canvas-website/GESTURES.md

Gesture Recognition Tool

This document describes all available gestures in the Canvas application. Use the gesture tool (press g or select from toolbar) to draw these gestures and trigger their actions.

How to Use

1. Activate the Gesture Tool: Press g or select the gesture tool from the toolbar
2. Draw a Gesture: Use your mouse, pen, or finger to draw one of the gestures below
3. Release: The gesture will be recognized and the corresponding action will be performed

Available Gestures

Basic Gestures (Default Mode)

Gesture	Description	Action
X	Draw an "X" shape	Deletes selected shapes
Rectangle	Draw a rectangle outline	Creates a rectangle shape at the gesture location
Circle	Draw a circle/oval	Selects and highlights shapes under the gesture
Check	Draw a checkmark (✓)	Changes color of shapes under the gesture to green
Caret	Draw a caret (^) pointing up	Aligns selected shapes to the top
V	Draw a "V" shape pointing down	Aligns selected shapes to the bottom
Delete	Draw a delete symbol (similar to X)	Deletes selected shapes
Pigtail	Draw a pigtail/spiral shape	Selects shapes under gesture and rotates them 90° counterclockwise

Layout Gestures (Hold Shift + Draw)

Gesture	Description	Action
Circle Layout	Draw a circle while holding Shift	Arranges selected shapes in a circle around the gesture center
Triangle Layout	Draw a triangle while holding Shift	Arranges selected shapes in a triangle around the gesture center

Gesture Tips

• Accuracy: Draw gestures clearly and completely for best recognition
• Size: Gestures work at various sizes, but avoid extremely small or large drawings
• Speed: Draw at a natural pace - not too fast or too slow
• Shift Key: Hold Shift while drawing to access layout gestures
• Selection: Most gestures work on selected shapes, so select shapes first if needed

Keyboard Shortcut

• g: Activate the gesture tool

Troubleshooting

• If a gesture isn't recognized, try drawing it more clearly or at a different size
• Make sure you're using the gesture tool (cursor should change to a cross)
• For layout gestures, remember to hold Shift while drawing
• Some gestures require shapes to be selected first

Examples

Deleting Shapes

1. Select the shapes you want to delete
2. Press g to activate gesture tool
3. Draw an "X" over the shapes
4. Release - the shapes will be deleted

Creating a Rectangle

1. Press g to activate gesture tool
2. Draw a rectangle outline where you want the shape
3. Release - a rectangle will be created

Arranging Shapes in a Circle

1. Select the shapes you want to arrange
2. Press g to activate gesture tool
3. Hold Shift and draw a circle
4. Release - the shapes will be arranged in a circle

Rotating Shapes

1. Select the shapes you want to rotate
2. Press g to activate gesture tool
3. Draw a pigtail/spiral over the shapes
4. Release - the shapes will rotate 90° counterclockwise