duplicated shapes on circle path? Illustrator CS6

Question

I am wanting to create lots of small circles evenly spread to form a circle and am wondering what the best way to go about it is? I am thinking the blend tool? Is there a way to get it to follow a circular path? Otherwise I am just duplicating and using smart guides to align and then copying and mirroring to the other side. Just wondering if there is a more automatic way.

Answer 1

1. Draw a circle, and select it

2. Press R to select the Rotate Tool

3. Alt+click a centre of rotation

4. Type in a rotation angle in the Rotate dialog

5. Hit Copy

6. Hit Ctrl+D repeatedly to duplicate and copy the transform around the circle

For example

Answer 2

A circle with a dashed stroke having rounded caps ....

• Stroke weight controls the size of the "dots"
  ^{(i.e. an 8pt stoke means the "dots" will have an 8pt diameter)}
• Rounded caps makes them "dots"
• 0 dash makes the dash not have a length, resulting in "dots"
• Gap controls the space between "dots"
  ^{(center to center - so gap minus stroke weight = space between dots. In this case 15 - 8 = 7pts)}

You can then cut the circle however you need.
Or simply apply the dashed stroke to a path you already have.

If you then need each "dot" as an individual object...
... choose Object > Expand Appearance, and then Object > Expand from the menu.
You may need to then Object > Ungroup and/or Object > Compound Path > Release as well.