Selecting, grouping, and moving objects

You can select an object by using familiar mouse and keyboard methods:

• To select a single object, click the Select Tool button in the toolbar and click the object.

• To select multiple objects, Ctrl+click each of the objects you want to select or lasso (drag the pointer over) the objects you want to select.

• To select all objects, select Edit > Select All.

• To select all static objects, select Edit > Select All Static Objects.

• To select all fields, select Edit > Select All Fields.

You can group and ungroup objects by using the Layout menu, the Hierarchy palette, or the Layout toolbar:

• To group objects, in the form design or Hierarchy palette, select the objects you want to group and then either select Layout > Group or click Group .

• To ungroup objects, in the form design or Hierarchy palette, select the group of objects you want to ungroup and then either select Layout > Ungroup or click Ungroup .

• To add a new object to a group by using the mouse, in the form design, drag the object to the group.

• To add a new object to a group by using the Hierarchy palette, drag the object to an existing group node.

You can move objects by dragging them with the mouse, using the arrow keys on the keyboard, or entering precise values in the Layout palette.

Designer stacks successively drawn objects, beginning with the first object drawn. How objects are stacked determines how they appear when they overlap. You can change the stacking order of objects in your form design at any time by using the arrange commands in the Layout menu.

1. Select the object.

2. Use one of these methods:

   • To bring the object forward, select Layout > Bring Forward, or click Bring Forward .

   • To bring the object to the front, select Layout > Bring To Front, or click Bring To Front .

   • To send an object backward, select Layout > Send Backward, or click Send Backward .

   • To send an object to the back, select Layout > Send To Back, or click Send To Back .

Locking the objects in a form design prevents you from selecting, moving, and editing the objects in the Layout Editor.

You can lock the following parts of your form design:

Text

Includes text in a text object or text in the captions of objects. When you select Lock Text, you must double-click the appropriate text or caption to edit it. This makes it not as easy to modify the text. If Lock Text is not enabled, you click in the caption or text object to start editing the text. Using Lock Text is particularly useful if you want to select and move objects but not make any changes to the text. You can single-click the object to select it, but you must double-click the caption or text to make changes.

Static objects

Includes text, circles, lines, and rectangles.

Field objects

Includes buttons, check boxes, date/time fields, decimal fields, signature fields, drop-down lists, image fields, list boxes, numeric fields, paper forms barcodes, password fields, radio buttons, and text fields.

After locking static objects and field objects, you must unlock them to add new static objects and field objects.

The lock commands are useful in situations when you have finished formatting specific objects in the form design and want to continue working with other types of objects. For example, your form includes a large number of text field objects, as well as text objects that provide instructions about filling the form. You have positioned and formatted all the text objects and need to apply a different font to the text field objects. You can easily do this by locking the text objects and then using Edit > Select All Fields to select all the text field objects at once and then change the font.

• To lock text, select Edit > Lock Text. To unlock text, select Edit > Lock Text.

• To lock static objects, select Edit > Lock Static Objects. To unlock static objects, select Edit > Lock Static Objects.

• To lock fields, select Edit > Lock Fields. To unlock fields, select Edit > Lock Fields.

If you have multiple overlaid objects in a form design, you can use the Hierarchy palette to select and manipulate an object. This may be easier than selecting the object directly on the form design.

1. In the Hierarchy palette, click the object you want to manipulate. The object will be selected in the Hierarchy palette and on the form design.

2. Click the Design View tab.

3. Use the keyboard to manipulate the object on the form design. For example, to nudge an object 2 points, press the arrow key twice for the direction you want to move the object. The object on the form design will move in the required direction.