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A constraint tells a layer how to follow its parent when the parent's size changes. Reach for it inside a frame that you will make wider or taller, such as a footer bar with a logo on the right and a line of text that should stretch.

Set a constraint

Select the layer

Select a layer that sits in a frame or on the page and is not placed by a layout flow. A layer in a layout flow has no Constraints row, because the flow places it.

Choose the two lists

In Position, the Constraints row has a horizontal list and a vertical list. Every layer starts as Left and Top.

Change the frame's size

Select the frame and type a new W or H, or drag its handles. The pinned layer follows by its constraint.

What each choice does

Horizontal	Vertical	Result when the frame changes size
Left	Top	Keeps its distance from that edge
Right	Bottom	Keeps its distance from that edge
Center	Center	Stays in the same place relative to the middle
Left & right	Top & bottom	Keeps its distance from both edges, so its width or height changes
Scale	Scale	Moves and grows in proportion to the frame

The distances are measured from the frame's size the last time you set the constraint or moved the layer.

Kalpana does not resize templates. Resize to sets a page's size and does not re-lay out the design, so design each size by hand. Constraints respond when you change the size of a frame inside a page.

Try it

Draw a frame (F) on the sale card, 600 wide and 200 tall. Draw a rectangle inside it.
Select the rectangle. Set the horizontal constraint to Left & right.
Select the frame and change W to 800.

You should see the rectangle grow with the frame, keeping the same gap at each side. Press Cmd/Ctrl+Z to undo it.

Constraints