Pen Tool

Introduction

You can use the Pen Tool to:

Draw straight lines.
Draw curved lines.
Convert a straight line to a curved line, or convert a curved line to a straight line.
Add additional points to a shape.
Remove points from a shape.
Extend an existing open shape.
Join two open shapes.

To draw a series of connected straight lines:

Select the Pen Tool .
Position the cursor where you want the first straight line segment to begin. The cursor will show to indicate you are about to begin a new path. Click to define the position of the first point.
Click again where you want the first line segment to end.

Note: Press the shift key to constrain the angle of the line to a multiple of 45°.
Continue clicking to add more points and line segments to the path.
To complete the path do one of the following:
- To create a closed path, position the cursor over the first point. The cursor will change to when positioned correctly. Click to close the path.
- To leave the path open, hold the <Ctrl> key down and click, or select a different tool from the menu.

To draw a series of curves:

Select the Pen Tool .
Position the cursor where you want the first curved line segment to begin. The cursor will show indicating you are about to begin a new path.
Hold the mouse button down to define the first point of the curve. The cursor will change to indicating you are defining a curve.
Drag the cursor to set the slope and direction of the curve segment. Release the mouse button.

A - Positioning the cursor. B - Holding the mouse button down. C - Dragging to define the curve.
Position the cursor where you want the first curved line segment to end. Drag the cursor in the opposite direction to the start line to create a C shaped curve:

Drawing the second point of a curve
Click again where you want the first line segment to end.

Note: Press the shift key to constrain the angle of the line to a multiple of 45°.
Continue clicking and dragging to add more points and line segments to the path.
To complete the path do one of the following:
- To create a closed path, position the cursor over the first point. The cursor will change to when positioned correctly. Click to close the path.
- To leave the path open, hold the <Ctrl> key down and click, or select a different tool from the menu.

To add or remove points from a path shape do the following:

Use the Select Point Tool to select the required shape.
Select the Pen Tool . As you move the cursor over the selected path, the cursor will change to indicate the expected action:
- The cursor will change to indicating a new point will be added.
- The cursor will change to indicating an existing point will be deleted.
Either click an existing point to delete it, or click a line segment to insert a new point.

To convert an existing straight line to a curve:

Use the Select Point Tool to select the required shape.
Select the Pen Tool .
Holding the Alt key down, click an existing point and drag the control point to a new location.
Note: The cursor will change to when positioned correctly.

Use the Select Point Tool to select the required shape.
Select the Pen Tool .
Holding the Alt key down, click an existing point to convert it to a straight line.
Note: The cursor will change to when positioned correctly.

While in pen mode you can temporarily switch to the last select mode, by holding down the <Ctrl> key down.

For the different tools available to edit graphic pages.

For information about editing graphic pages in Fernhill SCADA.

For the meaning of terms used in Fernhill SCADA.