Use assisted layout to organize content in Lucid

Watch: Assisted Layout in the Lucid Suite

Enable assisted layout

Assisted layout organizes content into an adjustable grid pattern within Frames, Containers, and swim lanes, automatically adjusting space as needed when content is added or removed. The steps to enable assisted layout for Frames, Containers, and swim lanes differ in each Lucid product. Check out the sections below for steps in Lucidchart and Lucidspark.

In Lucidchart

To enable assisted layout in Lucidchart, follow these steps:

1. Select the border of a Frame, Container, or swim lane on the canvas.
2. Toggle on “Assisted layout” from the Contextual Panel to the right of the canvas.
   

Existing items in the Frame, Container, or swim lane will automatically snap into a grid pattern. For further customization options, check out the Customize assisted layout options section below.

In Lucidspark

To enable assisted layout in Lucidspark, follow these steps:

1. Click the border of a Frame, Container, or swim lane on the board.
2. Select the Assisted layout icon from the context menu that appears.

3. Toggle on “Assisted layout”.

   

Existing items in the Frame, Container, or swim lane will automatically rearrange into a grid pattern. For further customization options, check out the Customize assisted layout options section below.

Use assisted layout with existing shapes

You can enable assisted layout for existing shapes on the canvas, even if they aren’t contained by a Frame, Container, or swim lane. Follow the steps in the bolded sections below to do this in Lucidchart and Lucidspark.

In Lucidchart

1. Select two or more shapes on the canvas.
   • Hold “Shift” on your keyboard to select multiple objects.
2. Right-click the selection.
3. Select Add to assisted layout from the options that appear.

The shapes are added to a Frame with assisted layout enabled.

In Lucidspark

1. Select two or more shapes on the canvas.
   • Hold “Shift” on your keyboard to select multiple objects.
2. Select the Quick cleanup icon from the context menu that appears.
3. Click Apply assisted layout.

The shapes are added to a Frame with assisted layout enabled.

Tidy up
In both Lucidchart and Lucidspark, you can tidy up a selection of shapes, which works similarly to assisted layout without placing the objects into a Frame, Container, or swim lane.

To tidy up objects on the canvas, follow these steps:

1. Select three or more shapes on the canvas.
2. Hover over the selection.
3. Click Tidy up from the bottom-right corner of the selection.

The objects are re-organized into a grid pattern on the canvas, and you have the ability to adjust spacing between objects.

Cluster 
In Lucidspark, you can cluster a selection of shapes that are spread out on the canvas. This gathers objects into a grid pattern in one spot on the canvas.

To cluster objects on the canvas, follow these steps:

1. Select three or more shapes on the canvas.
2. Select the Quick cleanup icon from the context menu that appears.
3. Click Cluster.

The objects are re-organized into a condensed grid pattern on the canvas.

Add and manage content using assisted layout

After you’ve enabled assisted layout, there are multiple options for adding and managing content. Check out the sections below for more details about adding, rearranging, and spanning content.

Add new content

Once assisted layout is enabled, add new content by dragging it into the Frame, Container, or swim lane.

• Drop the object over a dark line to insert the object to a new row or column.
• Drop the object over a shaded dropzone to add the object to an existing space.

Precision placement
To place an object in an exact spot in a Frame, Container, or swim lane with assisted layout enabled, use precision placement. This allows you to temporarily turn off grid snapping, so you can place a shape exactly where you want it.

To use precision placement, follow these steps:

1. Select an object.
2. Hold Ctrl (PC) or Command (Mac) on your keyboard, then drag the object into place.

A dotted line will appear showing which grid cell or existing object your new object will anchor to. When you anchor it to an existing object, the two become grouped which means moving the original object within the Frame, Container, or swim lane will automatically move the new one with it.

Nest a Frame, Container, or swim lane inside another
For an extra layer of organization, you can nest a Frame, Container, or swim lane within a separate Frame, Container, or swim lane.

The nested Frame, Container, or swim lane occupies a tile in the layout, but maintains its own assisted layout settings. For example, a nested Container could have different padding and spacing than the parent Frame it is nested within.

