Aligning autoshapes - which one moves and which stays fixed?

[Atreides]

Hi,

I really find the Align and Distribute buttons useful for aligning
autoshapes when creating diagrams in PowerPoint.

However, when you are aligning one autoshape to another/others, how do you
predict/control which is the one that is going to move? E.g. you want shape 1
to move to line up with shape 2, however what happens is that shape 2 moves
to line up with the shape 1!

I've tried the following to see if they influence which shape moves:
- which one you click first
- which one is closer to the "front"
- which one you created first
- which one has fixed connectors attached

None of these are conclusive. Also if you use "Align Center", sometimes one
moves and sometimes both of them move! (To their "centre of mass")

This is so unpredictable. Please help!

Thanks for your time,
Atreides

 

[John Wilson]

Hi

I think this is what happens with align centre or middle.

If all the shapes fully overlap they move to the centre or middle of the
largest shape, the largest shape stays fixed. If they don't fully overlap
they all move to the centre of mass.

With Left /Right / Top and Bottom align this is what happens eg with left
align the shapes align to the left most shape.

 

[Atreides]

Thanks John, you figured it out! That whole "overlapping" thing was a bit
obscure, hey?

 

[Stephan]

I was also not aware of this 'logic'. Does that mean, however that there is
not way to determine which object remains stationary (on which the others
then 'align'?

-STephan