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BryanPagenkopf
Inspiring
June 16, 2021
Question

Aligning in Illustrator

  • June 16, 2021
  • 2 replies
  • 2171 views

Is there an easy way in Illustrator to "push" overlapping vectors so that the Right shape is butted up against the Left shape, without moving the Left Shape at all?

 

Thank you! 

 

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2 replies

Jacob Bugge
Community Expert
Jacob BuggeCommunity Expert
Community Expert
June 16, 2021

Bryan,

 

As I (mis)understand it, you can:

 

1) Select both squares/whatever, then click the leftmost one once more to make it the key (unmoveable) object;

2) In the Align panel, first centre align vertically, then distribute spacing horizontally with the distance set to 0.

 

 

    B
    BryanPagenkopfAuthor
    Inspiring
    June 17, 2021

    Jacob,

    You are definitely going in the right direction for me.  I'm looking to automate this if possible with an Action or Script.

    I'd like to manually select a row of shapes then automate

    Group All but the left-most shape selected

    Set the left-most shape as the key object

    Distribute Spacing Horizontally .0235 in

    Ungroup the selection

     

    Would that be possible?

     

    Jacob Bugge
    Community Expert
    Jacob BuggeCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    June 17, 2021

    Bryan,

     

    I am sure that Femke, or another scripting friend, will soon see, and post a script for that.

    femkeblanco
    femkeblanco
    Legend
    June 16, 2021

    For the simplest case

     

    // select 2 path items
if (app.selection[0].left > app.selection[1].left) {
    var right = selection[0], left = selection[1];
} else {
    var left = selection[0], right = selection[1];
}
if(right.left < left.controlBounds[2]) {
    right.left = left.controlBounds[2];
}

     

    If you want to test for overlap beforehand, see

    https://community.adobe.com/t5/illustrator/geometric-test-functions/m-p/12080581

     

      GerssonDelgado
      GerssonDelgado
      Inspiring
      June 16, 2021

      @femkeblanco  how can I center horizontal and vertical, an object into artboard?

      help will be appreciated!

      femkeblanco
      femkeblanco
      Legend
      June 16, 2021
      // select path
var x = app.activeDocument.width / 2;
var y = -app.activeDocument.height / 2;
var sel = app.activeDocument.selection[0];
sel.position = [x - sel.width / 2, y + sel.height / 2];
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