For Auto-Arrange to lay out your diagram in the best way possible, topics must be connected using shape-to-shape (shape-to-shape: A method of connecting shapes. The actual point of connection might change when you move the connected shapes. You make shape-to-shape connections by dragging a connector from the center of one shape to the center of another shape.) connections. For a shape-to-shape connection, drag an endpoint of a connector line to the center of the first topic until the topic shape is surrounded by a red box, then drag the other endpoint of the connector to the center of the second topic shape until it too is surrounded by a red box.

When you release the mouse and select the connector, each endpoint appears as a solid red square , which indicates that the shapes are correctly connected shape-to-shape.

Topics do not automatically connect when you drag them from the stencil. To connect shapes automatically, use one of the following methods to add topics to your diagram:

• With a topic selected, use commands on the Brainstorming menu.
• On the drawing page, right-click a topic and then click the command for adding the topic type you want.
• In the Outline Window, right-click a topic, and then click the command for adding the topic type you want.
• With a topic selected, on the Brainstorming toolbar, click the button for adding the topic type you want.

Tip

If you don't see the Brainstorming toolbar, on the View menu, point to Toolbars, and then click Brainstorming.

Use one of the following methods for working with large brainstorming diagrams:

• Automatically arrange topics. On the Brainstorming menu, click Auto-Arrange Topics.

Tip

You can also click the Auto-Arrange Topics button on the Brainstorming toolbar. If you don't see the Brainstorming toolbar, on the View menu, point to Toolbars, and then click Brainstorming.
• Change the layout style or theme. On the Brainstorming menu, click Layout or Theme.
• Move a section of topics to a new page in your drawing. Select the top-level topic of the section you want to move, and then, on the Brainstorming menu, click Move Topic to New Page.

The theme applies to the current drawing page only. All topics on the page change to reflect the new theme. However, if you add new topics to the diagram after the theme has been applied, or move a topic to a different level in the hierarchy, you must re-apply the theme.

Topics must be connected correctly to display hierarchically in the Outline Window. Topics that are not connected at all, or are incorrectly connected, appear in the Outline Window as standalone topics.

Topics must be connected using shape-to-shape (shape-to-shape: A method of connecting shapes. The actual point of connection might change when you move the connected shapes. You make shape-to-shape connections by dragging a connector from the center of one shape to the center of another shape.) connections. For a shape-to-shape connection, drag an endpoint of a connector line to the center of the first topic until the topic shape is surrounded by a red box, then drag the other endpoint of the connector to the center of the second topic shape until it too is surrounded by a red box.

When you release the mouse and select the connector, each endpoint appears as a solid red square , which indicates the shapes are connected correctly.

Note  If you used the Association line to connect topics, they will not appear in the hierarchy either as this connector is used only to visually indicate an association between two topics.

You can only attach each legend symbol shape to one topic. From Legend Shapes template, drag another instance of the legend symbol you want onto the page, and then drag the control handle to the connection point on the topic you want to associate it with.

Legend symbols must be set to Visible in the Configure Legend dialog box for changes you make to the sort order to be maintained. Right-click the Legend shape, and then click Configure Legend. In the dialog box, select the check boxes under the Visible column, and then use the Move Up and Move Down buttons to change the sort order.