Layout

Layout Guides

Guide Lines

Guide lines (or guides) are used to align objects on the canvas. They can also be used to visually split a sheet into several parts.

To add a guide:

• Double-click on a ruler at the coordinate where a guide should appear. Use the horizontal ruler to add a vertical guide and vice versa.
• Place the cursor over the vertical or horizontal ruler. Press and hold the left mouse button. Move the cursor towards the canvas. Release the button where you want to place the guide.

To move a guide, drag it with the mouse. It is possible to select a guide by clicking on it. Then you can move it using the arrow keys.

To input an exact coordinate, select a guide and then type in the coordinate into the X or Y field in the Appearance panel.

To lock a guide, click on its lock icon in the Layers panel. To lock all guides, select View > Guides > Lock Guides in the menu. Locking guides prevents them from being accidentally moved. To unlock guides, use the View > Guides menu again.

To delete a guide:

• Select it and hit the Backspace key.
• Use the Layers panel.

In the Guides and Grid tab of the Preferences, you can change the color of guides.

Smart Guides

When you move or resize an object, the program helps you align it with others using smart guides.

A smart guide is a line that looks like a regular guide, but shorter. It appears in your document automatically when an object you manipulate becomes aligned with something in the design. The smart guide that is displayed at that moment visually links the object with the point it is aligned to. If you move the object farther, the alignment will be broken, and the smart guide will disappear.

Margin Guides

Margin guides are displayed along or over the sheet edge as a red frame. Margin guides are used to visualize margins, and also to help you place objects at some distance from the edge.

To show or hide margin guides, and set up their width, use the Document Setup dialog.