LESSON 27: FORMATTING

OBJECTS/GRAPHICS
 Transformation Tool

The user can modify an object’s size or

shape and change its orientation on the
pasteboard by using tools and
commands. The toolbox includes four
transformation tools - the Rotate, Scale,
Shear and Free-Transform tools.
 Transformation Tool

Legend:
A. Scaling option
B. Shearing options
C. Rotation options
 Transformation Tool

When transforming objects, note the

following:
• The results of a transformation can differ
significantly depending on which
selection tool used. Use the Selection
tool to transform (rotate, scale or shear)
an entire path and its content.
 Transformation Tool

• Use the Direct Selection tool to transform

just the path without its content or the
content without its path. To transform the
content without its path, make sure that all
anchor points are selected. 
 Free-Transform Tool

The Free-Transform tool works the

same way it does in Adobe Photoshop
and The user can use keyboard shortcuts
to instantly switch among the Free-
Transform tool (press E), the Selection
tool (V) and the Direct Selection tool (A).
 Free-Transform Tool

1. Using the appropriate selection tool,

select the object or objects to transform.
2. Select the Free-Transform tool.
• To move objects, click anywhere within
the bounding box and then drag.
 Free-Transform Tool

• To scale objects, drag any bounding box

handle until the object is the desired
size. Shift and drag the handle to
preserve the selection’s proportions.
• To scale objects from the center of the
bounding box, ALT‑drag (Windows) or
OPTION-drag (Mac OS).
 Free-Transform Tool

• To rotate objects, position the pointer

anywhere outside the bounding box. When
pointer changes to drag until the selection
is at the desired angle of rotation.
• To reflect objects, drag a handle of the
bounding box past the opposite edge or
handle until the object is at the desired level
of reflection.
 Free-Transform Tool

• To shear objects, begin dragging a handle

and then hold down Ctrl (Windows) or
Command (Mac OS). Hold down Alt + Ctrl
(Windows) or Command + Option to
shear from both sides of the object.
 Rotating Objects

The user can rotate objects using any

of the several methods.
 Rotating Objects

Rotate an Object using the Rotate Tool

1. Select an object to rotate. To rotate both
the frame and its content, use the
Selection tool to select the frame.
2. Select the Rotate tool.
3. If the user wants to use a different
reference point for the rotation, click
where the reference point to appear.
 Rotating Objects

4. Position the tool away from the

reference point and drag around it. To
constrain the tool to multiples of 45°,
hold down SHIFT while dragging. For
finer control, drag farther from the
object’s reference point. The user can
also rotate by using the Free-Transform
tool.
 Rotating Objects

Rotate an object using the Transform or

Control panel
1. Select an object to rotate. To rotate
both the frame and its content, use
the Selection tool to select the frame.
 Rotating Objects

2. Do any of the following:

• To rotate clockwise or counterclockwise
in 30° increments, click either of the
rotate buttons in the Control panel.
• To rotate by preset angle, choose an
angle from the Rotation Angle pop-up
menu in the Transform or Control panel.
 Rotating Objects

• In the Rotation Angle box on the

Transform or Control panel, type a
positive angle to rotate selected objects
counterclockwise or type a negative
angle to rotate selected objects clockwise
and then press Enter (Windows) or
Return (Mac OS).
 Rotating Objects

• To create a copy of the object with the

new rotation applied to the copy, type a
value in the width or height fields on the
Transform panel and then hold down Alt
(Windows) or Option (Mac OS) as users
press Enter.
 Scaling Objects

Scaling an object enlarges or reduces

it horizontally (along the x axis), vertically
(along the y axis) or both horizontally and
vertically relative to the reference point
users specify.
 Scaling Objects

Scale Command
1. Select an object to scale. To scale both
the frame and its content, use the
Selection tool to select the frame.
 Scaling Objects

2. Do one of the following to open the Scale

dialog box:
• Choose Object  Transform  Scale.
• Double-click the Scale tool.
• Select the Scale tool and ALT + click
(Windows) or OPTION + click (Mac) on
or near the object to select a new
reference point.
 Scaling Objects

3. Type a percentage value in the Scale X

or Scale Y box. To maintain the original
proportions of the object when using
the Transform panel, make sure the
Constrain Proportions icon is selected.
 Scaling Objects

4. Do any of the following:

• To preview the effect before applying
it, select Preview.
• To scale the object, click OK.
• To scale a copy of the object, click
Copy.
 Scaling Objects

Scale Tool
1. Select an object to scale. To scale both the
frame and its content, use the Selection
tool to select the frame. To scale the
content without scaling its frame, directly
select the object. To scale a frame without
scaling the content, directly select the
frame and select the entire anchor points.
 Scaling Objects

2. Select the Scale tool.

3. Position the Scale tool away from the
reference point and drag. To scale the X
or Y axis only, drag the Scale tool along
one axis only. To scale proportionally,
hold down SHIFT. The user can also
scale by using the Free-Transform tool.
 Scaling Objects

Scaling Using the Transform Panel

To maintain the original proportions of
the object when using the Transform
panel, make sure the Constrain
Proportions icon is selected.
 Scaling Objects

1. Select an object to scale.

2. In the Transform or Control panel, do
one of the following:
• Choose a preset percentage value in
the Scale X Percentage  or Scale Y
Percentage pop up menu.
 Scaling Objects

• Type a percentage value or a specific

distance (such as 10p) in the Scale X
Percentage or Scale Y Percentage box
and then press Enter or Return.
 Scaling Objects

If the Apply to Content preference

option is selected in General preferences,
scaling values are reset to 100% in the
Transform panel after the object is
scaled. If Adjust Scaling Percentage is
selected, scaling values remain as
specified such as 125%.
 Shearing Objects

Shearing an object slants or skews an

object along one or both of its axes. It is
useful for creating a sense of
perspective; slanting a box that contains
text or generating a cast shadow.
 Shearing Objects

To shear an object, either click on the

shear button on the tool palette and
drag the edges of the object; or select
Object Transform  Shear from the
Menu bar.
Control Palette and Transform Palette

• Click on the object or text with the

Selection tool or highlight text with
the Type tool.
• Click a point on the Proxy and the
object is skewed from this point.
 Control Palette and Transform Palette

• Type an angle measurement in the

Skew (object) or Shear X Angle (text)
field (same field of different name).
• Positive values skew to the right.
• Negative values skew to the left.
• Press Enter or Return
Control Palette and Transform Palette

• Choose an angle from the drop-down

menu. 
• Text is given a false italic with the
Skew tool (Use it with caution).
 Shear Objects

• Select the object with the Selection tool.

• Click on the Shear tool.
• Click away from the object and drag.
• Drag to the left to shear to the right and
drag to the right to shear to the left.
 Shear Objects

• The farther from the object is clicked, the

more control it will have.
• The object will shear from the point
selected on the Proxy.
• Hold down the SHIFT key to constrain the
shear to 45° increments.
 Shear Dialog Box

1. Select the object or text with the

Selection tool.
2. Double-click on the Shear tool.
3. Type an angle in the Shear Angle field.
The object will shear clockwise from the
current axis.
 Shear Dialog Box

4. Choose the Horizontal or Vertical axis.

5. InDesign CS2:
• Add an Angle measurement to shear
on an angled axis.
• If the object is in a frame and the
frame and object should both shear,
check Shear Content in the Options
section.
 Shear Dialog Box

6. InDesign CS6: The same effect can be

created using the Control palette.
7. Check Preview to see the change take
place.
8. Click OK to finish.
9. Click Copy to shear a copy of the object.
Use this option if a shadow will be created
behind the object.
END OF DISCUSSION