### 4.6. Scale

The Scale Tool can be used to scale a layer, selection, path or image, depending on the Transform setting.

When you click on your image with the Scale tool, the Scale dialog is opened, allowing to change the Width and Height. When the chain icon is closed, adjustments to one, will adjust the other value the same percentage. If you do not want this, click the chain icon to disable the synchronization. The default size is in pixels, which can be changed in the measurement drop-down list besides the chain icon.

At the same time a Preview (unless disabled in the Tool Options) is superimposed on the object and handles appear on the corners and borders that you can click and drag to change the dimensions. At the center, a square with a cross inside can be used to move the preview.

#### 4.6.1. Activating the Tool

There are different possibilities to activate the tool:

- From the main menu: Tools → Transform Tools → Scale.

- By clicking the tool icon in the Toolbox.

- By pressing the Shift+S keyboard shortcut.

#### 4.6.2. Key modifiers

Shift

  Holding the Shift key down will toggle the Keep aspect option.

Ctrl

  Holding the Ctrl key down will toggle the Around center option.

#### 4.6.3. Options

Figure 14.105. Tool Options Dialog

Normally, tool options are displayed in a window attached under the Toolbox as soon as you activate a tool. If they are not, you can access them from the main menu through Windows → Dockable Windows → Tool Options which opens the option window of the selected tool. The available tool options can also be accessed by double clicking the corresponding tool icon in the Toolbox.

Transform, Direction, Interpolation, Clipping, Show image preview, Guides

  | Note
  These options are described in Transform tools common options.

  | Note
  The Transform mode works on the active layer only. To work on all layers of the image, use Scale Image.

  To scale a path, please refer to Transforming path.

Keep aspect (Shift)

  When you move a corner of the selection frame, this option will constrain the scale such as the Height/Width ratio of the layer will remain constant. Note that this doesn't work with border handles. Note also that it toggles the linking chain in the dialog.

Around center (Ctrl)

  When this option is enabled, you can scale from center, radially if “Keep aspect” is checked, else vertically or horizontally.

#### 4.6.4. The Scale adjustment dialog

Figure 14.106. The Scale adjustment dialog

Width, Height

  Here, you can set Width and Height you want to give to the object. The default unit of measurement is pixel. You can change it by using the drop-down list. These values are also automatically changed when you drag handles in the image. If the associated linking chain is broken, you can change Width and Height separately.

Readjust button

  With this button you can reset the transform handles back to the original square shape, while keeping the current transformation and zoom level. This enables you to create more complex transformations by making the transformation in several steps.

4.5. Rotate |  | 4.7. Shear

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