Creating and Formatting Basic Objects

Creating a basic object, such as a square or ellipse, is easy. Use the rectangle or ellipse icon in the toolbar on the left side of the work area.

Toolbar navigation note

The green arrows on each icon in the toolbar indicate that you can click on the icon, then click on the menu that appears, and "tear it off"the menu will remain in the work area. For example, the Rectangle icon has a tearoff menu containing eight shapes .

graphics/29inf01.jpg

The icons on the toolbar won't always look the same, however. The last shape that you chose is the shape displayed in the toolbar. The first time you open Draw, the icon looks like this: graphics/shapedisplayed.jpg But if you then draw an empty rounded-corner square, the next time you look for the rectangle icon on the toolbar, the icon will look like this: graphics/rectangle.jpg

Note

You can click an icon and use the tool once (for instance, to draw one rectangle) and then you need to click an icon again. Or you can double-click an icon and use the tool as many times as you want. Just double-click again in the work area when you're done using the tool.


Drawing a Square, Rectangle, Circle, or Ellipse

  1. Click the Rectangle or Ellipse icon on the toolbar and choose the shape you want to draw.

    graphics/29inf06.jpg

    graphics/29inf07.jpg

  2. From the tearoff menu, select the object you want.

  3. Draw the object in the work area.

Rounding the Corners of an Existing Rectangle or Square

  1. Select the object in the work area.

  2. Click the Edit Points icon on the left end of the option bar.

    graphics/editpoints.jpg

  3. The drawing handles will change, and one corner's handles will increase in size.

    graphics/29inf08.jpg

    Move the mouse pointer over the larger handle; when the mouse icon changes to a hand, drag the handle to round the corner; all corners will be rounded identically.

Drawing an Arc or Filled Segment

You can draw an arc or a filled segment with the ellipse.

  1. Click the Ellipse icon on the toolbar and choose the shape you want to draw.

    graphics/29inf09.jpg

  2. Draw a circle or ellipse.

    graphics/29inf10.jpg

  3. The radius of the shape will appear, and the mouse icon will change to a crosshairs. Click at the point where you want the pie-shaped cutout of the circle to begin.

    graphics/29inf11.jpg

  4. The line will be set, and another moveable radius will appear. Click where you want the other side of the pie-shaped cutout.

    The object will appear. You can use the large handles to change the size of the empty area.

Quickly Applying Object Attributes

Note

To select attributes that will be applied to successive objects instead of a current object, first be sure no objects are selected, then follow the steps in this procedure.


  1. Select the object you're working with.

  2. Select border options, apply color to the area or border, or select a fill type such as a hatch or bitmap, using the options illustrated in Figure 29-6.

    Figure 29-6. Applying object attributes using the work area

    graphics/29fig06.jpg

Applying Attributes Using the Area Window

  1. To open the Area window, choose Format > Area or click the area icon in the object bar

    graphics/area.jpg

  2. Using each tab, select options shown in the following illustrations (Figure 29-7 through Figure 29-13), then click OK.

    Figure 29-7. Selecting a color

    graphics/29fig07.jpg

    Figure 29-13. Selecting a transparency

    graphics/29fig13.jpg

Note

Your computer or printer might not be able to handle gradients. If your system grinds to a halt and never actually prints anything, or if you end up with only 1 or 2 color changes instead of the number you entered in the Automatic field, gradients have proved too much for your system. You can also try the Reduce Gradients option: choose Tools > Options > OpenOffice.org > Print.


Figure 29-8. Selecting a gradient

graphics/29fig08.jpg

Figure 29-9. Selecting a hatch

graphics/29fig09.jpg

Figure 29-10. Selecting a bitmap and bitmap options

graphics/29fig10.jpg

Note

Unmark both Tile and AutoFit to see the bitmap as it is stored on your system, without any effects.


Figure 29-11 illustrates the effects of offset.

Figure 29-11. Offset for columns and rows

graphics/29fig11.gif

Figure 29-12. Selecting a shadow

graphics/29fig12.jpg



OpenOffice. org 1.0 Resource Kit
OpenOffice.Org 1.0 Resource Kit
ISBN: 0131407457
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2005
Pages: 407

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