Node Edit Tool

Node Edit (white arrow) Tool

The Node Edit tool is used to adjust multiple graphic handles in unison. Most commonly it is used for editing Bezier control points but it works with all interactive editing Handles. This is tool is often called the White Arrow tool in Vector drawing applications.

Interactive Editing Handles are the small "adjusters" that appear when the graphic is selected. This tool is designed to focus on moving these handles while the whole of the graphic remains stationary.

This Node editing tool allows multiple handles (or Bezier nodes and control points) to be selected then moved in unison. Since this function focuses on multiple nodes (if you only need to adjust a single node, the normal (Black) arrow tool will suffice) Shift key modifier is not used.

The Node Arrow tool is found on the main tool palette that is accessed from the top item on the View main menu.

The Node Arrow tool is used to select editing handles (control points) and then to move all the selected handles in unison.

Click a handle to select the handle, click again to deselect. Click additional handles to add to the selection set. A selected Node is shown with a additional bounding square (or circle if User Theme preferences has square for the primary handle shape).

Click on a graphic to activate the graphic and present the available editing handles. With respect to graphic selection and deselection the Node Editing tool behaves the same as the Arrow tool. Shift click to activate additional graphics.

The selected set of Nodes may belong to multiple individual graphics. They do not need to be all associated with the same graphic.

Click on an open area of the drawing to deactivate all graphics. If a graphic is deactivated (deselected) then all associated selected nodes are deselected (removed from the set of active nodes).

Click down on a selected node, hold the click (down) and begin the drag operation. This will move all handles in the current set. The beginning of the motion distinguishes the click from a deselect action.

The node selection activity is included in the Undo / Redo stream for your drawing. Some might find this "non-standard" but for a drawing application selection and deselection is an important process. For example a carefully chosen set handles might be selected, then one additional click might be unintended. In this case the work of creating the selection set is not lost - simply perform Undo and proceed anew.

If you are inspecting nodes with the Graphic Details Inspector, the selection controls on Graphic Details may be used independently of the Node tool’s selection set. Graphic Details follows only the indicated node not the full set.