Quark to InDesignCS3 Conversion Guide - InDesign User Group

selection or Direct selection: Choosing the Right Tool for the Job
One of the biggest adjustments for
QuarkXPress users who switch to
InDesign is becoming familiar and
comfortable with the Selection and
Direct Selection tools. This overview
will help you learn more about
how to use each of these tools.
The Selection tool lets you select
frames and work with objects using
their bounding boxes. For example,
you use the Selection tool to move
and resize a frame and its contents
or to adjust the size of the frame to
change how it crops its content.
The Direct Selection tool lets you
select a graphic within a graphics
frame and modify editable
objects, such as paths, rectangles,
and type that has been converted
to outlines. For example, you use
the Direct Selection tool to move
a graphic within its frame and
change how the graphic is cropped,
to change the size of a graphic
without changing the size of its
frame, or to edit the shape of
a frame.
when you select a frame with
the selection tool, the bounding
box around the frame is the
same color as its layer.
when you select the content
of a frame with the Direct selection
tool, the bounding box is
a contrasting color to the layer
color. here, the frame crops the
image, so the bounding box is
larger than the frame.
to resize a frame and its
contents, select the frame
with the selection tool, press
Command in mac Os or Ctrl in
windows, and drag a resizing
handle. to resize proportionally,
add the shift key. Double-click a
frame handle to automatically fit
any frame to its content.
to edit the shape of a frame,
select it with the Direct
selection tool, and then drag
any of the frame’s anchor
points to a new position.
Use the Add Anchor Point tool
to add anchor points to an
object, and then use the Direct
selection tool to drag any of
the new anchor points.
Selecting Tools, Objects, Text, and Graphics 31