Distance Align Then Distribute

This is exactly the same as

This is exactly the same as the alignAndDistribute2 function if passed the type:#evenly argument with the exception that here you have to specify one object extra (and have one object at [0,0,0] coordinates) and as you don't sort the objects, they're aligned not based on their positions but rather their positions in the selection array (i.e. you get random results depending on the way you select them. As for finding out both the "border" nodes, in some sitations it could work, but those would be quite special. You have to pick at least one object as the starting one - that's what I did. I'm not sure if you tried the function, be sure to do it and then we can discuss what you think is missing/not working as you imagined.

Well, looking at it again,

Well, looking at it again, looks like I should learn to read first :) Anyway, if you want to use it for object collection without a line, use this version instead:

fn alignAndDistribute2 obj_arr start_node type:#closest =
(
	obj_nr = obj_arr.count
	local start_pos = start_node.pos, end_pos, point_dist
	struct geom_item (obj, dist)
 
	fn compareDist obj1 obj2 =
		obj1.dist - obj2.dist
 
	dist_arr = for g in obj_arr collect geom_item obj:g dist:(distance g.pos start_pos)
 
	with redraw off
		qsort dist_arr compareDist
 
	end_pos = dist_arr[dist_arr.count].obj.pos
	point_dist = (end_pos - start_pos)/obj_nr
 
	deleteItem dist_arr dist_arr.count
 
	case type of
	(
		#closest:
		(
			fn pointLineProj pA pB pC =
			(
				local vAB = pB - pA
				local vAC = pC - pA
				local d = dot (normalize vAB) (normalize vAC)
				(pA + (vAB * (d * (length vAC/length vAB))))
			)
 
			for objs in dist_arr do
			(
				new_pos = (pointLineProj start_pos end_pos objs.obj.pos)
				objs.obj.pos = new_pos
			)
		)
		#evenly:
		(
			for objs in dist_arr do
			(
				start_pos += point_dist
				objs.obj.pos = start_pos
			)
		)
	)
)

Pass it some border object (it's hard to find one programatically in many situations when some coordinates you'd like to test against are the same and so on) and the rest of the objects to be aligned. Now it should be roughly what you wanted in the beginning.