Edit paths

Before you can reshape or edit a path, you need to select the path’s anchor points, segments, or a combination of both.

Select anchor points

• If you can see the points, you can click them with the Direct Selection tool  to select them. Shift-click to select multiple points.
• Select the Direct Selection tool and drag a boundary around the anchor points. Shift-drag around additional anchor points to select them.
• You can select anchor points from selected or unselected paths. Move the Direct Selection tool over the anchor point until the pointer displays a hollow square for unselected and filled square for selected paths in a magnified state, and then click the anchor point. Shift-click additional anchor points to select them.
• (Illustrator only) Select the Lasso tool, and drag around the anchor points. Shift-drag around additional anchor points to select them.

Select path segments

Do any of the following:

• Select the Direct Selection tool , and click within 2 pixels of the segment, or drag a marquee over part of the segment. Shift-click or Shift-drag around additional path segments to select them.
• (Illustrator only) Select the Lasso tool , and drag around part of the path segment. Shift-drag around additional path segments to select them.

Select all anchor points and segments in a path

Copy a path

Adjust path segments

You can edit a path segment at any time, but editing existing segments is slightly different from drawing them. Keep the following tips in mind when editing segments:

• If an anchor point connects two segments, moving that anchor point always changes both segments.

• When drawing with the Pen tool, you can temporarily activate the Direct Selection tool (InDesign and Photoshop) so that you can adjust segments you’ve already drawn; press Ctrl (Windows) or Command (Mac OS) while drawing. In Illustrator, pressing Ctrl or Command while drawing activates the last-used selection tool.

• When you initially draw a smooth point with the Pen tool, dragging the direction point changes the length of the direction line on both sides of the point. However, when you edit an existing smooth point with the Direct Selection tool, you change the length of the direction line only on the side you’re dragging.

Move straight segments

Adjust the length or angle of straight segments

Adjust the position or shape of curved segments

Delete a segment

Delete the handle of an anchor point

• Using the Convert Anchor Point Tool (Illustrator) or the Convert Direction Point Tool (InDesign), click the anchor point of the handle.
• Drag the direction point and drop it onto the anchor point.

Extend an open path

Connect two open paths

Move or nudge anchor points or segments using the keyboard

Hold down the Shift key in addition to the arrow key to move 10 pixels at a time.

Add or delete anchor points

Adding anchor points can give you more control over a path or it can extend an open path. However, it’s a good idea not to add more points than necessary. A path with fewer points is easier to edit, display, and print. You can reduce the complexity of a path by deleting unnecessary points.

The toolbox contains three tools for adding or deleting points: the Pen tool , the Add Anchor Point tool , and the Delete Anchor Point tool .

By default, the Pen tool changes to the Add Anchor Point tool as you position it over a selected path, or to the Delete Anchor Point tool as you position it over an anchor point. (In Photoshop, you must select Auto Add/Delete in the options bar to enable the Pen tool to automatically change to the Add Anchor Point or Delete Anchor Point tool.)

You can select and edit multiple paths simultaneously in Photoshop and InDesign; however, you can add or delete points to only one path at a time in Illustrator. In Photoshop and InDesign, you can reshape a path while adding anchor points by clicking and dragging as you add.

Add or delete anchor points

Disable or temporarily override automatic Pen tool switching

You can override automatic switching of the Pen tool to the Add Anchor Point tool or the Delete Anchor Point tool. This is useful when you want to start a new path on top of an existing path.

• In Photoshop, deselect Auto Add/Delete in the options bar.
• In Illustrator, hold down Shift as you position the Pen tool over the selected path or an anchor point. (To prevent Shift from constraining the Pen tool, release Shift before you release the mouse button.)
• In Illustrator, choose Edit > Preferences > General (Windows) or Illustrator > Preferences > General (Mac OS), and select Disable Auto Add/Delete.
• In InDesign, hold down any shortcut key, make your edits, and then release the mouse button. For example, with the Pen tool selected, you can hold down the A key to display the Direct Selection tool, edit points, and the Pen tool is selected when you release the A key.

Convert between smooth points and corner points

Paths can have two kinds of anchor points—corner points and smooth points. At a corner point, a path abruptly changes direction. At a smooth point, path segments are connected as a continuous curve. The Convert Direction Point tool . lets you change an anchor point from a corner point to a smooth point or visa versa.

Split a path

You can split a path, graphics frame, or empty text frame at any anchor point or along any segment. When you split a path, keep the following in mind:

• If you want to split a closed path into two open paths, you must slice in two places along the path. If you slice a closed path only once, you get a single path with a gap in it.

• Any paths resulting from a split inherit the path settings of the original path, such as stroke weight and fill color. You may need to reset stroke alignment from inside to outside.

Split a path using the Scissors tool

Open a path using the Pathfinder panel

Smooth out paths

Use the Smooth tool to remove excess angles from an existing path or a section of a path. The Smooth tool retains the original shape of the path as nearly as possible. Smoothed paths generally have fewer points, which can make them easier to edit, display, and print.

Reshape closed paths or objects

About the Position tool

The Position tool  is not available in InDesign CS5. Instead, you can use the Selection tool to select and manipulate either the frame or the content within the frame. See Select objects.