Select, move, and duplicate objects

When you click an object to select it, handles appear. You can use the handles to manipulate the object.

In some cases, the way you move an object depends on whether the object is inline, floating, or anchored.

Examples of floating and inline objects with selection handles

Select objects

Do any of the following:

Select an object: Click it.
To select an object whose Fill is set to None, click the object’s border.
Select multiple objects: Command-click them.
You can select multiple floating and anchored objects. If you select an inline object, you can only Command-click other inline objects.
Select all the objects on a page: Press Command-A.
This does not select inline objects.
Select an object that’s grouped with other objects: Click the object twice slowly, or first ungroup the objects (choose Arrange > Ungroup).
If clicking twice doesn’t select the individual object you want, it might be nested in layers of grouping. Click again until the object you want is selected.
Select or deselect one object when multiple objects are selected: Command-click the object.

Move objects

Do any of the following:

Move an object: Drag it. Don’t drag the object’s selection handles because you might inadvertently resize the object.
To move an object whose color fill is set to None, drag the object’s border.
Constrain an object’s motion to horizontal, vertical, or a 45-degree angle: Hold down the Shift key while you drag.
Move an object a pixel at a time: Press an arrow key. To move an object ten pixels at a time, press Shift and an arrow key.
Show the position of the object when you move it: Choose iBooks Author > Preferences, click General, and select “Show size and position when moving objects.”

Copy or duplicate objects

Whether you copy or duplicate an object depends on where you want to place the copy. If you’ll place the copy far away from the original (in another chapter, for example), copying and pasting is easier. If you’ll place the copy near the original, duplicating is generally easier.

Do one of the following:

Copy and paste an object: Select it, choose Edit > Copy, click where you want the copy to appear, and choose Edit > Paste.
Duplicate an object, do one of the following:
- Option-drag the object.
- Select the object and choose Edit > Duplicate. The copy appears on top of the original, slightly offset. Drag the copy to the location you want.

If you can’t select or move an object, the object might be locked, layered behind another object, or grouped with other objects.