Container Shapes

Home > Shapes and Lines Procedures > Container Shapes

Container Shapes

Container shapes group diagram objects within a parent shape. They are used in BPMN-compliant embedded subprocesses and are available in any diagram type.

When you move a container shape, all of its contained objects move with it. When you resize a container shape, its contained objects do not move. Non-container objects cannot be drawn behind a container in the same layer.

You can create multiple levels of nested container shapes by placing a container shape inside another container shape. In nested containers, the child container is always in front of the parent.

Task	Procedure
Create a container shape	Double-click a shape. In the Properties dialog box, click the General page, and select the Container Shape check box.
Create a container shape in the Shape Library	Graphics cannot be made into container shapes. On the File menu, choose Shape Library. In the Shape Library dialog box, select the item you want to make a container shape and click the Edit button. In the Edit Shape Library Item dialog box, click the Properties button. In the Format Shape dialog box, click the General page. Select the Container Shape check box.
Add graphics and shapes to a container shape	Insert a new shape or graphic into a diagram completely within the bounds of a container shape or move a shape or graphic from outside a container entirely into a container.
Copy a container shape	Copying a container shape copies the container, not its children. To copy and paste a container and all of its children, select all of them first.
Delete a container shape	Deleting a container deletes everything it contains. To delete a container without deleting its contents, double-click the shape, select the General page in the Properties dialog box, and clear the Container shape check box and then delete the shape.
Establish the draw order among multiple containers in the same layer	Select the shape you want to rearrange. On the Arrange menu, choose Order.