Object Actions

Use object actions to change for example, the size, alignment or position of an object, so that when you click on an action object, either the target object or the action object itself is changed.

The following table lists the actions, and describes what happens when you click on the action object.

Action

Effect

 More info...     

Align Angle

Aligns all selected objects so that their angles match the first object created within the selected objects.

For each of these actions, the alignment criteria for the whole group are always based on the first object created in the group.

Align Bottom

Aligns all selected objects so that their bottom edges are the same as the bottom-most object in the selection.

Align Center X

Aligns all selected objects so that their centers match horizontally (for X) or vertically (for Y), with their center points being placed at the center of the initial bounding rectangle.

Align Center Y

Align Complete

Aligns all selected objects to match the left, right, bottom, top, width, height and angle properties of the first object created within the selected objects.

Align Height

Aligns objects at the height of the first object created in the group.

Align Left

Aligns all selected objects so that their left, right or top edges are the same as the left, right or top-most object in the selection.

Align Right

Align Top

Align Width

Stretches a group of objects to the same width as the first object created in the group.

Angle

Rotates the objects to the angle specified in 'Action Properties'.

 

Angle Incrementally

Incrementally rotates objects by the angle you specify in 'Action Properties'. For example, if you specify 10 degrees, the angle of the target object changes by 10 degrees clockwise every time you click on the action object. You can specify a minus value for the angle to rotate the objects counterclockwise.

 

Append Text

Appends the text you typed in 'Action Properties' to the target text object when you click on the action object.

 Tip Insert a space at the beginning of the text.

Best Fit To Height

Applies the best fit to page for the target objects.

 

Best Fit to Page

Best Fit to Width

Bring Forwards

Sends the object forwards by one position within the stack on its current layer.

Using layers and stacking

Bring to Front

Sends the object to the front of the stack on its current layer.

Change Text Value

Increments or decrements the value of the target text object by the value of the text specified in 'Action Properties'.  For example, if the target text object contains ‘5’ and the Action property text is ‘-2’, the target object will reduce to ‘3’ when the action is applied.

 

Clear Annotations

Clears all annotations on the page.

 

Clear Background

Clears the background.

 

Clear Grid

Clears the grid.

 

Clear Objects

Clears all objects on the page.

 

Copy

Copies/Cuts/Deletes/Duplicates any of the following objects: text, image, annotation objects, shape, action and mixed groups of objects.

 

 

Cut

 

Delete

 

Duplicate

 

Edit Text

Selects the target text object and enables the Text Tool.

 

Extract Text

Creates a new text object from each word you click on in the target text object.

 

Flip in X Axis

Flips the target object in the X axis, towards the top of the page.

 

Flip in Y Axis

Flips the target object in the Y axis, towards the left of the page.

 

Toggle Grouped

Lets you group or ungroup the currently selected objects.

 

Toggle Hidden

Lets you show or hide the currently selected objects.

 

Invert

Turns the object upside down.

 

Less Translucent

Makes the target object incrementally less translucent, the more often you click on the action object.

 

Toggle Locked

Lets you lock or unlock the currently selected objects.

Can be moved with the Freely Move Object Handle.

Mirror in X Axis

Creates a mirror image of the object in the X axis, towards the top of the page.

 

Mirror in Y Axis

Creates a mirror image of the object in the Y axis, towards the left of the page.

 

More Translucent

Makes the target object incrementally more translucent, the more often you click on the action object.

 

New Text Object

Inserts a new text object containing the text you typed in 'Action Properties'.

Useful when you want to use text icons, then display text at the appropriate time.

Original Size

Resets the size of the object to its originally authored size. For shapes, this is the size of the shape, when it was originally added to the page.

 

Paste

Pastes the contents of the Paste buffer.

 

Position Bottom

Moves the bottom of the target object to the position Y, as specified in 'Action Properties'.

 

Position Bottom Left

Moves the bottom left of the target object to position X, Y, as specified in 'Action Properties'.

 

Position Bottom Right

Moves the bottom right of the target object to position X, Y, as specified in 'Action Properties'.

 

Position Central

Moves the target object to position X, Y, as specified in 'Action Properties'.

 

Position Incrementally

Moves the target object incrementally from its original position by the number of pixels specified in 'Action Properties'.

 

Position Left

Moves the left edge of the target object to position X, as specified in 'Action Properties'.

 

Position Right

Moves the right edge of the target object to position X, as specified in 'Action Properties'.

 

Position Top

Moves the top edge of the target object to position Y, as specified in 'Action Properties'.

 

Position Top Left

Moves the top left edge of the target object to position X,Y, as specified in 'Action Properties'.

 

Position Top Right

Moves the top right edge of the target object to position X,Y, as specified in 'Action Properties'.

 

Reflect

Flips the object over about its own central Y axis.

 

Select All

Selects everything on the page.

Reference > Select

Send Backwards

Sends the target object backwards by one position within the stack on its current layer.

Using layers and stacking

Send to Back

Sends the target object to the back of the stack on its current layer.

Size Bottom

Size actions set the overall size of the target object to the value specified in the 'Action Properties'. The final position of the object is dictated by the chosen size action. For example if you choose 'Size Bottom 100',  the object will be sized such that it is 100 pixels in width and height, whilst maintaining the position of the top edge of the object.

Size incrementally actions behave like size actions with the exception that the target object is increased or decreased by the number of pixels specified in 'Action Properties', while maintaining the original position, for example bottom right.

Size actions maintain the aspect ratio of the target object.

Size Bottom Incrementally

Size Bottom Left

Size Bottom Left Incrementally

Size Bottom Right

Size Bottom Right Incrementally

Size Central

Size Central Incrementally

Size Left

Size Left Incrementally

Size Right

Size Right Incrementally

Size Top

Size Top Incrementally

Size Top Left

Size Top Left Incrementally

Size Top Right

Size Top Right Incrementally

Stretch Bottom

Stretch actions set the overall width or height of the target object to the value specified in 'Action Properties'. The final position of the object is dictated by the chosen width action. For example if you choose 'Stretch Bottom 100',  the object will be sized so that it is 100 pixels in height, while maintaining the position of the top edge of the object.

Stretch incrementally actions behave like stretch actions with the exception that the target object is increased or decreased by the number of pixels specified in Action Properties, while maintaining the original position, for example bottom right.

Stretch actions distort the aspect ratio of the target object.

Stretch Bottom Incrementally

Stretch Bottom Left

Stretch Bottom Left Incrementally

Stretch Bottom Right

Stretch Bottom Right Incrementally

Stretch Central

Stretch Central Incrementally

Stretch Left

Stretch Left Incrementally

Stretch Right

Stretch Right Incrementally

Stretch Top

Stretch Top Incrementally

Stretch Top Left

Stretch Top Left Incrementally

Stretch Top Right

Stretch Top Right Incrementally

To Bottom Layer

Sends the object to the bottom, middle or top layer.

 

Using layers and stacking

To Middle Layer

To Top Layer

Translucency

Changes the translucency of the target object to a fixed value, where:

0 = solid

255 = clear