Creating and Formatting Lines

Draw provides you with several types of lines: simple lines, connectors that you can use in diagrams and flowcharts, dimension indicator lines, and Bezier curves. You also can apply a variety of attributes, including types of ends, color , width, and so on.

Drawing a Basic Line or Arrow

1. Click the Lines and Arrows icon in the toolbar and in the tearoff menu, select the type of line or arrow you want.

   

2. Draw the line. Use the handles to adjust the line if necessary.

Note

The crosshairs icon allows you to draw a line that is exactly horizontal, perpendicular , or at a 45-degree angle.

Occasionally you'll draw a line that looks fine onscreen but prints with a slight crook in it. You can correct it either of the following ways:

• Select the line, click and hold down the mouse on the end you want to adjust, then press Shift and adjust it. This snaps the line to a vertical or horizontal orientation.

• Zoom in to 400% or higher and adjust it (see Increasing or Decreasing Display Size (Zooming) on page 663).

• Snap to the grid or snap points (see Snapping Objects to a Grid on page 780).

Quickly Changing Line Attributes

Use the object bar at the top of the work area, shown in Figure 29-14.

1. Select a Line end type for each end of the line.

2. Select the Line type: Invisible, Continuous, or one of the listed patterns.

3. Select a Line width. The measurement is calibrated in the current measuring system.

4. Select a Line color.

Figure 29-14. Line attribute fields

Note

To remove the arrow from a line you drew, click on the line end type icon in Figure 29-14, and select a plain line for each end.

Changing Attributes Using the Line Window

Once you've drawn a line, you can apply a variety of characteristics to it like color, arrows, width, and pattern.

It also lets you set and modify line styles and line style lists, a way of categorizing those styles.

1. Open the Line window using either method:

   • Right-click and choose Line.

   • Click the Line icon on the left side of the object bar.

     

2. The Line window will be displayed (Figure 29-15).

   Figure 29-15. Applying line attributes

   

3. Modify any of the displayed options.

4. Click Reset to change the settings back to the originals , click Cancel to close the window without applying changes, or click OK to apply the changes you've made.