Demystify move object (and selecting things in general) please

CNYGamer

Hello all!

I've had this sort of ongoing problem with CC3 that I'm hoping one of you fine folks can help me solve. On my map I have a forest (using the Default Terrain tool, on the Land Features sheet, Vegetation layer). Sitting on top of that is a text object with the name of the forest (using the Text tool, on the Text sheet, Structures layer). I want to move the text a bit, so I select the Move, Scale, Rotate tool. When I do the command line changes to Select Entities. The problem comes in with trying to select the text. No matter where I click, all I can select are forest objects in the forest. Even if I manually select the Text sheet and Structures layer as the current sheet and layer, I still can't select the text to move. I even tried zooming in so the text object is gigantic on my screen, but no luck there either.

In general, I've also been having problems when it comes to selecting things for the various tools in CC3. Sometimes when I select a tool it wants me to single click on an object to select it, sometimes it wants me to click on opposite corners to draw a selection box. I can't figure out a pattern as to what triggers CC3 to ask for the single click vs. the selection box.

Any help on either of these issues would be greatly, greatly appreciated.

CNYGamer

JimP

If you put your text on the text layer, freeze all except the text layer.

Type drag and then select the text's lower edge. Right click and select 'do it'.

Then click on the bottom edge of the text and then move your mouse pointer to where you want it.

Or you can type list

Then click on the text.

A window will come up tell you all the items you listed.

Write down the tag number for the text.

You can then move by tag number. I forget the details on that, but someone will chime in or it is in the help file.

Freezing layers helps many times when you move things.

Monsen

Posted By: CNYGamerIn general, I've also been having problems when it comes to selecting things for the various tools in CC3. Sometimes when I select a tool it wants me to single click on an object to select it, sometimes it wants me to click on opposite corners to draw a selection box. I can't figure out a pattern as to what triggers CC3 to ask for the single click vs. the selection box.

This is determined by your first click. If the edge of an entity is within the pick aparture box (The small square at the tip of your mouse pointer), that entity will be selected. If not, CC3 will start a selection windows instead. Also note as JimP stated, to select text, you need to click on the baseline of the text (All other entities require you to select by any edge)

CNYGamer

Okay this is starting to clear things up a bit. One question, though, is there a way for me to make these edges and baselines visible on the screen? For example, if I create a document in a word processor it's possible to make non-printing characters (such as hard returns, paragraph markers, page breaks, etc.) visible on the screen to assist with editing. Is such a thing possible with CC3?

Monsen

There is no special command for this (AFAIK), but as long as you work with effects off, the edges should be clearly visible, because they are always located at the visible edge of an entity. This extends to symbols with transparent parts, the edge to click on is the visible edge of the symbol, not the invisible outer edge of the actual image.
The two exceptions to this is:
- Text: text always needs to be selected by clicking on it's baseline.
- Lines with width: Lines that have a width setting needs to be selected by clicking on the actual line, which goes through the exact center of the entity, no matter the width. An example on this is your typical dungeon wall or road.

JimP

I don't know of any command to show non-print characters either. Ralf ?

Ralf

Non-print characters cannot be shown in CC3, not the baselines for text. But as Monsen says, they are usually pretty apparent.

CNYGamer

I'm starting to get the hang of it. Like anything, it just takes practice and the willingness to learn iteratively. Thanks for all of the great help, guys.

CNYGamer