Skip to main content
Participating Frequently
September 30, 2020
Question

Why does object appear larger when pasted onto another artboard

  • September 30, 2020
  • 5 replies
  • 383 views

Hey you guys,

 

I have a question that has to do with pasting an object from one canvas onto another. This applies to Photoshop or Illustrator. 

 

Let's say I have a canvas/artboard setup at 1000px tall by 500px wide, at 72ppi. I also have another canvas setup in the exact opposite dimensions, 1000px wide and 500px tall. Now let's say I have a logo graphic (created inside of the program) that I scale to a certain size and place in the bottom-right corner of the canvas. If I copy and paste this logo (or simply drag it) into the second canvas, the one that is 1000px wide by 500px tall, the logo graphic will suddenly appear larger than it does in the first canvas. Even if both canvasses/artboards are set to the same zoom level. Does this have something to do with the more "landscape" orientation of the second canvas, whereas the first canvas has a more "portrait" orientation?

 

Can anyone please explain or speak on why this is? Thank you for your help, it is greatly appreciated!

 

This topic has been closed for replies.

5 replies

Barb Binder
Community Expert
Community Expert
October 1, 2020

In Photoshop, the resolution is a undoubtedly a factor. In Illustrator, it is not.

 

If it is happening in both, I suspect it is a visual illusion. I set up both tests using the exact same specs, and took care to line up the floating windows to eliminate it. 

 

Let's say I have a canvas/artboard setup at 1000px tall by 500px wide, at 72ppi. I also have another canvas setup in the exact opposite dimensions, 1000px wide and 500px tall. 

In the original post, the resolution is specified for the first window, but not the the second. As stated in my posts, I made sure both windows in both applications had only one difference—the orientation. 

 

~Barb 

~Barb at Rocky Mountain Training
Bojan Živković11378569
Community Expert
Community Expert
October 1, 2020

Copy-Paste function will copy pixels without any thought of resolution. Copied object must be exactly the same in pixel dimensions regardless of difference in resolution. This function was working this way for years. Same should be true when copy-paste layer from one document to another or when dragging it.

I am testing Ps 21.2.3 on Windows and everything works as described above.

Barb Binder
Community Expert
Community Expert
October 1, 2020

Here is the same sequence in Illustrator...again, I don't see a difference.

 

~Barb

 

~Barb at Rocky Mountain Training
Barb Binder
Community Expert
Community Expert
September 30, 2020

Maybe I'm missing something, but if the files are the same resolution and magnification, dragging from one window to another should maintain the same visual size. In the animation below, the magnification, pixel dimensions and resolution are visible on the status bar of both windows (bottom left). The cat looks the same size to me, and if I check the Info panel, they are the same size. What am I missing?

 

 

BTW, I tend to drag and drop to copy between windows, but got the same result with copy/paste.

 

~Barb 

~Barb at Rocky Mountain Training
Participating Frequently
September 30, 2020

Hi! Thank you so much for your quick response to my question. Yes, in your example they clearly look the same. However, I have noticed some kind of phenomenon where my logo will visually look "larger" when placed onto another canvas, even despite the info panel indicating it is the same size.

 

If you open up Illustrator, create two empty artboards, one that is 1000px tall and 500px wide, and then another with the opposite dimensions. Now draw out a small rectangle. Paste this rectangle into the artboard with the larger width. You should notice that visually the rectangle appears to occupy more space than in the other window. 

 

If 

JJMack
Community Expert
Community Expert
September 30, 2020

I posted a script the can place a Logo/Watermark on any reasonable size  image. You will not be able to paste your logo into a icon or small thumbnails size image and be able to see your logo well.  You just need to change the Code to use your logo not mine.

 

The first few vars statements need to be changed for your preferences.  The script  resizes the logo to be some percentage  of your documents height. You use the var statements to set the height percentage, margin percentage, location and logo file.

