Using Alignment Guides

You can create alignment guides and alignment objects. Other objects can “snap” to alignment guides and objects. Alignment guides are horizontal and vertical lines you drag into a document from the rulers. When you create alignment guides, Canvas X Draw places the guides on a guide layer. You can also create guide objects from any vector objects. Guide objects are placed on a guide layer; e.g., if you draw a rectangle on a guide layer, objects can snap to the sides of the rectangle. Alignment guides and objects normally do not print, because the guide layers are set to be non-printing.

To Show or Hide Guides:

Do one of the following:

• Toggle the Guides checkbox in the Properties bar. Deselect any objects to view the checkbox.
• Choose Layout | Display | Show Guides or Layout | Display | Hide Guides.

To Activate Snapping to Guides:

Do one of the following:

• With the Guides checkbox enabled in the Properties bar, select the Snap to Guides button. 
• Choose Layout | Grids and Guides | Snap to Guides. When the snap-to feature is active, objects you move will snap to alignment guides and objects on guide layers.

To Set Up Alignment Guides:

1. Display the rulers by selecting the Rulers checkbox in the Properties bar.
2. Point to either ruler and drag a guide into the document area.

To Add or Adjust Guides:

1. Double-click an existing guide.
2. Do one of the following:
   1. In the Guides dialog box, change the settings under Guide type and Guide position to adjust the existing guide.
   1. In the Guides dialog box, create an additional guide by enabling the Keep the original guide checkbox, and adjusting the Guide type and Guide position to customize it.

To Remove a Guide:

Drag the guide back to its ruler.

To Move Objects Touching an Alignment Guide:

Press Option as you drag an alignment guide. This method does not apply to alignment objects on a guide layer.

To Set Up Alignment Objects:

1. Select one or more vector objects.
2. Choose Object | Arrange | Send to Guide Layer. Canvas X Draw moves the selected objects to the guide layer on the current page.

The ink and stroke attributes of guide objects are overridden by default on guide layers. Guide objects appear with a blue pen ink, a 1-point stroke, and no fill ink.

If you move an alignment object off a guide layer, its original attributes reappear.

You can edit guide objects without moving them off a guide layer; e.g., you can select a guide object, drag its selection handles, use freeform mode to transform it, and use Edit mode to reshape it.

To Position Guides Numerically:

After you place a guide line in a document, you can set its position numerically.

1. Double-click an alignment guide to open the Guides dialog box.
2. Select Horizontal or Vertical to set the guide’s orientation.
3. Enter the Guide position in the text box. Positive values go down and to the right from the zero point. Negative values go up and to the left.
4. Click OK.

When you enter a value for the position of a guide, you can use the current measurement units, or enter a unit abbreviation; e.g., to place a vertical guide 3 inches to the right of the zero point, type “3in” (without quotes) if the current units are not inches. To set a horizontal guide 2 picas above the zero point, type “-2p”.

See also:

• Sizing and Aligning with Smart Snaps