Unsure how to use the selection tool, having inconsistent results due to an unknown user error.

Question

So I'm trying to use the selection tool to move stuff around, as I do. However, on some of my layers it will select only a bit of something and will highlight it with a bunch of dots, as pictured here.

This is what I want to happen, as I find using that format is much easier for me to work with.

However, on the layer that I'm making the rough sketch on, it selects the lines like this:

I don't know how to change this, and I know that this is completely user error, but I don't know what that error is. I want to know how/if I can make the selection tool select with the dots, as that is what I know how to work with easily.

Any help is appreciated, thanks!

kglad · Answer

i don't understand what you're trying to show.

but some (possibly) helpful hints:

1. if you want to select from a particular layer, lock all the other layers (eg, lock all, then unlock the one you want)

2. "grouping" (modify>group) and "ungrouping" can be helpful.

3. if drag with the selection tool, it's going to select a rectangular region (unless there are objects or grouped shapes). if you click with it, you select the entire shape.

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