User Guide

Chapter 3: Objects And Attributes
Selection indicators
Canvas indicates that an object is selected by displaying the object’s bounding box, a rectangle with
solid blue squares, called handles, at each corner and side midpoint.
A bounding box with handles surrounds a selected object
The first object selected is called the key object. The key object is indicated with solid blue squares
in the bounding box. If several objects are selected, the other selected objects have solid white
squares in their respective bounding boxes. The key object may affect alignment and distribution of
the other objects (see "Aligning and distributing objects" on page 181).
When an object is selected, its bounding box is visible even if it has attributes (the same
color as the background, for example) that make the object itself invisible. Also, a selected
object’s bounding box is visible even if it’s covered by other objects.
When selected, Canvas displays the object type at the right end of the Status bar. When more than
one object is selected, the Status bar shows the number of selected objects.
To change the key object:
The key object in a selection can be changed via the context menu.
To switch the key object with multiple objects selected:
Select the objects and then right-click the object that you want to be the key object. Select Make
Key Object in the context menu. Note that this change is only temporary.
To add the key object to a selection:
Select one object (by default it’s the key object). Press Shift and right-click the object that you
want to add to the selection but also designate as key object. Select Make Key Object in the
context menu. The object becomes part of the selection as well as the key object.
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