Moving Objects and Positioning Them on the Slide Canvas
Keynote provides several tools to help you arrange items on your slide canvas with
great precision, including customizable alignment guides and gridlines to help you
keep object positions even on slides and consistent between slides. Objects can be
grouped together, making it easier to manipulate sets of objects, and locked into
position to prevent them from being moved while you work. In addition, objects on a
slide can be layered (overlapped) to create the effect of depth on the slide.
Here are ways to manipulate objects directly:
To move an object to a new location on the slide, drag it. Avoid dragging the object by
m
its selection handles because you may inadvertently resize it.
To precisely align objects as you drag them around, you can use alignment guides and
gridlines. See “Using Alignment and Relative Spacing Guides” on page 90 and “Using
Master Gridlines” on page 92 for details.
To constrain the object’s motion to horizontal, vertical, or a 45-degree angle, start
m
dragging the object while holding down the Shift key.
88
Chapter 5
Working with Images, Shapes, and Other Objects
Chapter 5
Working with Images, Shapes, and Other Objects
89
To move the object in small increments, press one of the arrow keys, causing the
m
object to move a point at a time. To move the object ten points at a time, hold down
the Shift key while pressing an arrow key.
To show the position of the object when you move it, choose Keynote > Preferences,
m
and then select “Show size and position when moving objects” in the General pane.
To move text or an object inside another object, select the object and choose Edit >
m
Cut. Place the insertion point where you want the object to appear, and then choose
Edit > Paste.
Moving an Object Forward or Backward (Layering Objects)
When objects overlap or when text and objects overlap, you can change the order of
objects in the stack.
To move an object in front or in back of text or another object:
1
Select the object you want to move.
2
To move an object a layer at a time, choose Arrange > Bring Forward or Arrange >
Send Backward.
3
To move an object to the very top or bottom of the stack, choose Arrange > “Bring to
Front” or Arrange > “Send to Back.”
If you frequently layer objects, you can add the Front, Back, Forward, and Backward
buttons to the toolbar to work more efficiently. To learn about customizing the toolbar,
see “The Toolbar” on page 21.
Quickly Aligning Objects Relative to One Another
You can use menu commands to quickly move objects on the same slide in alignment
or space them equally apart. First, you must select all the objects you want to align
(hold down the Shift or Command key as you click each object to select it).
To align selected objects:
To align the objects with each other, choose Arrange > Align Objects and then choose
m
one of the alignment options in the submenu.
Left: Positions objects so that their left edges align vertically to the first object
you select.
Center: Positions objects so that their centers align vertically to the first object
you select.
Right: Positions objects so that their right edges align vertically to the first object
you select.
Top: Positions objects so that their top edges align horizontally to the first object
you select.
Middle: Moves objects vertically so that their centers align horizontally to the first
object you select.
Bottom: Positions objects so that their bottom edges align horizontally to the first
object you select.
To space the objects evenly on the slide, choose Arrange > Distribute Objects, and
m
then choose an option from the submenu.
Horizontally: Adjusts the horizontal spacing between objects.
Vertically: Adjusts the vertical spacing between objects.
You can also align objects relative to one another by dragging them and using
alignment guides to determine when the objects are correctly positioned.
Using Alignment and Relative Spacing Guides
Alignment guides appear and disappear as you drag objects around a slide canvas,
providing you with instant feedback about relative object position. For example, you
may see alignment guides appear whenever objects are aligned at their centers or at
their edges.
Similarly, relative spacing guides may appear when you have three or more objects
lined up on the canvas. If you drag one object into a line of objects, so that it’s
equidistant from the middle object, relative spacing guides display the distance
between each pair of objects in ruler units.
Relative sizing guides appear when two or more items lined up on a slide canvas have
the same height or width.
These guides appear only while you’re dragging an object. When you let go of the
object, the guides vanish. You can make alignment and relative spacing guides appear
in different colors so that it’s easier to know what is coming into alignment as you
move objects around. If you turn on alignment guides or change their color, the
settings apply to all the documents you open in Keynote.
To turn on and customize alignment guides:
1
To set alignment guide options, choose Keynote > Preferences, and then click Rulers.
Select the Object Alignment options that describe when you want alignment guides
to appear:
To show guides when an object’s center aligns with another object or the center of the slide,
select “Show guides at object center.”
To show guides when an object’s edges align with another object, select “Show guides at
object edges.”
2
To change the color of alignment guides, click the Alignment Guides color well and
select a color in the Colors window.
90
Chapter 5
Working with Images, Shapes, and Other Objects
Chapter 5
Working with Images, Shapes, and Other Objects
91
3
To set relative spacing guides, select the Object Spacing & Sizing options that describe
when you want guides to appear.
To show distance between three or more equidistant objects in a line, select “Show
relative spacing.”
To show that objects in a line have the same height or width, select “Show relative sizes.”
4
To change the color of relative spacing and sizing guides, click the adjacent color well
and select a color in the Colors window.
5
To show or hide guides while you work, choose View > Show Guides or
View > Hide Guides.
6
To momentarily hide guides, hold down the Command key while you drag an object.
Another way to align objects is to use gridlines on the master slide or specify
precise object position by using x and y coordinates on the slide. See “Using Master
Gridlines” on page 92 and “Positioning Objects by x and y Coordinates” on page 92.
Creating your own alignment guides wherever you need them on each slide can help
you place objects in the same position on different slides.
Creating Your Own Alignment Guides
You can create static alignment guides to help you align objects on a slide or place
them in the same position on different slides. These alignment guides do not appear
and disappear as you drag objects on the slide canvas, but remain visible on the slide
canvas while you’re working, even if you leave the slide and then return to it later.
