# Why does the Align as Row center objects vertically? **URL:** \ **Category:** Ignition\ **Tags:** ignition81, perspective\ **Created:** [April 28, 2022, 2:30pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/why-does-the-align-as-row-center-objects-vertically/58996 "2022-04-28T14:30:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![peter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/278dde/32.png) [@peter](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/peter)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2022, 2:30pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/why-does-the-align-as-row-center-objects-vertically/58996/1 "2022-04-28T14:30:04Z")
As per the online help, the [aligning tool's](https://docs.inductiveautomation.com/display/DOC81/Working+with+Perspective+Components#WorkingwithPerspectiveComponents-Aligning) "Align as Row" performs: > Aligns all of the components on their centers as a row, and will add padding between them that you can select. This means that if you have several objects that are located in different Y axis positions, using this tool means as well as spacing them horizontally it will also move them vertically until they all share a common center point on the Y axis. I feel that this goes against every other drawing package that I have used where an X-axis tool only affects the objects in the X-axis. Having the Align as Row affect the Y axis also makes no sense given you also have available the full suite of Align Top, Align Bottom and Align Centers Horizontal tools, so there is no need for the spacing tool to perform the extra action of aligning the object centers. And finally, while the behavior is mentioned in the online help, no indication is given in the tool itself that the Y axis will be manipulated - thus IMHO breaking the UI design goal of [the principal of least surprise](https://www.userfocus.co.uk/articles/the-principle-of-least-surprise.html) ![Screen Shot 2022-04-28 at 7.34.06 AM](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/original/3X/2/b/2b96e931238b7586b86be58daa4a4f6976be09d6.png) ![Screen Shot 2022-04-28 at 7.38.59 AM](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/original/3X/8/7/8775274e212228baaf94ed1ad92bad30f8771d9b.png) So what is the rationale behind this odd behavior? ---
**Author:** ![pturmel](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/pturmel/32/3295_2.png) [@pturmel](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/pturmel)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2022, 2:32pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/why-does-the-align-as-row-center-objects-vertically/58996/2 "2022-04-28T14:32:09Z")
> [@peter](#): > > thus IMHO breaking the UI design goal of [the principal of least surprise](https://www.userfocus.co.uk/articles/the-principle-of-least-surprise.html) Meh. I like it. It lets me be sloppy when pasting then clean up. (The paste mouse pointer sucks.) ---
**Author:** ![peter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/278dde/32.png) [@peter](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/peter)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2022, 2:45pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/why-does-the-align-as-row-center-objects-vertically/58996/3 "2022-04-28T14:45:03Z")
So you’ll abuse good UI design criteria for the sake of a single mouse click? 🙄 🤣 ---
**Author:** ![pturmel](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/pturmel/32/3295_2.png) [@pturmel](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/pturmel)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2022, 2:47pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/why-does-the-align-as-row-center-objects-vertically/58996/4 "2022-04-28T14:47:55Z")
> [@peter](#): > > abuse good UI design criteria Why, yes. Of course. Whenever it works for me. (: ---
**Author:** ![lrose](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/lrose/32/62724_2.png) [@lrose](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/lrose)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2022, 2:51pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/why-does-the-align-as-row-center-objects-vertically/58996/5 "2022-04-28T14:51:19Z")
> [@peter](#): > > thus IMHO breaking the UI design goal of [the principal of least surprise](https://www.userfocus.co.uk/articles/the-principle-of-least-surprise.html) I've always thought that the "Row" indicated intuitevly that all components would be aligned to the same Y-Axis position. I never expected anything different. Even the Icon indicates to me that this is expected behavior. Just as the Align as a Stack indicates to me that the X-Axis position will also be affected. ---
**Author:** ![peter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/278dde/32.png) [@peter](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/peter)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2022, 4:04pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/why-does-the-align-as-row-center-objects-vertically/58996/6 "2022-04-28T16:04:32Z")
My issue is that the tool behaves differently to every other graphical program that I typically use, yet is very close in style on the toolbar to those other programs.