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### 4.4. Scale Tool

The Scale Tool is used to scale layers, selections or paths (the Object).

When you click on image with the tool the Scaling Information dialog box is opened, allowing to change separately Width and Height. At the same time a Preview with a grid or an outline is superimposed on the object and handles appear on corners that you can click and drag to change these dimensions. A small circle appears at center of the Preview allowing to move this preview.

#### Activate Tool

- The Scale Tool can be called in the following order, from the image-menu: Tools/ Transform Tools/Scale .

- The Tool can also be called by clicking the tool icon:

#### Key modifiers (Defaults)

Shortcut

  The Shift-t key combination will change the active tool to Scale.

Ctrl

  Holding Ctrl will constrain the scale height.

Alt

  Holding Alt will constrain the scalewidth. If Alt doesn't work, try Shift+Alt.

#### Options

Overview

  The available tool options for the Scale Tool can be accessed by double clicking the Scale Tool icon.

Affect

  The scale can affect the Layer, the Selection, and the Path differently. These three buttons associate the remainder of the options to one of those three elements. Remember that this option persists when you quit the tool.

Transform Direction

  Forward (Traditional): The Forward mode will scale the object as one might expect: with an enlarged preview, the object will be rendered enlarged.

  Backward (Corrective): Performs transformation in the reverse direction: a reduced object will be rendered enlarged and conversely.

Interpolation

  The Interpolation drop-down list allows you to choose the quality of the transformation. For more information about the different methods that can be employed, see the glossary entry Interpolation.

Supersampling

  See glossary at Supersampling.

Clip Result

  This option will clip the rotated layer to the original layer size.

Preview

  Here, Preview is superimposed on the image. The drop-down list gives you four possibilities:

  1. Outline: Puts a frame to mark the image outline, with a handle on each corner. Movements will affect this frame only.

  2. Grid: Puts a grid on the image, with four handles. Movements will affect this grid only.

  3. Image: Here, the preview is a copy of the image superimposed on the image, with an outline. Movements affect this copy and the underlying image appears.

  4. Grid+Image: Both turn at the same time.

  Preview type is only for greater convenience. Whatever your choice, result will be the same when you clic on the Scale button in the Scale Informations dialog.

  Options with grid activate a drop-list with two options: Number of Grid Lines will allow control over the total number of displayed grid lines. Use the slider to set the number of grid lines. Grid Line Spacing allows control over the distance between the grid lines. Use the slider to set the distance.

  | Note
  When scaling a path, Preview options are not valid: only Outline is active.

Constraints

  None: No Height/Width constraint will be imposed to scaling.

  Keep Height will constrain the scale such that the height of the layer will remain constant.

  Keep Width will constrain the scale such that the width of the layer will remain constant.

  Keep Aspect will constrain the scale such as the Height/Width ratio of the layer will remain constant.

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