Shift-drag not constraining straight lines

[Ada...@adobeforums.com]

I'm finding that Shift-drag is not constraining pen tool lines - grabbing end point with Direct Selection tool and dragging. Am I missing something? To get around this I select end point and adjust using Arrow keys on keyboard = pain. Thanks

[Ada...@adobeforums.com]

Hmmm. This is exactly what I do but it fails. The end point I drag ends up shifting up or down ever so slightly (half point or so). I've tried this over and over and cannot get it to work. I just tried it again and it fails. Any other thoughts?

[Mark]

The pen tool appears to constrain itself to 45 degree angles when you hold down the shift key. If you hold down the shift key and try to drag "relatively" straight, you should have no problem making a straight line.

[Steve_...@adobeforums.com]

What operating system version? What InDesign version? Under Mac OS X 10.2 (Jaguar), there were some problems with modifier keys (Shift, Option, etc.) working with some apps occasionally. Rebooting usually fixed it.

Also try throwing away the InDesign preference files.

[Tom_...@adobeforums.com]

You don't have Snap To Guides or Snap to Document Grid activated, do you?

[Sandee...@adobeforums.com]

I've seen the exact same problem. It's a real pain.

[Ada...@adobeforums.com]

Oh, might add this is happening on two different machines, both same OS and same version of InDesign.

[Ada...@adobeforums.com]

I'm using InDesign CS 3.0 and OSX 10.3.2.
I just went and created a new document. Snap to Guides off, Snap to Document Grid off.
Took pen tool and drew a 1 point rule line. Shift dragged end to make it shorter, about 9 picas in length. End points now differ by about .6 points = line is no longer straight.

[Don_P...@adobeforums.com]

I'm not sure I understand the locus of the problem.

It it that your pen tool isn't constrained by holding the shift key down when you're drawing lines? Or that when, having already drawn the line with the pen tool, you select it with the Direct Selection tool to shorten it, and line strays out of true?

If the first, then I don't know why it wouldn't work. If I place a point with the pen tool, then click a point anywhere near, say, 0, 45 or 90 degrees (with the shift key held down) I get a line at one of the those angles.

If you're simply trying to shorten an existing line that you created with the pen tool, and want it constrained, then the tool to use is the Selection tool, I believe, not the Direct Selection tool.

If you're trying to change the orientation of the line from, say, 90 to 0 degrees, then I think you're right, neither the Selection tool nor the Direct Selection tool will be constrained by the shift key; I beleive you'll need to use the transform palette to change the orientation precisely.

Don

[Ada...@adobeforums.com]

Don! You've made all my problems disappear! Life is good again. Thanks! Al

[Randal_...@adobeforums.com]

Has anyone had luck CHANGING their constrained angles to anything other than 0, 45, 90? I want to use 30 and 60 but the program refuses to listen when I alter the preferences via Illustrator>Preferences>Smart Guides and Slices>Angles. I'm running Illustrator CS 11.0.0 with Mac OS 10.3.4 on PowerPC G4. I think it's a bad bug.