Working with Group Shapes in Word Documents

Sometimes you need to add a group shape into a Word document. Such a group shape consists of multiple shapes.

In Microsoft Word, you can quickly add a group shape using the Group command/button. An individual shape in a group can be moved separately.

In Aspose.Words it is very easy to add a group shape using the GroupShape class. The shape is created separately using the Shape class and then added to the GroupShape object using the AppendChild method.

The following code example shows how to add a group shape into a Word document:

Below are some of the Shape types supported in Aspose.Words. For complete list, please visit ShapeType:

• Rectangle
• RoundRectangle
• RoundRectangle
• Ellipse
• Diamond
• Triangle
• RightTriangle
• Parallelogram
• Trapezoid
• Hexagon
• Octagon

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FAQ

1. Q: How do I create a GroupShape in Aspose.Words for C++?
   A: First create the individual Shape objects you want to group, set their size and position, then instantiate a GroupShape object. Add each Shape to the GroupShape using GroupShape->AppendChild(shape). Finally, insert the GroupShape into the document (e.g., builder.CurrentParagraph->AppendChild(groupShape)).

2. Q: Which shape types can be added to a GroupShape?
   A: Any shape type supported by Aspose.Words can be part of a group, such as ShapeType::Rectangle, ShapeType::Ellipse, ShapeType::Diamond, ShapeType::Triangle, ShapeType::Parallelogram, ShapeType::Hexagon, etc. Refer to the ShapeType enumeration for the full list.

3. Q: How can I control the position and size of shapes inside the group?
   A: Set the Width, Height, Left, and Top properties of each Shape before appending it to the GroupShape. The coordinates are relative to the group’s origin, so the shapes retain the specified layout when the group is rendered.

4. Q: Can a GroupShape be added to a header, footer, or other specific part of the document?
   A: Yes. Retrieve the desired HeaderFooter node (e.g., builder.CurrentSection->HeadersFooters[HeaderFooterType::HeaderPrimary]) and call AppendChild on its paragraph or directly on the HeaderFooter to insert the GroupShape.

5. Q: Do I need to call any additional method to finalize the group after adding shapes?
   A: No extra method is required. Once all shapes are appended, the GroupShape becomes part of the document tree and will be saved and displayed as a grouped object automatically.