Selection Tool in Figma
Key Concepts
- Basic Selection: Selecting individual elements or groups of elements.
- Direct Selection: Selecting specific points or paths within an element.
- Group Selection: Selecting and manipulating entire groups of elements.
Detailed Explanation
Basic Selection
The basic selection tool allows you to click on individual elements or drag a selection box around multiple elements to select them. This is the most common way to interact with elements in Figma. Once selected, you can move, resize, or modify these elements.
Direct Selection
The direct selection tool is used to select specific points or paths within an element, such as a vector shape. This tool is particularly useful for fine-tuning the shape of an element by adjusting individual anchor points or handles. It's like using a fine-tipped brush to make precise adjustments to a drawing.
Group Selection
The group selection tool allows you to select entire groups of elements at once. When elements are grouped, they can be moved, resized, or modified as a single unit. This is useful for maintaining the relative positions and sizes of elements within a group.
Examples and Analogies
Basic Selection
Imagine you are arranging furniture in a room. Using the basic selection tool is like picking up individual pieces of furniture and placing them where you want. You can also select multiple pieces at once by dragging a box around them, similar to grabbing a group of items with your hand.
Direct Selection
Think of the direct selection tool as a sculptor's tool. When you need to make detailed adjustments to a sculpture, you use a fine tool to shape and refine specific parts. Similarly, the direct selection tool allows you to make precise adjustments to the shape of an element in Figma.
Group Selection
Consider a group selection tool as moving an entire bookshelf. Instead of picking up each book individually, you can move the entire shelf with all the books on it as a single unit. This maintains the arrangement of the books on the shelf, just as group selection maintains the relative positions of elements within a group in Figma.