Selecting, grouping, and moving objects

To select objects
To group and ungroup objects
To move objects
To stack objects
To lock objects
To manipulate objects in a form design by selecting them in the Hierarchy palette

To select 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.

To select objects using the Hierarchy palette

The Hierarchy palette assists with the selection and manipulation of objects.

When you select an object in the Hierarchy palette, the object is selected in the form simultaneously. However, when you make a selection in the Hierarchy palette, all keystrokes (for example, F2 or Shift+click) are directed to the Hierarchy palette until you work in the form again.

To display the Hierarchy palette, select Window > Hierarchy.
To select a single object in the Hierarchy palette, click the object.
To select multiple adjacent objects in the Hierarchy palette, click the first object and then Shift+click the last object.
To select multiple non-adjacent objects in the Hierarchy palette, Ctrl+click each of the objects.
To select a group of objects in the Hierarchy palette, click the group node.

Note: If you select an item in the Hierarchy palette and click the Design View tab, the object is selected on the form design, and you can also use the keyboard to manipulate the selected object.

To group and ungroup objects

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.

To move objects

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.

To move or duplicate objects by pasting

Select one or more objects.
Select Edit > Cut to move the selection or Edit > Copy to duplicate the selection.
(Optional) To paste an object into another file, open the file.
Select Edit > Paste to paste the object into the active window.

To move an object by dragging it

Select one or more objects.
Drag the object to a new location.

To move an object by using the arrow keys

Select one or more objects.
Press the arrow key for the direction in which you want to move the object. The default distance is 1 point (1/72 of an inch, or .3528 millimeter).
To move the object 10 points at once, press Shift+arrow.

To move objects by using x and y coordinates in the Layout palette

Select one or more objects.
In the Layout palette, enter new values in either the X or the Y box, or both.

To stack objects

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.

Select the object.
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 .

To lock objects

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.

To manipulate objects in a form design by selecting them in the Hierarchy palette

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.

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.
Click the Design View tab.
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.