Multiple Copy in Draw

[Les.]

Not strictly Linux, but it is my OS. If I create a fairly complicated item in Libre Office Draw, I often break it up into parts, and “group” them, to use as a single entity. I often do this by opening a blank drawing, then cut (say) a line, alt-tab to blank, ctrl-v to paste, back to main drawing and repeat for each part. They keep their positions on the drawing, and when everything is copied over, I Select All, Modify, Group to give me the complete entity.

I then Cut the item, switch back to original, and paste it back there.

If I could do “Multiple select”, cut, move and group, it would save loads of time switching backwards and forwards, and many copy paste actions.

Is this just a good idea, or can it be done (fairly easily)?

Les.

[Tippon]

Why do you copy and paste them as individual parts if you can group them? Why not draw a number of parts, group them and copy them over, then once you’re done, group the lot? Or, if you’re creating the item in one Draw window, can’t you group them all from there? I’m not sure I’m understanding what you want to do.

Daft question too, but have you tried holding the Ctrl key and clicking them to select multiple items, or dragging the mouse across them, as you would if you were selecting files?

[Les.]

Tippon, perhaps an example. I am currently drawing the rear wheel centre of a Ducati (Cagiva), as I am modifying the bearing arrangement. I want to show the original above the centre line, and the modification below it, to fully illustrate the changes.

I start off with the upper half above the centre line of just the hub and bearing carrier. I then group that, then copy and flip vertically to create the complete bare hub plus carrier, with correct spacing, then add my centre line.

Next, I draw the half of original bearing on one side, CUT its parts to an open drawing, group them there, then cut them back into correct position. That can then be copied for the other side. Similarly, the modifications are done below the centre line and so on.

I find this useful for many things. I recently modified a clutch master cylinder, building it up in stages, where I was able to check it would work correctly over its full range, having regard to bleed holes etc.

I think I have tried using CTRL for multiple select/copy, but don’t think it worked. I WILL try that again.

It is only a few months since somebody here pointed out the use of F4, which has saved me loads of time already. I am a slow learner with programmes, but as each new bit is learned, it quickly gets used. I don’t expect to be proficient before it is my turn for the grim reaper, but I will keep asking stuff here until then!

Les.

[Tippon]

I see what you mean now, you need to start on the original to keep the positions, but without multiple selections, you can’t group them. That sounds like a pain.

On a side note, I wish I had the patience to teach myself to draw properly. I bought a graphics tablet a while back to see if that would help, but I get too frustrated too quickly  :unsure:

[The Duke]

Would it not be easier (in the long run) too fire up gimp, and as you copy each section over, past it onto a transparent layer.

Then you can build as many variants as you want by just altering and re saving as another layer.

Gimp is the cheapest, or graphic that free old version of photo shop abode released a couple of years back. Old but would work. Or if you want somthing photo shop like on a budget, (that isn’t gimp) you could try Affinity photo, iirc it’s about £40, but gimp is free of course.

And of your not endocranated into the ways of Adobe, I’d jump straight into gimp. The learning curve is pretty much the same, they just do things slightly different, so using the one you didn’t learn on can be frustrating, as it so similar, but not the same.

To me It defo sounds like a program with layers, is defo what you need.

Simple to do. To keep the same scale, first copy /paste the original onto gimp, then basically trace each part over as a new layer, then remove the origanal layer and save. Done merge. Then you can simply swap out and change any layer at will.

[Ed P]

A selection box? Not tried it in Draw but in other programs an object is not selected unless it is wholly contained within the selection box (then copy not cut)

[Les.]

Duke, forget about Gimp. As I said before, I am lousy at software, and a new programme? No! I have tried Gimp a few times over the last decade or so, but it just leaves me pulling my hair out then closing it. Last time maybe 5 years ago, not again thanks.

I tried select line A, then holding ctrl whilst trying to add line B, no go. I tried with ALT, the same, likewise Tab, then F1, and F2. I found everything was very slow, and plenty of HDD noise! A quick save maybe, no File menu drop down. Then I spot many little figures (a bit like asterisks) populating the taskbar. WHAT? A 5sec press of PC’s OFF button fixes that. Restart, Libre office does a recovery, and everything is OK now. Goodness knows what was happening.

Unless a “try this, it will work” comes up, I will carry on as before. Slow, but it works. I have been using and improving with draw for more than 15 years, I just wish I knew a few more of its rules.

Ed, I have never used Excel, so that does not help me, but I will try some of the things mentioned in your link later. First I will complete this drawing, then play on an empty page with no costs if it screws up.

Les.

[Les.]

Edp, I use CUT not COPY, as when the object is re-created in a clean sheet, the grouped, I can cut or copy it back to original drawing. If I did not CUT, It would have a double image with possiblity of problems later.

Les. (this added as attempt to EDIT caused a server error.)

[Ed P]

From the LibreOffice Draw Wiki:

“Lets you select objects in the current document. To select an object, click the object with the arrow. To select more than one object, drag a selection frame around the objects. To add an object to a selection, press Shift, and then click the object.”

[Author]

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