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H
HannahP
Participant
October 5, 2011
Answered

Selection tool not working... please help

  • October 5, 2011
  • 4 replies
  • 83958 views

I am using Illustrator CS 5.1 and the selection tool has stopped working.

It lets me select the object, but when I go to drag it I get an error sound and it won't move.  No error message appears so I'm not sure what is wrong.

I've tried locking and unlocking all objects, and opening previously working files, but all now have this same problem.

Any help would be greatly appreciated as I've got a coursework deadline due next monday...

Thanks in advance.

Correct answer Tadeu Garcia

That's it, the command + h made it work again to select for me. Thank you!

4 replies

G
graphias
Known Participant
May 28, 2020

I am facing this issue in Windows OS 10. However, using CTRL+H has not worked for me. Should I restart illustrator after attempting that fix? 

Any other solution? 

Monika Gause
Community Expert
Monika GauseCommunity Expert
Community Expert
May 28, 2020

"I am facing this issue in Windows OS 10."

 

Please create a new thread.

A
adamb23693615
Participant
September 28, 2020

Monika,

would you mind linking on here to that new thread please?

I
irenapereira
Participant
October 28, 2011

I'm getting the exact same problem ... and it's intermittent.  It depends on which file and when I use it.  I've tried restarting Illustrator with no luck.

Were you able to find a solution?

W
Wade_Zimmerman1
Inspiring
October 6, 2011

You accindentally hit Comand Shift B on the Mac or Control Shift B on the PC

You should becom aware of this there is also

Command H on the Mac and Control H on the PC that will give you similar problems

What they are is View> Hide Bounding Box and View Hide Edges.

Common accident.

    Steve Fairbairn
    Steve Fairbairn
    Inspiring
    October 28, 2011

    Common accident.

    Precisely because it seems to be such a common accident (because B and H are too close to G on the keyboard) it's not a bad idea to redistribute your keyboard shortcuts. So if you think you are Grouping and accidentally hit Cmd+B or Cmd+H you won't get into trouble.

    I have redistributed a lot of mine. Things like Cmd+U for Ungroup (of course) and Cmd+Shift+G for Smart Guides, Cmd+L for Average (like it was in the old days) and that sort of thing. Keep more complex 3-key combinations for more seldom used commands and remember that a lot of commands are used so seldom that you go to the menu for them anyway.

    If you find some of the default keyboard shortcuts illogical or difficult to remember, just change them. It will make save you a lot of frustration in the long run. One sometimes wonders why so many of the commonly used keyboard commands were made more complicated in newer versions of Illie. Personally I can see no good reason for it.

      T
      Tadeu GarciaCorrect answer
      Participant
      April 16, 2017

      That's it, the command + h made it work again to select for me. Thank you!

        Monika Gause
        Community Expert
        Monika GauseCommunity Expert
        Community Expert
        October 5, 2011

        Try re-starting Illustrator | the computer.

        Delete preferences.

        have you installed anything? Fonts? new printer?

        M
        mattj22311682
        Participant
        March 15, 2018

        i watched someone deleteing a logo on cs4 AE and is the mask  he used but then when i move the mask it wont animate to deletete logo

        Monika Gause
        Community Expert
        Monika GauseCommunity Expert
        Community Expert
        March 15, 2018

        mattj22311682  schrieb

        i watched someone deleteing a logo on cs4 AE and is the mask  he used but then when i move the mask it wont animate to deletete logo

        Please describe your issue, your system, your version of Illustrator.

        Please describe what you have and what you want to achieve.

        Take a look in the layers panel to inspect your artwork

        Are you working in Illustrator or After Effects?

        Please create a new thread for your problem.

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