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[Ariel]
[Ariel]
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Consider custom rotation as 0 deg?

Feb 11, 2013 2:17 PM

Hi,

 

Just wondering if you know of any way of "resetting" the custom rotation

of an object such that InDesign considers it to be zero.

 

For example, let's say I draw a square. Then I rotate it 45 deg. so I've

got a kind of diamond shape. Now I want to pull the left and right

corners of the diamond -- but InDesign only lets me adjust the flat

sides of the diamond with the black arrow tool. (The white arrow tool

could be used to adjust each node individually, but that's a bit clumsy.)

 

Please let me know if what I'm asking isn't clear.

 

Thanks,

Ariel

 

335 Views   6 Replies   Latest reply: [Ariel], Feb 13, 2013 4:59 AM
 
Replies
  • Steve Werner
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    1. Steve Werner,
    Feb 11, 2013 2:26 PM   in reply to [Ariel]
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    I'm pretty sure this isn't an InDesign feature. In Illustrator, you can set the Constrain Angle in General Preferences which does what you want.

     

    If you had a lot of objects like this, it might make sense to do them in Illustrator.

     
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  • [Ariel]
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    2. [Ariel],
    Feb 11, 2013 2:45 PM   in reply to Steve Werner
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    Thanks Steve, just making sure.

     

    I was wondering if I'd overlooked something, because we do have a

    "redefine scaling as 100%", so I though maybe there's a "redefine

    rotation as 0 degrees" somewhere.

     

    Oh well...

     

    Thanks,

    Ariel

     
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  • [Jongware]
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    3. [Jongware],
    Feb 11, 2013 3:46 PM   in reply to [Ariel]
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    Draw a very small object on top and call upon the Pathfinder to join them. InDesign will consider the newly-wed objects to be a total new one.

     

    A bit clumsy tho' ...

     
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  • [Ariel]
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    4. [Ariel],
    Feb 11, 2013 4:04 PM   in reply to [Jongware]
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    Ah, that's quite clever! To amplify a little:

     

    1. draw another object elsewhere on the page.

    2. select both objects.

    3. apply the the Add option from the pathfinder options.

    4. draw a marquee round the object in (1) above with the white arrow

    tool to select all the object's points.

    5. press delete.

    6. voila: the original object remains, with the rotation set to zero!

     

    Good one, Jongware!

     

    I wonder if it's scriptable? The two potential problems I envisage are

    whether it's possible to apply pathfinder operations with scripting

    (should be simple to find that one out; I expect it is possible), and if

    it is possible, would it be possible to keep track of all the points on

    the added object after applying the pathfinder operation, so that they

    can be deleted afterwards?

     

    Ariel

     
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  • Steve Werner
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    5. Steve Werner,
    Feb 11, 2013 4:29 PM   in reply to [Ariel]
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    It's clever, and probably useful for a small number of objects.

     

    The Illustrator method is much easier and a better choice when you need a large number of elements constrained to a single angle.

     
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  • [Ariel]
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    6. [Ariel],
    Feb 13, 2013 4:59 AM   in reply to [Jongware]
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    Although I marked Jongware's answer as correct (as it does what I asked for specifically), in fact in many cases it won't work, as far as I can tell. Using the pathfinder functions can in different/more complicated cases lead to the original graphic changing shape.

     
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