 

 Here is Photoshop Script PlaceWatermark.jsx 

/* ==========================================================
// 2017  John J. McAssey (JJMack) 
// ======================================================= */
// This script is supplied as is. It is provided as freeware. 
// The author accepts no liability for any problems arising from its use.
/*
<javascriptresource>
<about>$$$/JavaScripts/PlaceWatermark/About=JJMack's PlaceWatermark ^r^rCopyright 2017 Mouseprints.net^r^rPhotoshop Script^rCustomize using first four var</about>
<category>JJMack's Script</category>
<enableinfo>true</enableinfo>
</javascriptresource>
*/
#target photoshop;  
app.bringToFront();  
var logoFile = "~/Desktop/JJMack.png";						// Watermark file should be large for resize down works better than up
var LogoSize = 10;											// percent of document height to resize Watermark to
var LogoMargin = 1;                                         // percent of Document height the Watermark should have as a margin
var BottomLetf = false;										// false = Bottom Right true Bottom Left 
//placeWatermark(logoFile, LogoSize, LogoMargin);           // Place Watermark into the bottom of the document
if (documents.length) app.activeDocument.suspendHistory('placeWatermark','placeWatermark(logoFile,LogoSize,LogoMargin)' );
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
function placeWatermark(Image,Size,Margin){  
	if(!documents.length) return;  							// if no document return
		var fileObj = new File(Image);	                	// the passed file
	if(!fileObj.exists){  									// If file does not exits tell user 
		alert(fileObj.name  + " does not exist!"); 			// Alert User 
		return;  											// return
		}  
	try{  
		var doc = app.activeDocument;						// set Doc object to active document
		app.displayDialogs = DialogModes.NO;				// Dialog off 
		var strtRulerUnits = app.preferences.rulerUnits;	// Save Users ruler units 
		var strtTypeUnits = app.preferences.typeUnits;		// Save Users Type units 
		app.preferences.rulerUnits = Units.PIXELS;			// work with pixels 
		app.preferences.typeUnits = TypeUnits.PIXELS;		// work with pixels 
		var layers = app.activeDocument.layers;				// get layers
		app.activeDocument.activeLayer = layers[0];			// Target Top Layer
		placeFile(fileObj); 								// Place in file the Watermark png file
		activeDocument.activeLayer.resize(100 ,100,AnchorPosition.MIDDLECENTER); // Insure Place did not scale layer  
		var SB = activeDocument.activeLayer.bounds; 		// get layers bounds 
		var layerHeight = SB[3] - SB[1];					// get layers height  
		var resizePercent = (100/layerHeight)*(Size/100*doc.height.value); // Percent to resize by 
		activeDocument.activeLayer.resize(resizePercent ,resizePercent,AnchorPosition.MIDDLECENTER);  // Resize width and height by percentage 
		SB = activeDocument.activeLayer.bounds;				// get resized layers bounds  
		activeDocument.activeLayer.translate(-SB[0].value,-SB[1].value); // Move resized layer to top left canvas corner 
		var LayerWidth = (SB[2].value - SB[0].value);		// get resized layers width  
		var LayerHeight = (SB[3].value - SB[1].value);  	// get resized layers height
		marginSize = Margin/100*doc.height.value;			// Margin size
		// move resized watermark into the document lower right corner with some margin or lower left
		if  ( BottomLetf) {activeDocument.activeLayer.translate(marginSize,( doc.height.value -marginSize - LayerHeight));}
		else {activeDocument.activeLayer.translate((doc.width.value -marginSize - LayerWidth),( doc.height.value -marginSize - LayerHeight));}
	}
	catch(e) { alert(e + ': on line ' + e.line); }			// inform user of error  
	finally{  
		app.preferences.rulerUnits = strtRulerUnits;		// Restore user ruler units  
		app.preferences.typeUnits = strtTypeUnits;			// Restore user type units    
	};  
}; 
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// 
function placeFile(placeFile) {  
    var desc21 = new ActionDescriptor();  
    desc21.putPath( charIDToTypeID('null'), new File(placeFile) );  
    desc21.putEnumerated( charIDToTypeID('FTcs'), charIDToTypeID('QCSt'), charIDToTypeID('Qcsa') );  
    var desc22 = new ActionDescriptor();  
    desc22.putUnitDouble( charIDToTypeID('Hrzn'), charIDToTypeID('#Pxl'), 0.000000 );  
    desc22.putUnitDouble( charIDToTypeID('Vrtc'), charIDToTypeID('#Pxl'), 0.000000 );  
    desc21.putObject( charIDToTypeID('Ofst'), charIDToTypeID('Ofst'), desc22 );  
    executeAction( charIDToTypeID('Plc '), desc21, DialogModes.NO );  
};  

 

JJMack
Participating Frequently
September 30, 2020

Hello JJMack,

 

Thank you so much for replying so quickly to my question! Thank you for the script!

 

Caruso