Illustrator "grouping" question...

[mmmPeanutButter]

I imagine this is a no-brainer for you illustrator people...

I'm working on my cp and I made the big square for the background and then I made all of the inside components (in separate layers as necessary).

I grouped all of the inside components and then centered the group with the background square.  

When the items were grouped, they were put into the same layer.  Now I just want them to stay where they are, but go back to the layers they came from.  

How do I do it?

(or was there another way I should have grouped them?)

[mahuti]

Which version of Illustrator?

[mmmPeanutButter]

Which version of Illustrator?

Illustrator 10... it seems that all of the parts go into one layer and I just want to put them back where they were (without having to drag and drop each piece separately).

Thanks Mahuti...  it seems like you're consistantly the man with the answers when it comes to illustrator...  did you invent it or something? is your last name Adobe?  

[zorg]

When the items were grouped, they were put into the same layer.  Now I just want them to stay where they are, but go back to the layers they came from.  

How do I do it?

select one object or group of object.. using the direct selection tool (v)
on the layer window, click on the target layer you want to send the selected object.
using the object menu/disposition there's a submenu that allows you to "send to the selected layer"

[patrickl]

I guess when you group items they become "one object" and thus the resulting grouped object will force all components in one layer. I doubt you can avoid that, but I'm sure Mahuti (or Zorg) will correct me (I'm more a CorelDRAW user myself)

[zorg]

I guess when you group items they become "one object" and thus the resulting grouped object will force all components in one layer.

you're right grouping forces all the grouped items to be on one layer.

but as far as I understood the op problem.

he has a group of grouped objects.
and he want's to put each/some of this subgroups on different layers.

[patrickl]

He, he, lets have a discussion on what the question is

I understood he knows how to put the objects back to their original layer, but it's too much work. Taken from:

I just want to put them back where they were (without having to drag and drop each piece separately).

So I assume he wants an easy way out (or prevent the problem from happening). To which I can concur since I think it's an annoying problem too.

[mmmPeanutButter]

He, he, lets have a discussion on what the question is

I understood he knows how to put the objects back to their original layer, but it's too much work. Taken from:

I just want to put them back where they were (without having to drag and drop each piece separately).

So I assume he wants an easy way out (or prevent the problem from happening). To which I can concur since I think it's an annoying problem too.

Yea, you're right... when I group them, they all go in one layer.  Then I perform a command (in my example I grouped all the stuff on the cpo, and then centered the group with the big background square).  Now I want all the stuff to be ungrouped and return to their original layers (with minimal effort).  

I've got so far past that point, that I may just have to do it all the long way.  

I could always just leave it, but I'll eventually post it on the arcade art library so I'd rather it be a little user friendly.

[patrickl]

You can move the selection with Object->Transform->Move. If you calculate the displacement needed for the bounding box of the selection, you can move the selection without grouping it.

From the Info palette (window) you can see the X/Y coordinates and Width and Height. The X/Y coordinates give the upper left corner of the selected objects bounding box. Add half the width to the X and deduct half the height from the Y and you have the center coordinate.

Get the center for the bounding box of the whole selection and of an object that you have centered (in your case the big background square). Then deduct the center of the "centering object" from the center of the selection you want to align and use that displacement in the Move.

Not that this is that easy, but it might be a lot less work than grouping/ungrouping and putting everything back to the original layer. Anyway, it's the best I can come up with

I made an Excel sheet to explain what I mean. Rename the file to .xls and it should work.

[mmmPeanutButter]

You can move the selection with Object->Transform->Move. If you calculate the displacement needed for the bounding box of the selection, you can move the selection without grouping it.

From the Info palette (window) you can see the X/Y coordinates and Width and Height. The X/Y coordinates give the upper left corner of the selected objects bounding box. Add half the width to the X and deduct half the height from the Y and you have the center coordinate.

Get the center for the bounding box of the whole selection and of an object that you have centered (in your case the big background square). Then deduct the center of the "centering object" from the center of the selection you want to align and use that displacement in the Move.

Not that this is that easy, but it might be a lot less work than grouping/ungrouping and putting everything back to the original layer. Anyway, it's the best I can come up with

I made an Excel sheet to explain what I mean. Rename the file to .xls and it should work.

Well, yea.  That would probably be the way to do it (in retrospect).  Since the grouping/centering I have added a bunch and changed the coloring.

Now the debate is, do I just put everything back in its layer, or do I open an older revision where they were grouped and then copy and past the changed parts into the old one.  We'll see.  

Unfortunately it wasn't until after I did the grouping/centering that I really got a handle on the info palette coordinate thing.  I used it for everything.  Oh well, live and learn...

and let this be a lesson to all you Jr. Illustrator users!

[patrickl]

Do you really have that many objects that you can't put them back into the layers you want them? You can select the objects on screen and in the layer palette. Then you can drag and drop in a bunch of objects at a time.

I tend to group clusters of objects together. I guess I use that as layering in a way too. I normally use CorelDRAQ and that doesn't do nested layers. So maybe in Illustrator one could use nested layers for this. Actually I even name the objects I create.

[mmmPeanutButter]

Do you really have that many objects that you can't put them back into the layers you want them? You can select the objects on screen and in the layer palette. Then you can drag and drop in a bunch of objects at a time.

I tend to group clusters of objects together. I guess I use that as layering in a way too. I normally use CorelDRAQ and that doesn't do nested layers. So maybe in Illustrator one could use nested layers for this. Actually I even name the objects I create.

I actually do have a lot of objects.  I find the layers a nice way to organize things especially when it comes to locking and hiding.  right now if I want to lock a particular part, I need to run down this huge list of items to find what I am looking for.. pain in the ass.

At least all of the items are in the correct order (ie, the bottom items fo in the last layer, the items above that go into the second-to-last layer etc).  I'll probably open up the old revision to cross reference what items went into each layer...  shouldn't take too long.  Once I am done, I think I will be ready to send it out for printing...  can't wait!!