14 DAY TRIAL // Google Docs has recently introduced a new tool, the Drawings editor. The tool enables users to create graphics for work and school projects with little hassle. It’s a simple tool but it has enough features to satisfy the needs of its target audience. That doesn’t mean it can’t get better though, Google engineers have been toiling away adding new features, tweaks and improvements to the editor. Now Google is unveiling the latest batch.
Some of the additions that you’ll likely notice the fastest are to the zooming capabilities. Google has added several ways to zoom into a portion of the image. There’s a zoom button in the toolbar for quick access and zoom level entries in the View menu. You can also select the area you want to see up close and personal by drawing a rectangle around it. Finally, the fastest way is to use the keyboard shortcuts, Ctrl Shift → (Cmd Shift → on a Mac) for zoom in and Ctrl Shift ← (Cmd Shift ← on a Mac) for zoom out.
If you find yourself drawing pies frequently maybe you should hit a deli more often. If the type of pies you’re drawing are not the eating kind, however, the Docs Drawings editor has a new tool that may come in handy. This also applies to arcs. You can check out the image to see how it works.
Another tool introduced allows you to duplicate objects while rotating or resizing them. Here’s Google’s explanation on how this works: “You may already know that if you hold Control (or Command on a Mac) you can make a copy of an object as you drag it. Well, we have extended the Control/Command modifier to duplicate objects while you resize and rotate objects too, which makes it easy to make both concentric and radial diagrams.”
That’s not all; the Drawings editor also got a few tweaks to make your lines and line joints prettier. You can now choose to end your lines with a square or a round cap. For line corners, you can now change the default round ones to a miter or bevel joint.
