Legend

Answered

Draw concentric shapes by clicking on center point of existing shape

Forum|Forum|9 years ago
March 6, 2017
3 replies
6157 views

CC 2015.3.1

Mac OS X 10.11.6

I have done this for years: I'll create a shape, say a rectangle, then draw a circle in its exact center by clicking the center point and option-dragging with the ellipse tool. That doesn't work in CC 2015 because AI wrongly assumes I want to move the rectangle instead! Is there a simple way around this "false intelligence" now built into AI?

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Correct answer John Mensinger

Yeah, I made a custom keyboard shortcut for Object > Shape > Expand Shape, which quickly does away with the Live Shapes behaviors when they're unwanted.

D

DougKatz9966516

Inspiring

In CC 2017 on Sierra, the button Monika refers to (which I only found because she pointed it out) is an alternative to a second solution (which may already be common knowledge):

You can retain a live shape's live status (should you want to) and drag or option-drag a second shape from the center of the live shape (instead of moving it) by hiding the bounding box (shift-command-B). This is true whether you have Show Corner Widget on or off in the View menu. When this is set to Show in the View menu, clicking Monika's button hides both corner widgets and bounding boxes. When set to Hide, the button hides bounding boxes.

rcraigheadAuthor

Legend

Thank you, Doug. That works in CC2015 as well! Good solution.

CarlosCanto

Community Expert

The Hide Shape Widget Button is there on Windows CC2015.3.0, same place as CC2017 right next to the Align buttons.

Another alternative, after drawing the first shape, hit Ctrl+Shift+A to Deselect, that will allow you to draw a second shape centered on the first.

John Mensinger

Correct answer

Community Expert

Yeah, I made a custom keyboard shortcut for Object > Shape > Expand Shape, which quickly does away with the Live Shapes behaviors when they're unwanted.

rcraigheadAuthor

Legend

Thanks, John. And when DO you want Live Shape behavior? I'm old-school and don't get it. To me they just add another needless level of complexity to Illustrator.

John Mensinger

Community Expert

And when DO you want Live Shape behavior? I'm old-school and don't get it.

Understood. Can say the same here.

I wouldn't say I ever want it either, but there are certainly some circumstances in which it makes no immediate or material difference.

Monika Gause

Community Expert

You can hide those Widgets by clicking on this button in the control panel:

rcraigheadAuthor

Legend

Thanks, Monika. I realize I can hide them but I use it for reference when adding the new object. Hiding it would take away the simple centering ability.

Maybe I misunderstand. I don't see the button in control panel. What tool do you have active?

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