About Graphic Elements

This section explains how to work with the common features of graphic elements. For information about features specific to certain elements such as element properties, see Editing Graphic-Specific and Element-Specific Properties.

Graphic elements are basic shapes and controls you can use to create a graphic to your specifications. You can:

• Draw an element by selecting an element from the Tools panel, placing it on the canvas, and then configuring its properties.

Select one or more elements on the canvas with the mouse or from the Element list.

• Edit certain elements in a special way called inline editing.

• Copy, cut, paste, and duplicate elements.

• Move elements around on the canvas.

• Align elements to each other.

• Change the spacing between elements.

• Resize elements.

• Change the z-order of elements to change which elements appear on top of others when they overlap.

• Rotate elements.

• Change the origin of elements to specify around which point the elements are rotated.

• Flip elements on their horizontal or vertical axis.

• Lock elements to stop them being moved or changed.

• Undo and redo any number of changes made previously to the graphic.

• Create groups of elements to bind them together.

• Create a path graphic from multiple open line elements.

Related Topics

Working with Graphic Elements