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New Participant
January 24, 2019
Answered

Pen tool automatically switches to the cursor / hand tool

  • January 24, 2019
  • 4 replies
  • 17505 views

When first using the pen tool on a document, the pen tool is automatically switched to the cursor/panning tool. On subsequent markups this doesn't happen. This wastes time every time I mark up a new drawing in Adobe Acrobat DC Adobe Reader DC.

Steps to reproduce bug:

1. Select the pen tool under Comments

2. Use the pen tool on the PDF

3. Watch as the pen tool is automatically deselected and the cursor/pan tool is now active

4. Re-select the pen tool

5. Use the pen tool on the PDF

6. Watch as the pen tool is no longer automatically deselected, and you're able to make multiple markups at a time, for now..

7. Open a new PDF document

8. Select the pen tool again.

9. Use the pen tool on the PDF

10. Watch as the pen tool is automatically deselected and the cursor/pan tool is now active

Results: Pen tool is automatically deselected and cursor/pan tool is selected, preventing a second markup.

Expected results:Pen tool should remain selected until OPERATOR decides to select a different tool.

Correct answer Bear5E0C

THIS HAS BEEN DRIVING ME UP THE FLIPPING WALL!

I have been using this to do synchronous online classes and its been the bane of my existence. 

Super easy to fix.  Just click the thumb tack icon to the right of the comment tools at the top of the screen (it will be directly left of the paint can where you change the color. This "locks" the tool you are using. 

 

4 replies

katyg7682368
New Participant
June 5, 2024

Does anyone know how to fix this when using Acrobat online (Google chrome Mac) as it's happening here too!

JR Boulay
Adobe Expert
November 24, 2020

Acrobate du PDF, InDesigner et Photoshopographe
Bear5E0CCorrect answer
New Participant
September 2, 2020

THIS HAS BEEN DRIVING ME UP THE FLIPPING WALL!

I have been using this to do synchronous online classes and its been the bane of my existence. 

Super easy to fix.  Just click the thumb tack icon to the right of the comment tools at the top of the screen (it will be directly left of the paint can where you change the color. This "locks" the tool you are using. 

 

michaelr50845801
New Participant
September 5, 2020

Sounds great, but I don't see the thumb tack icon anywhere.  Where could I find it? 
(I'm on win10 / Acrobat Pro DC, can't find exact versions) 

 

New Participant
November 23, 2020

Hi,

if you have the draw tool selected, press CTRL + E, and properties of the drawing tool appear in a new small (kinda old-school) window. There you can select a box "Keep this tool selected".

 

Hope it works for you as well!

Adobe Expert
January 24, 2019

Hi SandB:

By "Pen" you mean the Drawing tool (red, below)? I can't reproduce this, but there are many versions of Acrobat DC (Versions, Mac/Windows, Continuous/Classic, and patches). What version and OS are you using?

Also note that this is a user-to-user forum (I'm a user like you) and we help explain features. Log bug reports here: Acrobat for Windows and Mac: Top (2534 ideas) – Share your feedback on Acrobat DC

~Barb

New Participant
January 24, 2019

Adobe Acrobat Reader DC Continuous Release Version is: 2019.010.20069

I'm using Adobe Acrobat Reader DC on Windows 10

Adobe Expert
January 24, 2019

Hi Sandb:

I just tested this again on Reader DC with no issue—same version but I am on a Mac.

Since this is a Reader issue, I'll move this over to the forum Acrobat Reader for you. (This is the Acrobat forum and they are different products.) Maybe someone there can help or at least confirm.

But since this is so consistent, I'd recommend logging in the bug report and reference this thread.

~Barb