Selecting Points

Selecting Points

Anchor points define the shape of paths. So when you select and work with the points on a path, you also change the shape of the path. This is how great artwork begins.

FreeHand has two tools that select and move poin 252n1315c ts: the Pointer tool and the Subselect tool. However, as you shall see, the Subselect tool can be found as an option when working with the Pointer tool.

To select points by clicking:

Click the Pointer tool in the Tools panel

Figure 7. The Pointer tool in the Tools panel.

Move the tip of the arrow of the Pointer tool on the path and click. This selects the path with its anchor points visible . Although the anchor points are visible, they are not individually selected.

Figure 8. The anchor points of a path show up as dark squares when the entire path is selected.

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Do not use a path drawn with the Rectangle or Ellipse tools unless you have first ungrouped the objects (see pages 103 - 104 for more information on grouping and ungrouping objects).

Move the tip of the arrow over one of the points and click. The point is now selected and is shown as a hollow dot . If it has point handles, they will be visible.

Figure 9. A point on a path is displayed as a hollow dot when that single point is selected.

Hold the Shift key and click with the Pointer tool to select additional points.

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If you need to deselect a point, hold the Shift key and click on the selected point. This deselects the point without deselecting the path or other points.

Another way to select points is by using the Pointer to marquee an area around the points you want to select.

To select points with a marquee:

Place the Pointer tool outside the point or points you want to select.

Press and drag to create a rectangle that surrounds the points you want selected . The area inside the rectangle is the marquee.

Figure 10. Drag a marquee with the Pointer tool to select the points inside the marquee rectangle.

Release the mouse button. This selects all points inside the marquee.

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To select points in more than one area, create your first selection marquee. Then press the Shift key and create your next selection marquee.

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Hold the Cmd/Ctrl key to temporarily switch from another tool to the Pointer tool.

Sometimes creating a marquee may select points you don't want selected. In that case you may want to use the Lasso tool, which can select points in a non-rectangular area.

To select points within a non-rectangular area:

Choose the Lasso tool in the Tools panel

Figure 11. The Lasso tool in the Tools panel.

Place the Lasso tool outside the point or points you want to select.

Press and drag to create an area that surrounds the points you want selected

Figure 12. Use the Lasso tool to select points within a non-rectangular area.

Release the mouse button. This selects all points inside the marquee.

To deselect points that are selected:

Click elsewhere on the work page to deselect points.