Toolbox
The Microsoft Expression DesignToolbox provides all the tools you require to create, select, and edit paths; as well as to navigate around your document, scale and rotate objects, and more. Related tools are arranged in tool groups that appear when you click and hold the mouse button on any tool that has a marker in its lower-right corner. You can also see these related tools by right-clicking a tool.
Toolbox with Selection tool group expanded
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The following tables describe the tools in each tool group.
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Selection tool group
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Selection Use this tool to select one or more whole objects in your document. |
Press V |
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Group Select Use this tool to select one or more objects in a group. |
Press SHIFT+A |
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For more information about selection tools, see Selection tools.
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Direct Selection tool group
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Direct Selection Use this tool to select one or more anchor points in a path or a shape. You can also drag the tool to create a rectangular selection marquee to select all the points that the marquee contains. |
Press A |
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Lasso Selection Use this tool to select one or more anchor points in a path or a shape. You can also use the tool to create an irregular selection marquee to select all the points that the marquee contains. |
Press Q |
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For more information about how to select specific anchor points, see Select anchor points.
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Paintbrush tool
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Paintbrush Use this tool to create a freehand path. Expression Design automatically fits a Bezier path to this freehand trail. |
Press B |
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For more information about how to use this tool, see Use the Paintbrush tool.
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Pen tool group
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Pen Use this tool to create a Bezier path by positioning a series of anchor points (sometimes named nodes) and control handles (or tangent handles). You can modify the anchor points and control handles to further adjust the line. |
Press P |
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Add Anchor Point Use this tool to add anchor points to an existing path. |
Press = (equal sign) |
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Delete Anchor Point Use this tool to remove existing anchor points from a path. |
Press - (hyphen) |
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Convert Anchor Point Use this tool to change anchor points to corner points, curves, or symmetrical points. |
Press SHIFT+C |
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Polyline Use this tool to create a Bezier path made of segments that are either straight lines or circular arcs. |
(no shortcut) |
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B-Spline Use this tool to create a B-spline path by positioning a series of anchor points that indicate the direction the path should follow. |
Press W |
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Rectangle tool group
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Rectangle Use this tool to create rectangles and squares. |
Press M |
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Ellipse Use this tool to create circles or ovals. |
Press L |
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Polygon Use this tool to create a variety of polygons and stars. |
Press J |
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Line Use this tool to create straight lines with an anchor point at the start and finish. |
Press \ |
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For more information about tools in the Rectangle tool group, see Use the Rectangle tool, Use the Ellipse tool, Use the Polygon tool, or Use the Line tool.
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Text tool
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Text Use this tool to add text anywhere in your document. |
Press T |
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For more information about the Text tool, see Text.
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Slice tool group
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Slice Use this tool to create slices for export to other documents or applications. |
Press K |
.png "Slice tool")
For more information about the Slice tool, see Working with slices.
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Fill tool group
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Gradient Transform Use this tool to transform the gradient fill of a shape. |
Press G |
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Fill Transform Use this tool to transform the image or pattern fill of a shape. |
(no shortcut) |
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For more information about tools in the Fill tool group, see Transform image fills, or Transform gradients.
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Scissor tool group
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Scissors Use this tool to turn an open path into two separate paths, or to split a closed path into an open path. |
Press C |
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Reverse Path Use this tool to reverse the direction of an existing path. |
Press R |
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Start Point Use this tool to mark or change the starting point of a path. |
(no shortcut) |
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For more information about tools in the Scissors tool group, see Split paths, Reverse path direction, or Change a path's starting point.
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Color Dropper tool group
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Color Dropper Use this tool to copy the color from an existing object so that you can apply it to another object. |
Press I. |
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Attribute Dropper Use this tool to copy fill, stroke, and effect attributes from an existing object so that you can apply them to another object. |
Press SHIFT+I. |
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For more information about tools in the Color Dropper tools group, see Copy colors, gradients, and image fills or Copy attributes.
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Pan tool
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Pan Use this tool to help you move around the document. |
Press H. |
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For more information about the Pan tool, see Navigate your document.
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Zoom tool
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Zoom Use this tool to change the magnification of the document. |
Press Z. |
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For more information about the Zoom tool, see Navigate your document.