Shape Operations

Shape operations help you organize, manipulate, and create shapes efficiently—from grouping elements together to multiplying shapes into grids.

Grouping Operations

Group

Combines multiple shapes into a single group that moves and formats as one unit.

Use Case:

• Keeping related shapes together
• Moving complex designs as one unit
• Protecting layout structure
• Creating reusable components

How to Use:

1. Select 2 or more shapes
2. Click "Group"
3. Shapes become one group

Keyboard Shortcut: Ctrl+G (Windows) or Cmd+G (Mac)

Benefits:

• Move all shapes together
• Resize proportionally
• Copy/paste as one unit
• Apply formatting to all at once

Example Workflow:

1. Create logo from multiple shapes
2. Position shapes perfectly
3. Group them
4. Now logo moves as one piece

Ungroup

Separates a group back into individual shapes.

Use Case:

• Editing shapes within a group
• Breaking apart imported graphics
• Modifying grouped elements
• Extracting individual shapes

How to Use:

1. Select a grouped shape
2. Click "Ungroup"
3. Group splits into individual shapes

Keyboard Shortcut: Ctrl+Shift+G (Windows) or Cmd+Shift+G (Mac)

When to Use:

• You need to edit one shape in a group
• Breaking apart clipart or imported graphics
• Restructuring a grouped layout
• Accessing individual shapes

Pro Tip:

1. Ungroup
2. Edit individual shapes
3. Group again to restore

Shape Manipulation

Switch

Swaps the positions of two selected shapes.

Requirements: Exactly 2 shapes selected

Use Case:

• Quickly swapping shape positions
• Reordering elements
• A/B testing layouts
• Fixing incorrect positions

How to Use:

1. Select exactly 2 shapes
2. Click "Switch"
3. Shapes swap positions

Visual Example:

Before:         After:
▢  ●           ●  ▢

Advanced Usage:

Switch works with any two shapes, regardless of size or type:

Switch text box with image
Switch large shape with small shape
Switch grouped shapes with individual shapes

The shapes exchange exact positions (top-left corners).

Multiply

Creates a grid of duplicated shapes with custom spacing.

Use Case:

• Creating grids of icons
• Duplicating buttons
• Building calendars
• Creating tile patterns
• Repeating elements

How to Use:

1. Select shape(s) to multiply
2. Click "Multiply"
3. Enter:
   • Number of rows
   • Number of columns
   • Horizontal spacing
   • Vertical spacing
4. Click OK

Result: Grid of duplicated shapes

Example Configuration:

Original: ▢
Multiply: 3 rows × 4 columns, 10px spacing

Result:
▢ ▢ ▢ ▢
▢ ▢ ▢ ▢
▢ ▢ ▢ ▢

Common Use Cases:

Icon Grid:

1. Create one icon
2. Multiply: 2 rows × 4 columns
3. Result: 8 icons in grid
4. Replace each icon individually

Calendar:

1. Create one day cell
2. Multiply: 5 rows × 7 columns
3. Result: 35-day calendar grid
4. Add dates and content

Button Group:

1. Style one button perfectly
2. Multiply: 1 row × 5 columns
3. Result: 5 identical buttons
4. Change text on each

Tile Pattern:

1. Create decorative tile
2. Multiply: 10 rows × 10 columns
3. Result: Tiled background pattern

Advanced Options:

Negative Spacing:

• Creates overlapping shapes
• Useful for creating layered effects

Zero Spacing:

• Creates touching shapes
• Perfect for seamless patterns

Large Spacing:

• Creates widely spaced grids
• Good for layouts with breathing room

Shape Subdivision

Slice & Dice

Divides a shape into a grid of smaller shapes.

Use Case:

• Creating segmented shapes
• Building grid layouts from one shape
• Dividing images into pieces
• Creating puzzle-like effects

How to Use:

1. Select shape to slice
2. Click "Slice & Dice"
3. Enter:
   • Number of rows
   • Number of columns
4. Click OK

Result: Original shape divided into grid of smaller shapes

Visual Example:

Original:        Result (2×2):
┌────────┐      ┌───┬───┐
│        │      │   │   │
│        │  →   ├───┼───┤
│        │      │   │   │
└────────┘      └───┴───┘

Common Use Cases:

Grid Divider:

1. Create large rectangle
2. Slice & Dice: 3×3
3. Delete some pieces
4. Result: Custom grid layout

Image Puzzle:

1. Insert image
2. Slice & Dice: 4×4
3. Result: 16 image pieces
4. Use for puzzle effect or animations

Segmented Charts:

1. Create circle
2. Slice & Dice: 2×2
3. Color each segment differently
4. Result: Segmented circular graphic

Table Alternative:

