Select path segments, Select all anchor points and segments in a path, Copy a path – Adobe Illustrator CS4 User Manual

Page 75: Adjust path segments, Move straight segments, Adjust the length or angle of straight segments

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USING ADOBE ILLUSTRATOR CS4

Drawing

(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

Editing path segments works similarly in Adobe applications. 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, press Ctrl (Windows) or Command (Mac

OS) to temporarily activate the last

used selection tool (Illustrator) or the Direct Selection tool (InDesign and Photoshop) so that you can adjust
segments you’ve already drawn.

When you initially draw a smooth point with the Pen tool, dragging the direction point changes the length of the
direction line on both sides of the point. However, when you edit an existing smooth point with the Direct Selection
tool, you change the length of the direction line only on the side you’re dragging.

See also

Select paths, segments, and anchor points

” on page 67

Reshaping tool gallery

” on page 26

Move straight segments

1

With the Direct Selection tool

, select the segment you want to adjust.

2

Drag the segment to its new position.

Adjust the length or angle of straight segments

1

With the Direct Selection tool

, select an anchor point on the segment you want to adjust.

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