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USING FLASH CS4 PROFESSIONAL
Creating and Editing Artwork
Pen tool drawing states
The Pen tool provides feedback about its current drawing state by displaying different pointers. The various drawing
states are indicated by the following pointers:
Initial Anchor Point pointer
The first pointer you see when you select the Pen tool. Indicates that the next mouse
click on the Stage will create an initial anchor point, which is the beginning of a new path (all new paths begin with an
initial anchor point). Any existing drawing paths are terminated.
Sequential Anchor Point pointer
Indicates that the next mouse click will create an anchor point with a line
connecting it to the previous anchor point. This pointer is displayed during the creation of all user-defined anchor
points except the initial anchor point of a path.
Add Anchor Point pointer
Indicates that the next mouse click will add an anchor point to an existing path. To add
an anchor point, the path must be selected, and the Pen tool must not be over an existing anchor point. The existing
path is redrawn based on the additional anchor point. Only one anchor point can be added at a time.
Delete Anchor Point pointer
Indicates that the next mouse click on an existing path will remove an anchor point.
To remove an anchor point, the path must be selected with the Selection tool, and the pointer must be over an existing
anchor point. The existing path is redrawn based on the removal of the anchor point. Only one anchor point can be
removed at a time.
Continue Path pointer
Extends a new path from an existing anchor point. For this pointer to be activated, the
mouse must be over an existing anchor point on a path. This pointer is only available when you are not currently
drawing a path. The anchor point does not have to be one of the terminal anchor points of a path; any anchor point
can be the location of a continued path.
Close Path pointer
Closes the path you’re drawing on the starting point of the path. You can only close a path that
you are currently drawing, and the existing anchor point must be the starting anchor point of the same path. The
resulting path does not have any specified fill color settings applied to the enclosed shape; apply fill color separately.
Join Paths pointer
Similar to the Close Path Tool except that the mouse must not be over the initial anchor point
of the same path. The pointer must be over either of the terminal points of a unique path. The segment may or may
not be selected.
Note:
Joining paths may or may not result in a closed shape.
Retract Bezier Handle pointer
Appears when the mouse is over an anchor point whose Bezier handles are
displayed. Clicking the mouse retracts the Bezier handles and causes the curved path across the anchor point to revert
to straight segments.
Convert Anchor Point pointer
Converts a corner point without direction lines to a corner point with independent
direction lines. To enable the Convert Anchor Point pointer, use the Shift + C modifier keys to toggle the Pen tool.
For a video tutorial about the Pen tool, see
www.adobe.com/go/vid0120
.
See also
“
Reshape lines and shapes
” on page 111
Draw straight lines with the Pen tool
The simplest path you can draw with the Pen tool is a straight line, made by clicking the Pen tool to create two anchor
points. Continue to click to create a path made of straight line segments connected by corner points.
1
Select the Pen tool
.
2
Position the Pen tool where the straight segment is to begin, and click to define the first anchor point. If direction
lines appear, you accidentally dragged the Pen tool; choose Edit > Undo and click again.
Updated 5 March 2009