Direct selection - moving anchor points with keyboard arrow keys

Hi,
I am using Illustrator CC. I just used the image trace tool to create a vector version of my company logo. It worked pretty well, but I am now just trying to clean it up a bit. I have a few anchor points that I just want to nudge up or down in the smallest increment possible.
I think it would be easier for me to do this using the keyboard arrow keys rather than using the mouse, but the arrow keys cause my selected anchor point to jump by way too large of a distance. I checked to make sure Smart Guides, Snap to Grid, and Snap to Point are all turned off. I can't think of anything else to do.
Can anyone tell me what controls how far the keyboard arrow keys will move an anchor point, and how I can set this to the smallest possible distance?
Thanks in advance,
Paul

Under Preferences (Command-K on Mac), on the first screen there is Keyboard Increment. This is the amount the arrow keys will move selected content, such as anchor points.
I usually keep this at "0.005 in", but when doing things that need extreme accuracy, I change it to "0.0002 in", which on my screen (2560 x 1600) is one pixel at AI's 6400% magnification.

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Moving anchor point with arrow keys crashes Photoshop CC

Hey guys,
I've recently run into this bug many times while working with shapes. Don't really know what initiates it but it's super annoying as it crashes the PS CC completely without possiblity of recovering the unsaved files.
The bug appears while working with shapes after file is saved and reopened. Because I use to design pixel-perfect UIs, I work with arrow keys a lot to be sure every pixel is in the right place. So after selecting one or more anchor points of shape and hitting any arrow key (to move it by pixel), photoshop immediately crashes with this super-long description of bug: http://justpaste.it/ccshapecrash
Dunno why but this occurs very often when handling 1px-thin rectangles.
Is it only me or has anybody else experienced this as well? Any idea what exactly is causing it or what might be wrong with my config?
Never seen that kind of error in Photoshop before. It completely destroys my everyday workflow

I have exactly the same problem and I don't have any solution. I was tried to update the latest video drivers - nothing! Tried to update Photoshop which updates fixes bugs - nothing! The problem continues.
My OS is Windows 8 64bit, video card Nvidia GT 630. For the case, my Photoshop 32x works better (faster) than the 64x. Why is that ? I hope to have a solution.

Why i am unable to select between 2 anchor points with in a object while dragging with direct select

why i am unable to select between 2 anchor points with in a object while dragging with direct selection tool instead it moves

Another option is to temporarily change your view to outline mode, when your done switch back to preview mode. Ctrl-Y or View>Outline {View>Preview} The menu option will change depending on which mode you are in.
And another option, double click on the object in question to place it in Isolation mode. You can now edit to your hearts content. When done, click on the gray border at top of document.
So as you can see there are multiple ways of accomplishing the same thing.

Can't nudge selected items with keyboard arrows

When I select an object or layer and try to nudge the
selection around with the arrow keys, I get no response.
I searched the preferences and can't find this to be a
setting, and I trashed my preferences file figuring this can't be
default behavior - but it appears to be.
I just tested this in Fireworks 8 and CS3 (Mac). It works in
8 but not in CS3.
Help?

I've been having the same issue with CS6 12.0.1.274
It's maddening. Like sometimes the keyboard doesn't work. The same thing happens with mouseclicks trying to select an object. I have to click numerous times to get a selected object.
This isn't just a time lag or memory issue. I literally can't get an object by clicking and then arbitrarily sometimes I can after a few clicks. The arrow and shift keys are randomly not working at all either!!
Buh!
OSX Lion Macbook Pro 8Gb RAM and an i7 processor. I don't have any similar issues in any other program.

How do I get arms in both directions on an anchor point?

When I draw a line I usually only get one line on the anchor point to adjust the shape. How can I get two arms, one on each side of the anchor point, so that I can adjust the line on both sides of the anchor point?

Hi Wade,
Thank you so much for that video. I get it.
Just for the sake of clarity, here's what's important:
When you select an anchor point for the purpose of adjusting the shape
of the curve of a line on either side of that anchor point, it is
essential that you are IN THE PEN TOOL, AND that you hold down the
option key BEFORE you select the point. Then you will get TWO
direction lines on either side of the anchor point that you can use to
reshape the line.
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simply by clicking an anchor point with the direct selection tool.
It's the two added steps of 1) having to switch to the pen tool and 2)
having to hold down the option key that makes it such an arcane
process to get both the direction lines on either side of the anchor
point.
I have never seen this particular point discussed in any illustrator
book.
Thank you so much for your help.
Best,
Allen

In Flash CS4, how do you select multiple anchor points across separate layers?

