Create graphics

Working with illustrations

In FrameMaker, you can draw rectangles, ovals, and polygons, as well as straight and curved lines. You can create complex illustrations by combining several objects, and include text in illustrations. You can also specify object properties (such as fill pattern, line width, and color), and resize, reshape, rotate, and rearrange objects.

You can place illustrations directly on the page, in anchored graphic frames that move with the text, or in unanchored graphic frames that crop the edges of the illustration.

• Text frames control placement of the document text.

• Graphic frames can be anchored or unanchored and control the position and appearance of graphics.

• Anchored frames hold graphics related to specific text and move along with the text as you edit it.

• Unanchored frames are used to crop graphics that stay in the same place on the page. You can also use unanchored frames to hold reference art. You draw unanchored graphic frames with the Graphic Frame tool on the Tools pod.

  Note: Graphics placed in unanchored frames are not exported to HTML, Microsoft Word, or RTF.

  If you want the graphic to appear at a specific location on a page (for example, for a logo or a bleed tab), draw or import the graphic directly on the page. If you need to crop a graphic or include it as reference art on a reference page, you place it in an unanchored graphic frame.

  
  

  

  
  

  A. Graphic drawn on page B. Text line C. Anchored frame D. Text frame for document text

  You can use text frames along with graphics—for example, as callouts or captions. You can also use text frames in anchored frames to create effects such as sidebars. For single lines of text in graphics, you can also use the Text Line tool.

Tools palette overview

You use the dockable Tools pod to select drawing tools and to apply properties. To display the Tools pod, choose Graphics > Tools or View > Toolbars > Graphics Toolbar.

Graphics toolbar

A. Selection tools B. Drawing tools C. Hotspot mode D. Drawing properties

About paths

An object’s path is an imaginary line through the center of the object’s border. The path appears as an outline when you draw an object.

A. Border B. Path

FrameMaker uses the path to position objects. For example, when you use the Align command to align objects, the objects are aligned along their paths, not along the outside of their borders. When the snap grid is on as you draw, FrameMaker aligns the path with the snap grid.

Objects are aligned along their paths.

About graphic elements in structured documents

When working with structured documents, you use special elements to place graphics. A graphic element provides an anchored frame for holding graphic objects. The frame is anchored to a specific location in text. As you edit the text, the frame and its contents move in the document along with the text. The element appears in the document’s structure, but the graphic or equation itself is not part of the structure.

A new graphic element is either an empty anchored frame or an anchored frame with an imported graphic. When you insert the element, its format rules determine whether you see a dialog box for setting up a frame or for importing a graphic file:

• For an element that is an empty anchored frame, you specify the size of the frame, its anchoring position, and some formatting properties such as alignment. You can fill in the frame by drawing, pasting, or importing graphic objects in it.

• For an element that is a frame with an imported graphic, you specify the file to import. The graphic appears below the line with the anchor symbol, in a frame large enough for it.

After you’ve inserted a graphic element, you can place different contents in the frame, resize the frame, change the anchoring position, and edit the frame in other ways. These changes are not considered to be format rule overrides.

To align a graphic element in a structured document, you can either define the alignment in the document, using the Attribute editor or in the EDD (the structured application associated with the document). If you add a graphic element to a document and do not assign the alignment, by default, FrameMaker will center align the graphic on the document.

Scaling Images in structured documents

An image can be resized by changing either the height, width, or the scaling attributes. In a DITA topic, you can access the height, width, and scaling attributes from the Object Properties or Attributes dialog.

Consider the following points while changing the image size attributes in the Object Properties dialog:

• If you change the height, width, or both, then you must click the Apply button for the changes to take effect.

• If you change the height, width, and scaling attributes, then the values present in the height and width attributes take precedence over the scaling attribute.

• If you specify only the scaling attribute, then the height and width of the image is proportionately adjusted. Also, the values in the height and width attributes are updated according to the scaling factor.

Consider the following points while changing the image size attributes in the Attributes dialog:

Draw a straight line

1. Click the Line tool.

2. Click at the start and end of the line. You can also drag from the beginning to the end of the line. To draw a horizontal or vertical line, or a line at a 45-degree angle, Shift-click, or Shift-drag.

Draw a polyline or polygon

1. Click the Polyline tool or the Polygon tool.

2. Click at each vertex in turn. To draw a horizontal or vertical segment, or a segment at a 45-degree angle, Shift‑click.

3. Double-click at the last vertex.

Click at each vertex and then double-click to end.

