The Rectangular Selection Tool is used to make square and rectangular selections. Selections will be marked by square nodes, making them easily distinguishable from the round nodes of Partial Images.

Creating rectangular selections

1. Select the rectangular selection tool from the Tools Palette or press the D key on the keyboard.
2. In the settings window which opens when you select this tool, make sure the lasso icon is selected.
3. Drag the cursor to draw a box around your chosen area in the design.
4. Release the cursor and the selected area will be marked by a moving dotted line.

Creating square selections

1. Make sure the tool is set to 'Rectangle' mode in the Tools Palette by clicking and holding on it and selecting this option from the list:
   
   
2. Drag the rectangular selection tool whilst holding down ⇧ (shift key) to constrain the selection to a perfect square. If a perfect square is not required, and any rectangular shape will do, ⇧ does not need to be held down while dragging the shape.

Creating oval selections

1. Make sure the tool is set to oval mode in the Tools Palette by clicking and holding on it and selecting the oval option in the tool list.
   
   
2. Drag the oval selection tool and an oval shape will be created.

Creating circular selections

1. Make sure the tool is set to oval mode in the Tools Palette.
2. Drag the cursor tool whilst holding down ⇧ (shift key) to constrain the selection to a perfect circle.

Adding to existing selections using the Rectangular Selection Tool

1. Make your initial selection with your chosen selection tool.
2. Select the + icon in the tools setting window.
3. Draw the additional areas of the selection with the Rectangular or Oval Selection Tool and the new area will be added to your selection.

Removing areas from a selection using the Rectangular Selection Tool

1. Make your initial selection with your chosen selection tool.
2. Select the - icon in the tools setting window.
3. Draw around the areas of the selection you wish to remove with the tool and the area will be formed from your selection.

Creating a selection of a specific size

You can accurately set a selection box around a specified area of a design by choosing one of the following methods:

• double click on either the Rectangular Selection Tool or the Oval Selection Tool, or
• go to Edit Menu > Select > Set, or
• select the rectangular selection tool. Hold down ^ (control key) and click in the design and choose Set... from the contextual menu.

You can set the exact origin point of the selection using the top two dialogue boxes marked left and top in the snapshot below. The value entered into the left dialogue box will set the top left of the selection in the specified amount from the left of the document. The value entered into the top dialogue box will set the top left of the select in the specified amount from the top of the document.

• Other options available in the Left popup menu are; Right, Centre and Horizontal Ruler
• Other options available in the Top popup menu are; Bottom, Centre and Vertical Ruler

All values entered will determine the distance from the selected start point.

Once you have determined where the selection should start, you can then set the size of the selection using the width and height dialogue boxes.

The size of any existing selection can be adjusted by moving the cursor over one of the nodes or one of the edges of the selection. The cursor changes to a heavy four way cross when positioned over a node, or a double ended arrow when positioned over an edge. Both can be used to adjust the size of the selection by dragging in or outwards.

If any layers or images which contain information within the selected area are active, dragging the selection in this way will resize the information. To avoid this, hold down ⌥ (option key) while dragging so only the selection will be changed and the information inside it will stay the same.

Adding a selection to the Brushes

Selections can be automatically added to the Brushes Window. Simply activate one of the select tools (Rectangular Selection Tool, Lasso Tool or the Magic Wand Tool) and create your selection, then click ^ (control key) and choose Add to Brushes.