**Created**:: [[2021-04-26 Monday]] **Link**:: https://youtu.be/2cKlEwo8WU0 **Duration**:: 3:26 ![Part 3: Intro to Obsidian-Excalidraw - Advanced features](https://youtu.be/2cKlEwo8WU0) # Summary In this video, the presenter explores advanced features of the Excalidraw plugin for Obsidian, highlighting how to create and manage objects effectively. Viewers will learn about grouping objects, using layers, aligning and distributing objects, and creating simple charts from datasets. Additionally, the video showcases practical shortcuts and the ability to copy drawings as SVG or PNG for use in other applications. # Key Takeaways - Learn how to group and ungroup objects in Excalidraw to create cohesive designs. - Explore the use of layers to manage object visibility and arrangement. - Discover alignment and distribution options for organizing multiple objects efficiently. - Understand how to create simple charts from datasets imported into Excalidraw. - Remember key shortcuts to enhance workflow, such as zooming to fit all elements with Shift + 1. - Utilize the copy to clipboard feature for easy integration of drawings into other documents or web pages. # Content So welcome to part three of the Excalidraw plugin introduction. In this, I'm going to show you some of the advanced features of Excalidraw. So let's start with objects. I can create groups of objects. Let's say I want to combine this circle and this text into an object. I can simply select the objects I want to create, right-click, and select group selection, and with that, I've created an object. I can ungroup the selection, and I also can edit my selection while in this grouped setup. [* ](https://youtu.be/2cKlEwo8WU0?t=0) Next, the Excalidraw supports layers. So for this, let me color this object with a color and let me just move this object over this other object. Then what I'll show you is if I click here to bring the object to front, you will see that this object is now on the top layer. You can also align objects. You do that by selecting the object you want to align. So let's say I want to align these three objects, and then you have the options to align down here. One thing you can do is distribute objects. This will allow you to distribute objects horizontally. So you can see now the objects are distributed evenly, and I can align objects. I’m going to be aligning them to the bottom, but I could also align them by the center. So these are very practical features. [* ](https://youtu.be/2cKlEwo8WU0?t=3) Then there's a simple charting solution in Excalidraw. If you have a data set with a title and then data points in rows under that, you can select it, copy it, and if you paste it in Excalidraw, a pop-up comes up. You can choose the type of chart you want and insert the chart into your drawing. There's also a help option; if you click help, you will see the list of all the different shortcuts you can use. One of the practical shortcuts to remember is Shift + 1, which is zoom to fit all elements, so I'm going to now press Shift + 1, and it neatly fits my drawing to the screen. [* ](https://youtu.be/2cKlEwo8WU0?t=11) Finally, in this part, I want to show you the copy to clipboard option. Here I can either copy an SVG, which is a vector graphic, or a PNG image to the clipboard, and then I can paste that wherever I want. That is very practical if you want to include this in a web page, document, or whatever. So that was part three, and we'll continue on with creating your own template. Thank you. [* ](https://youtu.be/2cKlEwo8WU0?t=199) # YouTube Details ## YouTube Description You can install the plugin from Community Plugins in Obsidian, or download it from GitHub here: https://github.com/zsviczian/obsidian-excalidraw-plugin If you find this helpful please say thanks by buying me a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/zsolt You can reach me (@zsviczian) in the Obsidian Members Group (OMG) on Discord or on Twitter. ## YouTube Transcript [so welcome to part three of the](https://youtu.be/2cKlEwo8WU0?t=0) [uh xcoli draw plugin introduction](https://youtu.be/2cKlEwo8WU0?t=3) [and in this i'm going to show you some](https://youtu.be/2cKlEwo8WU0?t=6) [of the advanced features of xcoli draw](https://youtu.be/2cKlEwo8WU0?t=8) [so let's start with](https://youtu.be/2cKlEwo8WU0?t=11) [objects i can create groups of objects](https://youtu.be/2cKlEwo8WU0?t=13) [let's say i want to combine this circle](https://youtu.be/2cKlEwo8WU0?t=17) [and this text into](https://youtu.be/2cKlEwo8WU0?t=20) [an object i can simply select](https://youtu.be/2cKlEwo8WU0?t=21) [the