Draw: what is the "hand" pointer?

[jKaufmann]

Draw, day 1: Just trying to understand how to do basic things like copy-paste and moving objects, and finding that neither the Help nor the Guide (pdf) address these issues that arise.

For example:

(1) After drawing a box, adding elements (text, et al) and grouping them, I want to copy it to multiple locations. When dealing with the box, once selected, the Selection pointer (Arrow) is replaced by either the Resize pointer (2-way arrow) or Move pointer (4-way arrow), depending on location within the object boundary. That behavior is familiar from other applications. However, what happens next is not familiar: I can select and copy, but no matter where the pointer is placed, the “paste” occurs on top of the original (that is, the “copy” is “pasted” on top of the original). I can then drag the copy to a new location, but this 3-step copy/paste process is awkward. Is there no more efficient way?

(2) After drawing a small circle, I want to move it and copy it. After selecting it, unlike the the box (1), the two pointers are the Resize pointer (2-way arrow) or a hand. What is the function of the hand pointer (which does not seem to be able to drag anything)?

[Regina]

It is not clear, what do you do. In Draw there exists nothing like a “box”. When you click on the little black triangle next to the icon, the sub-bar opens and you can drag and detach it. When you hover an icon with the mouse, you get a yellow tooltip with the name of that shape. There exists two very different kind of shapes in Draw, the primitive ones and the custom shapes. When you have selected a primitive one, the status bar shows its name. Please use those names.

[jKaufmann]

Thanks for that correction. I apologize for being sloppy. It will be easier for everyone if I use correct terms: the primitive shape was “rectangle”, not “box”.

[Regina]

(1) Pasting to the exact position is necessary, when working with layers. Therefore Draw has this features.

You can drag-copy: While dragging the shape hold down the ctrl-key.

In technical drawings you very often need to put the shape at an exact position. So the “third” step is needed anyway.

(2) The hand pointer indicates, that there exists a point you can drag, mostly to alter the outline of the shape. But a “circle” does not have such point. Are you sure, you see this hand on a circle?

Please write for each problem an own questions next time.

[jKaufmann]

Also, thanks for pointing out that I should not ask more than one question per title. It won’t happen again unless the issues are so interconnected they cannot be separated sensibly. That said, let’s finish this one as begun:

[jKaufmann]

(1) Thanks for pointing out that I should begin with layers to understand what is happening. I believe that - and more precision in my terminology generally - will speed up the learning curve on basic issues like this. It is still not clear to me why objects “paste” over the original position rather than where I have the pointer when invoking paste, but I will think about that further as I become comfortable with layers.

[jKaufmann]

(2) Again you are right: my language was sloppy. The “Drawing” toolbar includes “Basic Shapes”, which include “Circle” and “Ring”. I said “circle” (which outline is not changeable), when I meant “ring” (which can be modified - hence the hand pointer. Sorry take your time with a bad question. That said, I still find no definition or description of the different pointers in the Help or the Guide. Is there someplace else with basic info like that?