Microsoft Office 2003

Manipulating Objects

Many times, documents have multiple objects; getting them all in the correct location can be difficult. Knowing the ins and outs of manipulating objects will help you create a professional-looking document every time.

To learn how to modify object properties (e.g., color), see Modifying Objects.

Selecting Objects
Moving Objects
Nudging Objects
Ordering Objects
Aligning Objects
Rotating or Flipping Objects
Grouping Objects

Selecting Objects

When working with your project, you must select the objects you want to manipulate. To select an object, simply click on it. Once an object is selected, you can order, duplicate, or group it.

To select multiple objects:

Hold down the [Shift] key
Click on each of the objects you want to work with

To deselect one of the objects:

Hold down the [Shift] key
Click the object you want to deselect

Moving Objects

Select the object
Click and drag the object to the desired position on your document
Release the mouse button

Nudging Objects

When you want your object to be "nudged," or moved just a little, you can choose one of two available options. You can use the keyboard arrow keys to move the object, which is the fastest and easiest way. Or, you can access the Nudge option through the Drawing toolbar.

Nudging Objects: Keyboard Option

NOTE: In Excel, both of the following methods move an object the same amount of pixels.

Select the object you want to nudge
Word and PowerPoint:
To move your object 5 pixels at a time, press the desired arrow key
To move your object 1 pixel at a time, hold the [Ctrl] key and press the desired arrow key
Publisher:
To move your object 5 pixels at a time, hold the [Shift] key and press the desired arrow key
To move your object 1 pixel at a time, press the desired arrow key

Nudging Objects: Toolbar Option

NOTE: This option is not available in Publisher.

Click the object you want to nudge
On the Drawing toolbar, click DRAW » select Nudge » desired direction

Ordering Objects

Objects often must be ordered a certain way if they are to be visible. If you have overlapping objects, each object can be sent to the back or brought forward. Ordering can be performed with any object.

The example below walks you through the ordering process. This general example can be applied to your specific case.

NOTE: In Publisher, these options are available from the Arrange menu.

Select the triangle (i.e., the object you wish to move)
Notice it is in the middle of the three layers.
On the Drawing toolbar, click DRAW » select Order » Bring Forward or Bring to Front
The triangle is brought to the front of the three layers.
NOTES: Using the Bring Forward option moves the object forward one layer.
Using the Bring to Front option moves the object to the first layer.
Select the triangle (i.e., the object you wish to move)
On the Drawing toolbar, click DRAW » select Order » Send Backward or Send to Back
The triangle is sent to the back of the three layers.
NOTE: If your object does not appear behind the other object(s), repeat this step

Aligning Objects

If you want to align multiple objects in your document, the align option will help you do so quickly and easily.

NOTE: In Publisher, these options are available from the Arrange menu.

Select the objects you want to align
On the Drawing toolbar, click DRAW » select Align or Distribute » desired alignment

Rotating or Flipping Objects

Rotating or flipping an object is made easy with Office drawing tools. You can control the rotation by choosing the Free Rotate option, or you can rotate your object to the left or right. If you want to flip an object, you can choose to flip it horizontally or vertically.

NOTE: In Publisher, these options are available from the Arrange menu.

Select the object or group of objects you want to rotate or flip
On the Drawing toolbar, click DRAW » select Rotate or Flip » select desired option

Free Rotate Option

If you select the Free Rotate option, you designate the degree of rotation by using the handles.

Select one of the handles located around your object
Drag your pointer in the direction and degree you want your object to rotate
HINT: Holding [Shift] while dragging rotates the object in 15 degree increments.
Release the mouse button

Grouping Objects

You may want your shapes to become one group if you want them to move as one or if you want to apply the same formatting to all of them. Office gives you this option to group shapes together.

NOTE: In Publisher, these options are available from the Arrange menu.

Grouping Objects

Select the object(s) you want in the group
On the Drawing toolbar, click DRAW » select Group
The handles for the individual objects disappear and handles appear around the group of objects.
Make any necessary changes to the group of objects

Ungrouping Objects

Select the group by clicking on one of the group’s objects
On the Drawing toolbar, click DRAW » select Ungroup

Regrouping Objects

On the Drawing toolbar, click DRAW » select Regroup
The handles reappear around the most recently ungrouped group.

Hints for Grouping, Ungrouping, and Regrouping

A quick way to group and ungroup objects is to use the shortcut menu that appears when you select the group and click the right mouse button
To work with an individual object after you have ungrouped the objects, first click outside the group’s selection rectangle to cancel the selection, and then click the object.
If you open a dialog box to change an object attribute–for example, the Format Object dialog box to change a color–and you do not see an option selected, it may be because the group of objects you have selected has a variety of fill colors.