Aligning, distributing, and grouping graphics

Most of the time, you can just drag a graphic where you want it to be. However, you can arrange graphics more precisely when you need to. You can do the following:

Steps:
  1. Click the Select Elements tool Select Elements on the Draw toolbar and click the graphics you want to modify.
  2. Click Drawing on the Draw toolbar and choose how you want to arrange or group the graphics.

    Align

    Then click the alignment you want:

    • Align to Margins
    • Align Left
    • Align Center
    • Align Right
    • Align Top
    • Align Vertical Center
    • Align Bottom

    Distribute

    Then click the distribution method you want:

    • Distribute Horizontally
    • Distribute Vertically
    • Make Same Size
    • Make Same Width
    • Make Same Height
    • Fit to Margins
    • Fit Width to Margins
    • Fit Height to Margins
    NoteNote:
    The graphics are distributed with equal spacing between the centroid of each graphic.

    Group

    The individual graphics now form a group.

    NoteNote:
    You can also group graphics that are already grouped.

    Ungroup

    Each graphic formerly in the group is now independent.

TipTip:
When you have more than one graphic selected, the blue handles indicate the dominant graphic, or the one that ArcMap will use to align other graphics. To change the dominant graphic, hold down the CTRL key and click the selected graphic that you want to be the dominant one.

Related Topics


8/20/2010