To nest a Frame, Container, or swim lane, drag it inside any Frame, Container, or swim lane that has assisted layout enabled.

Rearrange objects

To swap the placement of two objects, drag and drop one object on top of another.

Span an object over multiple cells

You can span an object, Frame, Container, or swim lane over multiple cells in an assisted layout grid by following the steps below.

In Lucidchart

1. Select the object, Frame, Container, or swim lane you want to span over multiple cells.
2. Click the Contextual Panel icon from the top-right corner of the workspace.
3. Under “Span cells”, click the dropdown menu.
4. Select an option from the dropdown menu:
   • Occupy a cell to leave the shape in one cell. The shape will not span multiple cells, even if resized.
   • Span horizontally to allow the shape to be spanned over multiple horizontal cells.
   • Span vertically to allow the shape to be spanned over multiple vertical cells.
   • Span both directions to allow the shape to be spanned over multiple cells both horizontally and vertically.
5. Use the pull tabs that appear on the edges of the object to span it in the direction you want.

The object now occupies multiple cells in the assisted layout grid.

In Lucidspark

1. Select the object, Frame, Container, or swim lane you want to span over multiple cells.
2. Click the Span cells icon from the context toolbar that appears.
   • If you have updated the span settings for this shape previously, the icon may be different.
3. Select an option from the panel that appears:
   • Occupy a cell to leave the shape in one cell. The shape will not span multiple cells, even if resized.
   • Span horizontally to allow the shape to be spanned over multiple horizontal cells.
   • Span vertically to allow the shape to be spanned over multiple vertical cells.
   • Span both directions to allow the shape to be spanned over multiple cells both horizontally and vertically.
4. Use the pull tabs that appear on the edges of the object to span it in the direction you want.

The object now occupies multiple cells in the assisted layout grid.

Customize assisted layout options

After enabling assisted layout for a Frame, Container, or swim lane, you can customize the layout and placement of each object. These options are also available after generating a diagram in Lucidchart with AI.

To access the assisted layout settings, follow these steps:

1. Select the border of a Frame, Container, or swim lane that has assisted layout enabled.
2. Locate the assisted layout settings:
   1. In Lucidchart, the settings are located in the Contextual Panel that opens on the right side of the canvas.
   2. In Lucidspark, select the Assisted layout icon from the context menu that appears.

From the assisted layout settings, you can adjust the following::

• Spacing/Padding: Change how much space is between objects by using the up and down arrows or by entering a new number value.
• Sizing: Select a sizing option. “Fit” automatically resizes the Frame, Container, or swim lane to fit objects inside, while “Manual” allows you to drag the corner to manually resize it to add or subtract cells in the assisted layout grid.
• Lines: Enable or disable auto line routing. Auto line routing is enabled by default which snaps lines into the optimal path and avoids overlap with other objects.
  • If you have auto line routing disabled, you can do a quick, one-time clean up of existing lines in your Frame, Container, or swim lane by clicking the Quick cleanup lines icon.
• Alignment: Change how objects are aligned in the cell they occupy.
  

Manually adjust spacing between objects

To increase or decrease space between objects, follow these steps:

1. Select the border of a Frame, Container, or swim lane on the canvas.
2. Click and drag the lines that appear between objects horizontally or vertically to add or remove space.
   • Hold the Shift key on your keyboard while dragging the lines to lock the aspect ratio.

Inherit settings from a parent to a child container

When you nest a container, you can set it to inherit the parent’s layout settings by following these steps:

1. Select the nested (child) container.
2. Select the Assisted layout icon from the context menu.
3. Click Inherit from the top of the panel that appears.

Layout settings such as spacing and padding will match the parent container. Click Custom to set unique layout settings for the nested container.

FAQ

Why am I getting an error when I try to use assisted layout?
An error occurs when assisted layout encounters an unsupported object type. Unsupported object types include tables, timelines, org charts, Visual Activities, Dynamic Tables, and Smart Containers.

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