adding and deleting points on smart shapes

[jay fresno]

Is it possible to add and delete points to reshape a smart shape?

[RodWard · Accepted solution]

Not really, but what you can do is redraw the shape with the number of points you want.

Just add a shape to the slide, then right click on the shape and select Redraw Smart Shape from the context menu.  Then once you have the points, right click again and choose Edit Points to drag them around as you want.

I agree this workflow needs to be improved but we'll have to wait a little for that to arrive.

[Lilybiri]

Sorry to disagree with Rod, there is no option 'Redraw Smart Shape' (that is the option for Rollover Slidelet Areas, not for regular Smart Shapes) in the right-click menu, you have to choose the option 'Convert to Freeform'. Then you will be able to select individual points and can not only move those points but also change the tangents like for Bezier curves and thus create curves - see example here, where I started with a pentagon shape. For the moment it is not possible to add points, I immediately introduced a feature request to have full editing possibilities for smart shapes as is the case for Photoshop and Illustrator. If you want to support that request, please do the same...

Lilybiri

[RodWard]

Sorry to disagree with Lilybiri but there IS an option to Redraw Smart Shapes.  I left out a step.

All you have to do is right click on a Smart Shape, choose Convert to Freeform, and then right click again to see the option to Redraw Smart Shape.

[Lilybiri]

LOL, think we are both struggling with jetlag.

OK, you are right, once converted to freeform (important step you forgot to mention) you can redraw the smart shape as well, but personally I never use that because you are limited to the 'old' polygon drawing object in that case. I tend to choose the smart shape that is as close as possible to the shape I want to create, eventually replace the Smart Shape, option that is always available even before changing to freeform (too bad, no shortcut key there) and then edit Points to tweak the shape. I was telling in my answer that the Redraw Smart Shape is only immediately available, without conversion to freeform, for Rollover Areas (slidelets).

Perhaps should blog about those basic editing features of shapes, including work flow to have an image in the shape?

Lilybiri