1 00:00:00.03 --> 00:00:02.01 - [VOICEOVER] In this movie, I'll show you 2 00:00:02.01 --> 00:00:04.05 how to distribute objects with respect to the Artboard. 3 00:00:04.05 --> 00:00:07.09 Specifically, we're gonna take each one of these rectangles 4 00:00:07.09 --> 00:00:09.05 in the corner of the document, 5 00:00:09.05 --> 00:00:11.04 and we're going to align them precisely 6 00:00:11.04 --> 00:00:13.08 to the corners of the Artboard. 7 00:00:13.08 --> 00:00:15.09 Now the thing to know about this document 8 00:00:15.09 --> 00:00:17.06 is that I've set it up in advance, 9 00:00:17.06 --> 00:00:20.03 so that each one of these squares measures 10 00:00:20.03 --> 00:00:24.01 160 points wide by 160 points tall. 11 00:00:24.01 --> 00:00:29.02 Meanwhile, the Artboard measures 640 by 640 points. 12 00:00:29.02 --> 00:00:31.01 So, in other words, I've created the Artboard 13 00:00:31.01 --> 00:00:33.04 so it measures exactly four squares wide 14 00:00:33.04 --> 00:00:35.01 and four squares tall. 15 00:00:35.01 --> 00:00:37.00 And so if I want to align this green square 16 00:00:37.00 --> 00:00:39.04 to the top left corner of the Artboard, 17 00:00:39.04 --> 00:00:42.01 I can do so by first making sure that 18 00:00:42.01 --> 00:00:44.00 "Align to Artboard" is turned on. 19 00:00:44.00 --> 00:00:46.07 And then I'd click on "Horizontal Align Left" 20 00:00:46.07 --> 00:00:49.01 followed by "Vertical Align Top". 21 00:00:49.01 --> 00:00:51.06 The problem with that approach is 22 00:00:51.06 --> 00:00:53.09 I'm going to have to click on two icons 23 00:00:53.09 --> 00:00:56.04 for four different squares, 24 00:00:56.04 --> 00:00:59.07 whereas I can get the same results with half the effort 25 00:00:59.07 --> 00:01:01.06 using the distribution options. 26 00:01:01.06 --> 00:01:03.06 So, I want you to notice right now, 27 00:01:03.06 --> 00:01:05.04 with just one square selected, 28 00:01:05.04 --> 00:01:08.06 that we're seeing a total of six alignment icons 29 00:01:08.06 --> 00:01:10.05 up here in the control panel. 30 00:01:10.05 --> 00:01:12.02 I'm gonna go ahead and press "control z", 31 00:01:12.02 --> 00:01:13.08 or "command z" a couple of times, 32 00:01:13.08 --> 00:01:16.06 in order to undo the movement of that square. 33 00:01:16.06 --> 00:01:19.06 And then, I'm gonna shift-click on this green square 34 00:01:19.06 --> 00:01:21.07 in the lower right corner of the Artboard. 35 00:01:21.07 --> 00:01:23.09 And, as soon as I do, as soon as I have 36 00:01:23.09 --> 00:01:26.04 at least two objects selected, 37 00:01:26.04 --> 00:01:29.04 that's when I'll see six additional icons 38 00:01:29.04 --> 00:01:32.02 that represent the distribution options. 39 00:01:32.02 --> 00:01:35.03 And so, once again, with "Align to Artboard" turned on, 40 00:01:35.03 --> 00:01:38.01 I can now click "Vertical Distribute Center", 41 00:01:38.01 --> 00:01:40.09 followed by "Horizontal Distribute Center", 42 00:01:40.09 --> 00:01:44.00 and that will go ahead and move both of those squares 43 00:01:44.00 --> 00:01:46.00 into the desired position. 44 00:01:46.00 --> 00:01:48.00 Now I'll click in the upper right square, 45 00:01:48.00 --> 00:01:50.04 and shift-click on the lower left one. 46 00:01:50.04 --> 00:01:52.09 And I can click on those same icons once again, 47 00:01:52.09 --> 00:01:55.09 but because all of these squares are the same size, 48 00:01:55.09 --> 00:01:57.02 it really doesn't matter 49 00:01:57.02 --> 00:01:59.09 which one of these distribution options you click. 50 00:01:59.09 --> 00:02:03.00 So I could just as easily click "Vertical Distribute Top" 51 00:02:03.00 --> 00:02:06.00 followed by "Horizontal Distribute Left" 52 00:02:06.00 --> 00:02:09.00 in order to get the exact same results. 53 00:02:09.00 --> 00:02:09.08 And that, once again, is because 54 00:02:09.08 --> 00:02:12.00 all the squares are the same size. 55 00:02:12.00 --> 00:02:13.08 If they were a bunch of different sizes, 56 00:02:13.08 --> 00:02:15.08 you're gonna see different results. 57 00:02:15.08 --> 00:02:17.09 Alright, that works great when the Artboard 58 00:02:17.09 --> 00:02:19.04 is a very specific size. 59 00:02:19.04 --> 00:02:21.05 But let's say I change the size of the Artboard, 60 00:02:21.05 --> 00:02:23.09 by first switching to the Artboard tool, 61 00:02:23.09 --> 00:02:26.03 which you can get by pressing shift-o. 62 00:02:26.03 --> 00:02:27.09 And then, I'll just make sure my 63 00:02:27.09 --> 00:02:29.07 center reference point is selected. 64 00:02:29.07 --> 00:02:32.07 And then, I'll add to the width value "plus 100" 65 00:02:32.07 --> 00:02:35.00 and then I'll tab over to the height value, 66 00:02:35.00 --> 00:02:37.01 and I will do the same. 67 00:02:37.01 --> 00:02:38.09 I'll enter "plus 100" again 68 00:02:38.09 --> 00:02:41.03 and let Illustrator do that math. 69 00:02:41.03 --> 00:02:43.03 Now, if I were to press the escape key, 70 00:02:43.03 --> 00:02:45.03 in order to exit the Artboard mode, 71 00:02:45.03 --> 00:02:47.07 and with the squares still selected, 72 00:02:47.07 --> 00:02:50.03 I was to click on those same distribution options, 73 00:02:50.03 --> 00:02:53.04 "Vertical Distribute Top" and "Horizontal Distribute Left"; 74 00:02:53.04 --> 00:02:57.00 or, in fact, any of the distribution options, 75 00:02:57.00 --> 00:03:00.08 then I would end up aligning the objects to new positions. 76 00:03:00.08 --> 00:03:02.00 That's not what I want, however, 77 00:03:02.00 --> 00:03:04.01 so I'll just go ahead and press "control-z", 78 00:03:04.01 --> 00:03:05.09 or "command-z" on a Mac, a couple of times 79 00:03:05.09 --> 00:03:08.08 to put those squares back where I want them. 80 00:03:08.08 --> 00:03:10.03 But obviously, I still have 81 00:03:10.03 --> 00:03:11.09 a bunch of squares to distribute. 82 00:03:11.09 --> 00:03:14.04 And so, because I can no longer distribute them 83 00:03:14.04 --> 00:03:15.09 with respect to the Artboard, 84 00:03:15.09 --> 00:03:18.01 I'm gonna show you how to lock them into alignment 85 00:03:18.01 --> 00:03:21.05 with a key object in the very next movie.