Group and Ungroup Object in PageMaker

When working on a layout in Adobe PageMaker, managing multiple objects can be tricky. You might have several shapes, images, and text boxes that you want to move together or format as one. That’s where grouping comes in handy.

Grouping objects helps you work faster and keeps your layout organized. On the other hand, ungrouping allows you to edit each element separately again. In this blog, we’ll walk through both — grouping and ungrouping — in simple and clear steps.

What Does Grouping Mean?

Grouping means combining several selected objects into one single unit. Once grouped, they behave as a single object. This makes it easier to move, resize, rotate, or align them together.

Why Group Objects?

• To move multiple items together without changing their position.
• To resize or rotate them as a single block.
• To apply formatting to all at once.
• To maintain alignment and spacing between items.
• To keep your design cleaner and more organized.

How to Group Objects in PageMaker

Follow these simple steps to group objects in Adobe PageMaker:

1. Select the objects: Hold down the Shift key and click each object you want to group. You can also drag around them using the Pointer Tool.
2. Go to the Element menu: On the top menu bar, click Element.
3. Choose Group: From the dropdown menu, click Group.
4. Use shortcut: You can also press Ctrl+G on Windows or Cmd+G on Mac.

Now your objects are grouped and will move or transform together.

Working with Grouped Objects

Once grouped, you can treat all selected items as a single object. You can:

• Move them anywhere on the page.
• Resize or rotate the group together.
• Apply colors, borders, or effects to the whole group.

If you want to edit one object inside the group without ungrouping, hold down the Ctrl key (or Cmd on Mac) and click that specific object. This allows you to make changes while keeping the group intact.

How to Ungroup Objects in PageMaker

If you need to edit objects separately again, you can ungroup them. Here’s how:

1. Select the grouped object: Click on the grouped item you want to break apart.
2. Go to the Element menu: Click Element from the top menu bar.
3. Choose Ungroup: From the dropdown, select Ungroup.
4. Use shortcut: Press Shift+Ctrl+G on Windows or Shift+Cmd+G on Mac.

The objects are now separated again and can be edited individually.

When to Ungroup Objects

• When you want to change colors or styles of individual objects.
• When you need to rearrange or replace one element within the group.
• When you want to delete one specific item from the group.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Forgetting to ungroup before editing individual items.
• Accidentally grouping unwanted objects together.
• Not saving before ungrouping — always save your work first!

Practical Example

Imagine you’re designing a company flyer. You’ve added a logo, a slogan, and a contact box at the bottom. To keep them aligned and together, you group all three. Later, when you need to change the logo, you ungroup them, make the change, and regroup again. Simple and efficient!

5 FAQs on Group and Ungroup Objects in PageMaker

Conclusion

Grouping and ungrouping in Adobe PageMaker are simple but powerful tools for layout design. They help you manage complex arrangements easily and save time during editing. Once you master these, handling graphics and text together becomes much smoother. So, next time you’re arranging multiple objects, don’t forget to group them — your workflow will thank you!