Map layout

What do you want to do?

The arrangement of topics is controlled by the map's general layout options.

The layout options let you control:

growth direction - map, tree, org-chart, or flowchart layout
Read Note

The flowchart layout option is only displayed in the Layout pull down if are working from a flowchart template.
line style - the shape of the connecting lines
line anchor - the originating point on the parent topic for subtopic connecting lines
spacing - the distance from the parent topic to its subtopic and the distance between its sibling topics

You can align a set of topics, and enable an option to snap topics and objects to a pre-defined grid.

Change the general layout of the map
Change the layout of subtopics
Align topics

Change the general layout of the map

The General Layout options are only available if you have the central topic selected. These options apply to the entire map. You can only set these options in Map View.
Read Note

Select the central topic.
On the Design tab, click the Object Format dialog launcher. Or, click the Topic Shape arrow and select Format Topic.
On the General Layout tab, choose the desired attributes for the map.

Organic appearance makes the main topic connecting lines look more like hand-drawn lines.
Display shadow adds a shadow to the topic connecting lines and topic shapes.
Main Topic Line Width controls the thickness of lines connecting the central topics and main topics.
Main Topic Spacing controls the spacing between the main topics.

Click the Map Theme button if you wish to save these settings as theme defaults for this map, or re-set the topic's formatting to the default formatting from the theme.
Read Hint

To distribute main topics evenly around the central topic, right-click on the map background, and then click Balance Map.

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Change the layout of subtopics

These options apply to the subtopics of the currently selected topic, or to the whole map if you select the Central Topic. You can only set these options in Map View.

Growth direction and line style

Select the topic(s).
To change growth direction: On the Design tab, click the Object Format dialog launcher. Select the Subtopics Layout tab, then click the desired growth direction.
To change line style: On the Design tab, in the Object Format group, click Layout to change the layout, and click the Lines pull down, then select the desired line style.

Read Hint

Read Note

More layout options

Select the topic(s).
On the Design tab, click the Object Format dialog launcher.
Change the settings on the Subtopics Layout tab to meet your needs.
Read Hint

Some experimentation may be required to get just the right "look" for your map - click Apply to see how your settings will look without leaving the dialog.

Click the Map Theme button if you wish to save these settings as theme defaults for this map, or re-set the topic's formatting to the default from the theme.

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Align topics

You can align two or more topics with each other.

Select two or more topics.

Do one of the following:

On the Design tab, in the Object Format group, click the Align pull down, then Select Align Topics.

For a flowchart topic: right click, then select Align Topics.

Select how you want the topics aligned on the map.

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