Scale tool tells what percent it reduced the most recent item?

[karenf1]

Is there a place that the Scale tool tells you what percent it reduced the mst recent item. If I drag a box by corner point - and scale it down - is there a way of knowing what percent smaller the box was made?

I'm making charts and trying to match what comes our of excel - which is only roughly scaled to a past year's charts and I need to match the width of the bars - to last year's and then apply that percentage to the whole chart. I hope that's clear! MANY thanks!

[jane-e]

When you use the Scale tool, it remembers the last setting. Is that what you are asking?

[karenf1]

Exactly! Yes, and does it display the number in the dialog (scale) box next time you go to use it? I haven't been abole to get it to do that but I thought there was a way. If it makes it any clearer here's what I'm trying to do: Size an object by eye - but then know what actual percent I scaled it by.

[Jacob Bugge]

Karen,

How about just DoubleClicking the Scale Tool (in the Toolbox)?

[karenf1]

But I don't know the Scale (%) until I manually scale it - and I can't see what % the item was scaled. I just know …. it looks good/right size to me. But then I need to know how to apply the same % to other items so they match.

[Ton Frederiks · Accepted solution]

Instead of just scaling by grabbing the bounding box with a selection tool, use the Scale tool.

Click a corner with the Scale Tool, grab an opposite corner and Shift drag until it is your desired size.

Double click the Scale Tool in the Tools panel to see the scale percentage.

[karenf1]

MUY PERFECTO!!!!!! Thank you. Ton, Thank you. And our last names are so similar. Could we be related many generations ago?

[Ton Frederiks]

Glad I could help Karen.

We are all family in the end 🙂

[karenf1]

Thank you Jacob! You are always anamazing help! I guess this answer was correct too! I just didn't realize it at the time! Thank you again!

[Jacob Bugge]

You are welcome, Karen.

I thought you were using the Scale Tool for the ClickDragging; and then I was away for quite some hours.

Luckily, Ton was there.

[jane-e]

And I was away even longer than a few hours! My first answer was on a layover between flights, and then I was off-line.

It takes a village...

[karenf1]

And what an extraordinary and generous village it is! Thank you jane-e for your thoughtfulness!

[karenf1]

I realize that fact - that I was using the V tool & NOT the Scale tool was what was missing from my wording of my question! And from your answer - I've re-learned that old saying: There's more than one way...

Now I will keep that in mind with all the tools I use in ai and observe details like that  - that may be different depending on which tool is used. Again, thank you!

[Jacob Bugge]

Karen,

The Free Transform Tool also has its (special) moments.

[karenf1]

What a perfect "cliffhanger!" I guess I should google that? Or go to lynda.com? I'm sure that since you are mentioning it -- I WANT to know about it!

[Jacob Bugge]

Karen,

You may create an object, then select it, and then ClickDrag in different directions:

A) At a corner point of the Bounding Box,

A1) Just raw,

A2) Pressing one, or any combination of two, or all three of the keys Shift, Alt/option, and Ctrl/Cmd;

B) At a side point of the Bounding Box,

B1) Just raw,

B2) Pressing one, or any combination of two, or all three of the keys Shift, Alt/option, and Ctrl/Cmd;