> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.abbyy.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Create, copy, and delete elements

> Insert new elements at any level of the FlexiLayout tree, draw them from recognized objects, and move, copy, or delete elements in FlexiLayout Studio.

## Create an element

<Steps>
  <Step title="Activate the FlexiLayout window" />

  <Step title="Go to the nesting level for the new element">
    Go down the FlexiLayout tree to the nesting level where you want to create an element (**SearchElements** is the first nesting level).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Select the element type">
    Select the type of the element in **FlexiLayout → Add Elements → \[Type]**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Specify the element's properties">
    Specify the element's properties, search area, and additional search constraints if required. For a detailed description of each element and its properties, see the corresponding section.

    <Note>
      The name of an element may contain letters (Roman characters, Roman characters with diacritics, Cyrillic characters), digits, and underscores. The name of an element must start with a letter or an underscore. The name of an element must not contain spaces or any of the following special symbols: `.`, `,`, `:`, `-`, `\`, `/`.
    </Note>
  </Step>
</Steps>

### Create elements from recognized objects

When [viewing pre-recognition results](/flexi-capture/fls/batch/prerecognition-run), you can quickly create elements based on the current image.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Double-click a recognized object">
    Point the mouse to a recognized object and double-click it. A **Select Element Type** dialog box appears.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Select the element type">
    Select the element type and click **OK** to confirm.
  </Step>
</Steps>

Alternatively:

<Steps>
  <Step title="Activate the element creation mode">
    On the toolbar, click <img src="https://mintcdn.com/abbyy/fmgRWFNHKYN2MLSg/images/flexi-capture/fls/NewElementButton.gif?fit=max&auto=format&n=fmgRWFNHKYN2MLSg&q=85&s=1e590de1cdad8e77a8a1526e8613179c" alt="Create New element button" style={{display:"inline-block",verticalAlign:"middle",margin:0}} width="22" height="23" data-path="images/flexi-capture/fls/NewElementButton.gif" />.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Draw the element rectangle">
    Point the mouse to a corner of the rectangle from which the new element is to be created. Holding down the left mouse button, drag the mouse pointer diagonally to the opposite corner. A rectangle will be displayed from which the new element is to be created.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Release the mouse">
    A **Select Element Type** dialog box appears.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Select the element type">
    Select the element type and click **OK** to confirm.
  </Step>
</Steps>

You can move the created element to another level in the FlexiLayout tree using the drag-and-drop function. Note, however, that if the FlexiLayout tree contains elements or blocks which refer to the moved element, you need to adjust the corresponding properties of the elements and blocks concerned. FlexiLayout Studio will automatically highlight the elements affected by such a move.

<Note>
  Once you have created a **Group** element, you need to add simple or **Group** elements into it.
</Note>

To add elements into a **Group** element, use one of the following ways:

* Drag and drop the element you want to add.
* Click the **Group** element in question and create new elements of the required types within this element.

## Move or copy elements

<Steps>
  <Step title="Select the element in the branch">
    To select multiple elements, hold the **Ctrl** key and click the elements you want to copy. To select several consecutive elements in the branch, hold the **Shift** key and click the first and last element you want to copy.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Move or copy the selected elements">
    * Hold down the **Ctrl** key and use the mouse to drag the element to the location you want in the tree of elements.
    * Copy elements using the **Copy** and **Paste** commands on the **Edit** menu or the shortcut menu, or the **Copy** and **Paste** buttons on the toolbar.
  </Step>
</Steps>

You can copy any existing element, including **Group** elements. You may have to edit the properties of the copy, but it is still faster than creating several similar elements from scratch. The name of the copy is built from the name of the original element and the number of the copy.

## Delete an element

<Steps>
  <Step title="Switch to the FlexiLayout window" />

  <Step title="Select the element you want to delete">
    To select multiple elements, hold the **Ctrl** key and click the elements you want to delete. To select several consecutive elements in the branch, hold the **Shift** key and click the first and last element you want to delete.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Delete the element">
    Right-click the element and select **Delete** from the shortcut menu.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Related topics

* [An overview of element properties](/flexi-capture/fls/template/elements-properties)
* [Search area](/flexi-capture/fls/template/search-constraints)
* [Additional search constraints](/flexi-capture/fls/template/advanced-constraints)