Problems with Direct Select tool

Maybe I'm just dumb or something but the Direct Select tool is just broken.
1. When trying to move points ( remember this is the direct select tool - it's only function!) It moves the entire object unless you perfectly hover and wait over the point.
2. When trying to select a point you grab the placed image inside the frame.
Shouldn't it work EXACTLY like it does in Illustrator? If I click on an object the entire thing selects then I can move it if I wish. But the cursor seems to snap to the point so much better in illustrator!
If I want to move the image inside the frame I wouldn't be using the Direct Select Tool. I'd by using the select tool. Moving the image shouldn't even be an option when using this tool.
This is probably the most frustrating part of Indesign. Please fix this.

Your frustration is understandable. Anchor point selection is unforgiving in InDesign, especially when compared to Illustrator with Smart Guides, although I wouldn't call it "broken."
I suspect most InDesign users don't do enough "path editing" on their InDesign pages for there to be an outcry over this.
Pablo28282 wrote:
It shouldn't be able to select and move an image. That is not the point of the tool.
That's always been a function of the Direct Select tool. Simply, if you're aiming for an anchor point and select the frame's content instead, you've missed the point. <rimshot>
There's nothing broken, and no advice to offer, other than zoom in further, slow down, and keep an eye on the pointer cues which change when the pointer is over an anchor point. I suppose it's also possible you could make adjustments to your mouse/input device settings that might help you move and click more precisely.

Similar Messages

Problem with Direct Selection tool in Illustrator CS5.1

Lost my ability to transform a selection with the direct selection tool. When I select an item, I don't get all my little handles to do a transform directly on the object.....have lost patience trying to find the problem.

View --> Show Edges.
Mylenium

Arrow keys with direct select tool problem

Hi list,
I hope somebody can help me. I just switched from MX to CS3.
Now selecting an anchor with the direct select tool and
moving it with
the arrow keys moves it 30 Steps at once (Using normal select
tool works
as usual). Strangely enough I have to undo 30 Times for one
time hitting
the arrow key.
Does anyone know this problem or have a hint where to switch
this?
thanks in advance
oe

Your frustration is understandable. Anchor point selection is unforgiving in InDesign, especially when compared to Illustrator with Smart Guides, although I wouldn't call it "broken."
I suspect most InDesign users don't do enough "path editing" on their InDesign pages for there to be an outcry over this.
Pablo28282 wrote:
It shouldn't be able to select and move an image. That is not the point of the tool.
That's always been a function of the Direct Select tool. Simply, if you're aiming for an anchor point and select the frame's content instead, you've missed the point. <rimshot>
There's nothing broken, and no advice to offer, other than zoom in further, slow down, and keep an eye on the pointer cues which change when the pointer is over an anchor point. I suppose it's also possible you could make adjustments to your mouse/input device settings that might help you move and click more precisely.

Selecting multiple objects with Direct Select tool

I'm working in InDesign CS4 on a pc and am having trouble with the Direct select tool. I go through my document selecting multiple objects, change the color of the selected boxes only to find that about half of my objects have "deselected" themselves. Has anyone else had this problem? Or does anyone have a fix I could try? Thanks!

I know, I was pretty vague.
Are you continuing to hold the shift key with each addition? Yes
Are you trying to selct things on more than one spread? No
Are you being careful to click inside each object other than an image and on the frame for an image? Yes

How do I turn off preview of hidden areas when dragging an image in frame with Direct Select Tool?

CS5, Not sure how to word this...
In previous version of ID, if I had a graphic in a frame, I could drag the image around inside that frame with the Direct Selection Tool. I can still do this with CS5 but it seems to want to show the entire image in a ghosting way that is outside of the frame. Is there a way to turn this preview type look off like it was in previous versions? I feel like its slowing my computer down bigtime because I am dealing with a large image. Everytime I click to drag it, everything slows to a crawl and unusable.

Go to the Prefernces and set Live Screen Drawing to Delayed.

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?

Can only select items with direct selection tool

I have been working on a design: one layer, with multiple groupings, nothing is locked. I'm trying to select the items with the selection tool, but can only select items with the direct selection tool (which is very inconvenient in this case). I can select the text with the text tool, but that really serves no purpose in my case. Anyone have any ideas as to what's going on? When I was working on it yesterday, everything was fine with all the tools. Thanks in advance.

Imcookin,
It may be a corruption of preferences, or an issue outside Illy.
You may try to close down and just restart, or close down and restart pressing Ctrl+Alt+Shift/Cme+Option+Shift, or close down and use the suggestions in Move the folder or, if none of those suggestions help, have a look at the list in Other options

Problem with NIK "Selective Tool" not appearing in PS5

I have a problem and I am trying to track down what is the cause and how to resolve it. I installed Nik Color Efex Pro 3.110 into Photoshop CS5 (32bit) within Windows XP and the "Selective Tool" does not appear. According to everything I've read and googled about so far, this is not normal behavior. I have tried running the Automate Selective Tool to get it to run, and it does nothing either. I have also checked the registry entry bit for this and it is set to properly. The strange thing is that the plugin works properly from CS4. The OnOne plugin suite also functions properly from within CS5. Is there some known incompatibility (aside from the known 64bit issues that are not applicable in this case) with CS5 and the Nik Selective Tool palette? Where should I check for problems that might be preventing the Selective Tool from launching properly?
Just for informational purposes, this is from a fresh install of Photoshop CS5 on a new installation of Windoes XP SP3 (fully updated).