Draw an arc

1. Click the drop-down arrow on the link tool and choose the Arc tool.

2. Put the pointer where you want to start the arc and drag along the path of the arc. To draw a circular arc, Shift‑drag.

Drag and then release.

If the arc isn’t the shape you want (for example, if it’s concave rather than convex), don’t release the mouse button. Drag the cross back to the starting point and draw the arc again, dragging along the path you want the arc to trace.

Initially, the angle of the arc will be 90 degrees.

Draw a freehand curve

1. Click the drop-down arrow on the Polygon tool and choose the FreeHand Curve tool .

2. Place the pointer where you want to start the freehand curve, and drag along the path of the curve. The snap grid is ignored for all but the first point of a freehand curve; however, you may want the snap grid to be off when you draw the curve.

Drag and then release.

When you release the mouse button, FrameMaker approximates a curve along the path you drew and displays reshape handles and control points so you can reshape the curve.

Draw a rectangle, a rounded rectangle, or an oval

1. Click the Rectangle tool  or from the drop-down arrow, choose the Oval tool , or the Rounded Rectangle tool .

2. Drag diagonally across the area in which you want the object to appear. To draw a square or circle, Shift-drag.

Drag and then release.

Draw a regular polygon

1. Draw a circle or square that is slightly larger than the regular polygon you want to create. If you draw a rectangle or an oval, the polygon you create won’t be regular.

2. Select the object and choose Graphics > Reshape > Set # Sides.

3. Specify the number of sides and the start angle of the polygon, and click Set.

Original object and regular polygon, with number of sides = 3 and start angle = 45°

Draw several objects of the same type without clicking the tool each time

Do one of the following:

• For all objects except text lines, Shift-click the tool. To stop using the tool, click another drawing tool or one of the selection tools on the Tools pod.

• For text lines, press Return at the end of a text line and continue typing.

Select an object or multiple objects

Do one of the following:

• To select one object, click it. If the object is transparent—that is, if it has a fill pattern of None—click its border. When you click overlapping objects, FrameMaker selects the object in the foreground.

• To select several objects, point outside the objects and drag diagonally to draw a selection border around them. All objects you want to select must be completely within the selection border.

  Drag to select several objects.
  

  

  
  
  Note: If you move the object rather than draw a selection border (because the pointer was over an object), immediately choose Edit > Undo. Then press Shift-drag to draw a selection border.

• To select all objects in a graphic frame, select the frame or any object in the frame, and then choose Edit > Select All in Frame.

• To select all objects on a page, click outside any objects or text on the page and choose Edit > Select All on Page.

Deselect objects

Do one of the following:

• To deselect an object, click outside the object.

• To deselect one of several selected objects, Shift-click the object (not a handle). You can also Control-click the object.

• To deselect all selected objects, drag-and-drop the page away from any objects.

• To deselect several objects in the same area, point outside all the objects and Shift-drag diagonally to draw a selection border around the objects. When you release the mouse button, all objects that are completely within the selection border are deselected. If any objects within the selection border were not selected when you began dragging, they are selected.

An object’s drawing properties include the fill pattern, pen pattern, line width, line ends, color, and whether the line is solid or dashed. You change drawing properties from pop-up menus on the Tools pod.

You can change drawing properties before you draw an object, or you can select objects that you’ve already drawn and then change their properties. After you change a property, it becomes the current property—that is, it will be applied to any object you draw. For example, if you choose a line width of 1 point, this is applied to all newly drawn objects until you choose another line width or exit FrameMaker.

You can make objects look alike by applying one object’s properties to another object.

You can also change the colors in the Color pop-up menu and customize the following choices that appear on the Tools pod:

• The values assigned to the line widths that appear in the Line Widths pop-up menu.

• The Line end style, which determines the appearance of any line ends that don’t have an arrowhead.

• The pattern that FrameMaker uses when you choose the dashed line style from the Line Styles pop‑up menu. (The pattern that appears in the pop‑up menu doesn’t change, but FrameMaker uses the new pattern.)

The new line width settings remain until you change them. The other new settings remain until you change them or exit FrameMaker.

None of the changes described here are applied automatically to existing objects. However, you can apply the new settings to both new and existing objects.

Apply a fill pattern or pen pattern to a selected object

Choose the pattern from the Fill Pattern pop-up menu or Pen Pattern pop‑up menu . You can fill any objects except lines, text lines, and equations.

A. Pen pattern B. Fill pattern

The eight gray fill and pen patterns have the following percentages: 100, 90, 70, 50, 30, 10, 3, and 0 (no ink, typically white).

