Orient Transform Tool
Orient Transform is an Astute Graphics tool for Adobe Illustrator that allows you to rotate and scale art in a single operation, by creating two reference lines; all selected artwork is linearly transformed such that the first line is mapped onto the second. Orient Transform is part of the SubScribe plugin.
Tool Location and Cursor Appearance
The Orient Transform tool appears in Illustrator’s main toolbar (which must be in Advanced mode: View > Toolbars > Advanced) stacked under the Orient tool and along with the Quick Orient tool in the SubScribe plugin. As with other stacked tools, click and hold on the top tool icon to display the tools stacked under it.
Orient Transform Tool Location
The Orient Transform tool’s default cursor is a standard crosshair. When duplicating artwork, a “plus” sign is added.
Orient Transform Tool Cursors
Orient Transform Tool Operation
As the Orient Transform tool has several keypresses which can add or change its functionality, we suggest installing the free Astute Graphics plugin Astute Buddy, which creates a panel that dynamically updates to inform you of the various keys which can be pressed in the tool’s current context.
To use the Orient Transform tool, two reference lines must be drawn: a source line and a destination line. This can be done by using one of two methods: by clicking once on each endpoint, or by clicking and dragging. The former method has the advantage of allowing you to scroll, zoom, change the view mode, etc. in the middle of the operation. However, to use several shortcut keypresses (detailed below), you must continue to hold the mouse button down after the second click used to define the second reference line.
Reference lines are annotated with small circles (red, by default) at each end; the source line is solid while the destination line is dotted. The cursor will snap to anchor points, raster image corners, and the ends of point text baselines even when Smart Guides are turned off.
Orient Transform Tool Example
While the destination reference line is being drawn, all selected art objects will be previewed in red in the new position and size they would have after being linearly transformed such that the source reference line would be mapped onto the destination reference line. Releasing the mouse button after drawing the destination reference line finalizes the transformation. If Option/Alt is held down, the art is duplicated to its new position rather than being moved. Holding down the Shift key constrains either reference line to 45° increments around the general constrain angle.
If the destination reference line is being drawn by dragging, or if the mouse button is held down after the second click, several additional keypresses may be used to add or change functionality. As with all Astute tool keypresses, these will be indicated on the Astute Buddy panel.
Space: Flips the orientation of the transformed art, as if the destination reference line had been drawn in the opposite direction. This is faster than actually redrawing the line.
Orient Transform Flipped Orientation
A: Toggles mirroring. When mirroring is enabled, after being transformed, the artwork is additionally reflected across the destination reference line, which is drawn with a more widely-spaced dotted line.
Orient Transform Mirrored Orientation
Mirroring mode is retained across uses of the tool.
D: Toggles persistent duplicate, so the Option/Alt key does not need to be held down to duplicate art. This can be useful when using the tool to make many successive copies of an art object. The mode is retained across uses of the tool.
R: Toggles “retain selection” mode. Normally, after duplication, the selection is switched to the new transformed duplicate (and the source reference line is moved to the position of the destination reference line). However, when retain selection mode is enabled, the original art remains selected and the source reference line remains in its original position. Retain selection mode is always disabled to start.
S: Toggles size locking mode. When the size is locked, only the position and angle of the selected artwork will be modified.
Orient Transform Size Locking
The Orient Transform tool honors the general preference Scale Stroke & Effects.
Orient Transform Preferences
Doubleclicking the Orient Transform tool in the toolbox (or pressing the Enter key when the tool is selected) will bring up its preferences dialog:
Orient Transform Preferences
1. Snap Tolerance
The tolerance for the cursor when snapping to artwork and reference line endpoints, in pixels.
2. Annotation Color
Allows a choice of colors in which to annotate the cursor snapping ring and reference line, from among red, blue, magenta, green, black, and grey.
3. Snap to Objects Only
When enabled, the cursor will not snap to the artboard nor to any automatically-generated guidelines.
4. Double-Click Resets Tool
When enabled, after creating the source reference line, double-clicking on the artboard will remove it, allowing you to redraw it in a different spot.
5. Informational area
Shows a brief description of each preference control when the cursor is being hovered over it.