Aligning

Once you've selected your object, click on the one that you want to stay and then apply the function.

:) Mordy

No that does not work for me. What do you mean "So try offset ting the top line instead."

I think AI has some great features, but it is poorly designed. I really what to call it junk, but that is probably too strong. I say this because InDesign is new from the ground up and it works like you think it should. I do this align thing and everything is a go. Same with center aligning. Adobe know what is right or they would not have do this way in ID. Hope they can rewrite AI like ID some day.

Mordy

I must be really stupid. I've tried this and the line never shift right. Why is this soooo hard?

Follow these steps:

To align objects to a specific object (called a key object):

1. Draw two objects
2. Select both objects with the Selection tool.
3. Using the selection tool, click on the object that you want to remain in place.
4. Click on the desired Align function in the align palette.

:) Mordy

I think it's a bug.

1) Get the Layers Palette open where you can see it.

2) Line Tool: ShiftDrag to draw a short vertical line.

3) Flip the Layer 1 triangle so you can see that the line is listed.

4) Pointer: AltShiftDrag a copy of the line to the right. Look at the Layer Palette. The new line is above the original in Layer 1, as should be.

5) Control-D (to Duplicate the copy&transform). The third line is listed above the other two in the stacking order, as it should be.

6) Drag the still-selected line a distance downward.

6) Select all three. Align Palette: Make sure Auto is selected in the Distribution Spacing popup. Click the Distribute Vertical Centers button. The middle line jumps to the top of the alignment instead of the bottom one.

Repeat the whole process, but this time in step 6 move the original one vertically. Perform the alignment and the three distribute correctly, as jonf suspected.

However: Now try the whole thing with a series of 10 or so lines. First move the last (topmost) line before performing the alignment. It's not the last one, but the NEXT to the last one, which doesn't move. Then undo twice. Then move the first object (bottommost) and try it again. Now two lines fail to move; the first and last. Undo and try it by moving one of the in-between lines. The next to the rightmost one always stays put, even if you experiment by changing the stacking order.

I can imagine it being useful to have an OPTION for distribution to abide by stacking order, but that does not seem to be what is going on here. I see no rhyme or reason to it; and therefore no justification for it. So I think it's a bug. If intentional, then why does a similar thing not occur when distributing horizontally by centers?

JET

Mordy,

Glad you're here.

This isn't about aligning, but distributing vertically. Is there a logic to the behavior described above, that I am just missing?

JET

I'm stuck in AI10 at this location, BTW. Don't know if this is the same behavior in CS 'till I get back to the Studio.

JET

Mordy,

Yes, that is a big help for aligning to center, but that does not seem to apply to aligning in using the distribute function when trying to stair step objects.