To align objects in the same position on different slides, place guides in the same
position on each slide, and then use that guide to help you place your objects.
To create an alignment guide:
1
Click View in the toolbar, and then choose Show Rulers.
Note: Alignment guides can’t be created if you’re editing text. Stop editing text by
selecting an object or clicking the slide canvas.
2
Place the pointer over a ruler and drag onto the slide canvas. An alignment
guide appears.
3
Drag the guide where you want it on the slide.
4
To remove an alignment guide that you’ve created, drag it off the edge of the slide.
Alignment guides don’t appear on printed slides or during your presentation.
Using Master Gridlines
In addition to alignment guides on a slide, you can align objects using vertical and
horizontal gridlines that divide a slide into equal sections. As you drag an object
around a slide canvas, it “snaps to” the gridlines whenever it aligns with one at its
center or its edge, depending on your Object Alignment preferences.
You can make master gridlines appear in a different color from alignment and relative
spacing guides so that it’s easier to know what is coming into alignment as you move
objects around.
To turn on master gridlines:
1
Choose Keynote > Preferences, and then click Rulers.
2
Select either or both of the horizontal and vertical Master Gridlines checkboxes.
3
Type a percentage value in the field to specify how close together the gridlines
should be.
4
To change the color of gridlines, click the Master Gridlines color well and select a color
in the Colors window.
To temporarily hide gridlines, hold down the Command key while you drag an object.
Gridlines can be seen on the master slides but don’t appear on printed slides.
Positioning Objects by x and y Coordinates
You can place objects precisely where you want them on the slide canvas by
specifying spatial coordinates using the ruler measurements.
To specify an object’s position by its x and y coordinates:
1
Select the object you want to position.
2
Click Inspector in the toolbar, and then click the Metrics inspector button.
3
Enter x and y values (in ruler measurements) in the Position fields.
The specified coordinates determine the position of the upper-left corner of the
object’s container box. If an object is rotated, the x and y coordinates specify the
upper-left corner of the container box of the rotated object, which may be a different
size from the original.
The x value is measured from the left edge of the slide canvas.
Â
The y value is measured from the top edge of the slide canvas.
Â
92
Chapter 5
Working with Images, Shapes, and Other Objects
Chapter 5
Working with Images, Shapes, and Other Objects
93
When you enter x and y coordinates for line positions in the Metrics inspector, the
Start coordinates refer to the first endpoint you created (or the upper-left endpoint,
if you didn’t draw the line). If you later flip or rotate the line, the Start coordinates
continue to refer to the same endpoint.
Position a line by specifying x and y
coordinates for its first endpoint.
Position a line by specifying x and y
coordinates for its second endpoint.
Grouping and Ungrouping Objects
You can group objects together so that they can be moved, copied, resized, and
oriented as a single object. Grouped objects can also be built as a single unit during
object builds.
You can edit an individual object within a group without having to ungroup it first.
Grouped objects can be grouped again with other objects, creating a hierarchy or
“nesting” of grouped objects. To select an individual object that’s nested in several
levels of grouping, you must click it once for each level of nesting.
To group objects:
1
Hold down the Command (or Shift) key as you select the objects you want to group.
If you can’t select an object, it may be locked; you’ll need to unlock it.
2
Choose Arrange > Group, or click Group in the toolbar.
If you group an object that has a build effect assigned to it, the effect is removed.
To ungroup objects:
Select the group, and then choose Arrange > Ungroup or click Ungroup in the toolbar.
m
If the group is locked, unlock it first.
If you can’t select a group of objects, it may be locked; you’ll need to unlock it.
Ungrouping a grouped object with a build effect assigned to it also removes the
build effect.
To select an individual object that’s been grouped with others:
Click the object you want to edit once to select the group, and again to select the
m
individual object.
If clicking once doesn’t select the individual object you want, it may be nested in many
layers of grouping. Click again until the object you want is selected.
Connecting Objects with an Adjustable Line
When you want to join two objects with a line, the easiest way to do it is to use a
connection line (rather than creating a separate line as a shape). Two objects joined by
a connection line remain joined even if you reposition the objects on the slide canvas.
To join two objects with a connection line:
1
Hold down the Command key while you select the two objects you want to join, and
then choose Insert > Connection Line.
A straight line appears, connecting the selected objects. You can move the object
separately, and the connection line shrinks, stretches, and changes its position to keep
the objects connected.
2
To make the line curved, drag the white editing point near the center of the line.
If you drag the objects into different positions on the slide canvas, the curvature of the
line adjusts to keep the objects connected.
3
To create a gap between the end of the line and one of the connected objects, so that
they aren’t actually touching, drag the blue editing point at the end of the line away
from the object it’s touching.
The line maintains the gap between itself and the connected object as you move the
objects around.
4
To change the line color, style, thickness, or endpoints, format it using the controls in
the format bar or Graphic inspector, as you would for any other line.
For more detailed information about changing these attributes, see the topics below
“Modifying Object Size, Orientation, Outline, and More” on page 94.
Locking and Unlocking Objects
You can lock objects to avoid inadvertently moving them as you work.
After you lock individual or grouped objects, you can’t move, delete, or modify them
in any way until you unlock them. However, a locked object can be selected, copied, or
duplicated; when you copy or duplicate a locked object, the new object is also locked.
To lock an object:
Select the objects you want to lock, and then choose Arrange > Lock.
m
To unlock an object:
Select the objects you want to unlock, and then choose Arrange > Unlock.
m