. Key search terms: Duplication Coreldraw and you'll get some tips on being super productive. Also, look at the Align and Distribute docker. It's indespensible - you can align or distribute to objects, nodes, the page, etc. I can't function without both these methods in Coreldraw. They are that critical to doing accurate work.

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Am I missing something? Coreldraw has had (for all versions since inception) a duplicate X and Y input field built right into the main interface information bar (look for the X and Y values with two little stacked paper like icons - its two form input fields). You can even...... simply select the object you're wanting to duplicate, type in your X and Y input values and ...........methods in Coreldraw. They are that critical to doing accurate work.

 

 

 I knew about the others but they were not what I needed, I was looking for a highlight and click solution. I wrote a macro to achieve what I needed.

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In fact, there are many more ways to power duplicate too. One is to select an object, drag it to the new desired position and WITHOUT letting go of left mouse button (you can hold down CTRL to constrain to an axis), simultaneously press the right mouse button to get a + sign tool tip on screen. Then let go of right button and then left button. Then keep pressing CTRL +D and you'll get the repeating distance. You can of course do rows this way too and columns of an infinte number of objects. 

 

Okay, I never knew about the right mouse button trick. Very cool and works great. I just gave it a quick try in X3. One copy across, multiple control-d's to fill the line. Then selected the entire line, one copy down and multiple control-d' to fill the page. Works great.

 

Thanks! ;D:police:

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The right mouse trick is incredibly useful. Useful for mirroring and duplicating too. If an object is symetrical, I rarely draw both sides of an object (just too much time required). I simply mirror and drag duplicate and then weld or combine nodes.

 

It's hard to describe in text, but you can continue to hold down the left mouse button and "pull" (drag) a copy of an object right over the edge or side of that object while constraining it using the CTRL key and then duplicate it using the right mouse button at the very end, then release the right mouse button and then the left. Has to be done in that order though. It's like a hand dance with several steps, but it gets easier with practice. You can then weld the two mirrored objects on it's centerline axis (X or Y) and then you've got a perfectly symetrical object.

 

You can then even shift click to select individual nodes using the shape tool (F10) and drag those nodes in any direction (can be useful to shrink a design on an axis without distorting it - of course use the constrain CTRL key to assist if needed). It workes with curved nodes too. You can do fancy curved arches this way that are pefect. I'd need to create and show you a video but it's awesome. I'll see if I can figure out how to use my Faststone Capture utility to do an animated GIF to demonstrate when I get a moment.

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If you make a copy of an object on screen someplace, then drag it to a new position, hit space, drag it to a new position hit space, drag it to a new position, hit space ect holding left mouse down the whole time it will "stamp" a copy at each location.  If you have dynamic alignment guides turned on, it is easy to position.

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If you make a copy of an object on screen someplace, then drag it to a new position, hit space, drag it to a new position hit space, drag it to a new position, hit space ect holding left mouse down the whole time it will "stamp" a copy at each location.  If you have dynamic alignment guides turned on, it is easy to position.

 

That's even a better tip! Much easier to make multiple copies. Thanks! :lol::bear:

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