Setting Grids on a Graphic

Grids are patterns of equally spaced, non-printing, horizontal, vertical, and angular lines or markers used to divide a graphic into equal sections. They help you align your elements symmetrically, precisely, and angled for a 3D-like representation.

Select the topic related to your task:

Change Grid Properties
  • You are in Design or Test mode, and you want to change the Grid properties, which are located under the Workspace properties in the Properties View.
  1. On the View tab, from the Workspace group, check the Display Grid check box to display the grid marks on the canvas.
  1. From the Graphic Properties view, navigate to and expand the Workspace properties.
  1. Make the necessary adjustments for each Grid property. For details on each property, see Workspace Properties.
    NOTE: The Colors property be changed using a hexadecimal color code such as FFFF0000 (red) or by referencing a state text color defined in the corresponding Text Group of the associated data point, using the following syntax: TxG_[TextGroupName].[Value].
  1. When you have finished updating a property, press TAB or ENTER to finish or move to the next property.
  • The Grid properties have been changed.

 

Change Guideline Properties
  • You are in Design or Test mode, and you want to change the Guideline properties of the active graphic.
  1. On the Views tab, from the Workspace group, check the Display Guidelines check box to display the guidelines in the drawing workspace.
  1. From the canvas, select the guidelines you want to change. To select multiple guidelines, press CTRL and then select the guidelines on the graphic canvas you want to change.
  • The selected guideline on the graphic displays in green and in the Guideline Properties view the Layout, Colors, and Stroke property display.
  1. Expand each section and make the necessary adjustments for each property.
    NOTE: The Colors property can be changed using a hexadecimal color code such as FFFF0000 (red) or by referencing a state text color defined in the corresponding Text Group of the associated data point, using the following syntax: TxG_[TextGroupName].[Value].
  1. When you have finished updating a property, press TAB or ENTER to finish or move to the next property.
  • The guideline properties have been changed.

 

Display and Clear the Grid
  • You are in Design or Test mode, and you want to display the grid pattern (lines or markers) on the canvas.
  1. On the View tab, from the Workspace group, check the Display Grid check box to display the grid.
  • The grid pattern displays on the graphic or the canvas. A gray border displays along the left and top side of the drawing board providing a visual indicator that the guideline feature is enabled.
  1. If the angular Z- lines are not displayed, and you want them displayed on the canvas, in the Properties view (Graphic Properties), from the Workspace properties, check the Enable 3D Axis check box to display the Z lines.
  1. In the Workspace properties, continue to configure and adjust the grid settings as required. For details on each property, see Workspace Properties.
  1. The settings are stored with your user settings.
  1. To clear the grid, click the View tab, and uncheck the Display Grid check box so that it is disabled.

 

Enable or Disable Snap
  • On the View tab, from the Workspace group, do one of the following:
  • Check the Snap check box to enable snap.
  • Clear the Snap check box to disable snap.

NOTE: By pressing and holding the SHIFT key while the snap feature is enabled, you can drag an element near or over a gridline or guideline without activating snap, which gives you additional positioning choices.
NOTE: If you are working with a symbol instance, with an anchor enabled, the snap feature aligns the anchor to the nearest gridline.

 

Related Topics

For workspace overview, see View Tab.

For background information, see Grids Properties.