Organise objects with groups, alignment and layers
Use layout controls to make a crowded board easier to read and safer to rearrange. Alignment controls organise selected objects, groups let related items travel together, and named layers separate working material from supporting content. This walkthrough also explains the difference between hiding a layer and locking it, so an apparently missing or uneditable object is easier to diagnose.
Canvas → selection toolbar · ElementsWhat you’ll learn
- Align and distribute a selection before turning it into a group.
- Move related objects together while preserving their arrangement.
- Manage named layers, their visibility and their lock state.
Captured in Boilerrum with an illustrative project. The app interface is shown in English.
In this guide
01
Establish a clear arrangement
Select the objects you want to arrange together. Use Align Left, Align Center (X-Axis) or Align Right for horizontal placement, and Align Top, Align Middle (Y-Axis) or Align Bottom for vertical placement. With at least three suitable objects, use the distribution controls to regularise gaps. Check the result before grouping, and use Undo if the chosen axis was wrong.
03
Create a named working layer
Open Elements and click Add layer. Open the new layer’s options, choose Rename and enter a useful name such as “Working ideas” or “Reference”. Click the layer name to make it the active layer for new objects. Keep the Default layer when you need it; its deletion is disabled, while additional layers can be removed through their options.
04
Move content and set its order
Select the objects to relocate, open the destination layer’s options and choose Move selection here. Objects contained in a group or frame move with that container. Use Move forward or Move backward to change the layer’s stacking order. Within a layer, drag object rows to change their order and check overlapping content directly on the canvas.
05
Control visibility and editing
Use a layer’s eye control to hide supporting material and its lock control to prevent changes through layer interactions. Show or unlock it when you need to work there again. If an extra layer is no longer useful, choose Delete layer, keep objects; its contents remain on the canvas. Save after reviewing the remaining layers and their visible objects.
Your board has a deliberate arrangement, movable groups and clearly named layers. You can distinguish content order from visibility and locking, and remove an unnecessary layer without deleting its objects.