Using the Arrow Tool

You can use the new Arrow annotation as a pointer to call attention to a certain specimen feature or to indicate a particular area of interest on 2D and 3D views. Arrow annotations can be included in animated sequences and will appear in exported screenshots. You should note that by default, captions are not added to arrow pointers. However, you can add text manually after you create the annotation.

Arrow pointer in 3D view

The properties available on the Data Properties and Settings for modifying the appearance of an Arrow annotation include its thickness and the style of its control points, as well as the text that will appear with the annotation. In 3D views, you can choose to set the size of the annotation and its direction. If these options are not set, then the size or orientation of the annotation will be adjusted automatically for the best fit as the view is zoomed and rotated.

Arrow properties and settings

Properties and Settings panel

See Annotation Properties and Settings for information about changing the visibility of arrows and their assigned color, as well as other options available for most annotations.

The properties and settings available for arrows are described in the following table.

Arrow properties and settings
  Description

Thickness

Indicates the thickness (in screen percentage) of the line that defines the shape of the annotation.

  • Select the required view — 2D or 3D — and then enter a new number in the edit box to change the thickness of the arrow.

Control point size

Indicates the size (in screen percentage) of the annotation's control point.

  • Select a 2D view and then enter a new number in the edit box to change the size of the control point.

Control point appearance

Let you choose a shape — Circle, Square, Triangle, Cross, or "X" — for the annotation's control point.

  • Choose a shape in the drop-down menu to change the representation of the control point.

Arrow text

Lets you add a caption that will appear in 2D and 3D views.

  • Enter the required text in the Arrow text edit box.

Fixed size

If selected, lets you choose the relative size of the selected in a 3D view.

  • You can adjust the size of the annotation with the Size slider.

Fixed direction

If selected, lets you choose the angle applied to the orientation of the annotation. If not selected, then the orientation of the annotation will be adjusted automatically for the best fit as the view is zoomed and rotated.

  • You can choose an angle — from 0 to 350 degrees — with the Direction slider.
  1. Select the required 2D view.

    You should note that although arrows can appear in 3D views, they can only be created and manipulated in 2D views.

  2. Click the Arrow tool in the Annotate panel.
  3. Click at the starting point of the arrow, drag, and then release the mouse to create the end point.
  4. Adjust the properties of the selected arrow, as required.

If required, you can resize arrows by simply dragging either the start or end control points that define the annotation. See Editing Annotations for more information about control points and how to modify annotations.

  1. Select the required arrow, either directly in the 2D view or in the top section of the Data Properties and Settings panel.

    The arrow's control points appear.

  2. Click inside either the start or end control point and then drag.
  3. Click inside the selected control point to de-select it.
  1. Select the required arrow, either directly in the 2D view or in the top section of the Data Properties and Settings panel.
  2. Select the line connecting the two end points and then drag to reposition the arrow.

A number of configured actions and keyboard shortcuts are available for creating and editing arrows. The default settings for these actions are listed in the following table.

Default configured actions for arrows
Action State Key Mouse

Create an arrow in Arrow mode

OrsStateArrow

 

Left mouse

Edit an arrow in Arrow mode

OrsStateArrowEdit

 

Left mouse

Switch to Arrow mode

 

 

 
See Configurable Actions for information about modifying default actions.