object i want to create i right](https://youtu.be/2cKlEwo8WU0?t=25) [click](https://youtu.be/2cKlEwo8WU0?t=28) [and select group selection and with that](https://youtu.be/2cKlEwo8WU0?t=28) [i've created an object i can ungroup](https://youtu.be/2cKlEwo8WU0?t=33) [the selection and i also can](https://youtu.be/2cKlEwo8WU0?t=36) [edit my selection](https://youtu.be/2cKlEwo8WU0?t=40) [vial in this grouped](https://youtu.be/2cKlEwo8WU0?t=43) [setup then next the x color draw](https://youtu.be/2cKlEwo8WU0?t=47) [supports layers so for this let me color](https://youtu.be/2cKlEwo8WU0?t=51) [this](https://youtu.be/2cKlEwo8WU0?t=53) [object with a color](https://youtu.be/2cKlEwo8WU0?t=54) [and let me just move this object over](https://youtu.be/2cKlEwo8WU0?t=58) [this other object](https://youtu.be/2cKlEwo8WU0?t=60) [and then what i'll show you is if](https://youtu.be/2cKlEwo8WU0?t=62) [i click here to bring the object to](https://youtu.be/2cKlEwo8WU0?t=65) [front then you will see that this object](https://youtu.be/2cKlEwo8WU0?t=68) [is now on the top layer you can also](https://youtu.be/2cKlEwo8WU0?t=72) [align](https://youtu.be/2cKlEwo8WU0?t=75) [objects you do that by selecting the](https://youtu.be/2cKlEwo8WU0?t=75) [object](https://youtu.be/2cKlEwo8WU0?t=78) [you want to align so let's say i want to](https://youtu.be/2cKlEwo8WU0?t=79) [align these three objects and then you](https://youtu.be/2cKlEwo8WU0?t=82) [have the options](https://youtu.be/2cKlEwo8WU0?t=84) [to align down here so one thing you can](https://youtu.be/2cKlEwo8WU0?t=86) [do is you can distribute](https://youtu.be/2cKlEwo8WU0?t=89) [objects so this is going to](https://youtu.be/2cKlEwo8WU0?t=91) [oh sorry here you can distribute object](https://youtu.be/2cKlEwo8WU0?t=95) [so here](https://youtu.be/2cKlEwo8WU0?t=97) [i could distribute objects horizontally](https://youtu.be/2cKlEwo8WU0?t=98) [so you can see now](https://youtu.be/2cKlEwo8WU0?t=101) [objects are distributed evenly and i can](https://youtu.be/2cKlEwo8WU0?t=102) [align objects i'm going to be](https://youtu.be/2cKlEwo8WU0?t=105) [aligning them to the bottom but i could](https://youtu.be/2cKlEwo8WU0?t=108) [also](https://youtu.be/2cKlEwo8WU0?t=110) [align them by the center](https://youtu.be/2cKlEwo8WU0?t=111) [so these are very practical features](https://youtu.be/2cKlEwo8WU0?t=114) [then there's a simple charting solution](https://youtu.be/2cKlEwo8WU0?t=118) [in exclude draw](https://youtu.be/2cKlEwo8WU0?t=120) [if you have a data set with a title and](https://youtu.be/2cKlEwo8WU0?t=122) [then data points](https://youtu.be/2cKlEwo8WU0?t=126) [in rows under that you can select it](https://youtu.be/2cKlEwo8WU0?t=128) [copy it and if you paste it in x color](https://youtu.be/2cKlEwo8WU0?t=131) [draw](https://youtu.be/2cKlEwo8WU0?t=135) [then a pop-up comes up you can choose](https://youtu.be/2cKlEwo8WU0?t=136) [the type of chart you want](https://youtu.be/2cKlEwo8WU0?t=138) [and you can insert the chart into your](https://youtu.be/2cKlEwo8WU0?t=139) [drawing there's also a help](https://youtu.be/2cKlEwo8WU0?t=144) [if you click help you see the list of](https://youtu.be/2cKlEwo8WU0?t=147) [all the different](https://youtu.be/2cKlEwo8WU0?t=150) [shortcuts you can use one of the](https://youtu.be/2cKlEwo8WU0?t=151) [practical shortcuts to remember](https://youtu.be/2cKlEwo8WU0?t=153) [is shift 1 which is zoom](https://youtu.be/2cKlEwo8WU0?t=156) [to fit all elements so i'm going to now](https://youtu.be/2cKlEwo8WU0?t=159) [press shift 1](https://youtu.be/2cKlEwo8WU0?t=161) [and it neatly fits my drawing](https://youtu.be/2cKlEwo8WU0?t=163) [to the screen and finally in this part i](https://youtu.be/2cKlEwo8WU0?t=166) [want to show you](https://youtu.be/2cKlEwo8WU0?t=169) [the copy to clipboard option](https://youtu.be/2cKlEwo8WU0?t=171) [and here i can either copy an svg which](https://youtu.be/2cKlEwo8WU0?t=174) [is a vector graphics or a png](https://youtu.be/2cKlEwo8WU0?t=177) [image to the clipboard and then i can](https://youtu.be/2cKlEwo8WU0?t=180) [paste that](https://youtu.be/2cKlEwo8WU0?t=183) [to wherever i want and](https://youtu.be/2cKlEwo8WU0?t=185) [that is very practical if you want to](https://youtu.be/2cKlEwo8WU0?t=188) [include this](https://youtu.be/2cKlEwo8WU0?t=191) [in a web page or in a document or](https://youtu.be/2cKlEwo8WU0?t=192) [whatever so that was part three](https://youtu.be/2cKlEwo8WU0?t=196) [and we'll continue on with creating your](https://youtu.be/2cKlEwo8WU0?t=199) [own template](https://youtu.be/2cKlEwo8WU0?t=203) [thank you](https://youtu.be/2cKlEwo8WU0?t=204)