Toggle Node/Handle Selection

Toggle between node and handle modification.

When selecting an entity, or set of entities, you can graphically manipulate the selection set by dragging selection handles or selection nodes. The handles and nodes allow for reshaping (stretching, rotating, dragging) of the selection set.

You can change between using selection nodes or selection handles by right-clicking and selecting either the Use selection nodes or the Use selection Handles option. You can also select the Show selection handles option on the General page of the System Settings.

There are nine selection handles and a Rotate icon just to the left of the top right handle when the Handle Selection is selected. Nodes are indicated at points, ends and centre points of lines and arcs, circle centres and quadrant points, text, dimension origins etc.

Procedure

When selecting an entity, or set of entities, you can graphically manipulate the selection set by dragging selection handles or selection nodes.

To toggle between node and handle modification modes:

1. Select Edit ► Toggle Node/Handle Selection or click the icon in the Main toolbar. Alternatively, right-click and select either the Use selection nodes or the Use selection handles option.

2. You can also select the Show selection handles option on the General page of the System Settings. The diagram below shows the difference between Selection Handles and Selection Nodes.

Selection Handles

Selection handles are only available if the entire set of selected entities is on a single plane in 3D space, and the view direction is orthogonal to that plane.

Selection handles of a selection set consists of nine handles and a rotation icon. You can use the handles to scale or move the selection set and the rotation icon to rotate it.

Consider the following example. You have selected entities that were drawn on plan (all with equal z-coordinates), and your current view direction is Top view.

Corner Selection Handles

Use the corner handles to scale the selection set.

1. Once you start dragging one of these handles, the scale dialog bar displays.

2. You are prompted to:

3. You can graphically indicate the point to where you want the selection set to scale, or you can enter scale factors in the bar.

Left, Bottom, Right and Top Selection Handles

Use these handles to scale the selection set in one direction.

1. Once you start dragging one of these handles, the scale dialog bar displays.

2. If you select the left or right selection handle, the "Y" scale is greyed out and not used.

This means that you can only scale the selection according to the "X" axis.

3. If you select the top or bottom selection handle, the "X" scale is greyed out and not used.

This means that you can only scale the selection according to the "Y" axis.

4. You can once again enter scale factors instead of graphically indicating a “scale to” position.

Centre Selection Handle

Use this handle to move the selection set. In fact, you can move the selection set by indicating any point on the selection set.

1. Place your cursor anywhere on the selection. You can also jump to a specific point on the selection.

2. Click and hold the mouse button for 0.25 seconds, after which, you can move the selection.

3. You are prompted to:

Drag selection to new position

4. You can now drag the selection to the required position.

Rotation Icon

1. Hover the cursor over the rotation icon until the “rotation cursor” displays.

2. Click to initiate the rotation and to display the rotation dialog bar.

3. You are prompted to:

Indicate point to rotate to

4. You can graphically indicate the point to rotate to, or you can enter a rotation angle.

Selection Nodes

Each entity in the selection set displays selection nodes that can be used to manipulate its geometry. You can drag each node individually, or you can select multiple nodes to be dragged at once.

Individual Node Selection

1. Hover your cursor over a node until the “Move” cursor appears, and then click.

2. You are prompted to:

Indicate destination point for stretching

3. The selected node changes to red. Drag the node to the required position.

Multiple Node Selection

1. Press and hold [Shift] while you hover your cursor over a node until the “Move” cursor appears. Now click.

2. You are prompted to:

Select node to stretch

3. The selected node is highlighted in red. Select as many nodes as you need.

4. Release [Shift] and drag the nodes to a new position.