How to format lines and outlines

Formatting lines and outlines

·         You can change the appearance of both lines and outlines by using the controls of the Outline pen dialog box, the Outline page of the Object properties docker, and the property bar. For example, you can specify the color, width, and style of lines and outlines. Lines are treated the same way as outlines of closed shapes, such as ellipses and polygons.

·         CoelDRAW  allows  you to choose a corner style to control the corner shape in lines and choose a line cap style to change the appearance of a line’s endpoints.  A default outline is applied on top of an object’s fill, but you can apply it behind the fill, with the fill overlapping the outline. You can also link the outline thickness to an object’s size so that the outline increases when you increase the object’s size and decreases when you decrease the object’s size.

·         Object that contains lines that meet at sharp angles, you can set the miter limit to determine their corner shape. Corners with angles above the miter limit are pointed (mitered); corners with angles below the miter limit are beveled (squared off).

·         You can create calligraphic outlines. A calligraphic outline varies in thickness, creating the effect of a hand-made drawing. In addition, you can add arrowheads to lines and curves. You can create new arrowheads and edit existing arrowheads.

·         The default line and outline properties for each new object that you draw are as follows:

• hairline width

• CMYK black color

 • solid line

• square corner and line cap styles

• no arrowheads applied

• outline applied on top of an object’s fill

• outline not linked to an object’s size.

To specify line and outline settings

·         Select an object

·        Open the Outline tool flyout

·         click the Outline pen dialog button     .

·         Open the color picker, and click a color.

·         Type a value in the Width box.

·         Choose a line style from the Style box.

To create a calligraphic outline

·         Select an object.

·        Open the Outline tool flyout

·         Click the Outline pen dialog button     .

·         In the Corners area, enable a corner style.

·         In the Calligraphy area, type a value in the Stretch box to change the width of the pen’s nib.

·         The value range is from1 to 100, with 100 as the default setting. Reducing the value makes square nibs rectangular and round nibs oval, creating a more pronounced calligraphic effect.

·         Type a value in the Angle box to change the orientation of the pen in relation to the drawing surface.

·         To reset Stretch and Angle values to their original values, click Default.

·         You can also adjust the Stretch and Angle values by dragging in the Nib shape preview box.

To add an arrowhead

 Select a line or curve.

Open the Outline tool flyout

click the Outline pen dialog button       .

In the Arrows area, open the Start arrowhead picker, and click a line-ending shape.

Open the End arrowhead picker, and click a line-ending shape.