Choose a line width for a line or an object’s border

Choose a width from the Set Line Widths pop-up menu . You can change the line width of any object except text lines.

Change the ends of an arc, a line, a polyline, or a freehand curve

Choose the line end from the Set Line End Style pop-up menu . You can use no arrowhead or place an arrowhead at the beginning, at the end, or at both ends.

Make a line or object’s borders solid or dashed

Choose a solid or dashed style from the Set Dashed Line Pattern pop-up menu .

Inspect an object’s drawing properties or apply them to other objects

1. Select the object that has the properties you want to inspect or copy.

2. Hold down Shift and choose Graphics > Pick Up Object Properties. The properties of the selected object become the current properties on the Tools pod. Any object you draw picks up those properties.

3. To apply the properties to existing objects, select the objects you want to change. In the Tools pod, click the current drawing properties you want to apply to the selected objects.

Change line width settings

1. From the Set Line Width pop‑up menu on the Tools pod.

2. Do one of the following:

   • To change the line widths, drag the slider.

   • To change the line widths, click Set and enter the new line widths. You can enter the values in any order. When you click Set, the line widths are sorted from smallest to largest. The widths that appear in the pop-up menu don’t change.

   • To revert to the line widths you had when you started FrameMaker, click Get Defaults.

Change the line end style

1. Choose Set from the Set Line End Style pop-up menu on the Tools pod.

2. Select a line end style and click Set.

   The Cap Style sets the line end style as shown in the following illustration:

A. Butt B. Round C. Projecting

Change the dashed line style

1. Choose Set from the Set Dashed Line Pattern pop-up menu on the Tools pod.

2. Click one of the patterns and click Set.

You can also create custom dashed line pattern.

Change the arrow style

You can choose from among several preset arrow styles. Arrow styles are determined by their base angle, tip angle, and length.

A. Base angle B. Tip angle C. Length

None of the changes described here are applied automatically to existing objects. However, you can apply the new arrow style to both new and existing objects.

1. Choose Set from the Set Line End Style pop-up menu on the Tools pod.

2. Do one of the following:

   • Click a preset arrow style and click Set.

   • Fill in a custom base angle, tip angle, length, and style, and then click Set. You can use the following values for the custom options.

     Option	Values
     Base Angle	Between 10 and 175 degrees (and at least 5 degrees greater than the tip angle)
     Tip Angle	Between 5 and 85 degrees
     Length	Between 0 and 255 points
     Style	Filled  Hollow  Stick

   FrameMaker ignores the Base Angle option when you use Stick style. The length you specify applies to objects that have a line width of 1 point. When you use a thicker line width, the arrowhead is longer.

   The following table contains sample custom arrows and their settings.

   Arrow	Base Angle	Tip Angle	Length
   	70 degrees	30 degrees	10 points
   	80 degrees	30 degrees	10 points
   	70 degrees	15 degrees	10 points
   	70 degrees	30 degrees	5 points
   	120 degrees	30 degrees	5 points

Add a text line to a graphic

1. Choose Line Text from the Place a Text Frame pop-up menu on the Tools pod

   The pointer changes to a crossed I-beam when you move it to the document window. The small horizontal line across the pointer indicates the baseline position of the text.

2. Click in the document to place an insertion point, and then type the text. FrameMaker uses the last character format you typed or selected in the document.

The text line is left aligned on its alignment point (where you clicked).

• To create several text lines, press Return at the end of one text line to create another. You can then select the text lines independently and move them as needed.

  Tip: To change the character format of text in a text line, use the font commands on the Format menu or the Character Designer. To change the font of several text lines at the same time, select the text lines as objects and change their format.

The text direction (LTR or RTL) of a text line inherits the direction of the document. However, you can choose to change the text direction of the text line within the document. To change the direction of the text in a text line:

1. Do one of the following:

   Graphics > Object Properties > Text Line.

   Graphics > Object Style Designer > Text Line.

2. In the Direction drop-down list, change the direction of the text line.

Add a text frame

1. Choose Block Text from the Place a Text Frame pop-up menu on the Tools pod.

2. Drag diagonally where you want to add the text frame.

3. In the Create New Text Frame dialog, specify the number of columns and the gap between them, and then click Set.

4. Double-click in the text frame to place an insertion point in it, and then type the text.

Fix text frames that overflow

When the text you type overflows the text frame, the insertion point moves below the bottom of the frame and the new text doesn’t appear. The bottom border of the text frame appears as a solid line when borders are visible.

