Replicating Objects

There are several commands you can use to create duplicates of objects. Use the Copy command when you want to put the object on the clipboard (see page 56) so you can paste it somewhere else.

To copy objects:

1.	Select an object to copy.
2.	Choose Edit > Copy. Use the Cut command to remove the object from the page so it can be pasted elsewhere.

To cut objects:

1.	Select an object to cut.
2.	Choose Edit > Cut. Use the Paste command to see the contents of the clipboard.

To paste objects:

• Choose Edit > Paste. The contents of the clipboard appear in the center of the window area .
  
  

  The Paste command places the object in the center of the page.

  

  or
  
  Choose Edit > Paste in Place. The contents of the clipboard appear in the same location as when they were originally selected.
  
  

The Duplicate command makes a copy without changing the contents of the clipboard.

To duplicate objects:

1.	Choose the object to duplicate.
2.	Choose Edit > Duplicate. The selected object appears on the page slightly offset from the original .

The Duplicate command places the object slightly offset from the original.

Using Paste in Place

I always wondered just how useful the Paste in Place command is. After all, if you already have a copy of an object in one place, why would you need a second copy right over it?

That's not the point of Paste in Place. The power of the command is that you can paste an object in the same place on different pages. You can even paste in the same place in different documents.

PageMaker users will recognize this as the Powerpaste command. QuarkXPress users will wonder how they ever got along without it.

You can also duplicate many objects at once.

To duplicate multiple objects:

1.	Choose an object.
2.	Choose Edit > Step and Repeat. The Step and Repeat dialog box appears . Use the Step and Repeat dialog box to make multiple copies of an object positioned at specific horizontal and vertical intervals.
3.	In the Repeat Count field, enter the number of duplicates that you want to create in the top row.
4.	In the Horizontal Offset field, enter a distance for the horizontal space between duplicates.
5.	In the Vertical Offset field, enter a distance for the vertical space between duplicates. Tip If you want space between the objects, make the offset at least the width or height of the object plus the amount of space between the objects.
6.	Click OK. The selected object is duplicated in the desired positions . The Step and Repeat command created five copies of the first circle. Tip The Horizontal and Vertical Offsets are remembered when you choose Edit > Duplicate. The offset is also remembered when you duplicate an object using Opt/Alt+drag.

You might want to duplicate objects so they form a horizontal and vertical grid .

An example of how to use the Step and Repeat command to create a grid of objects.

To create a grid of objects:

1.	Set the Step and Repeat dialog box as follows: In the Repeat Count field, enter the number of duplicates for the top row. Enter the distance for the Horizontal Offset. Leave the Vertical Offset as zero.
2.	Select all the objects in the row, and set the Step and Repeat dialog box as follows: In the Repeat Count field, enter the number for the additional rows. Leave the Horizontal Offset as zero. Enter a distance for the Vertical Offset.