Having trouble with drag 'n drop -...

User 2040390 Photo


Registered User
95 posts

Dragging and dropping elements is hit or miss (mostly miss) for me. After I have two containers on my page, the next container goes where it damned-well pleases. For example, my container #2 has a picture and a paragraph on the same level ("tab-stop") in the Elements pane. The next container I dropped onto the canvas below that paragraph, went into container #2 on the same level as the paragraph.

When I tried to change things in the elements pane, that #3 container became independent (on the first level) only when I moved it ABOVE #2 and would fall back into container #2 when I tried to move it below.

Am I completely wrong about the movability of elements on the canvas? … in the Elements tree? How can I place them / move them where I want? The Guide offers no help.
If elements are supposed to be movable on either the canvas or the Elements panel, what am I doing wrong? Or am I just plain wrong and when things land, that's where they stay?
User 379556 Photo


Registered User
1,533 posts

The guidance on this does indeed seem limited to paragraphs 2 and 3 of this chapter, and I too have found manipulating the position of elements awkward at times.

In particular, it seems to me that removing an element from a group and placing it below that group in the Element panel involves
(a) clicking and dragging that element above the group, and then
(b) clicking and dragging the group above that element.
This seems to avoid the problem mentioned in paragraph 2 of the first post in this thread.

The action in the Element panel of dragging an element into a container is now simpler than it used to be, as the indicator line shows across the middle of the word 'Container'* at the stage when one should release the mouse button to drop the element.

When the positioning of an element seems really problematic, a sure-fire method (incredibly quicker and simpler than it sounds) is to make it into a component, select the container into which it is to be placed, and click the 'Insert into Canvas' button or the (+) button.

I also find it useful to know the keyboard arrow-key effects, which seem to me as follows.
1. The up and down arrows take one to the next visible item up or down in the Elements Tree.
2. When an element with no children is selected
(a) the left arrow takes one to the parent;
(b) the right arrow does nothing.
3. When a closed group is selected, a right arrow opens it, and a left arrow takes one to its parent.
4. When an open group is selected, a left arrow closes it, and a right arrow takes one to the first child.

Frank

* or between the word 'Container' and its class name if it has one.

PS Thankyou, Stonecherub, for introducing us in a post a year ago to a digital asset management program which I have used regularly ever since. FC
User 2040390 Photo


Registered User
95 posts

Thanks, Frank, your suggestion works.

"When the positioning of an element seems really problematic, a sure-fire method (incredibly quicker and simpler than it sounds) is to make it into a component, select the container into which it is to be placed, and click the 'Insert into Canvas' button or the (+) button. "

If I do this, I have to select Body in the Elements Tree, otherwise the component falls into another container in the tree. As you say, it works like a charm.

The container in question contains only a text link intended to point toward my existing website, a star of, "Websites that suck!" It has to be at the bottom. My project is a rebuild of this horror show and SD3 looks like the builder.

Have something to add? We’d love to hear it!
You must have an account to participate. Please Sign In Here, then join the conversation.