Reshaping Graphics Objects

In this tutorial, the following topics are discussed:

Pointers

Vertices and Circle Points

Line Segments

Primitives

Reshaping Overlapping Objects

Multiple Objects

Pointers
The following sequence explains how to use the Reshape tool ( , , and ).

4.gif

Double-click the background and then double-click a filled rectangle to make the reshape/drag tool ( ) appear.

6.gif

You can now drag the rectangle.

7.gif

Move the pointer over a vertexthe subscript on the pointer is a small circle ( ).

9.gif

Now you can drag the vertex to reshape the line.

10.gif

Move the pointer over a line segmentthe subscript on the pointer is a small line ( ).

12.gif

You can drag the line segment to reshape the line. Rectangle primitives do not have selectable line segments.

13.gif

Vertices and Circle Points
The following sequence shows where the selectable points of graphics primitives are located and how to select them.

14.gif

Double-click the background and then double-click on an object to make the reshape/drag tool ( ) appear.

16.gif

Move the pointer over a vertexthe subscript on the pointer is a small circle ( ). Click to select the vertex. The other vertices are shown but are not selected.

18.gif

Shift+click another vertex to add it to the selection.

19.gif

Shift+click a selected vertex to deselect it.

20.gif

Drag the center or the top-right corner point of a Circle or Disk primitive to reshape it. The two vertices of a Rectangle primitive are at opposite corners. Polygon and Line primitives have vertices at every corner.

21.gif

Line Segments
The following sequence shows where the line segments of graphics primitives are located and how to select them.

22.gif

Double-click the background and then double-click on an object to make the reshape/drag tool ( ) appear.

24.gif

Move the pointer over a line segmentthe subscript on the pointer is a small line ( ). Click to select the line segment.

26.gif

Shift+click another line segment to add it to the selection.

27.gif

Shift+click a selected line segment to deselect it.

28.gif

Double-click a line segment to select all the line segments of the polygon.

29.gif

Polygon and Line primitives have line segments on their sides. Circle, Disk, and Rectangle primitives do not have selectable line segments.

30.gif

Primitives

Reshaping a Rectangle

The following sequence shows how to reshape a Rectangle primitive.

31.gif

Double-click the background and then double-click on an object to make the reshape/drag tool ( ) appear.

33.gif

Rectangles have vertices at opposite corners. Click a vertex of another rectangle to select it.

34.gif

Drag the selected vertex to reshape the Rectangle. Rectangle primitives do not have line segments that can be selected.

35.gif

Reshaping a Disk

The following sequence shows how to reshape a Disk primitive.

36.gif

Double-click the background and then double-click on an object to make the reshape/drag tool ( ) appear.

38.gif

Click the center point of another disk. You can now see the top-right corner point.

39.gif

Drag the center point. This keeps the top-right corner point fixed in the same place but changes the shape of the disk.

40.gif

Click the top-right corner point to select it. This deselects the center point.

41.gif

Drag the top-right corner point to change the radius of the disk. The center does not change.

42.gif

Reshaping a Polygon

The following sequence shows how to reshape the lower polygon to fit the upper polygon.

43.gif

Double-click the background and then double-click on an object to make the reshape/drag tool ( ) appear.

45.gif

Click the vertex A.

46.gif

Drag the vertex A to reshape the polygon.

47.gif

Click the vertex B and Shift+click the vertex C.

48.gif

Drag either B or C.

49.gif

Click the line segment k to select it.

50.gif

Drag k to reshape the polygon.

51.gif

Click the line segment l and Shift+click the line segment m.

52.gif

Drag either l or m to move them both together.

53.gif

Click the line segment n and Shift+click the vertex D.

54.gif

Drag either n or D to move them both together.

55.gif

Reshaping Lines

The following sequence shows how to reshape the line below to a zigzag pattern.

56.gif

Double-click the background and then double-click on an object to make the reshape/drag tool ( ) appear.

58.gif

Click the vertex A.

59.gif

Drag A to reshape the line.

60.gif

Click the vertex B and Shift+click the vertices C and D.

61.gif

Drag one of the selected vertices.

62.gif

Click the line segment k to select it.

63.gif

Drag k to reshape the line.

64.gif

Click the line segment l and Shift+click the line segments m and n.

65.gif

Drag one of the selected line segments to move them all simultaneously.

66.gif

Shift+click the vertex E to add it to the selection.

67.gif

Drag one of the selected line segments or E to move them all simultaneously.

68.gif

Reshaping Overlapping Objects
The following sequence shows how to reshape a hidden object.

69.gif

There are four hidden rectangles underneath the disk in the middle. Double-click the background and then double-click on an object to make the reshape/drag tool ( ) appear.

71.gif

To select one of the hidden rectangles, click the background and drag across the disk. To select the whole rectangle, you may need to start from a new position.

72.gif

You can move the rectangle by dragging its highlight.

73.gif

To reshape the selected hidden rectangle, first Shift+click a corner to deselect the vertex.

74.gif

Then drag the other vertex.

75.gif

Multiple Objects

Reshaping Multiple Rectangles

The following sequence shows how to reshape a set of rectangles simultaneously.

76.gif

Double-click the background and then double-click on an object to make the reshape/drag tool ( ) appear.

78.gif

Click one of the two vertices of a rectangle.

79.gif

Shift+click some vertices in the other rectangles.

80.gif

Drag one of the selected vertices. All of the selected rectangles will be reshaped simultaneously.

81.gif

Reshaping Multiple Lines

The following sequence shows how to reshape three lines simultaneously.

82.gif

Double-click the background and then double-click on an object to make the reshape/drag tool ( ) appear.

84.gif

Click a segment of one of the Line primitives.

85.gif

Shift+click segments in other Line primitives.

86.gif

Drag any one of the selected segments to simultaneously reshape the three Line primitives.

87.gif

Reshaping with Vertices and Line Segments

The following sequence shows how to reshape with different kinds of objects.

88.gif

Double-click the background and then double-click on an object to make the reshape/drag tool ( ) appear.

90.gif

Click the background and drag across all the line segments and vertices around the gap in the middle.

91.gif

Drag one of the selected line segments or vertices to simultaneously reshape the whole picture.

92.gif