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Known Participant
May 10, 2017
Question

Change between Direct and Indirect selection when on the pen tool?

  • May 10, 2017
  • 2 replies
  • 4744 views

I used to be able to do this. Select pen tool, and use Command or Control Tab to bounce between the two and then release and go back to using the pen tool.

Then Windows and Apple and hijacked the Command & Control Tab short cuts for window jumping.

Now I'm pretty sure I could still do this somehow, but i've lost the shortcut or Windows has changed something so now I'm back to jumping windows.


I've set up a short cut using Keyboard Shortcuts>Menu Commands>Other Select but this only works when the Direct or Indirect selection arrows are selected from inside the toolbox, it doesn't work when you use Control when using the pen tool. What I want is to use Control when using the pen tool to get the selection arrow and then hit another shortcut/modifier key to change from indirect> direct and vice versa.

V & A wont work because i've got control key depressed so that's paste and select all.

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    2 replies

    Mike_Gondek10189183
    Community Expert
    Community Expert
    May 10, 2017

    in 2017 they changed the keys some Default keyboard shortcuts for Illustrator

    Shortcuts

    Windows

    macOS

    Switch to last-used selection tool (Selection tool, Direct Selection tool, or Group Selection tool)

    Ctrl + `

    Command + `

    Switch between Direct Selection tool and Group Selection tool

    Alt

    Option

    Add to a selection with Selection tool, Direct Selection tool, Group Selection tool, Live Paint Selection tool, or Magic Wand tool

    Shift-click

    Shift-click

    Subtract a selection with Selection tool, Direct Selection tool, Group Selection tool, or LIve Paint Selection tool

    Shift-click

    Shift-click

    Closest you can get is use "V" & "A" to tool switch, and then P to go back to pen.

    DprogAuthor
    Known Participant
    May 11, 2017

    Hi Mike,

    Switch to last-used selection tool (Selection tool, Direct Selection tool, or Group Selection tool) doesn't work with the pen tool. Works with the Rectangle tool... you can hit Ctrl and then use ` to bounce between direct and indirect... but not the pen tool. Don't understand the logic in that.

    Alt works about as best as I can see. It doesn't allow you to jump between Direct and indirect, but group appears to have similar functionality.

    Thanks for that.

    Om Nath Jha
    Legend
    May 10, 2017

    Hi Dprog,

    You still can select the Pen tool and then press and hold "Ctrl" (Win) / "Cmd" (Mac) to temporarily use selection tool in between. Once you release the Ctrl key, you will still have the Pen tool selected.

    Regards,

    Om

    DprogAuthor
    Known Participant
    May 11, 2017

    Hi ohmnath,

    Thanks for that. I know I can hold control down to use the selection tool when using the pen.

    What I want to do is while i'm holding the control down to get the selection tool is swap between direct and indirect and back again. In the old days we used to be able to do this by hitting tab with control/cmd depressed, and it would jump between indirect and direct. Now I cannot see to do that.

    Om Nath Jha
    Legend
    May 11, 2017

    Hi Dprog,

    Thanks for the details. I got it now. I can understand your situation, however this is how it is assigned now. May be you can fill in a feature request here: Feature Request/Bug Report Form 

    Regards,

    Om