I am talking about anchor points on a line, not a keyframe. They are also called "handles". I can select the anchor points as "white" quickly, but I can't get them to be "solid"without doing it layer by layer, which is tedious. What I want is way to select lines that are in different layers and get the points I selected in a way similar to the regular selection tool or free transform tool. I have been trying to do this all day and I can't find a good way to do this, and I would appreciate any help.
Here is an image of what I'm trying to do, but more easily. The lines are on separate layers, but when I select them with the subselection tool I have to go layer by layer selecting the points. I'm trying to look for a very quick way of doing it. When I do select all with the subselection tool on, the anchor points are only "white" and not "solid" as shown below.

Now you're post was a while ago and I still need a solution, but I have to say this. I didn't mean to be rude to you; it’s just that it doesn’t answer my question I specified in the original post. I know your intentions are good, but it frustrates me when someone doesn’t fully read a post and offers a solution, it sometimes gives a false impression that the problem is taken care of. Example of being "helpful": http://forums.adobe.com/message/2540277 Yes I know there is a “Yes, my question has been answered,” but you know they don’t always select it, and other people know that as well. But you are right; I should probably act a little bit nicer and reiterate what I’ve already said before, I’ll probably get more help from it. It just seems to be a simple feature that seems to be needed to be in the program. I didn't mean it takes forever to move, it takes forever to select multiple anchor points across, let's say 10 layers, so that's 10 different lines on 10 layers. You have to select each layer and then select the anchor points. If there is an away to select anchor points across all layers in one go please tell me. Maybe I was wrong, but I could’ve sworn I’ve seen ideas that were posted on here get taken into Adobe as a suggestion, but yes I submitted it as a suggestion to Adobe, but I wanted to confirm that there was no way of doing it first since it seems kind unbelievable because the regular selection tool works across multiple layers.

No major shortcomings keyboard arrow key. even if the text part of the message you clicked the arrow keys to update the screen would be great. with an update on my idea, and so it would be more useful

no major shortcomings keyboard arrow key. even if the text part of the message you clicked the arrow keys to update the screen would be great. with an update on my idea, and so it would be more useful

greghcrash wrote:
It Would be great to have keys on the onscreen keyboard.
Such as a computer keyboard.
With BACKSPACE, TAB WITH SETTINGS, DELETE, TYPE OF TYPE, BOLD TYPE, UNDERLINE ETC....
I HAVE A KEYBOARD COVER AND IF I NEED TO USE CERTAIN KEYS I HAVE TO SWITCH TO MY KEYBOARD CASE AND THAT IS VERY INCONVENIENT.
IT IS ALSO A TIME WASTER.
When you installed iOS 8 did you read about the new features? Applications can create custom keyboards…
http://www.imore.com/custom-keyboards-ios-8-explained
You need to look for an app that has a custom keyboard with the features you require, I suggest you find one without CAPSLOCK
greghcrash wrote:
IT IS ALSO AGGRAVATING WHEN TYPING AND IT AUTOMATICALLY CHANGES THE WORDS THAT YOU WANT TO USE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME
Again you need to look at how to manage the device - these settings can be turned off already & you can edit the 'suggestions' too.
Settings > General > Keyboards > turn Auto-Correction Off.
Sadly you cannot disable autocorrect temporarily, so it's all or nothing.

Is it possible to select multiple anchor points in CS6?

Hi,
I'm trying to select multiple anchor points of shapes across different layers by dragging over them, but nothing is getting selected.
I use CC at work, and I've done it there, but I use CS6 at home and can't seem to do it.
Thanks!

I doN'T think it is possible to work on two different path at once. I think you would need to merge the two shape layers and work on the resultant merged path. You can target more then one shape layer and select some of the path and change them however the stay separate path and all the point the the selected shape layers are highlighted
CS6 top CC bottom note the difference is the path palettes CS6 shows no paths in the path palette when more then a single shape layer is targeted where CC shows all path involved as separate paths.

When I highlight objects, I'm able to move them with the arrow key but I can't drag them with my mouse.

When I highlight objects, I'm able to move them with the arrow key but I can't drag them with my mouse.

Without system info and other details like e.g. your settings for bounding box display nobody can tell you much.
Mylenium

How can I make my slideshow respond to keyboard arrow keys?

Hello,
I think I actually got the question to say it all.
A lot of time you run across a slide show and you can use your keyboard arrow keys to move through the slideshow.
Sometimes you have to click on the slide show once to get this interactivity.
Can Muse widget slideshows be made to do this or must I click on the slideshow arrows to move through the show?

The feature isn't supported at this time. Feel free to submit it as an idea though - http://forums.adobe.com/community/muse/ideas
The available keyboard shortcuts can be found here.
Windows - http://www.adobekb.com/LiteratureRetrieve.aspx?ID=154624
Mac - http://www.adobekb.com/LiteratureRetrieve.aspx?ID=154623
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Moving anchor point using spacebar while drawing with pen?

