This section of the tutorial allows you to experiment with several object manipulation features such as those in the list below:
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Numeric Display Tool
Properties Setting
First Numeric Tool Values - Tool Value Output: Item_1
Second Numeric Tool Values - Tool Value Output: Item_2
Third Numeric Tool Values - Tool Value Output: Item_3
Fourth Numeric Tool Values - Tool Value Output: Item_4
Fifth Numeric Tool Values - Tool Value Output: Item_5
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• Aligning • Match Size • Distributing • Orienting
In order to experiment with these features, you will first create a new panel then place objects on the panel.
Creating a New Panel
At this point in the tutorial it is assumed you have become familiar with the process of creating new panels and placing navigational controls on the new panel. Refer to previous sections for these details.
1 Create a fifth panel for your project and name it Tools5.
2 Copy the Exit, Go To Panel, and Back buttons from a previous panel
and paste them onto the Tools5 panel. You are now ready to add tools.
Grouping/Ungrouping Objects
The Group feature allows you to take several objects and apply the Group command to those objects. Once grouped together, the multiple objects are treated as one object and the selection highlight surrounding the group reflects that these are no longer manipulated as separate objects, but as a single group.
1 With the Tools5 panel open in the workspace, select and drag three
buttons onto the panel.
2 Select each button and hold down the Ctrl key with each selection.
As you select each button, sizing handles appear on all three buttons indicating they are currently selected.
3 Select the Group command from the menu.
The buttons are formed into a single group. The menu displays all commands associated with this type of grouped object. You can move and resize the group as you would any other object.
Order Objects
Ordering objects refers to changing the layering of objects on the panel on top of or underneath other panel objects. This is also referred to as the Z order of the objects on a panel.
1 With the Tools5 panel open in the workspace, select the buttons on
the panel and stack each one over the other so that a portion of each button is visible from the edge.
This allows you to notice the order of each object on the panel. The first object placed on the panel appears underneath all other objects.
2 Select the topmost button on the panel.
3 Select Order -> Backward One from the menu.
The selected object moves below the next object in the stack of layered objects.
4 With the object still selected, select Order -> Forward One from
the menu.
The selected object moves to the top of the stack. Select the other objects and experiment with the Order command options.
Align Objects
Aligning objects is extremely useful for quick and easy lining up of multiple objects on the panel relative to one another. You can align objects; left, center, right, top, middle, bottom.
1 With the Tools5 panel open in the workspace, select two of the three
buttons on the panel.
Two of the buttons are selected.
2 Select Align Objects -> Right from the menu.
The object with the special sizing handles on it is the object that all others will be aligned relative to. The last selected object on the panel is the one in which all others will align to.
Select the other objects and experiment with the Align Objects command.
Match Size
The Match Size command allows you to make one or more objects the same height and width as another selected object.
1 With the Tools5 panel open in the workspace, resize the tools so
each one is a different dimension then all the others on the panel.
2 Select two of the three buttons on the panel.
Two of the buttons are selected.
3 Select Match Size -> Width.
All buttons are made to match the last selected objects width. Select the other button and experiment with the Match Size command.
Distribute Objects
The Distribute command allows you to space selected objects evenly apart from one another on the panel.
1 With the Tools5 panel open in the workspace, move the tools so each
one is separated from the other buttons on the panel.
2 Select all three buttons on the panel.
All the buttons are selected. You must select at least three buttons for the Distribute command to become available on the menu.
3 Select Distribute -> Horizontally.
All selected buttons are spaced evenly within the distance of the right edge of the object located farthest to the right on the panel and the left edge of the leftmost object on the panel.
Orient Objects
The Orient command allows you to change the relationship between a selected graphical object and the panel. Since there are no graphical objects on this panel, the steps are not applicable at this point in the tutorial.