# Working with Selections

You can select and modify any drawing object using the lasso (the default) or the rectangular marquee selection tool. When you select a drawing object, a bounding box appears around it and you can then change its properties (colour, shape, angle) or its position in the drawing space.

Once you select an object, you can change its properties interactively in the view or change them in the Pen Tab or Text Tab. You can also copy, cut and paste selections.

To activate the Select tool:

1. Activate the Select tool. Do one of the following:

- To select one or more objects, select Tools > Select.
- To select all the objects, click the Drawing View and select Edit > Select All.

2. Make a selection:

- Drag the Select tool over each drawing object.
- Draw a closed shape around the drawing objects.

Tip

Other ways to activate this tool:

- From the Tools Toolbar, click the Select button.
- Select in the panel’s pop-up menu.
- Windows users can use the [Ctrl]+[A] shortcut to select all objects.
- Mac OSX users can use the [Command]+[A] shortcut to select all objects.

Tip

You can use keyboard shortcuts to have more control over selections:

- Press [Shift] to select additional objects.
- To copy a selection, Windows users can press [Ctrl] and drag the copied selection away from the original one.
- To copy a selection, Mac OSX users can press [Command] and drag the copied selection away from the original one.

To deselect objects:

- To deselect an object without deselecting the others, press [Shift] and click the objects you want to remove from the selection.
- To deselect all objects, select Edit > Deselect All.

Tip

Other ways to deselect objects:

- Click the Select tool in an empty area in the panel.
- Use the [Esc] shortcut.

When this tool is active, press [Shift] to deselect an object while keeping the other selections active.

To permanently use the rectangular marquee selection tool:

1. Select Edit > Preferences.

2. Click the Drawing View tab.

3. Turn off the Select Tool Is Lasso check box.

4. Click OK to confirm your changes.

Tip

The selection tool is a lasso by default. To temporarily use the rectangular marquee selection tool, press the [Alt] key while selecting a drawing object.

#### Resizing, rotating and moving selections

If you take a close look at the bounding box that appears around selected objects, you will notice that there are small boxes in each corner, in the centre of each side, and on the right side of the bounding box. These boxes act as handles that you can use to change drawings.

Depending on the handle you select, you can make different types of changes to the selected object. When you pass your pointer over a handle or over the object, the pointer changes to indicate the type of change you can make.

- Move : changes the current position of the selected lines/shapes.
- Deform : changes the size of the selected lines/shapes.
- Rotate : changes the angle of the selected lines/shapes.
- Resize : changes the width and height of the selected lines/shapes.

If you drag a handle beyond its opposing handle on the bounding box, you will flip the drawing object either horizontally, vertically or diagonally. For greater precision in flipping drawing objects horizontally or vertically, use the Flip Selection Horizontally and Flip Selection Vertically commands. For more information on using these commands, see Flipping Drawing Objects.

Tip

You can use keyboard shortcuts to have more control over the resizing and rotation of drawings:

- Press [Shift] to resize a drawing without deforming it.
- Press [Alt] as you resize to, and maintain the static centre-point, instead of scaling the drawing object from the opposite corner that you drag from.
- Press [Shift] to rotate drawings in 15 degree increments.
- Press [Alt] as you rotate a selection from the centre, regardless of where the pivot point is positioned.

#### Changing the pivot point for scaling and rotating

You can change the pivot point, or centre of rotation and scaling effects. This might come in handy if you want to rotate or scale a drawing from a corner, rather than from the centre.

To change the pivot point:

1. Select the drawing object you want to transform.

2. In the bounding box, drag the pivot point to a new position.

3. Scale or rotate the drawing object.

Tip

You can use keyboard shortcuts to have more control over the resizing and rotation of drawings:

- Press [Alt] as you resize to and maintain the static centre-point, instead of scaling the drawing object from the opposite corner that you drag from.
- Press [Alt] as you rotate a selection from the centre, regardless of where the pivot point is positioned.