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Setting auto-resize options for layout objects

You can set objects to automatically resize or move horizontally or vertically when the FileMaker Pro window is resized. Horizontal settings also apply to Preview mode and printing when the page size is wider than the size of the layout being viewed or printed.

When layout objects are set to resize, they maintain a constant distance from the object to which they are anchored. This allows objects to move, expand, or contract when the FileMaker Pro window is resized.

Anchor points are either the layout, tab control, or portal margin in which an object resides. By default, objects are anchored on both the top and left sides of the layout or page.

To allow objects to resize or move when the FileMaker Pro window is resized:

1.	In Layout mode, select one or more objects on the layout.

For more information, see Selecting objects.

2.	Click Inspector in the layout bar, then click Position.

3.	In the Autosizing area, select the line that indicates the side of the object that you want anchored to the layout, the tab control, or portal margin.

For example, to allow an object to maintain its horizontal position on the layout and expand to the right when the window is made wider, leave the default left and top anchors selected and select the right anchor.

Tip  To allow an object to move to the right (rather than expand) when the window is made wider, clear the left anchor leaving the top and right anchors selected.

Notes

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The following table compares the effects of different and combined horizontal resize settings. Vertical resize settings behave the same. In these illustrations, the outer rectangle represents the layout, tab control, or portal margin. The inner rectangle represents the alignment of the anchored object under different layout settings. Top anchor settings are included so objects retain their vertical orientation on the layout.

Object’s position and width when window is original size	Object’s position in resized window	Auto-resize settings	Object alignment and size when window is resized
			Object is left-aligned and does not expand or move. (This is the default setting for new objects).
			Object is right-aligned, moving to the right margin of the layout, tab control, or portal.
			Object expands to meet both left and right layout, tab control, or portal margins.
			Object maintains a constant distance from the center of the layout. Note  The object will not display in the exact center of the layout after resizing, unless it was positioned in the center of the layout before resizing.

Important  Multiple objects positioned side-by-side or stacked vertically and anchored to either both left and right or both top and bottom margins move or resize relative to the layout, tab control, or portal margin, not each other. Therefore, adjacent objects will not maintain a relative distance from one another and may overlap when the window is resized.

•	Objects resize independently of one another, unless they are located inside objects that restrict their ability to resize.

•	Objects are not reduced beyond their original size, even when the FileMaker Pro window is made smaller than the size of the original layout.

•	Applying resizing options to grouped objects or nested groups of objects applies settings to the individual objects in the group, not the group itself.

•	Locking objects does not prevent them from resizing, but auto-resize settings cannot be changed on locked objects. For information about unlocking objects, see Protecting objects from change.

•	Objects located in tab controls or portals adhere to the following rules:

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Objects are anchored to the tab control or portal boundary rather than to the window or layout part boundary. For example, if a tab control is anchored on the right and objects inside the tab control are anchored on the left, these objects align to the tab control’s left side rather than the window’s left side.

•	If you want fields on a tab panel to resize with the tab panel, you must specify resize settings for both the tab panel and fields located inside it. If a tab panel is not set to resize, objects inside the panel will not resize regardless of their individual resize settings.

•	Objects located inside portals are anchored to the top and/or bottom of each row, rather than the top and/or bottom of the entire portal.

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If a portal object is set to resize vertically by anchoring both its top and bottom to the layout part boundary, it can be set to expand by increasing the height of existing rows or row height can be kept constant and more rows can be displayed when the window is made larger. - To increase the height of existing rows, set at least one object inside the portal to auto-resize vertically. - To keep row height static and increase the number of rows displayed when the object that contains a portal is enlarged, do not set any objects inside the portal to auto-resize.

•	Objects set to resize behave as follows when displayed in different views:

•	Form View: Objects are anchored to the sides of the window horizontally and to the sides of their enclosing layout part vertically.

•	List View: Objects are anchored horizontally.

•	Table View: Auto-resize settings have no effect.

•	If you place objects to the right of the layout edge, they do not auto-resize and do not display on the layout in Browse mode.

Related topics 

Using the Inspector to position objects