General Graphic Modifications

Innovator automatically saves changes made to element or diagram layout. You can undo changes made to the layout with [Ctrl]+[Z] step-by-step and restore them with [Ctrl]+[Y].

Moving Elements in the Diagram

Select the elements you want to move (see "Selecting Elements in the Diagram") and move them using one of the three options below:

Changing Size and Layout of Elements

You can change the size of elements and customize them or align them with each other.

  • You can change the size of many elements. If you select these elements, handles appear on the selection rectangle. You cannot change the size of elements which only show an icon, e.g. an event or a gateway in a BPMN diagram.

    Click on a handle on the selection rectangle and move the handle to the desired position to change the size of the element.

    see "Changing the Size of Nodes in the Diagram"

  • Setting Elements to the Same Width/Height
    Select the element has the width/height to be used first, press the [Ctrl] key and select the other elements.
    Select Design>Arrange>Change Size.

    see "Aligning Width and Height of Elements"

  • Aligning Elements with Each Other
    Select the element which the other elements should be aligned with, press the [Ctrl] key and select the other elements.
    Select Design>Arrange>Align.

    Note

    Only options which will not cause elements to overlap are offered.

    see "Aligning Elements in the Diagram"

You can align label texts both horizontally and vertically as required (9 possibilities).

You can modify text alignment using the mini toolbar in the context menu or holding [Ctrl] and double-clicking on the corresponding handle.

The set text alignment can be seen on the dark handle. A dark handle does not appear for horizontal and vertical alignment.

  • Double-click with left mouse button

    The mouse pointer is hovering over one of the selection rectangle's handles. The element's size is optimized on this side, i.e. the element is made as small as possible on this side.

  • Keyboard

    • Optimize Size (F8)

      Element size is optimized on all sides, i.e. the element is resized to be as small as possible without changing the size and position of the contents.

    • Standard Layout (Ctrl+F8)

      Element has a standard layout. This is normally the shortest connection between the linked elements for connection frames; movable text is arranged as standard.

      For some diagram types, specific layout commands are provided.

see "Optimizing Size and Layout of Elements"

see "Standard Layout"

You do not need to explicitly save changes you have made to the layout of the diagram or elements; this happens automatically.

You can use the Undo (Ctrl+Z) command to undo any changes you have made to the layout of the diagram or elements.

There are various ways to create the complete diagram or a section of the diagram as a graphic.

  • Hardcopy
    Use the Start>Clipboard>Hardcopy menu command to write a graphic to the clipboard. The graphic can then be created in the following formats:

    • Enhanced Metafile Format (EMF)
    • Portable Network Graphics (PNG)
    • Multi (both formats in parallel)

    The desired graphics format is set in the Options dialog.

  • File export
    Use the Import/Export>Export>Graphics File>Diagram to File... and ...>Diagram Section to File... menu commands to export a diagram or diagram section into a graphics file. The graphic can then be stored in the following formats:

    • Enhanced Metafile Format (EMF)
    • Portable Network Graphics (PNG)
    • Tagged Image File Format (TIFF)
    • Graphics Interchange Format (GIF)

  • Print
    Use the Model>Print backstage view to print the active diagram.

    Use Page Layout to set page breaks.