Direct select tool in illustrator CC not working

I think i might of, at some point, hit a shortcut key by mistake that has rendered my direct select tool duff. But after a lot of search and going through options i can't figure out what's going on.
If i select the direct select tool (A), click on my expanded stroke split into dashed lines. Usually i'd be able to use direct select to target each dash, but instead now nothing gets select when i use my direct select. Nothing at all. It's bugging the hell outta me as it's effecting my workflow. Is this a bug, or an option that's been switched on/off?

Doidge,
Is the Direct Selection Tool working normally for other tasks?
If it is, there must be something strange about the former dashes. You may have a closer look at them in the Layers palette.
If not, there may be preference corruption. You may press Ctrl+Alt+Shift/Cmd+Option+Shift during restart of Illy, or Move the folder (follow the link with that name); the latter is reversible.

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hiking11 wrote:
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Direct selection tool not showing anchors illustrator CS3, Mac 10.5.8, MBP 2.6 GHz

With the direct selection tool (white arrrow) moving over an anchor they show up, but even if the anchor is selected the anchor blue box disappears as soon as the mouse moves away, so its impossible to select a handle. I can still move an anchor, but its hard to select two anchors to joint the paths etc., sort of like driving blind. If I click on a path, then hold down the command key, the hollow box anchors show up and the cursor changes into the selection tool. The hollow boxes show up on selecting using the selection tool (black arrow). I am pretty direct selection tool was working correctly last week (am an occasional user).
I've know the difference between the select tool, direct selection tool, and group selection tool. I think this happened a year ago and deleting a preference file helped. I, quit illustrator, deleted "com.adobe.illustrator.plist" in my user library, and tried again. that didn't help.

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Direct selection tool not working

Im trying to use the direct selection tool, but instead of moving objects its only moving anchor points.. how can i fix this? it doesn't usually happen!! Im using illustrator CS6
THANKS!!!

godcoma,
I believe the (normal black arrow) Selection Tool is what you are after here.
If you ClickDrag an Anchor Point of an unselected object with the Direct Selection Tool, only that Anchor Point will be dragged along. If the whole object is selected, the whole object will be dragged along. You may select the whole object in the Layers palette if that is what you wish.

Direct Selection Tool don't works cause points dissapear in shapes

Good evening,
I'm using Photoshop CC under a Macbook Pro Retina Display (15 inches), I've noticed that since lasts updates, when I use the direct selection tool for chaning a shape trace the points that should appear for selecting each anchor dissapears, and there's no way to get them back (sometimes by closing the program and restarting fixes this issue).
The tool is working because when I clic somewhere over a shape it gets highlighted on layers panel, but I can't see the points and so, can't modify the shape.
Does this belongs to any option? (I know in Illustrator there's an option to see or hide the points, but don't know if in Photoshop goes the same way or not) or it's a bug from the last updates? (I would say that it didn't happen at the beggining). But as I use a lot shorcuts, sometimes I can make a misstake and press cmd + wrong key, so I think it could be the reason for this... but I'm not quite sure.
Thanks in advice!
EDIT:
I've seen that if I hide the "extras" (cmd + H) it hides the guides but also the points from shapes (that shouldn't be this way, right?) and even I can see them when I turn them on, I can't pick just one as I did in CS6 by using direct selection tool and pressing on just one point (at the beggining all of them are highlighted cause you've got selected the whole shape layer, but when you press one, it should get this highlighted and turn off the rest of them), and the only way to get just one point is to pan with the cursor and make a selection, passing over the points you want to highlight, but this is annoying cause if you've got any other shape below, it will select it as well.

1000x this. My designs are 100% vector shapes, so if Adobe have changed this core behavior intentionally, they’ve just made my life a lot more difficult.
We should be able to use the Direct Selection Tool to select a shape layer (similar to how the Move Tool has done) by clicking on any visible pixel. But then we should be able to freely drag-select points on that shape (starting from any neutral area) without selecting other shape layers. This is how it’s worked since before I can remember.
Here’s why the two new selection modes don’t work:
Active Layers - I can no longer freely select any visible shape. Instead I’m forced to make a time-consuming roundabout to the layer palette, where I have to squint to find my shape layer, and activate it manually before continuing. (Hitting “V” to select a layer, then “A” to get back to the D.S. Tool is nearly as cumbersome. Plus, I leave off the Move Tool's auto-select mode.)
All Layers - Treats all my shapes as if they’re on one layer. Overlapping shapes are therefore impossible to work with -- mainly drag-selecting and deselecting points -- in situ.
We either need a “legacy” setting, or some way to constrain selection on drag, via a key modifier or something. This “all or nothing" thing doesn’t work for me... and apparently for others. Why would they change such a thing?
Or maybe there’s something I’m missing. Please let that be the case!

Direct Selection Tool will not choose individual "path" anchor points

Photohsop CS4, 11.0.1
Mac OSX 10.4.11, MacPro, Dual-Core Intel Xeon, 2.66 GHz, 9GB RAM, NVIDIA GeForce 7300 GT-256 MB VRAM, 500GB Startup HD, 500GB HD (wlhere file resides and scratch disk), OpenGL enabled
I am unable to select individual anchor points and line segments of a path, although the anchor points appear to be individually highlighted, copying them copies the entire path, not just the selected points, and deleting them deletes the entire path, not just the selected points. In effect the "hollow arrow" direct selection tool is working like the "solid arrow path selection" tool.
I ran Disk Warrior, repaired disk permissions. I deleted old preferences by renaming file with Photoshop closed, and then restarted photoshop.
After calling Adobe Tech Support, they are recommending I reinstall the entire CS4 suite, which I am hesitant to do. At the least I will lose all of my menu preferences in all programs. Should I just follow their advice and reinstall CS4?
Thanks.

