End-User Interaction

Mar 24, 2025
4 minutes to read

This document describes end-user operations available in the Diagram Control and Diagram Designer Control.

Tip

Set the DiagramControl.IsReadOnly property to true to restrict end-user operations. Setting the specific diagram protection options (listed in the DiagramControl.IsReadOnly property’s description) to true overrides the IsReadOnly property.

Basic Actions

These operations available both in the Diagram Control and Diagram Designer Control.

Select items on the canvas

Click an item to select it. To select multiple items, hold SHIFT and click items or drag to draw a marquee over the items you want to select.

Corresponding property: SelectionMode

Copy items

To copy the selected items, press CTRL+C. To paste the clipboard content to the canvas, press the CTRL+V key combination. You can also hold down the CTRL key and drag the selected items.

Corresponding property: AllowCopyItems

Resize an item

Select the item and drag a selection handle.

Corresponding property: AllowResizeItems

Move an item

Select the item and drag it or press the arrow keys.

Corresponding property: AllowMoveItems

Rotate an item

Select the item and drag the rotation handle.

Corresponding property: AllowRotateItems

Transform a shape

Certain shapes display yellow handles when selected. Drag the handle to transform the shape.

Corresponding property: AllowChangeShapesParameter

Change the item’s text

Double-click an item or right-click it and select the Edit text menu item. To accept changes, press the ESC key or click anywhere on the canvas.

Corresponding property: AllowEditItems

Format the text within an item

Right-click the item to invoke the mini toolbar that allows you to change the font size and make the text bold or italic.

Corresponding properties:

Pan the canvas

Drag with middle mouse button to pan the diagram canvas.

Corresponding property: AllowMiddleButtonDrag

Perform undo/redo operations

Press the CTRL+Z / CTRL+Y key combination.

Corresponding property: AllowUndoRedo

Change the current zoom

Hold the Ctrl button and rotate the mouse wheel.

Press Ctrl+Plus and Ctrl+Minus combinations to change the zoom level.

Corresponding property: AllowZoom

Expand/collapse subordinate items

Click the expand-collapse button below a shape to show or hide the subordinate items.

Press Ctrl+Space combination to expand/collapse the focused container.

Diagram Designer Actions

These operations are only available in the Diagram Designer Control.

Add a shape to the canvas

Drag the shape from the Shapes Panel or select a drawing tool (Rectangle, Ellipse, Right Triangle, Hexagon) in the Tools group of the Ribbon and drag on the canvas to draw the corresponding shape.

Corresponding property: AllowAddRemoveItems

Add a container to the canvas

Select the Container ribbon item on the Insert ribbon page.

Corresponding property: AllowAddRemoveItems

Resize an item

Select the item and change the Size property in the Properties Panel.

Setting the AllowResizeItems property to false does not restrict this operation.

Move an item

Select the item and change the Position property in the Properties panel.

Setting the AllowMoveItems property to false does not restrict this operation.

Rotate an item

Select the item and change the Angle property in the Properties panel.

Setting the AllowRotateItems property to false does not restrict this operation.

Change the item’s text

Select the Text tool in the Tools group of the Ribbon and click an item.

Select an item and change the Text property within the Properties panel. The AllowEditItems property does not affect this operation.

Format the text within an item

Select the item and use the Ribbon’s Font and Paragraph groups to change the font family, color and size, make text bold, italic, underline or strikethrough and apply horizontal and vertical alignment.

Corresponding properties:

Pan the canvas

Select the Pan tool in the Tools group of the Ribbon and drag on the canvas.

Add a connector

Select the Connector tool in the Tools group of the Ribbon and drag on the canvas. For a detailed description of connecting shapes, see Connectors.

Corresponding property: AllowAddRemoveItems

Add text

Select the Text tool in the Tools group of the Ribbon and drag on the canvas to add a rectangular shape with transparent background and outline. If you don’t type any text, the shape is automatically deleted to avoid clutter.

Perform undo/redo operations

Click the corresponding button at the top of the Ribbon.

Corresponding property: AllowUndoRedo

Change the current zoom

Use the zoom trackbar in the Bottom Panel.

Corresponding property: AllowZoom

Apply a theme to the diagram

Select the desired theme it in the Ribbon’s Themes group on the Design page.

Corresponding property: AllowChangeTheme

Change the color of an item

Select the item and pick the desired color with the Background and Stroke color pickers. You can find the color pickers in the Ribbon’s Shape Styles group on the Home page. You can also select a predefined style in the Shape Styles group. Alternatively, change the BackgroundColor , ForegroundColor and Stroke properties in the Properties panel.

Corresponding properties: