90% of the time when I use the direct selection tool (and I'm sure I am using the rght tool because the curser turns white as it should when this tool is selected) I can't manipulate anchors and instead am dragging the entire shape.

It feels like you accidentally disabled the bounding box, probably with Cmd + Shift + B hotkey.
Try to press it again (while not editing text), or toggle it manually with View > Show Bounding Box command.
Please comment back if it helps.

The cursor doesn't let me resize anything including text, images and figures.
It only allows me to change places but doesn't let me change the size.

It looks like you have bounding box disabled, most probably with accidental Ctrl+Shift+B.
Press it again to have it back, or toggle it in View > Show/Hide Bounding Box.

When selecting an object, edges for manual expansion of the object do not work

Please check if you have View > Show Bounding Box enabled, please, and reply back.

It is such a basic thing, but it's not allowing me to redimension anything, texts, images, whatever; i cant redimension it with the selection tool or anything like i normally used to

thanks for getting solution, simple and straight. I was searching without any clue till found your respond. thank you for mastering things simple and effective.

I have View Bounding Box checked to be on, but still get this same error: "The operation cannot be completed because of an unknown error (NOKY)." I have also trashed Illustrator Cache and Application Support files in the Library. It created new ones but the problem persists.

I have View Bounding Box checked to be on, but still get this same error: "The operation cannot be completed because of an unknown error (NOKY)." I have also trashed Illustrator Cache and Application Support files in the Library. It created new ones but the problem persists.

this did work!! thanks

Neila, it looks like you've accidentally turned off the bounding box, presumably with the Ctrl+Shift+B hotkey. You can turn it back on with this key or do it with the View > Show Bounding Box command.
Please write back if it helps.

Can't resize objects like images or text boxes once they have been placed. Could only use scale and rotate for resizing items. Seems the selection tool isn't working as it should, or it's illustrator itself. I've seen this seems like a recurring problem over the years

Since updating to Version 27.2 all the bounding boxes have disappeared. To resize objects I can only put numbers in the Height and Width text boxes or click and drag individual anchor points with the Direct Selection tool. There is no way to click and drag an entire object to resize it. Late yesterday, even the anchor points disappeared, but closing and reopening Illustrator brought them back.

By any chance do you have View > Show Bounding Box command available? Try to click it, or press Ctrl/Cmd+Shift+B on your keyboard. Does it help to make objects scalable?

Please check if you have bounding box turned on in View menu, or try to directly toggle it with Ctrl+Shift+B. It’s quite easy to accidentally switch it off.

Whenever I form a shape with the Rectangle Tool, the Select Tool won't provide the option to resize the selected shape.

Arif, it looks like you accidentally disabled bounding box. It's quite easy to enable (and disable again) back — Ctrl+Shift+B, or via the menu, View > Show Bounding Box.

when ı creat a shape ı can t make it smaller or bigger because ı cant see the tools

I cannot see the selection tool at anytime when on adobe illustrator