Connector and callout lines

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You can draw connector lines between objects. Objects stay connected by these lines even when you move one or both objects. Connector lines, which are also known as "flow lines", are used in technical drawings such as diagrams, flowcharts, and schematics. For information about drawing flowchart shapes, see Predefined shapes.

There are three types of connector lines that you can draw. You can draw a straight connector line. You can also draw right-angle connector lines with a sharp corner or a rounded corner. You can edit connector lines by moving, adding, or deleting segments.

Using the controls on the property bar, you can modify the width and style of a connector line as well as apply arrowheads. For more information, see Format lines and outlines. You can also change the color of connector lines.

You can choose default settings for connector lines such as snapping points and distance from the objects they are connecting.

When you move objects, their connector lines remain attached.

You can draw callout lines that label and draw attention to objects.

Examples of callouts

To use connector and callout lines with precision, you need to snap them to specific nodes in objects. For more information about snapping and snapping modes, see Snap objects.

Connector lines and objects attached to connector lines cannot be brought into Focus mode. For more information about Focus mode, see Edit objects in Focus mode.

To draw a connector line between two or more objects

 

You can also
Move a horizontal segment in an angled connector line	Using the Shape tool , select a connector line, and drag the middle node on the segment that you want to move.
Move an end point of an angled connector line	Using the Shape tool , drag an end node along the edge of the object.
Add a segment in an angled connector line	Using the Shape tool , drag a corner node.
Delete a segment in an angled connector line	Using the Shape tool , drag a corner node over the closest corner node.

To change the direction of a connection line

You can change the direction of only right-angle connector lines.

To add an anchor point to an object

By default, anchor points that you add to an object are not available as snap points for a connector line when the object is moved around in the drawing. To make an anchor point available as a snap point, select it with the Anchor editing tool, and click the Auto anchor button on the property bar.

By default, the position of the anchor point is calculated relative to its position on the page. You can set the anchor point position relative to the object that it is attached to, which is useful if you want to set anchor points in the same relative position in multiple objects. To set the anchor point position relative to the object, select the anchor point with the Anchor editing tool . On the property bar, click the Relative to object button , and type the coordinates in the Anchor position box.

To move or delete an anchor point

 

To	Do the following
Move the anchor anywhere along the perimeter of an object	Using the Anchor editing tool , drag the anchor point to another point on the perimeter.
Move the anchor to the middle of an object	Drag the anchor point to any point inside the object.
Delete an anchor	On the property bar, click the Delete anchor button .

To set a connector line to flow around objects

To flow around an object, a connector line must be attached to the object by at least one end.

To add a text label to a connector line

As you move the connector line, the text label remains attached to it.

To choose default settings for connector lines

To draw a callout

 

You can also
Change the callout shape	Choose a shape from the Callout shape box on the property bar.
Change the distance between the text and the callout shape	Type a value in the Gap box.

If you want to edit the callout line and callout text independently of each other, as a line and a text object, you must first separate the callout line from the callout text by clicking Object Break callout apart.

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