If you're an Illustrator user, you may be familiar with the ability to move the active anchor point of the line, by holding "Spacebar" and dragging during the drawing process. This is a useful timesaver for creating complex paths. While Photoshop CS6 has introduced some useful new path-editing features, this is one that is still missing. I cant' figure out why Adobe does not make the pen tool identical between the two programs. This is an old feature in Illustrator. Don't the Adobe programmers talk to each other.
I'm just hoping/wishing someone could tell me the feature can be accessed in some other way, withing Photoshop.

Thanks, conroy. Yes, I'm familiar with that feature, but it requires clicking on the anchor point and dragging. The feature missing in PSD is the ability to move an associated anchor point while "holding" an associated direction point. This feature is activated, in AI, by holding down the Spacebar. It's a real timesaver and I miss it in PSD.

Selecting path / anchor point

Hi guys!
I am just browsing around the trial Ai CS5 version and there is something, which I do not really understand...
When I use Selection Tool {V}, it works pretty fine, but when using Direct Selection Tool {A}, I can not select the path or anchor points. When I hover over them, the underlying path or anchor point highlights, but after click, nothing happens. When I move mouse out of the clicked object, the highlight simply disappears. There must be some kind of bug, because in the Layers Panel, there is the selection highlighted and after hitting arrow keys, the points, which I selected are moving - depending on which arrow I am actually pressing.
So in the nutshell: When I am trying to select single point or just path, the selection is not visible, but the points are still visible.
Thank you for your help!

You are welcome, Christian.
It happens to many.
I believe it may be caused by the fact that H is surrounded by other keys used with Ctrl/Cmd; a mishit may go unnoticed (I wonder whether this term will pass the nanny filter) when the right key is hit afterwards.

CS5: Moving Anchor Points w/ Transform Panel, Not Whole Object

Hey there. Did the digging before asking but nothing came up. I'm pretty green, so I'm sure it's something silly. I'm trying to move specific anchor points on a path a few pixels up from their current position, while keeping everything else where it is, so it'll transform the figure's shape. I'm trying to do it precise by changing it's dimensions, rather than clicking and dragging. Thankfully, that's at least an option because it -does- work when I direct select the points I want and drag them. Problems with that:
1) I have very little control. If I want the point moved up by whole pixels, I pretty much have to get lucky because it's always in decimal points.
2) With shapes bordering each other (parts of a complex shape), if I want to move their location to scrunch something (Half circle in a larger half circle, wanting to flatten out the base), if I lift those points up, they leave a gap. As if the top border of the outer circle has another anchor point under the lower of the one above that, and I can't click on it to move everything while they're still touching. I can take screenshots if needed. I'm following a tutorial to get used to the program.
Alternately, I suppose if you have a shortcut for constraining the drag to whole pixels instead of fractions, that's great too. In Photoshop and the like, holding Shift would give me precision, but that's not the case in this tool or perhaps program.
Thanks a bunch. This program is frustrating, but I know I'll have fun with it when I get it.

Hard to decipher exactly what you are asking for, but after reading your post a few times sounds like you want to move vector point by whole pixles amounts.
Have you tried setting your keyboard increment to 1 pixel, and using the cursor keys to nudge points.
If you are working on digital work, you may want to turn on snap to pixel grid, which will also kepep all your times to whole pixel amounts.

PS CC - how do I select individual anchor points of a shape?

In PS CS 6 it used to be possible to draw a shape, like a rectangle, and then use the direct selection tool to select and move one corne of the rectangle. However, in PS CC this does not work anymore. When I try to use the direct selection tool, all anchor points remain selected and so I can't move a single point, just all of them at once. What might I be doing wrong? Did something change in the CC version?
Thanks!

I seem to be able to use the Direct Selection tool to edit points, e.g., on a rectangular shape, to select one only and move it around.
When I select the shape layer then choose the Direct Selection tool (white arrow), the path shows.
When I click on the path all the points show, with "hollow" handles.
When I click on only one point it turns black, then I can move it with another click and drag. In fact, just one click, hold until the point turns black, then drag seems to work.
Of course, you've got to be VERY accurate where you click.
And Trevor, I seem to be able to drag a box around several points, then move them. What am I doing right, accidentally or on purpose? Is there some kind of bug being invoked in certain documents maybe that I'm not seeing in my testing here?
-Noel

Help! I can't delete anchor points with the Delete Anchor Point Tool

I have a shape in illustrator CS6 that I'm trying to edit. When I try to click on a point with the Delete Anchor Point Tool nothing happens however I am able to select the point using the Direct Selection Tool and then remove it using the "Remove selected anchor points" option in the Control palette. Same issue with trying to use the Convert Anchor Point Tool.
Any ideas what's going wrong here?

Another thought. If there are multiple nodes in that one spot, you may have to use the remove anchor point repeatedly to get rid of them all. It looks like you deleted the point and nothing happens, but really you are just seeing another node that was very close to the one you just deleted.
If you select drag over them with the white arrow tool and choose remove anchor points it will remove them all at once.

Direct selection - moving anchor points with keyboard arrow keys

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