Everything you do to a shape starts with selecting it. This lesson covers the select tool, the transform grips and typing numbers.
Selecting
- Click a shape on the plan with the Select tool (V). Its details appear in the sidebar.
- Shift-click to add another to the selection, or drag a box around several — hold Shift while dragging to add to what is already selected.
- Click its row in the shapes list on the right to select it from there; useful when shapes overlap.
- ⌘A selects everything on the plan. Esc or a click on empty ground deselects.
Moving
Drag a selected shape and it moves. The arrow keys nudge it one unit at a time; hold Shift for ten. If two shapes overlap, clicking the same spot again cycles through what is under the pointer.
Resizing and rotating
Switch to the Transform tool (T) with a shape selected:
- Corner and edge grips resize it. Hold Shift to keep the proportions.
- The rotation handle past a corner turns it; hold Shift to snap to 15° steps.
- The sidebar shows Position and Size as numbers. Type a width of exactly 4 and a height of 3, or a centre that puts it where the survey says. Lock proportions keeps the two sizes in step.
Duplicate, delete, copy
- ⌘D duplicates the selection, slightly offset.
- Delete or Backspace removes it; ⌘Z brings it back.
- ⌘C / ⌘V copy and paste, including between models.
Locked shapes
A padlocked shape (from its row's ⋯ menu) still draws but cannot be moved or reshaped — the sidebar says so. Unlock it from the same menu.
Next
Undo, redo and version history — how to never lose work.