(Just clicking on the line will work too, but it’s a bit fiddly – you need to click and then drag a little bit for it to register). You can also hold Ctrl/Cmd and click at the required position. The easiest way to add a point is to right-click in the position where you want it to be added and select Add Point. Similarly, if your shape has become a little too complex, removing some points will make it simpler and any curves will be smoother. You can add extra points that allow you to manipulate a shape into something a little more detailed than what you started with. Sometimes, you need to add a little extra something to a shape. While you’re in Edit Points mode, as well as moving anchor points, you can also add some extra points or delete unnecessary ones open or close a shape or change the type of the anchor points and therefore the way the path travels through them (more on that later). See Changing the Point Type below for more detailed information. There are different types of points and their handles behave in different ways. Drag the anchor points themselves to change their location or drag their handles to modify the shape (Figure 4).įigure 4 Drag the handles of individual anchor points to change the way the line travels through the point. Once the shape is editable, right-click and select Edit Points to see the points that make up the shape. You can right-click any icon and select Convert to Shape to make the shape editable. In Figure 3 below, I’ve inserted an icon from the Insert > Icons dialog box and choosing a leaf icon.
![visio how to change text direction in a shape visio how to change text direction in a shape](https://venturebeat.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Interstitial2.png)
You’ll probably need to experiment with it a bit to get more comfortable but the good news is that you can see a dashed line that previews the change you’re making to your shape. It’s tricky to describe, but it makes sense when you try it. If you pull the handle further away from the anchor point, the curve of the segment will flatten out. As you move the handle up or down, the line segment will move up and down as well. The shape’s line segment will follow the direction of the handle. You can drag on these handles to edit the way the path looks.
![visio how to change text direction in a shape visio how to change text direction in a shape](http://machow2.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/lucidchart-for-mac-how-to-use-swimlanes-1024x927.jpg)
These are known as Bezier handles and they control how the line behaves as it travels through the anchor point. When you select an anchor point, two blue lines will appear with white squares at the ends. The final image is the resulting edited triangle. The shortcut key combination is Alt+J+D, E, E but I would never recommend that – if you really want a keyboard shortcut, define an easier one yourself.įigure 2 An equilateral triangle shown freshly drawn, after selecting Edit Points and then dragging the top point to the right. You can also access this command by right-clicking the shape and choosing Edit Points. Select the shape first, then make sure you’re on the Shape Format Ribbon, click the dropdown arrow next to Edit Shape and select Edit Points.
![visio how to change text direction in a shape visio how to change text direction in a shape](https://cdn.extendoffice.com/images/stories/doc-word/change-text-direction/doc-change-text-direction-2.png)
How to get started editing PowerPoint shapes As you’ll see later in this article, you can also work directly with the line segments as well.
![visio how to change text direction in a shape visio how to change text direction in a shape](http://positiveus.com/img/COLORADO-400X300.jpg)