Edit a square or rectangle as curves with the drag tool

Audience

This article is for EasySIGN users who want to edit a square or rectangle more freely with the drag tool.

Primary use cases

Use this article when:

• You want to change the shape of a square or rectangle manually.

• You want to edit the corners or sides of a rectangle with the drag tool.

• The drag tool does not edit the rectangle as expected.

• You need to convert a basic shape to curves.

• You want newly created objects to behave as editable objects.

Customer scenario

A user creates a square or rectangle in EasySIGN.

The user wants to edit the shape freely with the drag tool, for example by moving points or changing the outline manually.

A square or rectangle may first need to be converted to curves before it can be edited like a curve object.

Summary

To edit a square or rectangle as curves, use:

• Right-click → Convert to → Curves

After converting the object to curves, the shape can be edited more freely with the drag tool.

For newly created objects, also check the setting:

• File → Settings → Objects → Create as object

1. Purpose and scope

This article explains how to convert a square or rectangle to curves in EasySIGN so the object can be edited with the drag tool.

It covers:

• Why a rectangle may not edit freely at first.

• How to convert the object to curves.

• How to use the drag tool after conversion.

• Where to find the Create as object setting.

This article applies to basic shape editing in EasySIGN. It does not cover advanced node editing, contour design, or production output settings.

2. Symptoms or customer problem

You may see one or more of the following situations:

• A square or rectangle cannot be reshaped as expected.

• The drag tool does not change the object in the way the user expects.

• The object behaves like a standard rectangle instead of a freely editable curve.

• The user wants to move points or reshape the object manually.

• The user needs a simple way to edit a basic shape as a curve.

3. Cause or background

Squares and rectangles can behave as basic shape objects.

A basic shape object may keep rectangle-specific behavior until it is converted to curves.

When the object is converted to curves, EasySIGN treats it as a curve object. This makes it possible to edit the shape more freely with the drag tool.

4. Solution

Convert the square or rectangle to curves.

Use the command:

• Right-click → Convert to → Curves

Then edit the converted object with the drag tool.

For future objects, check the object creation setting:

• File → Settings → Objects → Create as object

5. Step-by-step procedure

Step 1: Select the square or rectangle

1. Open the EasySIGN worksheet.
2. Select the square or rectangle that you want to edit.
3. Make sure only the object you want to convert is selected.

Step 2: Convert the object to curves

1. Right-click the selected square or rectangle.
2. Choose Convert to.
3. Choose Curves.
4. The object is now converted to a curve object.

Step 3: Edit the object with the drag tool

1. Select the drag tool.
2. Click the converted curve object.
3. Move or adjust the points or shape as needed.
4. Check that the object now edits as a curve instead of a standard rectangle.

Step 4: Check the object creation setting

1. Go to File.
2. Open Settings.
3. Open Objects.
4. Check the setting Create as object.
5. Adjust this setting if your workflow requires newly created objects to behave differently.

6. Validation

The issue is solved when:

• The square or rectangle has been converted to curves.

• The drag tool can edit the shape as expected.

• The object no longer behaves only as a standard rectangle.

• The user can reshape the object manually.

• The Create as object setting has been checked if needed.

7. Important notes and limitations

• The exact command is Right-click → Convert to → Curves.

• Converting to curves changes how the object can be edited.

• After conversion, the object may no longer behave like a standard rectangle with rectangle-specific properties.

• Keep an original copy if you may need to return to the basic rectangle later.

• The setting File → Settings → Objects → Create as object affects how new objects are created.

• This article is about editing object geometry, not cutting, printing, or export output.

8. Support checklist

Before escalating the case, check:

• Is the object a square or rectangle?

• Does the user want to reshape it manually?

• Has the object been selected?

• Has the user used Right-click → Convert to → Curves?

• Is the user editing the converted object with the drag tool?

• Has the Create as object setting been checked?

• Is the issue about shape editing, or is it actually about cutting, printing, or file export?

9. Conclusion

To edit a square or rectangle freely with the drag tool, first convert it to curves.

Use:

• Right-click → Convert to → Curves

After conversion, the object can be edited as a curve object.

For future object behavior, check:

• File → Settings → Objects → Create as object