Groups versus Merged Shapes

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Grouped and merged shapes behave differently. How you want the completed shape to behave should determine whether you group or merge the shapes from which it is created.

When to use groups

• To create a complex shape that contains more than one text block or that has multiple styles or formats applied to it.
• To maintain user-defined formulas for the component shapes.
• To allow users to subselect and modify shapes within a complex shape.

When to use merged shapes

• To create a shape with transparent holes in its fill.
• To combine component shapes into a single shape that cannot be unmerged by the user.
• To create a shape that responds more quickly to user actions than a group.
• To create a shape with Geometry sections that can be conditionally hidden or shown.

Characteristics of groups

• A group can be ungrouped to recover the individual shapes.
• A group allows several shapes to move and size together, yet retain their individual formatting attributes, including user-defined formulas.
• Different styles and text formats can be applied to the shapes that make up the group.
• Component shapes in a group can be subselected and directly moved or resized.
• Each component shape retains its own ShapeSheet spreadsheet, plus the group has its own ShapeSheet spreadsheet.

Characteristics of merged shapes

• A merged shape is represented by a single ShapeSheet spreadsheet that contains multiple Geometry sections.
• A merged shape overwrites user-defined formulas of the component shapes.
• A merged shape is limited to a single text block, and a single set of formatting attributes.
• A merged shape can have "holes" in its fill.