The Transform tool is used to move, scale, and rotate the shapes and curves forming your composition. It can be selected from the Canvas toolbox.
Workspace
The Transform tool adds handles around any selected shapes as shown below. The handles can be mouse-dragged to move, scale, and rotate the selection.
Multiple shapes can be selected simultaneously with the Transform tool, allowing them all to be manipulated together as if they were a single shape.
When this tool is selected a number of options will appear in the ribbon running across the top of the Canvas tab. These options are found in a number of sections, as described below.
Orientation Section
When a single shape is selected the Orientation section will appear at the beginning of the Transform tool's ribbon. The options in this section control the orientation of the handles appearing around the selection. This option will only make a difference if the selected shape has been rotated.
In Shape Orientation mode handles rotate along with selected shape. |
In Document Orientation mode handles maintain their orientation. |
Dragging scaling handles in Document Orientation mode can skew the shape, as
demonstrated here where the shape is no longer rectangular after stretching it horizontally.
Transform Section
The section allows you to move, scale, skew, and rotate shapes numerically.
Value |
Description |
|
These values allow you to move the selection by controlling the X and Y coordinates of the selection's center point. Values of (0, 0) will place the center of the selection at the upper left corner of the document, values of (100, 100) will place the center at the lower right corner, and values of (50, 50) will center the selection. If you've lost a shape by dragging it off of the document, you can bring it back into view by adjusting these values. |
|
These values allow you to resize the selection by specifying its width and height. Values of (100, 100) specify a size equal to that of the entire document. |
|
These values skew or shear the selection. They are especially useful in cases where a shape has been given an unwanted skew, in which case setting these values to zero will remove the skew. |
|
This value controls shape rotation. |
Quick Transform Section
This section contains buttons for performing some common transformations. These actions can also be performed by dragging the handles appearing in the workspace.
Button |
Description |
Right 45 |
Rotates the selection clockwise by 45 degrees. |
Left 45 |
Rotates the selection counterclockwise by 45 degrees. |
Flip Horizontally |
Flips the selection left-to-right. |
Flip Vertically |
Flips the selection top-to-bottom. |
Align Section
This section appears when two or more shapes are selected simultaneously. These buttons will align all selected shapes to the last shape that was added to the selection.
Button |
Description |
Align Left |
Aligns left edges of selected shapes. |
Align Centers |
Horizontally aligns midpoints of selected shapes. |
Align Right |
Aligns right edges of selected shapes. |
Align Top |
Aligns tops of selected shapes. |
Align Middle |
Vertically aligns midpoints of selected shapes. |
Align Bottom |
Aligns bottoms of selected shapes. |
Distribute Section
This section appears when three or more shapes have been selected.
Button |
Description |
Distribute Horizontally |
Distributes the selected shapes so that the horizontal distance between each shape's center point becomes equal. |
Distribute Vertically |
Distributes the selected shapes so that the vertical distance between each shape's center point becomes equal. |