Hi All,
I'm a super newbie. Just started. My interest is to place linked photographs and text on a rectangle and create a printable object.
I know how to create a rectangle. I know I to import links and place them on the rectangle. I know how to create a short text and place it on the rectangle.
Now, how do I make all these objects stay on the rectangle while I scale or move the rectangle? When I drag the rectangle now, the objects don't move with it. Also, how do I make the X and Y positions of the objects relative to the rectangle?
In short, I want the rectangle to become the platform father, and the various objects the children. So I can move the children on the platform, but when I move tor scale the platform the children stay on the platform.
Avi

Welcome Avi!

I have a couple of questions, before I can answer yours with certainty. When you say "linked photographs" do you mean that if you click on the photos, your browser will take you to a different URL? Or do you mean that you have some sort of image of a chain link or something like that, to make it look like the photos form a chain, like they're connected? Or do you mean something else? I ask because of course when you print it, the internet links will not work. Since you said you import the links, I'm thinking they are some sort of image?

There may be a few ways to do what you want. You could Group the large rectangle with the photos, to keep them together when you move the large rectangle. However, grouping will not allow you to freely move the photos within the rectangle. Everything is as one, and anything you try to move, moves the whole. So one way might be to Group and Ungroup, and re-group again, or whatever, as necessary. However, that won't work for scaling. If everything is grouped, and you try to scale one thing, you'll scale everything.

Another possibly better way, still using Group, is to group them all. But to move the individual photos, select them differently. For example, if everything is grouped, you can use the Node tool to select individual parts of the group. Once it's selected, switch to the Selection tool. The only issue with this technique, is that you can't grab the individual parts with your mouse. You would have to move the photos with the keyboard (arrow keys, and Shift + arrow key or Alt + arrow key) (Shift moves in much larger distances and Alt moves in tiny distances). This technique would accomodate scaling as well. (Although of course, you probably know that if you scale a photo, it will become pixelated.) Use the same technique to select the large rectangle out of the group, for scaling.

I'm not sure what you mean by "....make the X and Y positions of the objects relative to the rectangle". Relative to certain parts of the rectangle? Or otherwise, relative in what way? You might be looking for the Align and Distribute dialog, near bottom of Object menu. But I'm not sure.

Someone else may have a better technique than what I've mentioned. Or I might even know a better technique, once I understand more clearly -- especially about the X and Y relative to rectangle.

Oh, I know another technique already, lol. You can do something called 'enter the group'. This can be done either by double-clicking the group, or right-click > Enter group. It would allow you to select the photos individually, without having to ungroup. I find this technique troublesome, because it sort of creates a new layer temporarily, and makes that temporary layer active. If you happen to start drawing without exiting the group, whatever you draw will be another object in the group (because of that active layer). So just be sure to exit the group before you do anything else (right-click > go to parent, or click Layer 1).

Edit
Ooooohh!! I just realized that you probably mean linked, as opposed to embedded, lol! Sorry about that All my original comments still apply though, and I still need to know more about the X and Y relative thing.

Grouping is the answer as Brynn's detailed post explains. To move or reposition an object contained within a group, you can hold down control and select the object without actually opening the group. Wwhen you select another object or click on the blank canvas you automatically quit the group, and clicking on another object in the group without holding down the ctrl key will just select the whole group so it's quite intuitive .... or so they say.

To move or reposition an object contained within a group, you can hold down control and select the object without actually opening the group.

Oooohhh, would you look at that! Aarrrgg, all this time, lol