1. Create large shape
2. Slice & Dice to create cells
3. Add text to each cell
4. Result: Custom table layout

Advanced Details:

What Gets Sliced:

• Shape divides into equal pieces
• Each piece is a separate shape
• Original shape is deleted
• All pieces inherit original properties

Spacing:

• No gaps between pieces (they touch)
• Original dimensions are preserved
• Each piece is (width/columns) × (height/rows)

After Slicing:

• Pieces can be moved independently
• Each piece can be styled differently
• Use Ungroup if pieces are grouped

Combining Operations

Multiply + Get/Set

Create consistent grids quickly:

1. Create and style one shape perfectly
2. Get Size, Get Color, Get Text Formatting
3. Multiply the shape
4. Customize each copy as needed

Group + Multiply

Multiply complex elements:

1. Create multi-shape element (e.g., icon + label)
2. Group the shapes
3. Multiply the group
4. Result: Grid of complete elements

Slice + Layer

Create layered effects:

1. Create shape
2. Slice & Dice
3. Send alternate pieces backward
4. Offset pieces slightly
5. Result: Layered, segmented effect

Switch + AI

Quick experiments:

"Switch these two shapes"
"Try swapping the logo and title"

AI understands Switch command.

Workflow Examples

Creating a Button Grid

1. Create one button (shape + text)
2. Get Size, Get Color, Get Text Formatting
3. Multiply: 2 rows × 3 columns
4. Edit text on each button
5. Optional: Distribute for perfect spacing

Result: Professional 6-button grid

Building Icon Rows

1. Insert one icon
2. Multiply: 1 row × 5 columns
3. Replace each icon
4. Add labels below
5. Group icon + label for each

Result: Icon feature row

Creating Segmented Bars

1. Create rectangle
2. Slice & Dice: 1 row × 5 columns
3. Color each segment differently
4. Use for progress bars or segmented data

Result: Multi-segment bar chart

Quick Layout Swaps

1. Create two-column layout
2. Not happy with order?
3. Select two sections
4. Switch
5. Instantly swapped

Result: Rapid layout iteration

Tips & Best Practices

Grouping

Do:

• Group related elements
• Name groups descriptively
• Group before copying to other slides

Don't:

• Over-group (hard to edit)
• Forget to ungroup when editing
• Group text that needs frequent updates

Multiplying

Do:

• Style one shape perfectly first
• Use consistent spacing
• Multiply then customize

Don't:

• Create too many copies (performance)
• Forget original shape position
• Multiply without planning spacing

Slicing

Do:

• Plan how many segments you need
• Consider final use case
• Keep original shape as reference (duplicate first)

Don't:

• Slice into too many pieces
• Forget that original shape is deleted
• Slice without duplicating original first

Switching

Do:

• Use for quick experiments
• Switch similar-sized elements
• Undo if you don't like result

Don't:

• Switch shapes with different sizes (may look odd)
• Forget which was which
• Use for more than 2 shapes (use Cut/Paste instead)

Advanced Techniques

Create Reusable Components

1. Design component from multiple shapes
2. Group them
3. Copy to other slides
4. Ungroup and customize as needed

Pattern Generation

1. Create base pattern element
2. Multiply with specific spacing
3. Optional: Rotate alternating pieces
4. Result: Decorative pattern

Layout Grids

1. Create one cell
2. Multiply into grid
3. Use as guides for content placement
4. Delete when done

Segmented Effects

1. Create shape or image
2. Duplicate it
3. Slice duplicate
4. Offset or color pieces differently
5. Result: Exploded view or segmented effect

Common Issues

Issue: Can't Ungroup

Cause: Shape is not a group

Solution: Some shapes (like text boxes) can't be ungrouped

Issue: Multiply Creates Too Many Shapes

Cause: Entered large row/column numbers

Solution: Undo and use smaller numbers. Consider performance.

Issue: Sliced Pieces Won't Select

Cause: Pieces may be grouped

Solution: Ungroup first, then select individual pieces

Issue: Switch Doesn't Work

Cause: Selected more or fewer than 2 shapes

Solution: Select exactly 2 shapes

FAQ

Q: What's the maximum number I can multiply?

A: Technically unlimited, but be practical. Large grids (20×20+) may slow down PowerPoint.

Q: Can I multiply grouped shapes?

A: Yes! The entire group duplicates.

Q: Does Slice & Dice work on images?

A: Yes, it divides images into pieces.

Q: Can I undo these operations?

A: Yes, use Ctrl+Z (Cmd+Z on Mac) to undo.

Q: Is there a way to multiply in a circle instead of grid?

A: Not directly. Create shapes, then use Distribute in Circle.

What's Next?