Copy and Align Objects Easily with Keyboard Shortcuts
In this quick tip, we look at how to easily copy and align objects when moving them with keyboard commands. This works in Vectric Aspire, VCarve, and Cut2D.
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Video Transcript:
Hey, everyone. In today's quick tip, we're going to look at some simple ways we can copy, align, and also copy and align objects quickly with keyboard shortcuts. So first off, just like any computer program, you can copy and paste objects inside of Vectric software.
So let's take this text, for instance. And if we wanted to copy and paste this, there's a few different ways you can do that. First, you can go up to edit, come down to copy and then paste. The next way, you can see the keyboard shortcuts right here.
CTRL+C to copy. CTRL+V to paste. The next way you can copy and paste is in your drawing tab. There's two buttons here called copy and paste. And then finally, you can right click on the object, come down to copy.
And it just copied that. And then you can right click and click paste. And you'll see it will paste it right on top of the other one. So that may be one issue when you copy and paste, when you paste that and then click away.
You can see it looks like we did not do anything. But you can see if we double click on this object to be able to move it and we just move it out of the way. You can see it did indeed create a copy of that text.
So that is just regular copy and paste. And just like I said, whenever you paste an object, it will remember the location and go right on top of the original shape that you copied. So just keep that in mind when you copy and paste.
But I'll show you some keyboard shortcuts you can use instead to copy objects. So we're going to select this one and delete that on our keyboard. OK, so now we have our original object here, and you can see if we move this,
it's just one single object. So we know there's no copies. So I'm going to do undo to move that back. Now, if we did want to copy this first, we would double click on this like we just did to move it into the transform mode.
You will see all the handles around here, as well as the option to move this shape. So if you click in the center here to move it, we can move it over here. But if we release our mouse right now, it's only going to move that object and it will not create a copy.
So if you do want to create a copy, you want to hold in the control key on your keyboard as you move this. And then first, release your mouse and then release the control key. And you'll see it will allow you to move the shape anywhere you want.
And when you release the mouse, it'll create an additional copy of the original shape, as well as leave the original shape in its original location. And you could do that with 3D objects as well. Now, next, we're going to look at keeping shapes in alignment.
So if we double click on this shape and we go to move it, you can see we can move it anywhere on our screen. If you have your smart snapping on, which is up here at the top in the center, it will snap in a straight line.
But you can also get off of that line fairly easily when you move your mouse away from the line. So if you want it to lock nice and straight into that line, you want to hold in the alt key on your keyboard and you'll see I can move my mouse up and down as much as I want.
But the shape still stays in alignment horizontally or vertically. We can move it vertically as well. Move the mouse left to right. And you could see it will not move. But as soon as I release the alt key on my keyboard, you'll see now I can move this anywhere I want to on the screen.
So that's if you want to keep it in alignment, you'll see if I hold the alt key, it'll snap horizontal and then I can release both the mouse key and the alt key. And you'll see it will just move the object, but keep it in a straight alignment, either horizontally or vertically.
Now, if you want to combine both of those that we just learned into one, we can copy and align objects down here at the bottom. So we're going to double click on the shape to be able to move it.
And now we're going to just combine both of those techniques. We're going to hold in the control key. We're going to hold in the alt key and then drag this handle down. And you'll see by holding the alt key, it is keeping it in a nice vertical alignment.
It's not allowing me to move it left or right. And by holding the control key, when I release the mouse first and then release the keys on my keyboard. Now, not only did it create a copy, it also kept it in a straight alignment to the original object.
So there you go. Those are three quick keyboard shortcuts you can use to copy, align, and copy and align objects. And like I said, these will work for any shapes or 3D objects inside of Vectric. And if you guys find these tips helpful, make sure you like the video and subscribe for more.
So let's take this text, for instance. And if we wanted to copy and paste this, there's a few different ways you can do that. First, you can go up to edit, come down to copy and then paste. The next way, you can see the keyboard shortcuts right here.
CTRL+C to copy. CTRL+V to paste. The next way you can copy and paste is in your drawing tab. There's two buttons here called copy and paste. And then finally, you can right click on the object, come down to copy.
And it just copied that. And then you can right click and click paste. And you'll see it will paste it right on top of the other one. So that may be one issue when you copy and paste, when you paste that and then click away.
You can see it looks like we did not do anything. But you can see if we double click on this object to be able to move it and we just move it out of the way. You can see it did indeed create a copy of that text.
So that is just regular copy and paste. And just like I said, whenever you paste an object, it will remember the location and go right on top of the original shape that you copied. So just keep that in mind when you copy and paste.
But I'll show you some keyboard shortcuts you can use instead to copy objects. So we're going to select this one and delete that on our keyboard. OK, so now we have our original object here, and you can see if we move this,
it's just one single object. So we know there's no copies. So I'm going to do undo to move that back. Now, if we did want to copy this first, we would double click on this like we just did to move it into the transform mode.
You will see all the handles around here, as well as the option to move this shape. So if you click in the center here to move it, we can move it over here. But if we release our mouse right now, it's only going to move that object and it will not create a copy.
So if you do want to create a copy, you want to hold in the control key on your keyboard as you move this. And then first, release your mouse and then release the control key. And you'll see it will allow you to move the shape anywhere you want.
And when you release the mouse, it'll create an additional copy of the original shape, as well as leave the original shape in its original location. And you could do that with 3D objects as well. Now, next, we're going to look at keeping shapes in alignment.
So if we double click on this shape and we go to move it, you can see we can move it anywhere on our screen. If you have your smart snapping on, which is up here at the top in the center, it will snap in a straight line.
But you can also get off of that line fairly easily when you move your mouse away from the line. So if you want it to lock nice and straight into that line, you want to hold in the alt key on your keyboard and you'll see I can move my mouse up and down as much as I want.
But the shape still stays in alignment horizontally or vertically. We can move it vertically as well. Move the mouse left to right. And you could see it will not move. But as soon as I release the alt key on my keyboard, you'll see now I can move this anywhere I want to on the screen.
So that's if you want to keep it in alignment, you'll see if I hold the alt key, it'll snap horizontal and then I can release both the mouse key and the alt key. And you'll see it will just move the object, but keep it in a straight alignment, either horizontally or vertically.
Now, if you want to combine both of those that we just learned into one, we can copy and align objects down here at the bottom. So we're going to double click on the shape to be able to move it.
And now we're going to just combine both of those techniques. We're going to hold in the control key. We're going to hold in the alt key and then drag this handle down. And you'll see by holding the alt key, it is keeping it in a nice vertical alignment.
It's not allowing me to move it left or right. And by holding the control key, when I release the mouse first and then release the keys on my keyboard. Now, not only did it create a copy, it also kept it in a straight alignment to the original object.
So there you go. Those are three quick keyboard shortcuts you can use to copy, align, and copy and align objects. And like I said, these will work for any shapes or 3D objects inside of Vectric. And if you guys find these tips helpful, make sure you like the video and subscribe for more.
