Chart Components: Arranging Subordinates and Assistants

Components: Arranging Parents

Parent components are arranged using the Home tab Arrange Toolbar(see below).

The Arrange Toolbar commands include:

1. AutoArrange shapes – this automatically arranges components in a logical order.
2. Reset subordinates’ positioning – this returns the subordinates to their opti­mal location after having been manually repositioned. The subordinate’s Par­ent must be chosen for this button to become active.
3. Reset positioning – this returns a component back to its previous optimal location after having been repositioned. This drop down button offers five vertical arrangements for subordinate components.
4. Move Sibling Left (up) – moves equal subordinates left (or up) the same level.
5. Move Sibling Right (down) – moves equal subordinates right (or down) the same level.

Components: Arranging Subordinates

A subordinate component (sometimes referred to as a child) is an element which is beneath another component in a chart’s hierarchy. (The higher component is often known as the parent.) Subordinate components can be arranged either manually or through the AutoArrange Shapes functions.

NOTE: all automated arrangement functions require that the parent component be the only selected element. If the parent is not selected, the options will be inactive (or grayed out). The only exception to this is Move Left/Right, which only becomes active when a sibling is selected.

Components: Arranging a subordinate manually

1. Select an on– screen subordinate by Left mouse clicking on it.
2. Holding down the Left mouse button, drag the new component over another sibling. An outline of the sibling being moved will appear (see below).

A small icon box (with direction arrows or a box pointing up or down) will appear (see above). When the icon indicates the direction you wish to place the original sibling, release the left mouse button. Notice that the original sibling has taken the position of the one it was dropped on. All the additional siblings shift place accordingly.

Components : Arranging subordinates automatically

The Autoarrange Shapes functions can be accessed in two ways:

Go to [Home Tab] Arrange Subordinates.

Click on any of the functions on the Arrange Subordinates toolbar.

The Parent component must be chosen for the Arrange Subordinates functions to become active. Also, Assistant align right, Assistant align left and Assistant side– by– side only become active when more than one Assistant component is attached to the same Parent. 

Components: Subordinates Arranging Options

1. Horizontal align center – distributes the subordinates equally on each side; creating a very balanced pattern.
2. Horizontal stagger – creates a stairstep pattern starting with the first subordinate higher, followed a lower component, then followed by another high one. This pattern is repeated with all the subordinates in a chain.
3. Horizontal align right – places all the subordinates in a horizontal line to the lower right of the Parent.
4. Horizontal align left – places all the subordinates in a horizontal line to the lower left of the Parent.
5. Horizontal Four Columns (Wide Organization) – equally distributes the first four subordinates on a horizontal line beneath the Parent. Any additional sub­ordinates will appear in a new row beneath the first, using the Parent as the center. A new row is formed every time the maximum number of four subordi­nates is reached. (Note: this button only becomes active after four subordinates are present, before that threshold, the button remains grayed out.)
6. Horizontal Six Columns (Wide Organization) – equally distributes the first six subordinates on a horizontal line beneath the Parent. Any additional subor­dinates will appear in a new row beneath the first, using the Parent as the cen­ter. A new row is formed every time the maximum number of six subordinates is reached. (Note: this button only becomes active after four subordinates are present, before that, the button remains grayed out.)
7. Vertical align right – places all the subordinates in a vertical line to the lower right of the Parent.
8. Vertical align left – places all the subordinates in a vertical line to the lower left of the Parent.
9. Vertical side– by– side – stacks the subordinates side– by– side beneath each other (very much like stacking crates). It is similar to Align center in that it attempts to cre­ate a balanced pattern using the center for alignment.
10. Vertical staff right – affects only Staff components and places all staff ele­ments on a vertical line facing to the right of the Parent.
11. Vertical staff left – affects only Staff components and places all staff elements on a vertical line facing to the left of the Parent.
12. Vertical Four Columns (Wide Organization) – equally distributes the first four subordinates on a horizontal line beneath the Parent. Any additional sub­ordinates will attach vertically to the component above it, moving from left to right, until the maximum number of four components per row is reached. After that number, the process begins again on a new row. (Note: this button only becomes active after four subordinates are present, before that threshold, the button remains grayed out.)

Arrange Assistants Toolbar

This menu is used to automatically arrange Assistants in a variety of profes­sional patterns. (Note: Assistant buttons onlybecome active when more than one Assistant component is attached to the same Parent.)

Components: Assistants Arranging Options

1. Assistant align right – Places all assis­tant components on a vertical line facing to the right of the Parent.
2. Assistant align left – Places all assis­tant components on a vertical line facing to the left of the Parent.
3. Assistant side– by– side – Stacks the assistant components side– by– side beneath each other (very much like stack­ing crates). It is identical to normal Side– by– side except it only works on Assis­tant components.
4. Align Assistants horizontal right – Stacks the assistant components on the same level and side– by– side horizontally to the right of the Parent (very much like the links in a chain).
5. Align Assistants horizontal left – Stacks the assistant components on the same level and side– by– side horizontally to the left of the Parent.
6. Align Assistants horizontal side– by– side – Stacks the assistants on the same level and evenly* on either side of the Parent component.
7. Align Assistants vertical right – Stacks the assistants on top of each other, to the right of the Parent (akin to stacking crates, but only on one side).
8. Align Assistants vertical left – Stacks all of the assistants on top of each other to the left of the Parent.
9. Align Assistants vertical side– by– side – Stacks all of the assistants on top of each other evenly* on either side of the Parent.

Assistants are only stacked evenly if there are an even number of components. If an odd number of assistants are present, then one more assistant will appear on one side of the Parent than on the other

Components: Arranging with the Move Left and Move Right buttons

Siblings are child (or subordinate) components that are on the same hierarchical level (see below):

Siblings can be rearranged on the same level by using the [Home Tab] Move Left and Move Right buttons.

The Move Left/Right function only becomes active when a sibling is selected. 

There are two ways to access the Move Left and Move Right functions:

• Go to Chart > Move Sibling > Move Left/Up – Move Right/Down.
• Choose either button from the Arrange Toolbar.