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Lectra is built for writing with Apple Pencil, and it also works with your finger. You can set what happens when you squeeze or double-tap your Pencil, decide whether your finger draws or scrolls, and use quick finger gestures for undo, redo, and switching tools.

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Before you begin

  • Any Apple Pencil that works with your iPad works with Lectra.
  • Double-tap needs Apple Pencil (2nd generation) or Apple Pencil Pro.
  • Squeeze needs Apple Pencil Pro.
  • Hover needs an iPad and Apple Pencil that support Apple Pencil hover.

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Find the Pencil settings

Lectra’s Pencil settings live in the editor, not in Settings.
1

Open a document

In your library, tap any document.
2

Open the Pencil menu

In the top bar, tap More actions (the ellipsis button), then tap Pencil & Input.
Your Squeeze, Squeeze Twice, and Handedness choices follow you to your other devices signed in to the same Apple Account. Draw with Finger is set separately on each iPad. Choosing either Handedness option moves the toolbar back to the bottom of the screen.

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Squeeze Apple Pencil Pro

One squeeze runs the Squeeze action. With the default, Toggle Pen and Eraser:
  • If you’re using the pen, a squeeze switches to the eraser.
  • If you’re using the eraser, a squeeze switches back to the tool you were using before.
  • If you’re using another tool, a squeeze switches to the pen.
Two quick squeezes run Squeeze Twice. With the default, two squeezes pick up the highlighter. Squeeze twice again to go back to the tool you had before. To use two squeezes as two separate single squeezes, set Squeeze Twice to Off.

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Double-tap Apple Pencil

Double-tapping the side of Apple Pencil does the same thing as one squeeze: by default, it switches between the pen and the eraser. Double-tap never triggers Squeeze Twice.
Lectra uses its own Squeeze setting for double-tap. The double-tap choice in the iPadOS Apple Pencil settings doesn’t change what double-tap does in Lectra.

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Hover

On iPads that support Apple Pencil hover, holding the Pencil a little above the screen shows a preview:
  • With the eraser, a ring shows the eraser’s size and where it will erase.
  • With the highlighter, a preview shows the size of the highlighter tip.

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Pressure and tilt

The pen responds to pressure: pressing harder makes a stroke slightly thicker. The effect is gentle, and the width stays even along the stroke. The highlighter, the ruler, and strokes made with your finger keep a constant width. Tilting the Pencil doesn’t change your strokes.

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Draw with your finger

Draw with Finger decides whether your finger draws or scrolls. With Automatic, Lectra notices your Pencil the first time you touch the screen with it, hover with it, squeeze it, or double-tap it. You see Apple Pencil connected. Your finger scrolls now. Lectra remembers this for the iPad, so your finger keeps scrolling even if your Pencil runs out of charge. While your finger draws, use two fingers to scroll and turn pages.

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Palm rejection

You can rest your hand on the screen while you write.
  • A palm or finger that touches the screen during a Pencil stroke doesn’t interrupt the stroke.
  • If your palm lands before the Pencil and your finger can draw, the Pencil takes over and any mark from your palm is removed.
  • When your finger is drawing, putting a second finger down cancels that stroke and scrolls instead.
Palm rejection is always on. There’s no setting for it.

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Finger gestures

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Snap shapes as you write

With the pen or highlighter, draw a shape and hold the Pencil still for a moment before you lift it. The shape snaps clean. On Apple Pencil Pro, you feel a tap when it snaps. To learn more, see Draw shapes.

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Keep the toolbar out of your way

By default, the toolbar folds into a small circle in the corner as soon as you start writing, and comes back when you tap it. To keep the full toolbar on screen, go to Settings > App and turn off Move the toolbar aside while you write.

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Troubleshooting

Set Draw with Finger to Never, or use two fingers to scroll. If you have an Apple Pencil, touching the screen with it once also switches Automatic to finger scrolling.
Lectra has seen an Apple Pencil on this iPad. Set Draw with Finger to Always.
Check More actions > Pencil & Input > Squeeze. Double-tap follows the same setting.
Make sure the Pencil is charged and paired in the iPadOS Settings app under Apple Pencil or Bluetooth. In Lectra, check that Read isn’t turned on in the top bar.