VERY simple Illustrator question

I am creating a simple design using a variety of squares and lines and I just want to select part of a line or square, not all of it. With all of the selection tools, whenever i click on a line or square, all of object is selected. I want to be able to highlight or use some tool to only select parts of the different objects. Please tell lme how I can do this. Thanks.

Mike

well if you use the direct selection tool and click the line not the point that will work. The line does not light up like the points. But it is selected. To try it click a line then press delete the line should disappear. Be sure to cntrl+z after that to get your line back. I really wish the edges lit up when you selected them.

When I used what you said it just deleted the whole line. I want to be able to highlight part of a line and delete just one section. It seems like the points are left but the line is still deleted. Any other suggestions what I might be doing wrong?
Thanks.

Mike

you are going to need to add segments or points on the line if you want to take away a part of the line. You can you post an example of what you are trying to do?