Node editing

Select moves objects, Node moves points

This is the distinction that trips up everyone at the start. The Select tool (V) treats a path as a single thing. It gives you a bounding box, and dragging that box moves, scales or rotates the whole path. The path's shape never changes, only its size and position.

The Node tool (F2) ignores the bounding box. It shows you the anchors and their handles, and dragging any of them changes the geometry itself. Same object, different level of access.

The Node tool is not for paths only. It dispatches on what you clicked: a rectangle gets the rectangle editor, an ellipse or circle gets the ellipse editor, and a path gets the full anchor and handle editor. Pick the tool and click a shape to find out what it offers.

Double-clicking into a path also lights up the Node tool on the rail, so you rarely need to reach for F2 by hand once you are moving.

Selecting nodes

Nothing happens until you have selected something. The status text on the Node option bar says it plainly: click, or drag to select.

1. Press F2 and click a path Its anchors appear. The option bar rebuilds with live controls and X/Y fields for the selected node.
2. Click one anchor That anchor becomes the selection. Its handles show.
3. Shift-click more anchors Each one is added to the selection. Ctrl-click and Cmd-click do the same thing.
4. Or drag on empty space A marquee appears and every anchor inside it is selected on release. Hold Shift while you drag to add to what is already selected.

Once nodes are selected you can drag them to move them, or type exact numbers into the X and Y fields on the option bar. A unit control sits beside them.

Handles, corners and smooth points

Each anchor carries up to two handles, and the relationship between them is what makes a point a corner or a smooth transition. The option bar exposes four node types as a button group.

• Corner (cusp): the two sides are independent. Use it for sharp changes of direction.
• Smooth: the handles stay in line with each other, so the curve passes through without a kink.
• Symmetric: the handles stay in line and keep equal length. The curve is balanced either side of the point.
• Auto-smooth: the editor works out the tangent for you and keeps it as neighbouring points move.

Pick the nodes you want, then press the type you want. Converting a whole run of anchors to Smooth in one go is the fastest way to calm a jittery path.

The Node option bar in full

The bar appears the moment the Node tool is armed, before you have clicked a path, and fills with live operations once you have. Working left to right:

• Add a node to the selected segments, and Delete the selected nodes.
• Join the selected end nodes into one, and Break the path at the selected nodes.
• Connect two end nodes with a new segment, and Delete the segment between two nodes.
• The four node types: corner, smooth, symmetric, auto-smooth.
• Make the segment a straight line and Make the segment a curve.
• Object to path, which converts a shape primitive into editable path geometry.
• X, Y and a unit control for the selected node.

The option bar's Add button splits the segment at its midpoint. If you want an anchor at a precise spot instead, double-click the segment exactly where you want it and one is inserted there. Double-clicks very near an existing anchor are ignored on purpose.

A working habit

Draw loosely, then edit. Most people fight the Pen trying to place a perfect anchor on the first attempt, when the honest workflow is to get the rough run down, switch to the Node tool, delete the anchors you did not need, convert the survivors to smooth, and nudge. Arrow keys move a selection, and holding Shift makes each press move ten times as far.

Common questions