I cannot group multiple objects when they are overlapping each other. I have successfully grouped two objects, but when I try and group another object to the said already grouped object all the things become un-grouped as soon as I un-select it. Can ANYONE help?
Selecting individual objects which overlap
Sometimes it works to drag over a region (“lassooing”) to select all, and then ctrl-click (press ctrl key when you click) to unselect the objects you don’t want selected.
You can alt-click (press the Alt key when you click) to select the “next below” when you have stacked objects.
Adding new objects to existing group
A couple of strategies:
- Cut and paste
- Cut the new object
- Enter the group you want to embed the object in (doubleclick a group member, or select one and push function key F3)
- Paste
- Exit the group (ctrl+F3, esc, or double click outside the group region).
- Dissolve/regroup
- Ungroup (make sure you don’t click anything to unselect the ungrouped objects),
- Shift-click to add the new object to the selection
- group again.
- Multilevel grouping (group of groups)
- Select group
- Shift click to select new object (which may be a single object or another group)
- Group the selection
The latter Multilevel grouping is the simplest approach. It can be useful at times (in particular I have made use of it with multiple levels of connectors), but if you don’t specifically want to do that, it is usually not desirable.
The Dissolve/regroup approach also has its disadvantages. If you ungroup, the group properties are lost. (E.g.: all connectors on that group are disconnected).
I recommend the slightly crooked path of cut and paste if you can make that work. Deleting (cutting) content may seem like an unnerving step to make, but that is the only workaround I can find without side effects, so you will benefit from it in the long run.