Edit Shape Styles

Talk about Pixelmator Pro, share tips & tricks, tutorials, and other resources.
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2021-02-03 10:33:00

Ok, so something really, really simple ...

I'm a big fan of Pixelmator, but have only just recently upgraded to Pro. One thing I don't understand is that I have to select a shape (using the Arrange tool, pointer icon), then the Shape tool, in order to edit the styles of an existing shape. At that point if I click anywhere else on the canvas a new shape appears, because I selected the Shape tool. I keep doing this accidentally when I try to select another shape (with the Shape tool now active).

This might sound silly, but it just feels wrong to me. I don't want to draw a new shape, I want to edit an existing shape. Why doesn't the Arrange tool just let me select a shape and edit its styles? That's how it worked originally in Pixelmator, except that the Arrange tool there is called the Move tool.

Either I just need more time to get used to it, or I have a valid point, or I'm missing something here, I'm not sure. But I do experience some cognitive dissonance (!) when I have click on the Shape tool (which should be called Add Shape, really) to edit an existing shape, and the cursor changes to a crosshair, waiting for me to decide where to put my unwanted, new shape.

I've written that and it sounds pathetic :blush: ... oh well.
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2021-02-03 15:15:57

Hey there Paul. You can move or select other existing shapes while using the Shape tool by holding down the Command key on your keyboard. Another thing that might help with your workflow is a separate Style tool. Once you draw or select a shape, you can press the "S" key on your keyboard to customize its style. Hope that helps!
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2021-02-04 17:49:28

It does, thank you.
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2021-02-05 08:03:29

No problem. Glad that helped!