Aligning Objects

Though you can move objects around on the page easily, aligning them with each other is, in general, an inexact process. This is why it is so important to let the software do the work. In this case, the computer does a better job than a human.

Objects can be aligned horizontally and vertically. Also be aware that, in certain instances, the alignment of the objects is determined by the first object selected. In the case of your selecting multiple objects, the first item selected will have white handles, while the subsequent selections will have black handles (Figure 4.12).

Figure 4.12. When aligning multiple objects with each other, the alignment will be done using the first item selected, which has black handles.

Object alignment uses the Alignment toolbar (see Chapter 1, "The Captivate Work Environment"). Two types of alignment are available:

• Object alignment where the selected objects align with each other

• Slide alignment where the selected objects align either vertically or horizontally with the slide's center

You can also align objects a bit more precisely if you use the grid feature. To view the grid, select View > Show Grid.

To align objects to each other

1.	Shift-click the objects to be aligned with each other.
2.	Click the alignment option you need in the Alignment toolbar (Figure 4.13). Figure 4.13. The Alignment toolbar.

Tip

• The buttons on the Alignment toolbar that have one or two thick black bars in their icons align the selected objects to the slide, not to each other.

To align objects to a grid

1.	Open a slide in the Slide View panel and select View > Show Grid. The slide's background will be composed of a series of dots (Figure 4.14). Figure 4.14. You can use the grid for precise placement of objects in a slide.
2.	Drag an object into position. For more precise placement, select the object and select View > Snap to Grid.

Tips

• You can also align objects "by the numbers." As you drag the mouse around the screen, the horizontal and vertical coordinates of the mouse in the slide appear in the bottom right corner of the Edit View panel.

• Another way of doing it by the numbers is to use the arrow keys. If you move an object using an arrow key, it moves in one-pixel increments.