Selecting Objects

[Bond]

Hey folks, got a couple questions about selecting objects in Designer.

 

1. Is there a way to select multiple objects within *different* groups without having to dig into the Layers panel? Perhaps a setting that allows direct selecting or double clicking a second object will drill down into group hierarchy to get to the single object?

 

2. Second, why can I not select text with the text tool, without having already selected the text object with the Move Tool? The text highlights show up, but then when I click, a new text object is created.

 

Finally, more of a feature request, when text is selected, for the love of all that is good and pure, please make the Command key a hot key for the Move Tool.

 

Thanks!

[crabtrem]

Cmd-click on the objects to select it no matter if in a group or another layer.  Making sure the all layers button is pushed in, I believe. Shift-cmd-click for selecting multiple items.

 

If I understand your question, the text tool you can select text without first selecting with the move tool.  Or at least I can.  With the text tool, I select on the text object I want, then drag to select the text. You may just have to practice.

 

Are you asking a question, or stating a feature request?

[R C-R]

Regarding your #2 question, if I click on any part of the text in a text object with either of the text tools, that puts me in text edit mode in that object, with a blinking text cursor at the position I clicked on. It does not create a new text object. Unless the text object is already selected (its bounding box is visible) the click must be on the text itself, otherwise this will create a new text object.

 

Regarding the feature request, I'm not sure if you want tapping the command key to immediately select the Move tool or just switch to it while the command key is held down & then revert to the text tool when it is released, similar to the way the space bar can be used to temporarily switch to the View (hand) tool when not in text entry mode.

 

Using a command key tap for an immediate tool change would be problematic since it would interfere with some standard text functions like paste (cmd + V) or switching to bold (cmd + B) or italic (cmd + i) text style, to say nothing of the undo command (cmd + Z). As a temporary toggle function, it might be useful to move some other object out of the way, but it isn't needed to move the currently selected text object since just moving the pointer to the text bounding box automatically temporarily enables the move tool functions.

[Bond]

Shift-cmd-click for selecting multiple items.

 

This right here? Exactly what I was looking for. Thanks!

 

 

Regarding your #2 question, if I click on any part of the text in a text object with either of the text tools, that puts me in text edit mode in that object, with a blinking text cursor at the position I clicked on. It does not create a new text object. Unless the text object is already selected (its bounding box is visible) the click must be on the text itself, otherwise this will create a new text object.

 

Regarding the feature request, I'm not sure if you want tapping the command key to immediately select the Move tool or just switch to it while the command key is held down & then revert to the text tool when it is released, similar to the way the space bar can be used to temporarily switch to the View (hand) tool when not in text entry mode.

 

Using a command key tap for an immediate tool change would be problematic since it would interfere with some standard text functions like paste (cmd + V) or switching to bold (cmd + B) or italic (cmd + i) text style, to say nothing of the undo command (cmd + Z). As a temporary toggle function, it might be useful to move some other object out of the way, but it isn't needed to move the currently selected text object since just moving the pointer to the text bounding box automatically temporarily enables the move tool functions.

 

What if the text object your clicking on is nested in a group? Does it still work the same way?

 

I *really* want the Move Tool to be active on press of the Command key, the not active on release, just like Illustrator. It saves an enormous amount of clicks and keystrokes. Adobe got that one right.

 

And it does/should not interfere with any of the other short cuts that use command like copy and paste, and I think even if you were to tap the B or I key, that could override and still bold and italicize, respectively.

[crabtrem]

About selecting text within groups, I believe it does, but I am not sure.  Just be sure to focus your click while actually over a character, not any white space, and it should select it fine.