Can't paste an interaction to multiple artboards

[shaxpir]

I'm in Prototype mode with four artboards; #4 is an overlay that the three others can launch from a burger menu.

1. Created an overlay interaction on board #1 (burger to overlay, slide right). 
2. Verified in preview.
3. Edit>Copied the interaction.
4. Selected the burgers on boards #2 and #3. Both burgers are highlighted.
5. Edit>Pasted. This pasted the interaction ONLY to the most recently selected burger. It should paste the interaction to both.

I'm following straight from the Tutorial right now, and it's not happening for me. I have to copy/paste the interaction twice, can't do it in one swoop to multiple artboards. This problem was noted in 2020 and the advice was to update, but it's 2023 and I've got theeeee latest.

Version 57.1.12.2

[AkinGn]

Hi @shaxpir, if I'm not missing something, I managed to make it work by setting the interaction in the first artboard only (as it has the main button component) I suggest you to do the same (setting the interaction using the main component). Another way would be deleting the existing components in other artboards and pasting the one that has the interaction in space of them, you can do by deleting existing ones first and then selecting the artboards and pasting, maybe you know but the component will be pasted into the exact position of the one you copied. Oh and if you can share the tutorial you're trying to apply the solution from, I'd like to check it also, hope this helps!

[shaxpir]

Akin, thanks for the suggestion to delete the other two burgers and simply paste the interaction onto the remaining two artboards. I tried that and it worked! I got curious and I tried starting from scratch (deleted the two pasted interactions) and instead of pasting into the two burgers per the instructions in the video, I simply pasted onto the artboards. It worked again! Maybe the tutorial shouldn't instruct us to paste into the burger menus. It's this tutorial, Step 4 (Add overlays to simulate UI elements), beginning at 7:00.

https://www.adobe.com/products/xd/learn/get-started-xd-prototype.html

[AkinGn]

Hi @shaxpir, thank you for pointing out the exact time in the step you mention. Actually her tutorials are great, I started to learn XD with those (and many other people as we can guess ;)) I tried to do as she instructs and it worked in my file. Can there be some other issue (I know you have the latest version but maybe system etc related, I don't know about the combination) or something you're missing, I know "paste interaction" option is only available in the prototype mode but still, sometimes we skip stuff without noticing, if you have a sample version etc of your file that I can check, I'd like to have a look. (oh and if you paste the interaction to the artboards, the whole artboard becomes the trigger for the interaction, in this case, you can tap anywhere in the artboard to trigger the burger menu interaction, that's not something we want, right, what I did was deleting the existing menu buttons on two other artboards, selecting the one in the first artboard and copying it, and then selecting other two artboards by clicking to their names while holding shift and simply pasting, that way the component/element you copied will be pasted to the exact same position in the other artborads, with all its properties including interactions 😉 ) But also I'm glad you sorted out, happy designing! 🙌

[shaxpir]

Akin, I literally deleted all the downloaded files for the exercise and redownloaded them and it still failed when I selected the burgers. I was in Prototype mode, and I also tried changing the order in which I selected the burgers -- and the SECOND one to be selected was the only one in which the interaction worked. They were definitely both selected when I pasted (from the Edit menu), as both showed blue, but the first one gets "forgotten."

As a further experiment, I Duplicated one of the artboards so I now had three artboards to paste into. Selected all three burgers, and only the FINAL one succeeded. ALL the preceding ones were "forgotten." Also, FYI, in Windows the options are "Paste" and "Paste Appearance." I used "Paste," which, as I say, did paste the interaction -- just not to ALL the burgers.

Windows 11 here.

[AkinGn]

Just to be clear, as I see there shouldn't be a problem if you paste the interaction (while you're still in prototype mode of course, that's the only place you can see the Edit > "Paste interaction" option), you're saying only options are "paste" and "paste appearance", I think that must be the problem, in order to see "paste appearance" you need to go to the "Design" tab, you can only see "paste interaction" in prototype mode (right after the "paste". In design mode, right after the "paste" you see "paste appearance" as I said) That must be the problem, you need to be in prototype mode while doing that (as shown in the tutorial 😉), just set the interaction, and copy, and without leaving the prototype mode, paste the interaction to other elements, I think we found what causes the problem 😉

[shaxpir]

 Akin, maybe you can make sense of these screens. The sequence is:

1 - Interaction created

2 - Interaction copied, target burgers selected

3 - Edit button selected in Prototype mode, target burgers still selected

4 - Edit menu reveals Paste and Paste Appearance options. Edit button covers the Prototype menu so you can't see it, but, but Design menu is greyed, indicating we are not there.

5 - Right after I click Paste. Interaction copied only to the last-selected burger. If I click on the first-selected burger, there is no interaction -- not showing in Prototype mode and not functioning in Preview.

[AkinGn]

Oh ok, now it's clearer for me, I know you also said "I'm in prototype mode" but as I can't see "Paste appearance" in prototype mode/regenerate the problem, that's why I wanted to be sure. Sorry for the inconvenience, thank you for sharing the screens. I guess it's best if you just copy the burger icon with the interaction, deleting the old ones in the other artboards and paste the one with the interaction to the other artboards, as you can comfortably paste it to multiple artboards as we talked before. Hmm now I'm wondering if it's an issue that happens only in some Windows versions or.. Maybe someone else replies and we'll know more about it. Please update us if you have a chance to try in another computer/system, regardless what the result is. Happy designing!

[shaxpir]

Sure thing! I'm a little surprised I'm the first to post on this, since the problem came up in 2020 and someone posted about it then.

[AkinGn]

Hmm I can only think this: Since we have components now and it's best making interactive elements components (considering there's a whole world called "Design Systems" right ;)) to keep the design system flexible and easily maintainable, I don't think many designers keep interactive elements static/non-component, therefore the common behaviour is like:
- Design or copy and paste the burger menu icon from an icon library.
- Make it a component and design the rest of the screen, elements.
- Clone the screen/artboard and design new stuff.

- Set the interaction for the burger menu icon in the first artboard (which has the main component).
- Since other artboards have the same component('s instances), they automatically have the exact same interaction.

This must be it, I'd say 😉