I think I found it - Application deficiency. It is the language that you are logged with. If it is not English the application is not recording the text that you type in the reason/activity fields upon FF session.
I hope the latest patches are fixing this!
BR
Iliya

Problem with 'quick select' tool.

In my copy of CS5 Extended, when I select the 'quick select' tool, it takes forever for it to create the selection. During this time, the window is frozen - can't change anything else, can't select edit, can't select anything. Does anyone have any ideas why this might be happening?
Thank you.

The best way to fix this problem is to adjust your brush size and hardness. Set your spacing to about 25%. Your brush size (realistically) corresponds to your selected colors/exposure values and your hardness corresponds to the value rules you dictate. If you have an image that is varying degrees of red, make sure YOU KNOW what you want to be selected. For the majority of us, this is a hit/miss scenario but we all learn from our misses.
This is probably NOT the venue where this problem should be addressed but I just wanted to offer you some insight.

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.

Direct selection tool problems

My selection tool isn't working properly. I can select an object and resize it, but I cannot move it. I have reset preferences and even reinstalled InDesign, to no avail. The objects are not locked and they aren't on master pages. If I use the Direct Selection tool and select all the outer points of the object I can move it, but that's obviously not an ideal work around! This problem is happening with new AND old files. I am working on a big project so I HAVE to get this figured out ASAP. Please help!!!

OMG OMG OMG it's working!! So I wasn't using that Chrome plug-in that was mentioned in the article you sent, but I decided to see what would happen if I completely trashed Chrome. I did that, restarted, reset my InDesign preferences again, and I can MOVE THINGS!!
Thank you soooooooooo much. It's a bummer that I had to get rid of Chrome, but I'm just FINE using Safari at least until I get this book project done and can maybe investigate further.

Gradients gets cropped with the Direct selection tool

I discovered another strange thing with gradients in InDesign.
I could see this problem in both CS6 and CC.
1. Make a gradient fill and apply it to a square object
2. Use the Direct selection tool and select two corners
3. Move the corners and you will see the gradient fill being cropped away
4. Change to the Selection tool and make the object wider. It does not reveal any more colors. They are cropped away for good now.
According to the color palettes this is still a gradient fill but it looks like one color now more or less. I couldn't find any way to release the cropping. I suppose it would have to be reveresed with the Direct selection tool.
The gradients in Illustrator stay inside the object when using the Direct selection so both selection tools works the same way. I also tried with vector objects in Photoshop and the gradient fill effect. Both selection tools in Photoshop works the same way as Illustrator. Gradient stays inside the object.
So is it a bug or feature?

Adobe has provided a very large tool box. Why not just do this in
Illustrator and place or copy/paste the frame. You obviously don't like
InDesign's way of doing things and you have at your disposal a tool that
does work the way you like.
I like InDesigns way of doing things very much. It's easily my all time favorite software after 25 years in this business.
And I can understand different behavior between the Adobe apps. This app can only do a little bit of what the other app can do.
But it don't like when three apps have the exact same tools, and one app is programmed to do something else with these tools, when it just as easily could have been programmed to do the same thing.

Problems moving an object with the selection tool

Im working on CS2 and since last week I have a problem moving objects with the selection tool: To move the object I am obligate to select the object first, and then click at the edge/stroke of the object to drag it. Before that I could move the objects just by selecting somewhere in the object and then just drag it to some other place in one step. I think I maybe changed something in the general preferences....

Ho thanks a lot Kurt!!!!! Indeed, that was the problem!!! Finally I can work normally again.... (the joker was me...but not on purpose)
Thanks again!

How do I constrain anchor angle when I tug on a path with the direct select tool?

How do I constrain anchor angle when I tug on a path with the direct select tool like it did in every version of Illustrator since 1988? New behavior is costing me time.

That solves it!
I was not able to find this in the online materials about the pen tool. In fact, Illustrator Help | Adjust path segments does not show the new functionality at all. They need to update that article.
Better way to implement the new functionality
It would have been nice if Adobe added to the chording controls for the direct select tool the ability to toggle this setting temporarily by holding down the space bar after mouse down to drag a segment.
Before mouse down this would give the user the hand tool.
If, after mouse down, I could hold space bar and have the behavior switch from the historical capability where dragging a segment cannot change adjacent segments to the new behavior where dragging the segment cannot move anchors but can rotate them, I am sure I would find times when the tool saved time. If, before mouse up, I release spacebar, turn the constraint back on with anchors pointing in their new directions and allow me to stretch the curve protecting the new shapes of adjacent curves.
Using space bar for this would be intuitive to me because holding down the space bar is something I already do to organically drag the page around with the hand tool. The new tool allows me to more organically stretch artwork around, something that is distantly analogous, but close enough to remember.
For long time Illustrator users, the chording features holding Ctrl/Alt/Shift/Space or Ctrl/Command/Shift/Space in different combinations while using the direct select tool and pen tool is the killer app part of Illustrator that keeps us using it. This what we did on Illustrator 88 on a Mac Plus in 1988 and is still the most productive way to produce vector art when precision is required.

Direct Selection tool problem

So as all of you know with the direct selection tool you can click/click and drag over a point so you can alter it with handles. On my illustrator this feature works fine until i have the artboard open for a certain amount of time or save and open the file at a later point. I will have the tool open but i click the point or drag over it and the handles do not appear. This has become very frustrating. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

View > Show Edges
You probably inadvertently hit the shortcut.

Problems with Direct Select tool

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