Arrangements are often needed to specify the order of selection of vector objects. A vector object can be placed in front of other vector objects or simply moved one step forward.

In the same way, the object can be sent to the back of the design or can be placed one step backward.

‘Bring to front’ will bring the selected vector object to the front, in front of everything else on the design. ‘Bring forward’ moves the selected vector object one step closer to the front.

Go to Edit Menu > Arrange > Bring to front; Bring forward; Send to back; or Send backward.

Aligning vectors

Individual nodes, selected groups of nodes and whole vector shapes can be aligned in a number of ways. Select the items to be aligned, choose Edit > Align and select from the following: 

• Top Edges - Aligns the selected items to the highest one in the group (moving them upwards)
  
• Centres Horizontally - Aligns the selected items to the middle of all those selected (moving them all horizontally inwards)
• Bottom Edges - Aligns the selected items to the lowest one in the group (moving them downwards)
• Left Edges - Aligns the selected items to the left most one in the group (moving them to the left) 
• Centres Vertically - Aligns the selected items to the middle of all those selected (moving them all vertically inwards)
• Right edges - Aligns the selected items to the right most one in the group (moving them to the right)
  
  

All selected vector objects or nodes will be moved to the relevant position using the selected alignment method.

The align functions can be used as a quick and easy way of visually joining vector shapes together, but actually keeping them as separate shapes. In other words, matching up nodes to the same position so that they look as if they are joined. Select the end nodes of two separate vectors and then align them using Centres Horizontally and Centres Vertically (as an example). The selected nodes will be moved together and placed in exactly the same position, making it look as though they are joined together. 

Clip

It is possible to clip a vector object in one of two ways.

• Clip > In - Retains the shapes and parts of vectors which appear inside a selected area and remove whatever remains outside it. 
  The above picture shows a vector shape with the centre selected (on the left) and the resulting effect of clipping inside the selection (on the right).
  
  
• Clip > Out - Has the opposite effect. It will remove anything appearing inside a selected area on the active vector layer. 
  The above picture shows the same vector shape with the centre selected (on the left) and the resulting effect of clipping outside the selection (on the right).