EazyDraw rotate tool icon. Rotate Tool EazyDraw Raw App For Help

The "Rotate Tool" is for rotating existing graphics. It may be applied to any graphic that accepts rotation. The graphic does not need to be selected, but selected graphics are preferred over others in case of overlap.

The Pivot interaction level is another method for rotating a graphic. This method may be more useful if several interations and changes might be needed for the rotation step. A pivot provides specific position of the rotation point and adjustment of the rotation angle. Nested pivots are possible for more complex articulations.

Visual feedback is provided so that you may be certain how the action will effect your drawing. Rotating many of the charting graphics requires that they are converted to Bezier paths.

The "Rotate Tool" is used to rotate a graphic. You start the operation with a mouse down click. The point of the mouse down becomes the pivot point for the rotation. A circle appears when the line overlaps a target graphic. The circled intercept point will is the point that will be rotated about the pivot point. Lift the mouse and rotate the target graphic as desired. A faint copy is shown interactively rotated with your mouse motion. The final mouse click applies the rotation.

Selected graphics will have an extra handle appear at their centers when the rotate tool is selected. If the first mouse down click is near one of these marked centers, the exact center will become the pivot point for the rotation. This technique allows convenient rotation of graphics about the center.

Option Duplicate convention applies with the rotate tool. If the Option key is held down, during the first step of the rotate process, then a copy of the target graphic is rotated. At completion there are two graphics, the original and a new rotated copy.

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If the shift key is pressed, during the rotation phase, the rotation angle is quantized to 15 degree increments.

Frequently the graphic will need to be changed to allow rotation. This is done automatically. For example rotating a rectangle will convert the graphic to a Rotated Rectangle.

There is another method for rotating graphics. If the Interaction Level is increased to "Free Transform" additional handles are provided when the graphic is selected. The extra reshaping handles found at the corners may then be used to rotate the graphic about the geometric center. A final step using the Apply action found on the Distort palette will accomplish the same action as performed in a single step with this rotation tool.

A third method to accomplish a rotation is available with the Morph panel. This panel is accessed from the Tools main menu. The Morph panel method provides a means to numerically provide a specific rotation angle.