Direct selection tool - adjust points in multiple shapes at once
I need direct selection tool to adjust groups this way:
1. I created rectangle and placed icon inside with 10px offset from right side.
2. Grouping rectangle with icon.
3. Now I want to resize this group and save 10px offset, but this offset changes proportionally.
I can easily do this in Ai using Direct Selection tool. So, add Direct Selection tool, please.
Anonymous
shared this idea
You can direct select elements by holding CMD when clicking on items that are part of groups. Marquee selecting anchor points is landing very soon, so that you could select parts of your rectangle. Do you expect a different behavior? Did I understand your request right? Thanks for your feedback.
12 comments
-
Jerry Cooley
commented
Yes, this is needed. Basically, being able to draw a selection box across multiple objects that selects all points that fall within the selection, then moving/scaling those points as a group. Super helpful, would have saved me a ton of clicks today.
And, of course, it's been in Illustrator since approximately forever. :-)
-
Gene
commented
Has this been implemented? I just switched to XD, it's great, but I really need this feature. This is a deal breaker for me.
-
Sandeep Maurya
commented
You can enable direct selection by double-clicking on the path and then adjust points according to you. But everyone prefers 'A' key to enable direct selection tool and me too.
-
MaMaLy
commented
Yes... Direct Select Tool (keyboard shortcut A) or what I always called the Open Arrow, is needed in XD. Just hit A, click and drag, and you get all the handles you selected. This is what lets you resize part of an object while leaving the other side of it alone.
Holding CMD when clicking on items that are part of groups solves a different problem. That lets you pick one item out of a group, but you're still selecting that item as a whole, rather than just some of its anchor points.
-
Harold
commented
The CMD clicking on an item isn't very well documented. I didn't even know that existed and was going to request a "Direct Selection" tool similar to InDesign & Illustrator.
I still feel that having an independent "Direct Selection" tool works better than one "Selection" tool. Also having the ability to directly select multiple bezier points of multiple shape is greatly needed.
-
See also https://adobexd.uservoice.com/forums/353007/suggestions/12942171-responsive-artboards-and-adaptive-layout for another approach: this would let you define layout constraints once, and then resize the UI at any time without having to manually select the right set of path points to move.
-
Anonymous
commented
Looks you understand right. To be sure: I need to select not just part of a rectangle, but the part of a group.
Andy Merskin provided screencast that entirely explains the feature. Take a look, it's 15 seconds videos.
Sketch and Xd way — inappropriate: https://jumpshare.com/v/Km7hOdJT6m2J2p3BIc8y
Illustrator way — super cool: https://jumpshare.com/v/yf29nufLYnh82BhxBWXs -
Andy Merskin
commented
Absolutely this. Compare these two workflows between Sketch and Illustrator of resizing a "window" with controls in it:
Illustrator (winner): https://jumpshare.com/v/yf29nufLYnh82BhxBWXs
Sketch: https://jumpshare.com/v/Km7hOdJT6m2J2p3BIc8y -
Cameron Sagey
commented
Agreed. Both Sketch and Photoshop's direct selection is much more difficult and inaccurate than illustrator's. We need to be able to select individual points in 1 click, without having to select the shape and press enter or double clicking, and we also need the alt click with the direct selection tool for the option to select the whole shape. Also, we need to be able to grab the edge of a shape and resize. Oh and select a path section (between anchor points) and delete, no scissors tool like sketch.
-
Joseph
commented
Yes - Sketch's direct selection method (holding down Command then clicking) is a hidden UI, but once you know it, you know it. Saves a lot of double-clicking to get down to an item 4 groups deep, and keeps the toolbox uncluttered.
Of course you could use it for months and months and never discover it...
-
Chris Bowman
commented
It would be awesome to be able to edit shapes and pen artwork with a direct selection tool like in Adobe Illustrator.
Being able to resize and reshape would be awesome! Alternatively being able to use the pen tool to reshape objects would be great.
-
John Marstall
commented
I understand following the Sketch selection model, since many users will have migrated over for their UI work. But there's a lot to be said for Illustator's approach: use the correct selection tool for the job.
