How to Use "Copy Along Path"

I see that “copy along path” is a new feature for 0.9.0. I could use some help in figuring out how to use it.

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‘Copy Along Path’ allows you to select an object (circle) and a path, then specify to number of copies or the distance between each copy to be duplicated along that selected path object.

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At first, I thought this might be the long-awaited Text Along Path, as if text could be copied along the path.

Anyway, when I made a circle, and tried to copy squares along the path of the circle, the squares were not “on” the path. What am I doing wrong?

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  1. I drew a large circle.
  2. I drew a small square.
  3. I selected both.
  4. I selected “copy along path” from the menu.
  5. I chose to copy it 8 times without rotation.and did not select “space between copies”

Move the square close to the start point on the path. It keeps the relative spacing. I’m probably going to tweak how that behaves for the next release. If you need to see where the circle “starts” click the “edit start point” tool.

And this would copy you text, multiple times, along the path, not bend a single line. That’s coming though, and uses some of this code as its backbone.

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Where can I find the “edit start point” tool? Is that the same thing as “Edit Nodes”? If so, when I draw an ellipse/circle and select “edit nodes,” the circle doesn’t seem to have any nodes.

ALSO, does the order of selecting objects make a difference? i.e., do I select the item I want copied along the path FIRST and THEN the path . . . or do I select the object that is the PATH first, and THEN select the object to be copied . . . or doesn’t it make a difference?

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The ‘Set shape start point’ tool is the last icon on the left-side toolbar and looks like this

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As for the order of selection, it defiantly makes a difference. In my head I always say “copy THIS (the shape I want to copy) around THIS (the path to copy to).” to remind myself when selecting. :wink:

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Update:

Copy Along Path Improvements - Use the nearest point on the path as the start point.

Starting in version 1.5, Copy Along Path will use the nearest point on the path as the start point.


Copy Along Path now automatically starts from the nearest point on the path.

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