INFORMIX
Visionary User's Guide
Chapter 6: Adding Static Objects to a Scene
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Grouping Objects Using Alignment Panels

 To group objects that are aligned with each other and manipulated as a unit in a scene or data element, you insert an alignment panel. For example, you might create a set of navigation tools for a scene and want to move them or copy them as a group. To do so, you insert an alignment panel into the scene and insert the other objects into it. When you move or copy the panel, the objects in it keep their position relative to one another.

Grouping Objects in a Scene

To group objects in a scene, you can insert an alignment panel first and then insert other objects into it, or you can add an alignment panel later and use the Scenes panel to move a set of objects into it.

To insert an alignment panel into a scene

    1. In the Scenes panel, double-click the scene into which you want to insert an alignment panel. An editor window appears.

    2. Choose Insert Alignment Panel.

    The alignment panel is added to the Scenes panel.

If you are adding an alignment panel after you have added objects, use the Scenes panel to drag the objects under the alignment panel. Figure 6-3 illustrates the hierarchy of a scene with an alignment panel that groups two rectangles.

Figure 6-3
Alignment Panel in the World Manager

After you insert an alignment panel, you must modify its Location property and the location properties of any objects you place into the panel.

In a scene, the Location property is an x- and y-coordinate value.

To specify the location of the alignment panel in a scene

    1. With the alignment panel selected in the Object Inspector, select the Location cell.

    2. Enter a coordinate value. The center of the grouped objects will move to the coordinates you specify.

Grouping Objects in a Data Element

 Grouping objects in a data element enables you to use a set of objects as a data point in a layout. The alignment panel maintains the position of the objects relative to one another.

To insert an alignment panel into a data element

    1. In the Scenes panel, double-click the data element into which you want to insert an alignment panel. An editor window appears.

    2. Choose Insert Alignment Panel.

    The alignment panel is added to the Scenes panel.

When you insert an alignment panel into a data element, a set of axes appears in the Data Element Editor.

After you insert an alignment panel, you must modify its Location property and the location properties of any objects you place into the panel.

In a data element, the Location property of the alignment panel takes different values depending on the type of layout you are designing. Use the format of values for the data points in your layout to determine how to set the Location property.

For example, in a scatter chart, the data points are x- and y-coordinates based on columns from your data source. To set the location of the alignment panel in a scatter chart, you specify column names for the x- and y-coordinates.

To specify the location of the alignment panel in a data element

    1. With the alignment panel selected in the Object Inspector, select the Location cell.

    2. In the Parameter bar of the Data Element Editor, click the column that contains the appropriate value for the location property.

    If there is more than one value in the location property, select each value and click the corresponding column.



Visionary User's Guide, version 1.0
Copyright © 1998, Informix Software, Inc. All rights reserved.