Diagram shapes and layout

dbForge Studio for SQL Server provides several tools for organizing and arranging shapes in a diagram:

• Automatic layout – Automatically arranges shapes to optimize the diagram layout.
• Shape ordering – Controls which shapes appear in front of or behind overlapping shapes.
• Alignment – Aligns shapes to the grid or aligns multiple shapes to each other.
• Sizing – Resizes one or more shapes.
• Spacing – Controls the distance between shapes.

Automatically arrange shapes

To automatically arrange shapes, on the Diagram toolbar, click .

Change the shape overlapping order

To change the overlapping order, use one of the following ways:

• Select the shape, right-click it, then select Shape > Bring to Front to move the shape in front of overlapping objects or Shape > Send to Back to move the shape behind overlapping objects.
• Select the shape and, on the menu bar, select Layout > Order > Bring to Front or Send to Back.
• Select the shape and, on the Layout toolbar, click to move the shape in front of overlapping objects or behind overlapping ones.

Align shapes

You can align shapes to the grid or align multiple shapes relative to each other.

Note

Shapes are aligned relative to the primary selection, which is the first shape you selected.

Align shapes to the grid

To align a shape to the grid, use one of the following ways:

• Select the shape, right-click it, then select Shape > Align to Grid.
• Select the shape and, on the menu bar, select Layout > Align > to Grid.

Align shapes to each other

To align shapes by their top, middle, or bottom edges, select the shapes and, on the Layout toolbar, select one of the following options:

• – Aligns the top edges of the shapes with the primary selection.

• – Aligns the centers of the shapes with the primary selection.

• – Aligns the bottom edges of the shapes with the primary selection.

Note

These commands change only the vertical position of the shapes. Their horizontal position does not change.

To align shapes by their left, center, or right edges, select the shapes and, on the Layout toolbar, select one of the following options:

• – Aligns the left edges of the shapes with the primary selection.

• – Centers the selected shapes horizontally and vertically with the primary selection.

• – Aligns the right edges of the shapes with the primary selection.

Note

These commands change only the horizontal position of the shapes. Their vertical position does not change.

Alternatively, on the menu bar, select Layout > Align, choose the option to align shapes to each other.

Resize shapes

You can resize shapes manually or automatically to fit the content, or resize a shape to fit the grid.

Resize a shape manually

To resize a shape, select it and drag the size handles at the edges and corners.

Shapes have minimum and maximum size constraints:

• The minimum width and height are predefined.
• The maximum height depends on the number of rows displayed in the table shape.

Resize a shape to snap to the grid

To resize a shape to snap to the grid, select the shape and, on the Layout toolbar, click .

Alternatively, on the menu bar, select Layout > Make Same Size > Size to Grid.

Resize a shape automatically

To automatically resize a shape to fit its content, right-click the shape and select Shape > Best Fit.

Alternatively, on the Layout toolbar, click .

Set shapes to the same size

To make multiple shapes the same width, select the shapes and, on the Layout toolbar, click .

To make multiple shapes the same height, select the shapes and, on the Layout toolbar, click .

Alternatively, on the menu bar, select Layout > Make Same Size > Make Same Width or Make Same Height.

Note

Selected shapes resize to match the size of the primary selection, which is the first shape you selected. The primary selection displays blue size handles, while other selected shapes display black size handles. If a shape can’t match the primary selection size exactly, it resizes to the closest possible size.

Adjust spacing between shapes

You can adjust the horizontal and vertical spacing between shapes. You can increase or decrease spacing proportionally, make spacing equal, or remove spacing between selected shapes.

Note

Spacing is measured as the distance between the edges of shapes.

Increase spacing between shapes

To increase horizontal spacing between shapes, select them and, on the Layout toolbar, click .

To increase vertical spacing between shapes, select them and, on the Layout toolbar, click .

Alternatively, on the menu bar, select Layout > Horizontal Spacing > Increase or Layout > Vertical Spacing > Increase.

Decrease spacing between shapes

To decrease horizontal spacing between shapes, select them and, on the Layout toolbar, click .

To decrease vertical spacing between shapes, select them and, on the Layout toolbar, click .

Alternatively, on the menu bar, select Layout > Horizontal Spacing > Decrease or Layout > Vertical Spacing > Decrease.

Make spacing equal

To make horizontal spacing between shapes equal, select them and on the Layout toolbar, click .

To make vertical spacing between shapes equal, select them and on the Layout toolbar, click .

Alternatively, on the menu bar, select Layout > Horizontal Spacing > Make Equal or Layout > Vertical Spacing > Make Equal.

Remove spacing between shapes

To remove horizontal spacing between shapes, select them and on the Layout toolbar, click .

To remove vertical spacing between shapes, select them and on the Layout toolbar, click .

Note

When you remove spacing, shapes are positioned directly next to each other with no gap.