Adding and Deleting Control Points
If you did not create enough control points to make the shape you need, you can add
more to the existing shape. You can also extend or close an open shape.
To add control points to a selected shape
1
Choose the Edit Points tool.
2
Do one of the following:
• Option-click or double-click the edge of a shape to add a new control point.
Note: To add control points to a B-Spline shape, Option-click or double-click the B-Spline
frame’s edge, rather than the edge of the shape itself.
• Control-click the edge of a shape, then choose Add Point from the shortcut menu.
Adding more control points does not immediately change a Bezier shape, unless you
drag Bezier curve points as you create them.
However, adding more control points to a B-Spline shape usually changes its shape.
To add control points to the end of an open shape
1
Select an open shape with the Edit Points tool.
2
Option-click anywhere outside the shape to add control points to the end of the shape.
3
Click the first point in the shape to close it (or place the pointer over the first point and
press C).
The closed shape is not filled.
To close an open shape
Do one of the following:
µ
With the Edit Points tool active, click the first point in the shape to close it (or press C).
The closed shape is not filled.
µ
Control-click a control point, then choose Close Curve from the shortcut menu.
µ
Display the Geometry pane in the Shape Inspector, then select the Closed checkbox.
You can reopen the shape by deselecting the Closed checkbox.
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To create an open shape from a closed shape
Do one of the following:
µ
Control-click a point on the shape, then choose Open Curve from the shortcut menu.
The segment before the point (in a clockwise order) is removed from the shape. This
action causes the selected point to become Control Point 1 and the remaining points to
be renamed accordingly. If the originally closed shape was filled, the Fill checkbox remains
selected. To disable the fill, deselect the Fill checkbox in the HUD or Style pane of the
Shape Inspector.
µ
Select the shape and deselect the Closed checkbox in the Geometry pane of the Shape
Inspector.
Note: The spline before the first point drawn is removed. To change the start point (the
first point drawn) of the shape, Control-click a point and choose Set Start Point from the
shortcut menu.
If a shape has more control points than are necessary, you can delete points from it to
make it easier to edit. This can be helpful if you animate the shape later on.
To delete control points from a shape
1
Select a shape with the Edit Points tool.
2
Select points to delete, then do one of the following:
• Choose Edit > Delete.
• Control-click the selected points, then choose Delete Point from the shortcut menu.
• Press Delete.
The shape changes to adjust to the missing point. If you remove points from a closed
shape, the shape remains closed.
Before deleting point
After deleting point
Warning:
If you delete a point from a shape that has a keyframed shape animation
parameter in the Keyframe Editor, that control point is removed from the entire
animation.
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