Object transform ignores reference point

[Alex Grant]

Hello all,

Just switched to CC2017 and I'm having some frustration with the way object transforms are handled. I was used, when I have a rectangle selected and want to change its width, to select a reference point of that transformation, so that the obect is extended/contracted in a direction opposite to the selected reference point. If the center is selected as a reference, then the object expands or contracts symetrically. That is no longer valid for Illustrator CC 2017, and also the reference point selector has been removed from the selection tool dashboard and only available in the Transform panel. Can any of you give me some direction how do you overcome that significant loss of funtionallity, or is it just me missing something?

Here is a quick screen recording of my problem (in case my explanations are not understandable).

Regards,
Alex

[Doug A Roberts · Accepted solution]

Perhaps confusingly, the shape properties and its Width and Height are separate things. You can still see W & H boxes in the transform panel:

Adjust those and the transformation will use the reference point you select.

The options will appear in the control bar (at the top of the screen) only if your screen resolution is sufficient. Design changes between versions mean this may have been the case in a previous version.

[Alex Grant]

Hello Doug,

Thanks for the quick reply.

I now see that indeed there are the W and H fields. Then again I have no idea what is the difference between the "Shape properties", which include its width and height, and the "Width" and "Height" properties of the shape... How are these fields different and what is a possible use case that requires them both?

Regarding the refence point selector in the dashboard (top of the screen) as you can see on the recording I have pleeeeeeeenty of space up there 🙂 resolution is more than enough for it to appear, but alas 😞

Is there, may be, an option in the settings to enable it?

Thanks again!

Alex

[Ton Frederiks]

If you rotate a rectangle, the width and height of the rectangle properties stay the same, but the object width and height changes.

[Alex Grant]

Right.. OK. Now that you mention it, I understand what they did. This is completely new paradigm in the way Illustrator treats objects (or at least it is new for me and my 20 years of Illustrator experience :).

It will definitely take some getting used to.

So now I see that the dashboard (top of screen) actually displays the rectangle properties rather than the transform fields, thus missing the reference point selector. This specific UI change is so frustraiting... it completely breaks my workflow. I will have to write them some feedback I guess.

Anyways, Thanks for your time.

Cheers!

[Doug A Roberts]

You can see the width and height under this transform button if your Illustrator window isn't wide enough to display the options:

If you expand the window past a certain point, the width and height options become visible:

[Ton Frederiks]

Alexander, what you see in the Control strip above is what you have checked at the upper right coner of the panel (and depends on the amount of space on your monitor screen). 

[Kurt Gold]

As for the reference points in conjunction with shape properties: I'd recommend to do a feature request.

It's beyond me why one wouldn't want to respect reference points when using the shape properties settings. The default setting that always uses the centre point is pretty restrictive and impairs the overall advantages of live shapes.

[Laubender]

Hi Kurt,

would you vote for a system like InDesign is showing width and height together with shear and rotate values and the reference points? That would be a revolution for Illustrator. I'm sure I'd like this, but I'm also sure others will hate it.

And with InDesign one feature is still missing in this regards:

The overall width and height of a transformed object. With transform reference points.

From my German InDesign:

Screen 1

Screen 2

Screen 3

Screen 4

Screen 5 sheared square

Screen 5 sheared square commented

Regards,
Uwe Laubender

(ACP)

[Kurt Gold]

Yes, Uwe, basically (or to some extent) like InDesign's behaviour, but with some modifications, e.g. an option that would let you allow to display and set dimensions as pure horizontal width and vertical height as well.

Would that be a revolution? I don't think so. It would rather be just a practical improvement.

The underlying concept is already there in Illustrator: Symbols with specific reference points that will be respected by the Transform palette if the corresponding option is turned on.