Gradiant handle, copy/ paste, position?

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cig
Posts: 26
Joined: Sun Oct 13, 2013 4:05 am

Gradiant handle, copy/ paste, position?

Post by cig »

Hi everyone.

If I copy and paste, an object, with a gradient fill; I get an exact copy, including the control handle data.
If I want to use that gradient on a different object; non of the tools copy the handle data across, to the new object.
I even tried saving as a style, and still no handle data was transferred.
There are not even any input boxes on the menu bar, to put the gradient handle rotation and position into.

Is there some key shortcut or function to copy and paste the handle data, along with the gradiant, please?

Thank you all. : )
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hayasidist
Posts: 3834
Joined: Wed Feb 16, 2011 8:12 pm
Location: Kent, England

Re: Gradiant handle, copy/ paste, position?

Post by hayasidist »

select the shape (shortcut key Q) with the gradient fill you want to copy. That will put the fill in the style window.

use the delete shape tool (that looks like an X) to delete the fill and stroke that the shape you want to change already has.

select the closed path (shortcut key G) you want to fill with that gradient.

use the create shape tool (shortcut key U) and press the "create shape" button in the menu bar.
cig
Posts: 26
Joined: Sun Oct 13, 2013 4:05 am

Re: Gradiant handle, copy/ paste, position?

Post by cig »

hayasidist wrote:select the shape (shortcut key Q) with the gradient fill you want to copy. That will put the fill in the style window.

use the delete shape tool (that looks like an X) to delete the fill and stroke that the shape you want to change already has.

select the closed path (shortcut key G) you want to fill with that gradient.

use the create shape tool (shortcut key U) and press the "create shape" button in the menu bar.

Thank you for your reply. : )

I followed your instruction exactly.
Unfortunately, the end result was the same as my earlier attempts.

The problem is that the gradiant control handle is applied at its default upward position, on the new object.
It means I cannot get a perfect match of angle and handle length, between objects of different shape.

I'm using AS 9.2. I don't know if it's been resolved in 9.5, but it definately is a SERIOUS omission, from my perspective.
I'll have to see if Fazek's toolset, corrects this.

Thanks again Hayasidist.
cig
Posts: 26
Joined: Sun Oct 13, 2013 4:05 am

Re: Gradiant handle, copy/ paste, position?

Post by cig »

No. Fazek's toolset, updated by Capricorn, does not copy the handle position either.
: (
cig
Posts: 26
Joined: Sun Oct 13, 2013 4:05 am

Re: Gradiant handle, copy/ paste, position?

Post by cig »

Ok.
Whilst moving the gradiant control handle:-

Ctrl key pressed: handle rotation only. No shrink/stretch.

Shift key pressed: handle rotation snaps to the nearest 45 degree increment.

Shift AND alt: handle length only.


Still not fine tuning though. Like to see input boxes for position, angle and length. (Hint, hint).
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hayasidist
Posts: 3834
Joined: Wed Feb 16, 2011 8:12 pm
Location: Kent, England

Re: Gradiant handle, copy/ paste, position?

Post by hayasidist »

ah! sorry - misread your post.

a step towards a (scripted) solution: "m_shape" has two vectors for the start and end of the control handle. The defaults for these seem to be centre of the bounding box and then up the y axis for a distance that is half the largest side of the bounding box. The shape then has three animation channels for scale, rotation and offset. As I see it, it would be relatively easy to script a solution to copy and paste the channels. The challenge would where the shapes are quite different - for example a tall and thin rectangle will have the default control vector from its middle to its top; but the same shape rotated 90 degress will have the same default control vector - from its middle to way above its top. Meaning, for example, if you wanted the gradient to go from middle to top in all shapes, you'd need to adjust the scale...

so your hint about input boxes: "position" would be relative to shape centre (=offset x and y) ; angle is straightforward (=rotation); length could be actual length or length relative to the distance to the edge of the shape in the direction of the "angle" (will need computation but will give scale) or simply length relative to the default length (=scale)
cig
Posts: 26
Joined: Sun Oct 13, 2013 4:05 am

Re: Gradiant handle, copy/ paste, position?

Post by cig »

No. You did'nt mis-read my post.
I did'nt make it clear enough, the first time.
I'm not all that good at putting my thoughts into concise explanations.

Be interesting to try scripting a workaround.

Thanks Hayasidist.

: )
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