How to fill shapes with dot pattern

[swarman123]

Does anybody know if it's possible to fill a shape with a dot pattern the way you would with a stroke. I really don't want to create an eps in illustrator and then place into indesign if it will do it for me.

[SJRiegel]

This thread has a script for doing this in Illustrator:

Re: [Ann] Design effect - image made of perfectly arranged circles

No reason to create an EPS file -- just place the AI directly into InDesign.

[swarman123]

But when you have a bunch of small dots with a bunch of points it slows down Indesign if you import the ai directly. EPS prevents that. I'm wondering if indesign will just do it so I don't have to go back and forth.

[SJRiegel]

When you Place an .ai file into InDesign, and leave it linked, it functions the same as any other linked file, and will not slow anything down. If anything, creating a complex vector shape directly in InDesign has more potential to slow things down that linking will. In any case, eps is an obsolescent format, and should be avoided.

[Obi-wan Kenobi]

HI,

ID can do a lot of things (but not coffee!).

If you begin with this:

… want to do that:

… have several actions on the pattern and the shape, directly with ID elements, e.g., as:

… you can do it easily. 

[MapsarewhatIdo]

Can you make the dots - diagonal lines? 

[Obi-wan Kenobi]

In fact, you can do anything … with the worst taste, if you feel like it!!

[MapsarewhatIdo]

Can you tell me how?

[Obi-wan Kenobi]

… Really (and simply) anything with all the ID powerful features.

[Obi-wan Kenobi]

3 steps:

1/ prepare the shape.

2/ create the pattern: make the first element (for this, use an object style so that you can easily modify it) and duplicate x times (H and V), to have a "complex pattern".

3. Copy the pattern, select the shape and "paste within" (in French: "coller dedans").

Done!

[Daniel Flavin · Accepted solution]

As Obi-wan noted, start with a shape

Finish with a grouped set of objects and use Paste Into. (Cut or copy the group, select the frame to fill, Paste Into)

I have used a stoke, set at an angle. I defined the stroke as dotted.

(A custom stoke could control the distance from dot to dot)

I work in values I can divide in my head. 6 pt stoke, step & repeat at 3 or 6 or 9 or 12 pts.

[Obi-wan Kenobi]

Salut Daniel,

In french, it's easier for me. I prefer create a basic pattern element (here, with a circle), apply an object style and duplicate it. That give me much more controls on the pattern: can be anything!

[Obi-wan Kenobi]

Samples: