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Table of contents
No headersUsing the Align dialog box, you can align multiple components in various directions and orientations based on a selected reference component. The dialog box consists of two tabs - one for aligning components and the other for distributing components.
- Selection: Assigns a reference component and components to align to it.
- Align Position: Moves selected components to a location defined by another component without changing their orientation. The components can be aligned horizontally or vertically based on the left, right, top, or bottom edges of their respective bounding boxes relative to the reference component. They may also be aligned horizontally or vertically based on the centers of their respective bounding boxes.
- Align Orientation: Aligns selected components to a reference component without changing their position. Orients the X or Y axes of the selected component to the X or Y axes of the reference component.
- Distribute: The Distribute tab lets you align components horizontally or vertically based on their left edges, center points, or right edges. The alignment occurs between the selected components, and does not use a reference component. Distribute also aligns components so that they can be equally spaced along horizontal or vertical intervals.
Align Components
How to move components to align with another component
Use the Align command to move and align a bounding box edge on a selected component to a bounding box edge on a reference component. Components are moved and aligned based on the left, right, top, or bottom edges of their bounding boxes or the bounding box centers.
On the ribbon, click Factory
tab 
Layout
Tools panel Align .
The Align dialog box opens with the Align tab active.- Using the Components selection tool in the Selection section, select the components you want to align.
- Using the Reference selection tool in the Selection section, select the component to align to.
- In the Selection area of the Align Position
group, choose the edge on the bounding box of the component to align
with the bounding box of the reference component.
You can choose from among the following:
- Align Position Horizontal Left
- Align Position Horizontal Center
- Align Position Horizontal Right
- Align Position Vertical Top
- Align Position Vertical Center
- Align Position Vertical Bottom
- The components selected in step 2 move to align with the reference component.
How to orient components to align with another component
Use the Align dialog box to orient the X or Y axis of selected components to the X or Y axis of a reference component.
- On the ribbon, click Factory
tab Layout
Tools panel Align .
The Align dialog box opens with the Align tab active.
- Using the Components selection tool in the Selection section, select the components you want to align.
- Using the Reference selection tool in the Selection section, select the component to align to.
- In the Align Orientation section, choose either the X or Y orientation button to orient the components. The aligning components automatically rotate so their axes align with the axes on the reference component.
How to distribute components so they are equally spaced
Use the Align dialog box to distribute components horizontally or vertically based on their left edges, center points, or right edges. Components may also be spaced equally at horizontal or vertical intervals.
- On the ribbon, click Factory
tab Layout
Tools panel Align .
The Align dialog box opens.
- Click the Distribute tab and using the Components selection tool in the Selection section, select the components you want to distribute.
- In the Align Distribution section, choose the distribution option to orient the components.
You can choose from among the following:
- Align Distribution Horizontal Left
- Align Distribution Horizontal Center
- Align Distribution Horizontal Right
- Align Distribution Horizontal Interval
- Align Distribution Vertical Top
- Align Distribution Vertical Center
- Align Distribution Vertical Bottom
- Align Distribution Vertical Interval
Align Components
The Align command (using the Align dialog box) helps to position and/or orient components relative to a reference component. It is also used to distribute components horizontally or vertically based on their left edges, center points, or right edges. Components may also be distributed equally at horizontal or vertical intervals. The Distribute command does not use a reference component.
Access: | Ribbon: Factory
tab Layout
Tools panel Align |
Align tab - Selection
Buttons used to select components to align and the reference component.
 | Click the Components button to select components you want to align to a reference component. By default, this button is already selected when the Align dialog box opens. |
 | Click the Reference button to select the reference component to align to. |
Align tab - Align Position
This group of controls moves and aligns a component by its bounding box edge or center point relative to the bounding box edge or center point of the reference component.
 | Aligns a selected component so that the left edge of its boundary box aligns horizontally with the left edge of the boundary box of the reference component. | |
 | Aligns a selected component so that the center point of its boundary box aligns horizontally with the center point of the boundary box of the reference component. | |
 | Aligns a selected component so that the right edge of its boundary box aligns horizontally with the right edge of the boundary box of the reference component. | |
 | Aligns a selected component so that the top edge of its boundary box aligns vertically with the top edge of the boundary box of the reference component. | |
 | Aligns a selected component so that the center point of its boundary box aligns vertically with the center point of the boundary box of the reference component. | |
 | Aligns a selected component so that the bottom edge of its boundary box aligns vertically with the bottom edge of the boundary box of the reference component. |
Align tab - Align Orientation
These two controls set the X or Y orientation of the component. The overall position of the component does not change. The selected components rotate so their orientation matches the reference component.
 | Aligns the selected component(s) to the X axis orientation of the reference component. |
 | Aligns the selected component(s) to the Y axis orientation of the reference component. |
Distribute tab - Selection
Button used to select components for distribution.
| Click the Components button to select components you want to distribute. By default, this button is already selected when the Distribute tab in the Align dialog box is selected. |
Distribute tab - Align Distribution
This group of buttons control how components are distributed.
 | Aligns the distribution of the selected component(s) horizontally by their left edges. |
 | Aligns the distribution of the selected component(s) horizontally by their centers. |
 | Aligns the distribution of the selected component(s) horizontally by their right edges. |
 | Aligns the distribution of the selected component(s) horizontally and equally spaced. |
 | Aligns the distribution of the selected component(s) vertically by their top edges. |
 | Aligns the distribution of the selected component(s) vertically by their centers. |
 | Aligns the distribution of the selected component(s) vertically by their bottom edges. |
 | Aligns the distribution of the selected component(s) vertically and equally spaced. |