iWork 05: The Missing Manual

The Arrange menu is filled with commands that let you control the way objects appear on the page. Select one or more objects before choosing any of these commands.

A.6.1. Bring Forward

Choose this command to bring an object forward in the layout's layers , so it can overlap another object or come out from behind another object that overlaps it. Keyboard equivalent: -Option-Shift-F.

A.6.2. Bring to Front

Use this command to bring an object all the way to the front of the layout's layers, so that it overlaps all the other objects. Keyboard equivalent: -Shift-F.

A.6.3. Send Backward

When you choose this command, the selected object moves one layer back in the layout, sending it behind another object. Keyboard equivalent: -Option-Shift-B.

A.6.4. Send to Back

Use this command to move the selected object to the rearmost layer in the layout, so that every other objectand even the text layeroverlaps it. Keyboard equivalent: -Shift-B.

A.6.5. Align Objects

Select two or more objects you'd like to align, and choose a command from this submenu. The first object you select becomes the "anchor," the other objects move to align with it.

• Left . The objects' left edges align vertically.

• Center . The objects' centers align vertically.

• Right . The objects' right edges align vertically.

• Top . The objects' top edges align horizontally.

• Middle . The objects' centers align horizontally.

• Bottom . The objects' bottom edges align horizontally.

If you select only one object, these commands align it with the edges or center of the page.

A.6.6. Distribute Objects

You can space a group of three or more objects evenly across the page, inserting exactly the same amount of space between each with the two commands found in this submenu. Position the two objects at each end of the group , hold , and then click each of the objects to select them all, and choose Horizontally to space the group from left to right; or Vertically to space the group from top to bottom.

A.6.7. Flip Horizontally

Choose this command to create a right-side-up mirror image of the object.

A.6.8. Flip Vertically

Choose this command to create an upside-down mirror image of the object.

A.6.9. Lock

Choose this command when you want to prevent further modification of a fixed object. Pages bolts the object securely to the page and prevents you moving, resizing, deleting, or otherwise modifying it. You can, however, still select locked objectstheir selection handles are replaced by Xsand copy or duplicate them. The duplicated object thus produced is also locked, so use the following command to work with it. Keyboard equivalent: -L.

A.6.10. Unlock

Select a locked object and choose this command to remove its fetters to move or modify it. Keyboard equivalent: -Option-L.

A.6.11. Group

You can select two or more fixed objects and use this command to turn them into a single virtual object. Grouped objects move as one, preserving the spacing between the individual objects. Keyboard equivalent: -Option-G.

A.6.12. Ungroup

Choose this command to restore the individuality to objects you've grouped with the previous command. Keyboard equivalent: -Option-Shift-G.