Graphics Programs Reference
In-Depth Information
Using Smart Guides
The Smart Guides feature gives you great flexibility in precisely creating and pos-
itioning objects. With Smart Guides, you can snap objects to the edges and centers
of other objects, to the vertical and horizontal centers of pages, and to the mid-
points ofcolumns andgutters. Plus,Smart Guides appear dynamically asyouwork
to provide instant visual feedback.
You can enable four Smart Guide options in the Guides & Pasteboard preferences
(Edit > Preferences > Guides & Pasteboard [Windows] or InDesign > Preferences
> Guides & Pasteboard [Mac OS]):
•
Align To Object Center.
Causes object edges to snap to the center of other
objects on a page or spread when you create or move an object.
•
Align To Object Edges.
Causes object edges to snap to the edge of other ob-
jects on a page or spread when you create or move an object.
•
Smart Dimensions.
Causes the width, height, or rotation of an object to snap
to the dimensions of other objects on a page or spread when you create, resize,
or rotate an object.
•
Smart Spacing.
Lets you quickly arrange objects so that the space between
them is equal.
The Smart Guides command (View > Grids & Guides > Smart Guides) lets you
turn Smart Guides on and off. You can also enable/disable Smart Guides from the
View Options menu in the Application bar. Smart Guides are enabled by default.
To familiarize yourself with Smart Guides, create a new multicolumn one-page
document. (In the New Document dialog box, specify a value greater than 1 in the
Columns Number field.)
1.
In the Tools panel, select the Rectangle Frame tool ( ). Click the left margin
guide and drag to the right. As the pointer moves across the page, notice that a
guide is displayed when the pointer reaches the middle of a column, the mid-
point within a gutter, and the horizontal center of the page. Release the mouse
button when a Smart Guide appears.
2.
With the Rectangle Frame tool still selected, click the top margin guide and
drag downward. Notice that when the pointer reaches the top edge, center, and
bottom edge of the first object you created, as well as the vertical center of the
page, a Smart Guide appears.
