5 replies to this topic

[frax]

Hi,

I often have situations where I need to create e.g. 4 similar maps for one figure (for a report). Right now I am preparing a figure with four world maps displaying a time series. I thought I would prepare it as a full page with the four maps from top to bottom.

Now - I have struggled with this before on how to ensure that the duplication works fine, and so that it is most flexible. Ideally I would love to have it so that I could revise e.g. the coastline in one place for the four a-d maps and it would be updated.

One way is to create the four figures using one illustrator file, and save it down to four different ones, and then place them into a new Illustrator project.

I am not sure I am very good at explaining this... please let me know if you don't get it!

Any tips?

[Michael Schmeling]

I think you can achieve this with the transform effect:

Effect -> Distort & Transform

Under 'Move' enter the distance for your copies, at the right enter 3 for the number of copies. This is a live effect, so you can change the shape of your original path and the copies will follow.

[frax]

Michael - hmmm... Would would have to do that for each layer then - might work! thanks for the tip!

[Michael Schmeling]

You can make a graphic style out of it. Just drag your first shape (with the effect applied) to the graphic styles window. Now you can apply the style to any other shape and it will be duplicated in the same way.

[frax]

Thanks worked out very welll - this tip is a keeper!

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[Michael Schmeling]

Nice! Glad to be able to help you.