a.busbey@tcu.edu

[Arthur Busbey III]

I would like to be able to distribute objects along a pathway. For example, I would like to take a triangle and distribute a given number of triangles along a path with their bases rotated to sit on the pathway. I would like to be able to do this with any shapes. In looking through the brush information I get the idea it might be possible to do this, but I really can't quite grasp this. Does anyone know how to draw, specify an object, and tell EazyDraw to draw and repeat the object along the path? TIA

[Dave Mattson]

Short Answer:  Distribute menus, Arrows Along, or Brushes - in order of power and complexity.

Brushes - Draw the desired repeating shape. Open the Brushes palette, and Drag the shape to the bottom view on the Brushes palette.  Draw the Path.  Select the Path; click the "up arrow button" on the Brushes palette to apply the shape to the Path.  On the Brushes palette, set Method to Interval (or one of the other four sequence methods).  That is it. Now, start adjusting.  

Once done, your brush can be applied to any path. The Brushes palette has save and name options, or you can use Copy the Paste Special to apply just the brush to another path.

Distribute—The Distribute submenus has all the logical options if it is a straight path. These are the Format main menu, Align and Size submenu, and Distribute and Distribute Along menus.

Arrows palette (access from Tools main menu).  The easiest is Arrow For Each Segment, found on the Style Tab of the Arrows Palette.  Draw your Path with vertices along the Path, then apply an arrow shape to each vertex. 

Start by using the built-in Arrow shapes. This makes the job easy, and you will see how everything works. Use the Custom Tab on the Arrows menu to apply arrows anywhere along a path. Adjust spacing as desired. Use Transform to size and orient the shape. Use the Sequence to orient and position successive shapes along the Path using progressing traits, such as rolling or reducing size, to get a depth appearance.

For your own custom shape, draw the shape, then drag and drop it to the Custom View on the Arrows palette. This sounds like a big thing to learn, but if you practice with built-in arrows, then add your custom shape and maybe transform it, it's very manageable.

The EazyDraw Help pages and the PDF manual cover this in good detail. The Additions Pack has two tutorials on Arrows Along. The Brushed palette has several pre-built interval-along brushes to study.