updated on 05 August 2022 | reading time: 6 minutes

Tools and menus

Modify menu

The Modify menu gives you options for aligning, distributing, arranging, transforming, grouping, and compounding object, plus modifying paths and symbols.

Arranging objects

The Arrange sub-menu allows you to change the position of an object or a group of objects within the Layers panel.

  • Bring to Front (1) moves an object in front of all other objects

  • Bring Forward (2) moves an object forward one position

  • Send Backward (3) moves an object backward one position

  • Send to Back (4) moves an object behind all other objects

Aligning objects

The Align sub-menu contains various alignment options:

  • Align Left (1) pushes all selected objects to the left side of the bounding box that surrounds the group. A single object would be aligned to the left of the canvas.
  • Align Center (2) put all selected objects in the center of the group. A single object would be aligned to the center of the canvas.
  • Align Right (3) pushes all selected objects to the right side of the bounding box that surrounds the group. A single object would be aligned to the right of the canvas.
  • Align Top (4) pushes all selected objects to the top of the bounding box, that surrounds the group. A single object would be aligned to the top of the canvas.
  • Align Middle (5) pushes all selected objects to the middle of the bounding box, that surrounds the group. A single object would be aligned to the middle of the canvas.
  • Align Bottom (6) pushes all selected objects to the bottom of the bounding box, that surrounds the group. A single object would be aligned to the bottom of the canvas.
  • Same Height (8) stretches all selected objects to fill the height of the bounding box around these objects.

  • Same Width (7) stretches all selected objects to fill the width of the bounding box around these objects.
  • Distribute Horizontally (9) scatters objects along the horizontal axis with equal intervals between.
  • Distribute Vertically (10) scatters objects along the vertical axis with equal intervals between.
  • Snap to full units (11)
  • Snap to half units (12)

Transforming objects

The Transform sub-menu contains several predefined rotate functions and a couple of flipping functions.

  1. Rotate 45° Left
  2. Rotate 90° Left
  3. Rotate 180° Left
  4. Rotate 45° Right
  5. Rotate 90° Right
  6. Rotate 180° Right
  7. Flip Vertical mirrors objects across the x-axis
  8. Flip Horizontal mirrors objects across the y-axis

Grouping, clipping, and masking objects

  1. Group Selection unites selected objects into a single group. All objects within the group preserve their own appearance attributes.
  2. Ungroup Selection (4) splits the objects inside the group apart.
  3. Create Compound (2) unites selected objects into a single compound shape with a unified appearance inherited from the shape on the bottom.
  4. Create Compound Shape (1) has a wub-menu:

    Union (2) joins two objects into a single shape.

    Subtract (3) subtracts the top object from the rear one.
    Intersect (4) leaves the part where two objects overlap.
    Difference (5) deletes the part where objects overlap.
    To learn more about Boolean Shape Operators and Compound shapes, please read related topics.

    Creating a nested compound that puts a top compound shape inside the rear one. The rear compound shape, which plays the role of the container, defines the appearance attributes of the final shape.

  5. Clip Selection (3) masks selected objects inside the very bottom object in the selection.
  6. Mask with Shape (5) masks all the selected objects within the topmost object of this selection.

Cropping and flattening objects

Raster images could be easily cropped in Corel Vector. The Modify menu has two items that help streamline the process:

  • confirm cropping to apply the changes to your cropping efforts
  • cancel cropping to abandon them.

Flatten combines all the selected layers into a single image, filling any transparent pixels with the white color.

This option helps you to reduce the size of the file, no matter what export format is considered.

Note: Flatten rasterizes all the layers regardless of whether it’s a path, a shape, or a textual element.

Path sub-menu

Join Paths (1) creates a single compound path from the selection of objects.

Split Path (2) is opposite to the first option.

Convert to Path (3) transforms any shape into a path.

Note: This option also works with a Compound Shape, converting it into a Compound Path.

Convert to Raw Path (4) is much the same as the previous option. The path, created with the Convert to raw Path option doesn’t inherit the text color from the text layer as a fill color of the path and doesn’t support custom names of the layers.

Convert to Outline (5) brings up a dialog box to specify an offset number. Then click ok to extend an outline of an object.

Expand/Shrink (6) offsets the path by the specified distance you set in the pop-up panel’s text box.

A negative value will shrink an object; a positive value will expand an object.

Vectorize Border (7) converts borders into the outlines

Vectorize Image (8) converts a raster image, such as a photo to a scalable vector image. Read more about raster and vector images in the related topic.

Attach text to path (9) puts a text layer on the outline of a path. Note: both a text and a path should be selected.

Detach text from path (10) this is the opposite of the previous function.

Simplify path (11) helps you to delete redundant anchor points on your paths. This option brings up the pop-up menu with the tolerance slider.

The higher number you set, the simpler the path.

Connect two anchor points (11) connects the first anchor point of the path on top of the layer panel with the last anchor points of the path on the bottom of the layer panel.

Break curve (12) lets you open the path at a particular node.

It will introduce an additional anchor point at this node.

Now that you can open the path by deselecting the Close Path checkbox in the Appearance panel.

Reverse order (13) changes the order of the anchor points in the path.

Symbol sub-menu

The Symbol option has its own submenu:

  • Create Symbol (2) creates a new symbol from the selection.
  • Detach Symbol Instance (3) breaks the link between a master symbol and the selected instance.
  • Reset Instance (4) cancels all the changes done to the selected instance giving it the appearance of the master symbol.