Adobe InDesign CS4 - Manual (Page 336)

328 USING INDESIGN CS4
Drawing
Editing paths
Select paths, segments, and anchor points
Before you can reshape or edit a path, you need to select the path’s anchor points, segments, or a combination of both.
Select anchor points
• If you can see the points, you can click them with the Direct Selection tool to select them. Shift-click to select
multiple points.
• Select the Direct Selection tool and drag a boundary around the anchor points. Shift-drag around additional anchor
points to select them.
• Make sure the path that contains the anchor points is not selected. Move the Direct Selection tool over the anchor
point until the pointer displays a hollow square, and then click the anchor point. Shift-click additional anchor
points to select them.
• (Illustrator only) Select the Lasso tool, and drag around the anchor points. Shift-drag around additional anchor
points to select them.
Select path segments
Do any of the following:
• Select the Direct Selection tool , and click within 2 pixels of the segment, or drag a marquee over part of the
segment. Shift-click or Shift-drag around additional path segments to select them.
• (Illustrator only) Select the Lasso tool , and drag around part of the path segment. Shift-drag around additional
path segments to select them.
Select all anchor points and segments in a path
1 Select the Direct Selection tool or, in Illustrator, the Lasso tool.
2 Drag around the entire path.
If the path is filled, you can also click inside the path with the Direct Selection tool to select all anchor points.
Copy a path
❖ Select a path or segment with the Selection tool or Direct Selection tool and do one of the following:
• Use the standard menu functions to copy and paste paths within or between applications.
• Press and hold Alt (Windows) or Option (Mac OS) and drag the path to the desired position, and then release the
mouse button and Alt/Option key.
Adjust path segments
You can edit a path segment at any time, but editing existing segments is slightly different from drawing them. Keep
the following tips in mind when editing segments:
• If an anchor point connects two segments, moving that anchor point always changes both segments.
• When drawing with the Pen tool, you can temporarily activate the Direct Selection tool (InDesign and Photoshop)
so that you can adjust segments you’ve already drawn; press Ctrl (Windows) or Command (Mac
OS) while
drawing. In Illustrator, pressing Ctrl or Command while drawing activates the last-used selection tool.
Updated 18 June 2009