To help create and maintain attractive pictures, you can align objects to a grid or in relation to each other. The following sections show you how to align objects in your pictures.
Aligning Objects to the Grid
Each picture maintains an invisible grid that you can use to align objects precisely as you create them. By enabling the Snap to Grid function, you can align objects with minimal effort, as objects stick (or snap) to the nearest grid point. When this function is disabled, you can align objects visually by displaying the grid and moving objects with the mouse, or by selecting the object you want to snap to a grid point and in Classic View, selecting Snap Objects to Grid from the Format menu. In Ribbon view, select the object, and on the Format tab in the Arrange group, in the Grid List, click Snap Objects to Grid.
When you display the grid, an evenly-spaced array of dots appear in the background of the picture. These dots represent the intersection of the grid lines, measured in pixels.
The Grid Settings dialog box lets you quickly set your options for using a grid. You can elect to show the grid, enable the Snap to Grid function, and define the grid's spacing using this dialog box. In Classic view, you can also select Snap to Grid from the Format menu, without using the Grid Settings dialog box. In Ribbon view, you can enable the Snap to Grid function from the Format tab, in the Arrange group, on the Grid list, by clicking Snap to Grid. If enabled, the Snap to Grid function works whether or not you display the grid. To disable Snap to Grid, deselect the Snap to Grid check box on the Grid Settings dialog box.
If enabled, the Snap to Grid function works whether or not you display the grid. To disable Snap to Grid, deselect the Snap to Grid check box on the Grid Settings dialog box.
Default settings for Grid Enable and Snap to Grid can be entered in the Picture Preferences tabbed page of the User Preferences dialog box.
NOTE: Snap to Grid does not work by nudging objects. You must use the mouse.
The following illustration shows an object moved with the grid displayed and Snap to Grid enabled. The box to the lower left shows the outline of the object as it is being moved to that position. Notice that the object sticks to the grid points.
Aligning Objects to the Grid
Aligning Objects to Each Other
IMPORTANT: You can also align two or more objects in relation to each other using the Align buttons on the Tools toolbar or the Toolbox, if enabled. When using these buttons, you can vertically align the top, bottom, or center of the objects and horizontally align the left, right, or center of the objects, as the following figure shows. In Ribbon view, you can also align objects using options from the Align list, in the Arrange group in the Format tab.
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Original Picture |
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Horizontal Alignment |
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Vertical Alignment |
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Aligning Objects in Relation to Each Other
Spacing Objects in a Vertical or Horizontal Line
Another way you can align objects is to space them. In Classic view, you can space two or more objects vertically or horizontally with the Space Evenly Vertical and Space Evenly Horizontal buttons on the Tools toolbar. In Ribbon view, you may access these options on the Format tab, in the Arrange group, in the Space list. Both methods create an equal amount of spacing between each object; the difference is that vertical spacing creates rows, and horizontal spacing creates columns. Both types of alignment are illustrated in the following figure.
Vertical Spacing
Horizontal Spacing
Positioning and Scaling Objects
Another way to align objects in your picture is to position them. Positioning places the object where you want it, based on either relative or absolute alignment and the horizontal or vertical axis. In Classic view, you can position your objects using the Position Expert located on the Experts toolbar, or in Ribbon view from the Tools tab, in the Animations group, click Animations. If the Toolbox is enabled, click the button on the Toolbox. For help on the Expert fields, click the Help button on the Expert.
Alternately, you can scale an object. Scaling actually changes the dimensions of the object's height or width, as you specify. To scale an object, use the Scale Expert located on the Experts toolbar or the Toolbox, if enabled, or in Ribbon view from the Tools tab, in the Animations group, click Animations. For help on the Expert fields, click the Help button on the Expert.
