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Creating double-headed arrows in Preview

Based on the answer to a previous question, it seems that there used to be a way to create a double-headed arrow in the Preview app; however it appears that that option has been taken away. Does anyone know of a way to create a double-headed arrow in Preview? (Yes, I get that you could create two arrows and carefully align them; I'm looking for a less cumbersome way that would allow repositioning a single object instead of two).

iMac 21.5″, macOS 10.15

Posted on Jun 13, 2021 8:10 AM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Jun 13, 2021 9:28 AM

You can create a double arrow by first creating an arrow from the Tools > Annotate menu. Then from the Shape Style drop down menu, select the double-headed arrow.


11 replies

Jun 13, 2021 8:48 AM in response to captaingyro

captaingyro wrote:

All right, let me be more clear: I'm looking for a way to create a double-headed arrow that is an editable object such as those created via the "Shapes" dropdown in the Markup toolbar.
Such an object is editable as to line thickness, length, curve, directional orientation, position on the page, etc.
The object I'm trying to create would be exactly like the single-headed arrow available from the "Shapes" dropdown but would have two heads.


Does not sound like an unreasonable request...


you can submit your Apple Feedback http://www.apple.com/feedback

Jun 13, 2021 8:35 AM in response to captaingyro

captaingyro wrote:

Based on the answer to a previous question, it seems that there used to be a way to create a double-headed arrow in the Preview app; however it appears that that option has been taken away. Does anyone know of a way to create a double-headed arrow in Preview? (Yes, I get that you could create two arrows and carefully align them; I'm looking for a less cumbersome way that would allow repositioning a single object instead of two).

?


What file type is this, an image file, PDF...(?)


See Control Command Spacebar opens the Character View> Arrows (search "double arrow" if in doubt)


ex. ⤄ ⇔ 🔀 ↔️ 🔛


see if there is something there that suit you


Jun 13, 2021 8:39 AM in response to leroydouglas

All right, let me be more clear: I'm looking for a way to create a double-headed arrow that is an editable object such as those created via the "Shapes" dropdown in the Markup toolbar. Such an object is editable as to line thickness, length, curve, directional orientation, position on the page, etc. The object I'm trying to create would be exactly like the single-headed arrow available from the "Shapes" dropdown but would have two heads.

Jun 13, 2021 9:21 AM in response to captaingyro

captaingyro wrote:
Yes, I get that you could create two arrows and carefully align them; I'm looking for a less cumbersome way that would allow repositioning a single object instead of two.

After you align the two arrows, you can have the two arrows selected simultaneously - and move them as a unit - by holding the shift key down when you select the arrows.


MtD

Jun 13, 2021 9:45 AM in response to Meg The Dog

I had tried this before I posted and it didn't work...only one of the arrows moved. However I just went back and did some experimentation and discovered an answer: if the shafts of the arrows overlap by too much they can't be simultaneously selected. However, if you reduce the overlap so that only a small portion of the "tails" overlap, they can then be selected and moved together. This isn't as elegant as being able to "merge" or "lock" two objects together, but it certainly works.

Creating double-headed arrows in Preview

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