Pen Tool

Help Contents

Introduction

You can use the Pen Tool Pen tool icon to:

Drawing Straight Lines

To draw a series of connected straight lines:

  1. Select the Pen Tool Pen tool icon.
  2. Position the cursor where you want the first straight line segment to begin. The cursor will show The pen tool icon shown when starting a new path to indicate you are about to begin a new path. Click to define the position of the first point.
  3. 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°.

  4. Continue clicking to add more points and line segments to the path.
  5. To complete the path do one of the following:

Drawing Curves

To draw a series of curves:

  1. Select the Pen Tool Pen tool icon.
  2. Position the cursor where you want the first curved line segment to begin. The cursor will show The pen tool icon shown when starting a new path indicating you are about to begin a new path.
  3. Hold the mouse button down to define the first point of the curve. The cursor will change to The pen tool icon shown when converting vertices indicating you are defining a curve.
  4. Drag the cursor to set the slope and direction of the curve segment. Release the mouse button.
    First curve point

    A - Positioning the cursor. B - Holding the mouse button down. C - Dragging to define the curve.

  5. 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:
    Second curve point

    Drawing the second point of a curve

  6. 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°.

  7. Continue clicking and dragging to add more points and line segments to the path.
  8. To complete the path do one of the following:

Adding or Removing Points

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

  1. Use the Select Point Tool to select the required shape.
  2. Select the Pen Tool Pen tool icon. As you move the cursor over the selected path, the cursor will change to indicate the expected action:
  3. Either click an existing point to delete it, or click a line segment to insert a new point.

Converting Straight Lines to Curves

To convert an existing straight line to a curve:

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

Converting Curves to Straight Lines

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

Temporarily Changing to Select Mode

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

Further Information

Graphic Editor Toolbar

For the different tools available to edit graphic pages.

Graphic Editor

For information about editing graphic pages in Fernhill SCADA.

Glossary

For the meaning of terms used in Fernhill SCADA.