The View menu in Google Web Designer lets you choose how you want to view the stage, and how you want to view objects.
View outlines and labels
You can select from the following outline options:
- Outline > Label - Each element is also labeled with its type and ID.
- Outline > Outlines only - Every element on stage that's not the selected element will have a dashed border visible.
- Outline > Off - No outlines or labels. This option is useful in complex layouts to reduce visual clutter.
Adjusting this setting changes it for all documents.
Snapping
Snapping lets you position elements along the same horizontal or vertical lines. You can choose to snap to the grid, to the boundaries of other objects, or into alignment with other objects. To enable snapping, open the View menu and select Snap > Snap to, then select the elements you want to snap to:
- Snap to > Grid - Snap to the grid lines when they're visible.
- Snap to > Objects - Snap to the edges, corners, and centerpoints of other objects.
- Snap to > Alignment - Snap into alignment with other objects' edges or centerpoints.
- Snap to > Guides - Snap to the ruler guides when they're visible.
- Snap to > Equal size - Snap to the same width or height as another object.
- Snap to > Equal spacing - Snap to the same spacing as between two other objects.
See examples of snapping.
Adjusting this setting changes it for all documents.
View the 3D grid
When you have 3D grid selected in the View menu, the 3D view shows the grid for the plane that's nearest to parallel to your view. The grid color mirrors the color of the 3D compass. Grid lines are 50 pixels apart by default (you can change the grid size in your preferences), and you can snap your work to them.
If you change this setting, Google Web Designer remembers your selection for the document. You can also set your preference for whether the 3D grid is visible by default.
View rulers
When you have Rulers selected in the View menu, the horizontal and vertical rulers are visible. Rulers help you precisely position elements in your ads and HTML5 documents.
If you change this setting, Google Web Designer remembers your selection for the document. You can also set your preference for whether the rulers are visible by default.
Guides
Guides are vertical or horizontal lines that you can position anywhere on the stage to make it easy to align objects. Add a guide by clicking any point on the ruler, then dragging the new guide into the document work area.
You can move guides with the Selection tool, and remove them by dragging them out of the work area. Hold the Shift key while dragging to snap to the ruler tick marks.
The following guide options are available in the View > Guides menu:
- Guides > Show guides makes guides visible. (Adding a new guide turns on this setting.)
- Guides > Lock guides keeps you from moving existing guides. (Adding a new guide turns off this setting.)
- Guides > Clear guides removes any guides.
Guides are saved with your document.
Ruler guides can't be changed when the stage is rotated.
Front view, Top view, and Side view
Selecting Front view, Top view, or Side view from the View menu lets you view the stage directly down the z-, y-, or x-axis. Double-clicking the 3D Stage Rotate tool returns you to whichever view you select here.
Zoom
You can adjust the zoom level of the stage by using the Zoom in and Zoom out options, available both in the View menu and as controls in the lower right corner of the stage. The Actual size menu command resets the zoom level to 100%.
To change the zoom level of the entire Web Designer application, such as for high-resolution monitors, adjust your advanced preferences.