#59. Selecting and Deleting ObjectsInDesign's toolbox has two tools for selecting objects: the Selection tool and the Direct Selection tool. Understanding the difference between these tools is critical if you want to work efficiently. In most cases, you'll use the Selection tool to select objects. When you click an object with the Selection tool, the rectangular shape that encloses the objectits bounding boxis displayed with eight resizing handles around the perimeter and a center point in the middle. For rectangular objects, the bounding box and the shape of the object are identical. When you select a nonrectangular object with the Selection tool, you're actually selecting the bounding box rectangle that surrounds the object within (Figure 59a). You can drag a handle to resize a bounding box and the object within, and you can click within the object and drag to move it. Figure 59a. When you select an object with the Selection tool, its bounding box is displayed with eight handles and a center point. Drag a handle to resize the object; drag the center point to move it.When you click an object with the Direct Selection tool, the object's anchor points and segments are displayed, and you can drag them to change the object's shape (Figure 59b). You can also use the Direct Selection tool to click and drag a graphic within a graphics frame. Figure 59b. When you select an object with the Direct Selection tool, its anchor points and segments are displayed. Drag an anchor point or segment to reshape the object; drag the center point to move it.For rectangular objectsmost text and graphics frames are rectanglesit's hard to tell the difference between an object and its bounding box. However, if you look closely at a rectangular frame selected with the Direct Selection tool, you'll see that anchor points are displayed only at the four corners, in contrast to the eight handles that are displayed if you use the Selection tool.Selecting an Empty Unassigned Frame
Once you understand the difference between the Selection tool and the Direct Selection tool, you'll choose and use the right tool without a second thought. Here are a few more details you should know about selecting objects:
The easiest way to delete an object is to select it with the Selection tool, and then press the Backspace or Delete key. You can also choose Edit > Clear. Choose Edit > Cut if you want to delete the object from its current location and paste it elsewhere (Edit > Paste). A cut or copied object is saved to the clipboard until you cut or copy something else or quit InDesign. |