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1. Re: Please help - free transform distort...
tromboniator Oct 1, 2010 4:14 AM (in response to vi5ionary-iOP3Sj)Hans,
It is important to note that the free transform tool does not work on anchor points, but only on the corners of bounding boxes. I know that the help files (at least in CS3) tell you to start dragging, but it seems to be enough to click and hold on a corner handle, then hold down the command key, then start to drag in any direction to distort from that corner; or then hold the command-option-shift keys, then drag. Depending on where you have the cursor relative to the corner handle different arrows appear which give a clue to the effect that will take place when you then drag. It's not very precise, and you may have to play around to get the effect you want. Yes, it's very frustrating to get this tool to work until you finally get it going. Good luck.
Peter
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2. Re: Please help - free transform distort...
JETalmage Oct 1, 2010 5:02 AM (in response to vi5ionary-iOP3Sj)Make sure Bounding Boxes are visible (View menu.)
Select the object.
Get the FreeTransform tool. Mousedown on a BoundingBox corner.
THEN press and hold the modifer keys.
Then drag.
JET
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3. Re: Please help - free transform distort...
tromboniator Oct 1, 2010 12:14 PM (in response to tromboniator)Thanks, James, I knew it needed clarification, but I was nearly asleep.
Peter
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4. Re: Please help - free transform distort...
Larry G. Schneider Oct 1, 2010 12:16 PM (in response to tromboniator)You can use any of the eight handles to modify the bounding box, not just the corners.
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5. Re: Please help - free transform distort...
[scott] Oct 1, 2010 12:31 PM (in response to Larry G. Schneider)You don't need bounding boxes visible. At least not if you are using the Free Transform Tool. I haven't had bounding boxes visible since Adobe instituted that feature.
Click a handle, press the modifiers, then move the mouse.
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6. Re: Please help - free transform distort...
tromboniator Oct 1, 2010 12:35 PM (in response to Larry G. Schneider)I WAS asleep. The help files differentiate between "distort" (corner handles) and "shear" (side handles). Like an idiot, I interpreted the "distort" instruction, which was to use only the corners, to mean that using modifier keys on the side handles had no effect. It's not a tool I've used much, and my trial of it was incomplete. My apologies.
Peter
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7. Re: Please help - free transform distort...
vi5ionary-iOP3Sj Oct 4, 2010 2:59 AM (in response to vi5ionary-iOP3Sj)Thanks everybody, I got it now - all it took was to restart Illustrator, now the tool behaves as it should.
Don't know what the problem was, messed up keyboard-shortcuts or something like that.
Anyways, thanks for your help!


