Can you turn off spacing for object-repeats so that objects can overlap in a grid when editing?

[victoriam28971334]

I have an illustration object that I have 'object-repeated' in a 'grid' formation. I want to edit my original object to extend/overlap/intertwine with its repeated-neighbours; however when I edit the illustration, the repeated-neighbours' jump away (to maintain the set horizontal and vertical spacing), and I have to go back and decrease the spacing so that the elements overlap and appear the same distance they were before I edited the objects shape/size.

Basically I want some way of turning off the spacing so that the neighbour objects don't move away when I extend my original object's shape/size,

Adobe can this fix be made?

Thanks, cheers

[Monika Gause]

Please post screenshots and a sample file.

[victoriam28971334]

thanks, have done so,

Cheers

[victoriam28971334]

Attached is an example/sample file and screenshots of what I mean. As you can see in the example, I am basing a pattern around a black-rectangle as a guide for my pattern spacing, but I want to be able to draw in new overlapping elements (e.g. leaves etc) that connect between the repeats, without the repeats moving apart everytime something extends beyond the rectangle; as seen in the example pictures. Attached is also a copy of a Willliam Morris pattern design, so you can see the kind of pattern that can only be achieved through being able to draw over the edges of a rectangle.

You can actually already do what I am describing through an old 'MadPattern' illustrator template https://www.madpattern.com/

it also allows you to use linked files or images in making your pattern (which illustrator does not, another capability that could be added please?), however you have to use the premade square or triangle-based cells, and can't alter their dimensions to a rectangle like what I want to do in my example.

It's be awesome if Illustrator's Repeat tool could be tweaked to make this possible 🙂

Cheers

One solution could be to be able to lock the 'spacing' setting to one part of the repeated object, e.g. the black rectangle?

[victoriam28971334]

Note, I tried to attach the .ai file, but it would not let me attach that file type, hopefully you understand the issue from the screenshots, cheers

[Ton Frederiks · Accepted solution]

If you want to make a pattern, you are better off with the Object > Pattern > Make option.

The Repeat function does not create a pattern, it just repeats elements.

https://helpx.adobe.com/illustrator/how-to/create-pattern.html

https://helpx.adobe.com/illustrator/using/create-edit-patterns.html

[victoriam28971334]

Oh wow, your suggestion works!, for some reason I thought I'd tried that, oops!! Great to know, thanks!

[Ton Frederiks]

Good to hear that helped.