Copying, pasting, and replicating objects

Besides using the Windows Clipboard to copy and paste objects, you can duplicate objects easily using drag-and-drop, and replicate multiple copies of any object in precise formations. You can also transfer the formatting of one object to another, with the option of selecting specific attributes to be included when formatting is pasted.

To copy an object (or multiple selection) to the Windows Clipboard:

  • Click PagePlus tbr std copy Copying, pasting, and replicating objects Copy on the Standard toolbar.
    – or -
    Choose
    Copy from the Edit menu.
    – or -
    Right-click the object and choose
    Copy from the submenu.

If you’re using another Windows application, you can usually copy and paste objects via the Clipboard.

To paste an object from the Clipboard:

  • Click PagePlus tbr std paste Copying, pasting, and replicating objects Paste on the Standard toolbar.
    – or -
    Choose
    Paste from the Edit menu.
    – or -
    Right-click on the page and choose
    Paste from the submenu.

The standard Paste command inserts the object at the insertion point or (for a separate object) at the center of the page. To insert a separate object at the same page location as the copied item, use the Paste in Place command.

The Paste command defaults to the PagePlus object format, if available. Pasted text will come in as a new frame. In some cases an application places several formats on the Clipboard. There are various Clipboard formats, including “Device Independent Bitmap” and “Unformatted Unicode Text.”

To choose between alternative Clipboard formats:

  • Choose Paste Special… from the Edit menu.

To duplicate an object:

  1. Select the object, then press the Ctrl key.

  2. Drag the object via the PagePlus btn move Copying, pasting, and replicating objects Move button to a new location on the page, then release the mouse button.

  3. To constrain the position of the copy (to same horizontal or vertical), also press and hold down the Shift key while dragging. A duplicate of the object appears at the new location.

Replicating objects

Duplicating an object means making just one copy at a time. The Replicate command lets you create multiple copies in a single step, with precise control over how the copies are arranged, either as a linear series or a grid. You can include one or more transformations to produce an interesting array of rotated and/or resized objects. It’s great for repeating backgrounds, or for perfectly-aligned montages of an image or object.

PagePlus replicate Copying, pasting, and replicating objects

To replicate an object:

  1. Select the object to be replicated and choose Replicate… from the Edit menu. The Replicate dialog appears, with a preview region at the right.

  2. To arrange copies in a straight line, select Create line. For an X-by-Y grid arrangement, select Create grid.

  3. Specify Line length (the number of objects including the original) in the arrangement, or the Grid size. Note that you can use the Line length setting to include an odd number of objects in a grid.

  4. Set spacing between the objects as either an Offset (measured between the top left corners of successive objects) or a Gap (between the bottom right and top left corners). You can specify Horizontal and/or Vertical spacing, and/or an angular Rotation. To set a specific horizontal or vertical interval, check Absolute; uncheck the box to specify the interval as a percentage of the original object’s dimensions.

  5. Click OK.

The result is a multiple selection. Click its PagePlus btn group Copying, pasting, and replicating objects Group button if you want to keep the separate objects linked for additional manipulations.

Pasting an object’s formatting

Once you have copied an object to the Clipboard, you can use Paste Format (Edit menu) to apply its formatting attributes to another object. Again from the Edit menu, Paste Format Plus displays a “master control” Style Attributes Editor dialog that lets you optionally select or deselect specific attributes to be included when formatting is pasted. See Saving object styles for more dialog information.

Copying, pasting, and replicating objects