Tips and tricks.-
Something has been said about selecting several objects, cloning them, grouping them and something should be said about coloring, changing the thickness of lines, modifying the stroke and so on.
Selecting.- When an object is selected as has been already explained, in fact two actions have being done; the first to deselect all the objects and the second to select the one chosen. If more than one object should be selected, the Shift key must be pressed before clicking the mouse button. When the Shift key is pressed, the first of the two actions is bypassed and no object will be deselected.
Cloning.- To make an exact copy of an object, including groups, it should be first selected and then, in the Menu "Actions" the item "Clone" should be clicked, or the corresponding button in the horizontal tool-bar, clicked. Alternatively, just pressing the "C" key on the keyboard will do the same.
Giving color.- Color can be applied to the contours of an object or, if the object is closed, filling it. In this last situation, the object loses its transparency and anything placed under it will not be visible. (more on placing objects “above” or “under” others, later on). In the Menu “Decor” there are three items related with this actions: “Color”, “Fillcolor” and “Unfill”. The first one correspond to coloring contours and the other two serve for filling a closed object with any color or unfilling it. When an object is selected, choosing any one of the first two options will make visible the “Color-chooser” where any color can be selected. Closing the Chooser, the corresponding color will be applied to the selected object (although it will be visible only when deselecting it).
Thickness of lines.- As usual the objects which lines are wanted to modify. should be selected. Then, in the Menu “Decor” the item “Thickness” should be chosen. A “thickness-chooser-window” will be made visible where some typical thickness of lines can be selected. It is also possible to chose a thickness as precise as needed using the small “Data” window. This will be explained in the next paragraph.
Stroke.- The stroke used for drawing the objects can also be modified. The standard type is the plain line. This can be changed to draw with point lines or segmented lines. Once selected an object, in the menu “Decor” the item “Stroke” will launch the corresponding window to choose the type of line wanted.
Arrows.- All the open objects can be drawn beginning or ending or both things, with an arrow. The standard arrow is the “metapost” one, at 45 degrees of aperture and medium sized, placed on the last point of a line. If an open object is selected choosing the “Place arrow” item from the menu “Decor” will place this type of arrow on the object. If any other type is wanted it should be defined before “Place arrow” is clicked. This is done clicking the item “SetArrow” from menu “Settings”. A window will be visible where all the available options are shown. Once selected a certain type, the window can be closed and every time the “Place arrow” is clicked, this type of arrow will appear on the object. A later paragraph will explain in detail everything related with the use of arrows.
Finally, it should be mentioned that all the items existing in the “Decor” menu already explained, exist also as default buttons on the horizontal toolbar.
Madrid, January 2006 |
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