Snap & Glue dialog box (General tab)

These settings specify whether snap and glue are active and to what items shapes will snap and glue. You can change these settings at any time without affecting shapes that are already positioned or glued.

Currently active

Specifies whether snap and glue are currently turned on.

Snap

Activates snapping so shapes snap to items selected in the Snap to section.

Glue

Activates glue so shapes glue to items selected in the Glue to section.

Dynamic grid

Activates dotted lines that show the most desirable location for the center of the next shape you drop on the page, based on where previous shapes have been placed.

Drawing aids

Turns on dotted lines that show the correct position to draw a circle, a square, or a line at a particular angle.

When you draw a shape with the Ellipse or Rectangle tool , indicates where you can end the shape along a 45, 135, 225, or 315 degree line to create a circle or square.

When you draw a shape with the Line tool , lines are extended at 45-degree increments (0, 45, 90, 135, 180, 225, 270, 315). If you are editing a line segment, Microsoft Office Visio represents the line extended at 45-degree increments as well as the line's original angle. A line segment can include line shapes and lines used to create the sides of a polygon.

Snap to

When selected, you can snap to these items.

Ruler subdivisions

Snaps the pointer to tick marks on the ruler.

Grid

Snaps to the grid.

Alignment box

Snaps to a shape's alignment box. This may be different from the shape's visible edge, because the alignment box is always square, even if the shape is round.

Shape extensions

Specifies whether you can snap to the selected options under Shape extension options on the Advanced tab. Shape extensions are dotted lines that extend out from a shape to show how to draw a line at a particular relationship to a geometric point.

Shape extensions work with the Line , Arc , Freeform , Pencil , Ellipse , Rectangle , and Connection Point tools.

Shape geometry

Snaps the pointer to the visible edges of the shape.

Guides

Snaps to guides.

Shape intersections

Snaps to the location where:

• Two shapes intersect.

• Shape extensions and shapes intersect.

• Shape edges and the grid are perpendicular.

Shape handles

Snaps to shape selection handles .

Shape vertices

Snaps to shape vertices .

Connection points

Snaps to shape connection points .

You can snap to Inward and Inward & Outward connection points, but you cannot snap to Outward connection points.

Glue to

When selected, you can glue to these items.

Shape geometry

Glues to the visible edge of the shape.

Guides

Glues to guides.

Shape handles

Glues to shape selection handles  .

Shape vertices

Glues to shape vertices  .

Connection points

Glues to shape connection points  .

You can glue to Inward and Inward & Outward connection points, but you cannot glue to Outward connection points.