The Tools Panel
The Tools panel contains the 44 tools and other controls for working with the program (see figures 14 and 15 on the opposite page).
14 These are the default tools that are visible in the Tools panel.
15 These are the tool groups that contain the additional tools in the Tools panel.
To choose a tool in the Tools panel:
Click the tool in the panel.
or
Tap the letter of the keyboard shortcut for the tool.
The keyboard shortcuts for the tools are displayed as part of the tool tips.
To display the tool tips:
Move the mouse cursor over the tool. The tool tip shows the name of the tool and the keyboard shortcut 16.
16 Place the mouse button over a tool icon to see its tool tip, or name and keyboard shortcut.
Some tools are hidden in tool groups within the Tools panel.
To choose a tool in a tool group:
Press the tool icon that has a small triangle next to the tool. A pop-up list shows the tools in the group 17.
17 The pop-up list displays the tools in a tool group.
Choose one of the tools in the group.
TIP
Tools in a tool group have the same shortcut. Tap the key as many times as is necessary to choose the correct tool.
Windows users can also dock the Tools panel to the side of the window.
To dock the Tools panel (Win):
Double-click the control bar at the top of the Tools panel 18. This docks the Tools panel to the side of the window.
18 Double-click the Tools panel controller bar to dock the Tools panel to the side of the window.
To undock the Tools panel (Win):
Double-click the dots in the gripper bar at the top of the Tools panel 19.
19 Double-click the gripper dots in the title bar of the Tools panel.
Each of the tools can be set for icon cursors or precision cursors 20. Icon cursors illustrate what they do. Precision cursors, represented by a crosshair, are very useful when painting with the bitmap tools.
20 The difference between the icon cursors (top) and the precision cursors (bottom).
Choosing Icon or Precise Cursors:
Press the Caps Lock key to switch between the two cursor modes.
or
Choose Precise Cursors from the Editing Preferences