Handle

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A "Handle" is a widget on Canvas Window that can be used to control some Parameters of a layer.

For example, a circle will have one handle to control the position of its center, and another to control its radius.

Handles are displayed in the WorkArea for all the currently selected layers and for all the currently selected ValueNodes in the Library Panel.

Position	Vertex	Tangent	Radius	Width	Angle

They have different color on depending on what they control : a position (green), a vertex point (orange), a tangent (yellow), a width point (purple), a radius (blue)...

A shape with a position (green), some vertex points (orange), six tangents (yellow), a width point (purple) and three width points center (grey) handles

Display by kind of type

By default, all but "Width handles" are displayed.

From the "<Menu> → <View> → Show/Hide Handles" or the Canvas Window you have can choose witch handles you want to be displayed.

Position	Vertex	Tangent	Radius	Width	Angle
Alt1	Alt2	Alt3	Alt4	Alt5	Alt6

The "Toggle Handles" buttons group (see Canvas Window), permit to individually toggle the visibility of handles by type.

If you are seeing handles you don't expect to see, check in the Library Panel - you probably have ValueNodes selected in there.

See also :

• Synfig keyboard shortcuts
• Toggle handles in canvas window

Move the Handle

With the Mouse

Click and drag the handles around to change the parameters.

Hold ⇧ Shift while dragging to constrain the movement to be either horizontal or vertical.

With the keyboard

More precise control of the handles can be achieved using the cursor (also named arrow) keys : ←↑↓→.

The cursor keys will move the currently selected handle 1 pixel at a time, or 10 pixels at a time if the ⇧ Shift key is pressed.

Choose your handles

Handle selection can be done one by one or by group.

One by one

• Move your pointer near a Handle it will signal it by changing his shape. Click on it. The handle is now selected, reflected by a visual information, and any other previously selected handle will be unselected. Single click on a handle replace the current selection.
• Hold ⇧ Shift while clicking on a handle to add it to the current selection.
• Hold Control while clicking on a handle to toggle the selection on and off without affecting the selection status of the other handles.

By group

• Click on the WorkArea and drag a rectangle around a group of handles to select them all and unselect the other handles.
• Hold ⇧ Shift while dragging a rectangle around a group of handles to select them as well as the currently selected handles. You can repeat the operation, the new selected handles will be added to current selection.
• Hold Ctrl while dragging a rectangle around a group of handles to toggle them and keep the rest. You can repeat the operation.
• Hit ControlA to select all non-position handles. In a selection-locked group layers this will select the Group Transformation Widget's handles.

From multiple Layers

If you want to select handles from multiple Layers, in the Layers Panel or direct from the Canvas first select the layers you want, them select the handles by any combination of single of group selection.

Clear the current selection

To clear the current selection, in the WorkArea click out of any Handle. You may like also the ControlD to Deselect all Handles.

Old name of handles

"Ducks" : This is how the handles were called some time ago.

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English • français