Duplicate not working with scale tool

[JeffreyW]

I am trying to duplicate a circle using the scale tool and the keyboard shortcut Shift+alt/option+command and all it does is resize the original circle.

Any ideas?

Thx

[rcraighead]

Are you scaling the circle from the center and making it larger? If so, it may be obscuring the original circle because of the fill color.

Another possibility it that you are letting up on the "Option/Alt" key before letting up on the mouse key.

[JeffreyW]

Thx for the reply - I'm trying to scale the circle smaller to make a duplicates (circle within a circle), and when I hold down shift+alt/option+cmd the circle does get smaller, but when i let go of the mouse there is no duplicate - it's just the original circle being made smaller

Trying to following along with Aaron Draplin's class, "Circular Logo Design with Draplin: Combine Type & Icons in a Classic Shape," on Skillshare as he shows that shortcut while creating three circles from the original

Thx

[rcraighead · Accepted solution]

What version? Platform? Unless it is a bug with newer AI versions, the only thing that explains it is inadvertently letting up on mouse before modifier keys. This is apparently not the case.

Steps:

1. Press "L" (Oval) and "Shift+Drag" to create circle.
2. With circle selected, press "S" for "Scale" tool.
3. Left-Mouse-Click outside and at about a 45° angle from circle and drag toward the center of the circle.
4. Hold "Shift+Option/Alt" (Shift to constrain and Option/Alt to duplicate).
5. When circle is scaled appropriately, let up on mouse button before letting up on modifier keys.

[JeffreyW]

Thx - I basically flipped #3 and #4 and that's why it didn't work. Following the steps you laid out worked perfectly - thx so much!

Greatly appreciated!

[Kathren5E86]

I'm having the same issue, I'm a mac user, but also it's not working with the steps you suggested, is there any other way?!

[tromboniator]

I have just followed these steps (on Mac) exactly and found them to work perfectly. When you say "it's not working", what is happening instead of what you expect?

Peter

[corentin15C3]

OK gat it. Cannot work with Bounding Box Handles. (was the mistake I did)
First you can hide bounding box (cmd+shift+B) if you want.

Select you shape with "V"
Select scaling tool (shortcut "S")
Clic where you need your axis center
Press alt and select some part of the line / point of shape you need to copy/scale
Press shift to constrain homothetic proportions
Drag scale

and voilà !