Inkscape/C2/Align-and-distribute-objects/English-timed

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Time
Narration
00:01 Welcome to the Spoken Tutorial on “Align and distribute objects” using Inkscape.
00:07 In this tutorial, we will learn to:
00:09 * Align and distribute various objects
00:12 * Arrange objects in rows and columns
00:16 * Set spacing between objects and Create a tile pattern.
00:22 To record this tutorial, I am using:
00:24 Ubuntu Linux 12.04 OS
00:27 Inkscape version 0.48.4
00:31 Go to Dash home and type Inkscape.
00:35 Now click on the logo.
00:37 Let me open an already saved Inkscape document.
00:44 Here we can see 5 different shapes placed randomly on the canvas.
00:50 On your Inkscape canvas, please draw 5 shapes and place them as shown here.
00:55 Now, let us start aligning the objects.
00:59 Go to Object menu and click on Align and Distribute.
01:04 The Align and Distribute dialog box opens on the right side of the interface.
01:09 Two types of positioning are available here.
01:12 Align is where the centers or edges of objects are aligned to one another.
01:18 Distribute is where objects are distributed in horizontal or vertical direction, based on their centers or edges.
01:29 We can align objects in various manners using these options and their sub-options.
01:36 Here is another important feature: Relative to.
01:39 Using this, we can align the objects with reference to something.
01:44 Click on the drop-down list to see the options here.
01:47 So, we have Last selected, First selected, Biggest object, Smallest object, Page, Drawing and Selection.
02:00 By default, the objects will be aligned relative to Page.
02:04 This means that the selected objects will respond to the Align and Distribute operations, according to your Page dimensions.
02:13 Press Ctrl + A to select all the objects on the canvas.
02:17 The first 5 icons will align objects in the vertical direction.
02:22 Let me click on the first icon.
02:25 As the tool tip says, right edges of the objects are aligned to the left edge of the anchor.
02:32 Please recall, here the anchor point is page, as the Relative to option is Page.
02:38 Notice that 2 objects are overlapped now.
02:43 Overlap may occur based on the closeness of the objects in the previous arrangement.
02:48 We can correct this by clicking the Remove overlaps option which is below the Distribute option.
02:56 Now, the overlap is removed.
02:58 To adjust the gaps between the objects, both in horizontal and vertical directions, use the H and V options.
03:06 Now, click on the options under Align and observe how the objects align themselves.
03:14 Use the undo option CTRL + Z to understand the alignment better.
03:21 The tool tips are quite useful to help understand the alignment.
03:28 The last icon works only on texts. So we will learn about that in another tutorial.
03:35 Next, we will adjust the gaps among the objects using the Distribute option.
03:40 Since the objects are in vertical direction, we have to use the last four icons under the Distribute option.
03:48 Let me align them to the centre first.
03:51 Now, click on the options under Distribute and observe how the objects align themselves.
03:58 Once again, use the undo option CTRL + Z, to understand the alignment better.
04:07 Refer to the tool tips to help understand the alignment better.
04:13 Under Relative to, observe there is an option Treat selection as group.
04:19 This will align the objects as a whole group.
04:22 Click on the check-box.
04:24 Now, click on the icons one by one and observe the objects are aligned as a group, and not individually.
04:34 Let us uncheck the box.
04:36 Now, the objects will be aligned individually.
04:40 Next, let us align and distribute objects according to Last selected.
04:45 Change the Relative to option as Last selected.
04:49 So, bring all the objects inside the canvas and place them randomly.
05:01 Select the objects one by one. Select the circle last.
05:06 As before, click on the icons one by one.
05:10 Since the last selected object is circle, observe the objects are aligned according to the circle.
05:19 Likewise, you can try out all the options listed in Relative to and observe the alignment of the objects.
05:26 We will learn about the advanced options in Align and Distribute dialog box in later tutorials.
05:32 So, let us close this dialog box now.
05:37 Next, we will learn to arrange the objects in rows and columns.
05:41 Go to Object menu.
05:43 Click on Rows and Columns.
05:46 The Rows and Columns dialog box opens up.
05:50 Using this option, we can arrange objects in rows and columns giving necessary spaces.
05:57 Arrange the objects randomly on the canvas.
06:01 Now, let us arrange these objects in 2 rows and 3 columns.
06:05 So, change the Row parameter to 2.
06:09 Observe- when the Row parameter is changed, the Column parameter changes automatically.
06:15 Click on Arrange button at the bottom right.
06:19 The Align option helps to align the objects in the right, centre and left.
06:29 Check it one by one and observe the changes.
06:37 We can set the space between the objects, for both rows and columns, using the Set spacing option.
06:45 Now, change the space parameter as 5 for both row and column.
06:50 Click on Arrange button.
06:53 Observe the space between the objects.
06:56 Now, I will show how to create a pattern using Align and Distribute
07:01 I have a new Inkscape file with 4 squares of different sizes and colors.
07:06 Select all and rotate the squares so that they look like diamond shapes.
07:12 Open Align and Distribute dialog box.
07:15 Click on Centre on vertical axis.
07:18 Click on Centre on horizontal axis.
07:22 A tile pattern is now formed on the canvas.
07:25 Using these options creatively, we can form many unique patterns.
07:30 Let us summarize. In this tutorial, we learned to:
07:34 * Align and distribute various objects
07:37 * Arrange objects in rows and columns
07:40 * Set spacing between objects and Create a tile pattern.
07:45 Here are 2 assignments for you-
07:47 Create 5 circles having the following dimensions.
07:54 Arrange them randomly on the canvas and select all.
07:59 Using Align and Distribute, change Relative to option to Biggest object selected.
08:04 Click on Align left edges.
08:06 Click on Centre on horizontal axis.
08:10 Create 6 squares of blue color and size of 100 * 100 pixels.
08:17 Select all squares and open Rows and columns.
08:21 Arrange them in 3 rows and 3 columns.
08:25 Set both vertical and horizontal space parameter to 20.
08:29 Your completed assignment should look like this.
08:35 The video available at the following link summarizes the Spoken Tutorial project. If you do not have good bandwidth, you can download and watch it.
08:43 The Spoken Tutorial Project team conducts workshops using spoken tutorial and gives certificates for those who pass an online test.
08:51 For more details, please write to us.
08:54 Spoken Tutorial Project is supported by the NMEICT, MHRD, Government of India.
09:03 More information on this mission is available at this link.
09:07 We have come to the end of this tutorial.
09:09 This is Arthi and Saurabh from IIT Bombay, signing off.

Thanks for joining.

Contributors and Content Editors

Arthi, Nancyvarkey, PoojaMoolya, Pratik kamble, Sandhya.np14