Manage layout with rulers and guides

Manage layout with rulers and guides

Using rulers and guides (line overlays) in the Canvas can help you compose or align elements of your project, as well as snap objects to rulers.

Turn on rulers

  • Click the View pop-up menu at the top-right side of the Canvas, then choose Rulers (or press Shift-Command-R).

    When Canvas rulers are enabled, a checkmark appears next to the item in the pop-up menu.

    By default, rulers appear along the left and top sides of the Canvas.

Change the location of the rulers

  1. Choose Motion > Preferences.

  2. In the Canvas pane, click Alignment, then choose a ruler layout from the Ruler Location pop-up menu.

Add a horizontal or vertical guide to the Canvas

  1. Click in the gray area of the horizontal or vertical ruler, then drag into the Canvas.

    As you drag, the position of the guide is displayed in the Canvas.

    Note: Guides must be enabled in the View pop-up menu (or by pressing Command-Semicolon).

    Rulers and guides in the Canvas window

    The ruler units are in pixels, with the 0, 0 point in the center of the Canvas.

  2. When the guide is in the location you want, release the mouse button.

Simultaneously add a horizontal and vertical guide to the Canvas

  1. Drag from the corner where the rulers meet into the Canvas.

  2. When the guides are in the location you want, release the mouse button.

Remove a guide from the Canvas

  • Drag the guide off the Canvas.

    To delete the guide, drag into the Project pane or Timing pane areas of the Motion workspace, then release the mouse button.

Change the color of the guides

  1. Choose Motion > Preferences.

  2. In the Canvas pane, click Alignment, click or Control-click the Guide Color well, then select a color.