Reshaping Graphics Objects

In this tutorial, the following topics are discussed:

Pointers

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

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

You can now drag the rectangle.

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

Now you can drag the vertex to reshape the line.

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

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

Vertices and Circle Points

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

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

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

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

Shift+click a selected vertex to deselect it.

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.

Line Segments

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

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

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

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

Shift+click a selected line segment to deselect it.

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

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

Primitives

Reshaping a Rectangle

The following sequence shows how to reshape a Rectangle primitive.

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

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

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

Reshaping a Disk

The following sequence shows how to reshape a Disk primitive.

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

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

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

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

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

Reshaping a Polygon

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

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

Click the vertex A.

Drag the vertex A to reshape the polygon.

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

Drag either B or C.

Click the line segment k to select it.

Drag k to reshape the polygon.

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

Drag either l or m to move them both together.

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

Drag either n or D to move them both together.

Reshaping Lines

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

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

Click the vertex A.

Drag A to reshape the line.

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

Drag one of the selected vertices.

Click the line segment k to select it.

Drag k to reshape the line.

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

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

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

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

Reshaping Overlapping Objects

The following sequence shows how to reshape a hidden object.

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.

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.

You can move the rectangle by dragging its highlight.

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

Then drag the other vertex.

Multiple Objects

Reshaping Multiple Rectangles

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

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

Click one of the two vertices of a rectangle.

Shift+click some vertices in the other rectangles.

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

Reshaping Multiple Lines

The following sequence shows how to reshape three lines simultaneously.

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

Click a segment of one of the Line primitives.

Shift+click segments in other Line primitives.

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

Reshaping with Vertices and Line Segments

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

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

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

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