Locking in Layout Mode

[LaRetta]

I keep running across dbs that have all fields and items locked. For the life of me, I can't understand why. When I go to layout I WANT to move things and that's why I go to layout.

I suppose that, once something is positioned *for sure* exactly where you want it, you might want to lock it; or if someone else might be messing around in layout that could accidently move something, but ... are there other reasons? I find it irritating to constantly have to unlock an item to move it? Is there something else I'm just not getting?

[SteveB]

I think you've got it right. Lock the layout to keep stuff from being inadvertently moved. If you're on Windows, Ctrl 'A' marks everything and then you can unlock the entire layout (I assume Option 'A' works for MACs).

[kenneth2k1]

When designing layouts, you may have items inside rectangle objects that you want to move. when you try to drag select objects inside the rectangle, the rectangle itself will be selected and will move too. If you don't want to move it, you lock it. This will apply to any objects inside other objects. I find locking object very useful, but it can be tedious to constantly lock/unlock things. But I can't think of a better way to do it.

By the way, I noticed something odd in FM. You know when you select an object, the handles appear. On a grey background (RGB 170), sometimes the handles dont appear/disappear upon selection/deselection. I thought it was my video card, but I've noticed it on other machines. Any one else seen this??

Ken

[Helpful Harry]

I assume Option 'A' works for MACs

Nope, Apple A ... or Command A if you've got one of the keyboards without the Apple printed on the key.

For most keyboard commands you simply change the Windows' Ctrl key to the Mac's Apple key and it's the same. Although it is sometimes used together with the Apple key for shortcuts, the Mac's Option key is mostly used to type special characters, eg. 'Option g' gives the Copyright symbol.