When you click on it with path selection tool (black arrow) which option is enabled in options bar at top - add, subtract, intersect, or exclude?
Can you combine paths?
Have you tried drawing a new path and selecting points on it?
Can you still add and subtract points?
Edit: Can you pull on the bezier handles?
Edit: is it a vector mask or a standalone path?
I'm trying to simulate your problem – in the meantime I'm brainstorming, not sure how else to help. It seems like something restarting the program would fix.
What about quitting the app. Then going to User: Library: Prefs: Adobe Photoshop CS4 paths, trash it then restart?
Message was edited by: Printer_Rick: Added Edit: Can you pull on the bezier handles?

Direct selection tool not showing points

I'm using Illustrator 11 and Windows XP
When trying to select anchor points using the direct selection tool it is no longer highlighting them as little boxes. I've obviously pressed something accidentally but can't work out how to get them back ! Help please.

If you'd like a more verbose explanation, please see
FAQ #13

How do i get my direct selection tool to work properly?

using adobe cc 2014 and all of a sudden the space bar does not turn the direct selection tool into the hand to drag a pasteboard.
it seems universal across the above programs
amazing how such a little thing kills productivity

spooney,
As I (mis)understand the issue, you may try the list.
The following is a general list of things you may try when the issue is not in a specific file, and when it is not caused by issues with opening a file from external media. You may have tried/done some of them already; 1) and 2) are the easy ones for temporary strangenesses, and 3) and 4) are specifically aimed at possibly corrupt preferences); 5) is a list in itself, and 6) is the last resort.
If possible/applicable, you should save current artwork first, of course.
1) Close down Illy and open again;
2) Restart the computer (you may do that up to at least 5 times);
3) Close down Illy and press Ctrl+Alt+Shift/Cmd+Option+Shift during startup (easy but irreversible);
4) Move the folder (follow the link with that name) with Illy closed (more tedious but also more thorough and reversible), for CS3 - CC you may find the folder here:
https://helpx.adobe.com/illustrator/kb/preference-file-location-illustrator.html
5) Look through and try out the relevant among the Other options (follow the link with that name, Item 7) is a list of usual suspects among other applications that may disturb and confuse Illy, Item 15) applies to CC, CS6, and maybe CS5);
Even more seriously, you may:
6) Uninstall (ticking the box to delete the preferences), run the Cleaner Tool (if you have CS3/CS4/CS5/CS6/CC), and reinstall.
http://www.adobe.com/support/contact/cscleanertool.html

Hi. I can not use "direct selection tool".

Hi. I can not use "direct selection tools". When i click the direct selection tool, mouse like on image.
I use illustrator cs 6

Thanks Monika, i am noob

Select Tool (blk arrow) doesn't work correctly-illustrator cs2

Hi, all.
when you click on an object with black arrow, it converts to free transform automatically.
so as many people might do, I used black arrow to re-size or rotate etc etc. rather than using free transform tool.
but it suddenly not working. Did I press wrong key by accident or something?
Thank you

sugene yoo,
>but it suddenly not working. Did I press wrong key by accident or something?
Actually, assuming the Selection Tool now selects, it started working, so you must have pressed the right key or something.

Why is my direct selection tool not responding?

I have Creative suit 5.5 upgraded last year but cannot use ID as a couple of the application tools including direct selection tool just dfont respond. Any ideas?

Thank you. Please see InDesign tools and panels don't respond to mouse clicks (Windows 7/Vista)
If you have large fonts enabled in Windows 7 interface customization you cannot run an Aero theme with ID. You can leave the large fonts and use a classic theme, or return the font size to normal and keep the Aero theme.
The symptoms of this problem are not always restricted to the article description.

Direct Selection Tool Will Not Scale

For some reason my direct selection tool will not scale or stretch any vector or raster imgaes - CS5. I can only grab a corner and simply move the art. Does anyone have a fix for this? Maybe I hit some quick command keys and did not know it?

The Direct Selection Tool (the white arrow, shortcut "a") has never had that capability. All it's ever done is select and move points. You need to use the Selection Tool (the black arrow, shortcut "v") to do those things. If you want to scale, stretch, etc... a sub-selection of an object, you can make your selection with the white arrow and then use the transform tool (shortcut "e") to modify what you selected.

When using the Illustrator direct select tool in CC

This morning I had an update and now when I use my direct select tool, all these little dots/targets show up, how do I turn that feature off?
Thanks in advance

It is live corners...is there anyway of turning it off.
Thanks

CS2 - Can't select points with direct selection tool

Noramlly in CS5 and any other version of Photoshop or Illustrator that I know of, if you click a point in an object, it will show the handles for transforming the line. As I'm creating something today, it works for a while and then stops. Yesterday I had the same problem. I drew a few things and then suddenly, the Direct Select Tool is not showing any transform handles.
I can get them to show if I can click and drag a box over the point, but this is slow and doesn't work well for layered art. I already tried resetting my illustrator preferences. Any other ideas?
EDIT: Also, in CS5 there's a simple icon that you can click to convert the currently selected point from a curved point to an angled point. Is there not such a thing in CS2?
I ask because at work I only have access to CS2.

Gregor,
Sometimes Illy gets distracted an confused when others start intruding. The usual suspects are listen in Item 7 in Other options .
You did get rid of the preferences while Illy was alseep, no?

Direct select tool in illustrator CC not working

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