For more information on vector and raster objects, see Creating images. For information about vector, floating, and selecting text, see Working with text.
The anatomy of a vector object
In order to understand vector objects, you must be familiar with the following terms.
| • | Object — anything you create with the Pen or Preset Shape tool. Each object is represented by its own bounding box. An object has properties you can control such as line style and fill color. Each object contains one path made up of contours and nodes. For more information, see Aligning, distributing, and arranging vector objects. |
| • | Path — includes all of the contours in an object. The properties of the path are controlled by the object’s properties. A path’s direction flows from its start to its end point. Some paths are closed, in which their start and end points are the same. |
| • | Contour — contains at least one line segment. A contour can be open or closed. Some of a contour’s properties are determined by the object’s properties, such as the line style, fill color, and anti-aliasing. |
| • | Node — a point on a path or contour that lets you define its shape. For more information about nodes, see Working with nodes. |
| • | Line Segment — the straight or curved line between two nodes. For more information, see Drawing lines. |
