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Using the rotation tool
By Cari Jansen | April 21, 2003
Digitip 003 - Adobe PageMaker 7
Ever gotten lost using PageMaker’s rotation tool? Does it behave like a rocket launcher when you click-drag, projecting the selected element into “space”?
Rotation tool
What happens when you click-dragging with the rotation tool? The point where you click sets the reference point (1) around which your rotation occurs. If you click-drag outwards a line appears between the reference point and the location of the cursor (2). The rotated element is marked by a rectangle. Often making extending the distance between the reference point and cursor location will provide you with more control over the rotation.
The rocket launch occurs when point 1 and 2 are too close together.
Rotating around an element’s centre point
Not convinced? Let’s make it easier. Most of us want to rotate an element around its centre point. Hold down the Ctrl-key (Apple-key on Macintosh), then move your cursor just outside the element area and start dragging. All of a sudden you have much more control, as holding down the Ctrl-key (Apple-key on Macintosh) will result in applying the rotation around the element’s centre.
Control palette
The control palette will always indicate the applied rotation angle for a selected element.
Use the nudge tools to amend the rotation angle by 0.1 degrees increments. Shift-clicking the nudge tools will result in 1 degree increments. To rotate around the centre point , amend the reference point setting in this palette.