Edit symmetry

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You can edit symmetry groups in any of the following ways: by editing the objects in the symmetry group; by adding, repositioning, and rotating symmetry lines; and by editing the symmetry group as a single entity.

When editing a symmetry group, you can preview only the outline of object copies for faster rendering. This view makes it easy to identify the primary objects. You can also preview the object copies as full objects with the same fills, outlines, and effects that are applied to the primary objects. You can toggle quickly between the two preview modes. To evaluate the results more easily, you can also hide the symmetry lines.

Previewing object copies as outlines (left) and full objects (right)

You can use the Pick tool and Shape tool to modify the objects in a symmetry group. When you reshape the primary objects with the Shape tool, the vector previews appear in the default main color, and the object copy outlines appear in the default secondary color. For information about these preview colors and how to change them, see Options for nodes, handles, and previews.

The vector previews of the primary objects appear in the default main color when you are reshaping objects with the Shape tool.

You can apply fills, effects, and transparencies to the primary objects. Any changes you make to the primary objects are reflected in the object copies. You can add objects to the symmetry group, and you can delete objects you no longer need. In addition, you can drag objects into a symmetry group even if the group is not in Edit symmetry mode.

Editing a symmetry group

Modifying the symmetry lines affects how the elements in the symmetry group are positioned and oriented. You can add more symmetry lines for more object copies. In addition, you can move the symmetry lines to increase or decrease the distance between the primary objects and object copies; and you can rotate the symmetry lines. For more information, see To set up the planes of symmetry.

Move the symmetry line to change the distance between primary objects and object copies.

Rotating the symmetry line

As with any group of objects, you can move, rotate, and scale the symmetry as a single entity, preserving the spacial relationship between its elements. You can also apply fills and transparencies to the entire symmetry group, and you can modify the outline properties.

The symmetry group on the left is scaled (middle) and then rotated (right) with the Pick tool.

When you are editing a symmetry group, it is easy to snap objects to the symmetry line because the View Snap to Symmetry Lines command is enabled by default. This feature helps you fuse open curves and create closed shapes in your symmetrical design. If you don’t want the objects you edit to snap to the symmetry line, you can disable snapping to symmetry lines.

To edit the objects of a symmetry group

 

You can also
Display object copies as outlines or full objects	Click the Show full preview button on the property bar to disable or enable it.
Show or hide symmetry lines	Click the Show symmetry lines button on the property bar to disable or enable it.

You can start editing a symmetry group by double-clicking it or by clicking Object Symmetry Edit Symmetry.

You can also enter the Edit Symmetry mode by clicking a selected symmetry group while holding down Command.

You can also finish editing a symmetry group by clicking Object Symmetry Finish Editing Symmetry.

To drag an object into a symmetry group that contains objects

To drag an object into an empty symmetry group

To edit a symmetry group as a single entity

To	Do the following
Move the symmetry group	Drag it to a new location in the drawing window.
Scale the symmetry group	Drag a corner selection handle.
Rotate the symmetry group	Click the symmetry group again to display the rotation handles, and drag a rotation handle.
Apply a fill to the symmetry group	Click the Interactive fill tool , and drag across the symmetry group. Applying a fill to a symmetry group changes the fill of each object in the symmetry group. Bitmap and vector pattern fills are not reflected. Applying a fill to a symmetry group
Apply a transparency to the symmetry group	Click the Transparency tool , and choose transparency settings from the property bar. Applying a uniform transparency to a symmetry group The transparency replaces any transparencies that may have been applied to individual objects in the group. Bitmap and vector pattern transparencies are not reflected.
Add an outline to a symmetry group	Double-click the Outline icon on the status bar, and set the outline properties you want in the Outline Pen dialog box. For more information about outlines, see Format lines and outlines. Adding an outline to a symmetry group changes the outline of each object in the symmetry group.

To preserve the symmetry, skewing and stretching a symmetry group are not allowed.

You can move, scale, and rotate a symmetry group with precision by using the controls on the property bar.

To disable snapping to symmetry lines

Disabling snapping to symmetry lines makes it difficult to fuse curves in symmetry groups.

For more information about snapping options, see Snap objects.

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