CorelDraw 10 : Copying Objects

5/26/2013 7:34:26 PM

There are two ways to copy an object: copy it to the Windows Clipboard (and then paste it into the document) or duplicate it. The result is the same, but the amount of computing power used for the two procedures is different.

If you copy an object to the Clipboard, you can then paste it into the current page or other pages in your CorelDraw document. It will also be available for pasting into other Windows programs. For example, you could paste a rectangle or star copied from CorelDraw into a Microsoft Word document. However, copying and pasting an object—especially a complex one—can tie up your computer.

CorelDraw's Duplicate command bypasses the Clipboard, making it a faster operation. In addition, you can specify exactly where the duplicate will appear in relation to the original, whereas a copy will always appear on top of the original.

To copy an object using the Clipboard:

1.	Select the object you want to copy.
2.	Choose Edit > Copy or press . The object is copied to the Clipboard.
3.	Choose Edit > Paste or press . A copy of the object appears, directly on top of the original.
4.	Drag the copy to the desired position.

To copy an object by dragging:

1.	Using the Pick Tool (or another tool), right-click the object you want to copy and drag it to the desired position.
2.	Release the mouse button.
3.	Choose Copy Here from the pop-up menu that appears (Figure 1). Figure 1. Choose Copy Here to create the copy.

To duplicate an object:

1.	Select the object to be duplicated.
2.	Choose Edit > Duplicate or press . The duplicate appears slightly to the right and above the original (Figure 2). Figure 2. A duplicate is automatically offset from the original and selected.

Smart duplication helps you create a series of evenly-spaced duplicate objects.

To create a series of objects using smart duplication:

1.	Select the object you want to duplicate.
2.	Choose Edit > Duplicate or press . A selected duplicate of the original appears.
3.	Using the Pick Tool, move the duplicate object to the desired position in the series (Figure 3). Be sure to leave the duplicate object selected. Figure 3. Reposition the first duplicate so it's the desired distance and direction from the original.
4.	To duplicate the repositioned duplicate object, choose Edit > Duplicate or press again. A second duplicate appears, positioned the same distance and direction away.
5.	Continue choosing Edit > Duplicate or pressing until there are as many evenly-spaced duplicates as you need (Figure 4). Figure 4. Continue making duplicates until you've completed the series.

Tips

Another quick way to copy a selected object is to press on your numeric keypad. This places a copy of the object on top of the original.
Remember that if you're dragging an object with any tool other than the Pick Tool, you must first select the object and drag from the x in its center.

Cloning objects

Like duplication, cloning bypasses the Clipboard to quickly create a copy of the original. However, unlike duplication, cloning creates a link between the original and the copy. Any changes made to the original also effect the clone. This is handy, for example, if you have 100 cloned circles in a drawing and want to change all of their fill colors from red to blue. All you'd have to do is select the original circle and fill it with blue.

To clone an object:

1.	Select an object with the Pick Tool.
2.	Choose Edit > Clone. A clone appears (Figure 5). Figure 5. The clone appears, above and offset from the original.
3.	To make additional clones of the same object, repeat Steps 1 and 2. (Note that you must make each clone from the original object; you cannot clone a clone.)

Tips

The link between a clone and the original goes only one way. If you alter the original, all clones are changed, too. But if you alter a clone, the original is unaffected.
You can distinguish a clone from the original by checking the status bar. If a clone is selected, the description will include the word “Clone.” If the original is selected, the description will include the word “Control.”
Once you've altered a specific attribute of a given clone (its color, for example), that attribute is no longer linked to the original. However, all other attributes (shape and size, for example) continue to be linked to the original. To restore a clone's attributes so that it matches the original again, right-click the clone and choose Revert to Master from the pop-up menu that appears. In the Revert to Master dialog box (Figure 6), enter checkmarks for the attributes to be restored and then click OK.
Figure 6. If you've altered a clone and want to undo some or all of the changes (making it match the original), you can do so in the Revert to Master dialog box.