Add or delete anchor points – Adobe Photoshop CS3 User Manual

Page 384

PHOTOSHOP CS3

User Guide

377

Note: To align shapes that are on separate layers, use the Move tool.

•

To align components, use the Path Selection tool

to select the components you want to align, and select one of

the alignment options from the options bar.

Alignment options
A. Top B. Vertical Centers C. Bottom D. Left E. Horizontal Centers F. Right

•

To distribute components, select at least three components you want to distribute, and then select one of the
distribute options from the options bar.

Distribute options
A. Top B. Vertical Centers C. Bottom D. Left E. Horizontal Centers F. Right

Add or delete anchor points

Adding anchor points can give you more control over a path or it can extend an open path. However, it’s a good idea
not to add more points than necessary. A path with fewer points is easier to edit, display, and print. You can reduce
the complexity of a path by deleting unnecessary points.

The toolbox contains three tools for adding or deleting points: the Pen tool

, the Add Anchor Point tool

, and

the Delete Anchor Point tool

By default, the Pen tool changes to the Add Anchor Point tool as you position it over a selected path, or to the Delete
Anchor Point tool as you position it over an anchor point. (In Photoshop, you must select Auto Add/Delete in the
options bar to enable the Pen tool to automatically change to the Add Anchor Point or Delete Anchor Point tool.)

You can select and edit multiple paths simultaneously in Photoshop and InDesign; however, you can add or delete
points to only one path at a time in Illustrator. In Photoshop and InDesign, you can reshape a path while adding
anchor points by clicking and dragging as you add.

Note: Don’t use the Delete, Backspace, and Clear keys or the Edit > Cut or Edit > Clear commands to delete anchor
points: these keys and commands delete the point and the line segments that connect to that point.

Add or delete anchor points

Select the path you want to modify.

Select the Pen tool, the Add Anchor Point tool, or the Delete Anchor Point tool.

To add an anchor point, position the pointer over a path segment and click. To delete an anchor point, position

the pointer over an anchor point and click.

In Illustrator, you can add anchor points to a path by selecting the object and choosing Object > Path > Add Anchor
Points.