OK, I’m coming from an ‘object graphics’ background (starting with Mac Draw 
) I created a rectangle, set its size by entering the desired values in Width and Height. After playing with that, I decided I wanted to CHANGE the size of that object. So, naively, I thought, “select the object, and type the new Width and Height values”. Instead of editing the existing object, this created a new object.
So what am I missing?
Another question: Is there a ‘nudge’ operation that moves an object a small amount in a direction (vertical or horizontal)? Again, what I was hoping was to select the object, and then ‘nudge’ it with the cursor keys. Instead of moving a small amount (e.g. .01" or .1mm), it “jumped” the object a lot more than I expected.
SHIFT+arrow
CTRL+arrow
Both modifiers and arrow movement can be edited in the settings to the desired movement amount.
Press and hold SHIFT will unlock the snap feature, allowing for precise placement with the mouse
OK, this is strange… I went back and tried again to edit the object properties. It worked as expected.
So maybe I had some modifier active, or perhaps a bug. But at least this answers my core question.
Perhaps this option isn’t set the way you expect:
To a large extent, LightBurn is not a graphics program, so much of what you know about graphics programs is irrelevant. If you think of LightBurn as a laser control program with a minimal graphic UI and do not expect it to perform all the functions you expect, you’ll have a much smoother time getting things done.
You may be happier designing in a familiar program, while paying attention to the graphic restrictions imposed by LightBurn’s architecture, exporting the design as an SVG, importing it into LightBurn, setting the laser parameters, then Firing The Laser.
Well, I’d hope LightBurn has the same capabilities as PowerPoint’s drawing tools…
I just added your request to the list of applications that people say have features they want in Lightburn.
PowerPoint
Word
Excel
Illustrator
CorelDraw
AutoCAD
CATIA
Gimp
Paintshop Pro
Sketchup
Photoshop
Kiri Moto
Affinity
Canva
Fusion
Google Docs
If you really learn to use all the features of Lightburn, you will find it has nearly everything you need to manage the laser machine.
To be very honest, I have been using it for a very long time and still somebody often mentions a feature that I did not know was there. 
By default, Lightburn maintains the drawing tool you were using. This makes for faster repeat drawing and there is a switch to change this behavior if desired. It is in Settings (Gears Icon).
You need to choose the select tool to move an object. In other words, escape key deselects the square, then you click the select tool and click on your square. Now it is in edit mode.
I also use 2D drafting for much of my work (MacDraft).
With knowledge of how the product from each software package interacts, the “team” effort can really expand the possibilities.
In the original case, the object -was selected- (I saw the object handles). I don’t know why editing the width/height values didn’t change that object, but rather created a new one.
You are correct. If the handles were there you should have been able to edit the size with the control boxes. I just verified this on my system. Unfortunately you didn’t screenshot when this happened so guessing after the fact is just that, guessing.
What trips me up more than anything is I will create a shape, then want to move it with the mouse and it will start drawing a news shape because I didn’t switch to the select tool. I had that switch enabled for a while, but find the default behavior better for my workflow.
I’ve floated the idea of hotkey profiles that mimic other design software - It’s certainly something I’d like to poke at if users of Illustrator/Inkscape/etc think there’s merit.
Naturally we cannot implement everything we get asked all at once, but a saved bundle of hotkeys is very doable already with the Hotkey Editor - So if anyone ends up making a set of hotkeys specifically tailored, or be willing to help us do so, we’re all ears.
There are situations where the handles are there, but the “object” has lost focus. I usually click on the object to restablish focus on it.
There are situations where the handles are there, but the “object” has lost focus.
THAT sounds like the most probable explanation. Is it a bug?
Not at all. It loses focus when I am doing something that shifts the focus. It is a Windows thing.
But I’m on a Mac…
Maybe it is a MAC thing too. MAC’s are above my pay grade. Maybe @thelmuth can help, I know he uses one.
Very much sounds like you had duplicated the object.
That or when you drew your first you then went to select it by dragging but LB was in “keep creating objects mode” and the new rectangle you created by dragging was snapped to the original object.
That would look exactly like selecting the first object.
