Apache OpenOffice (AOO) Bugzilla – Issue 76780
Clone objects that sync
Last modified: 2013-02-07 22:36:24 UTC
I just thought of a new feature that would save me (and presumably tons of other people) lots of time and frustration. Not sure what to call it, so I will call it "cloning objects" for now (although "linking objects" might also be appropriate). For all I know, this feature might exist in other drawing programs. Wouldn't it be wonderful if an object or group of objects could be "cloned" instead of copied (like a symbolic file link)? The cloned object or group would then appear on the screen and could be moved and possibly a few transforms (position, size, orientation). With the exception of the few transforms, if you try to edit the object or group, it would change all the clones in the document. It is almost a logical extension to the OpenOffice "styles" philosophy. Plus, these clones will take up very little space in the document file. They would allow the user a hugely productive tool. There are many times I find myself making "n-up" documents in Draw- where I want the same group of objects several places on the screen. But if I decide to make a change, I have to delete all the copies, make a change, then copy and resposition all the copies. Syncing clones would eliminate that problem completely. Another example- when I draw complex diagrams and use the same group of objects that form a symbol that are used all over the diagram. Many times I have wanted to just change one symbol and have them all change, but I don't see a way to do that in OpenOffice Draw.
Reassigned.