Overflowing text frame

You can enlarge the frame so the text fits, or you can connect the flow of the text frame to another frame (see Disconnect text frames). You can also decrease the font size of the text.

1. Control-click the text frame to select it.

2. Drag a handle to enlarge the frame.

Create reverse text in a text frame

You can create reverse text (text that appears in a light color on a dark background) for special emphasis. The reverse text can be in a text frame or a text line.

1. Set the desired fill pattern and color of the text frame.

2. Set the text frame’s pen pattern to None.

3. Change the color of the text with the Character Designer or the Paragraph Designer.

4. If necessary, change the indentation and alignment of the text with the Paragraph Designer.

Create a reverse text line over an object

1. Draw an object to act as the background for the text. Generally, it’s best to use a nearly black fill pattern for the object.

2. Outside the background object, add a text line and type its text.

3. Control-click the text line to select it.

4. Move the text line so part of it disappears into the background object.

   Draw object and text line and then move line part of the way.
   

   

   
   

5. Choose a light color from the Color pop‑up menu on the Tools pod. The text appears partially cut out of the background object.

   If the text doesn’t appear in front of the object, choose Graphics > Arrange > Bring to Front. If you still have trouble, make sure that the current color view of the document shows the text line’s color as Cutout.

6. Move the text line so all its letters appear cut out of the background object.

Choose a light color and then move the text line all the way.

Add a title to an illustration

You can include a text line or text frame in a graphic as a title. You can also use a paragraph above or below an anchored frame as a title for the frame’s graphic. However, you may find it easier to use table commands instead.

Single-cell table with table title below

You can also use multicell tables to achieve various effects with graphics and text. For example, the next example is a two-cell table. The first cell contains several autonumbered paragraphs; the second cell contains the figure.

One-row table containing two cells

Use the guidelines provided here for setting up the paragraph formats, table formats, and anchored frames you’ll need if you want to use single-cell tables and their titles for illustrations and their captions.

1. Use the Table > Insert Table command to create a single-cell table wide enough for your figure.

2. Use the Table > Table Designer command to specify the location of the title (see Add or remove a table title).

3. Type the text of the title.

4. Format the table title.

5. Store the format for the table title in the Paragraph Catalog (see Create a paragraph format).

6. Change the cell’s paragraph format to turn off fixed line spacing so that the size of an anchored frame can affect the paragraph’s line spacing.

   test

7. Create an anchored frame in the cell, anchored at the insertion point (see Create anchored frames). If necessary, the cell grows vertically to accommodate the frame’s height.

8. Put the graphic in the anchored frame and resize the frame.

9. If the frame is wider than the cell, change the column’s width. You can select the table cell and drag a handle to change the width, or you can use the Table > Resize Columns command (see Table rows and columns).

10. Store the table format in the Table Catalog (see Create, edit, and delete table formats).

11. The next time you add a table for a figure and its title, either use the Table > Insert Table command or copy and paste the table.

Run text around graphics

You can make the text in a text frame run around a graphic that overlaps the text. However, text will not run around a text line or an equation. When a graphic is placed directly on a page or in an unanchored frame, the text can follow the contours of the graphic, or it can align vertically at the edge of an imaginary box bounding the graphic.

Text run around contour and run around bounding box

You can also run text around anchored frames—for example, to set a small graphic or a drop cap at the beginning of a paragraph.

When text in a text frame runs around a graphic, FrameMaker does not feather text in that frame.

1. Draw or place the graphic on a page. When you place the graphic on a master page, it appears as a background graphic on all associated body pages. You can then make the text on all the associated body pages run around the graphic.

   Make sure that you click in the page margin before importing or pasting the graphic. Otherwise, the document contains an insertion point, which will cause the graphic to be placed in an anchored frame.

2. Select the graphic. If the graphic is made up of several objects, select all the objects.

3. If you want to run text around the contour of an imported graphic, make sure the graphic is behind the text frame. To do so, select the graphic and choose Graphics > Arrange > Send to Back.

4. If the graphic’s runaround properties aren’t set as you want them, choose Graphics > Runaround Properties, and do one of the following:

   • To make text run around the graphic, click a runaround style and enter a gap.

   • To prevent text from running around the graphic, click Don’t Run Around.

   Note: If the Style setting is As Is when you display the Runaround Properties dialog box, you selected several graphics that have different runaround properties.

5. Click Set.

Cut, copy, or paste an object by using the clipboard

1. Select the object and choose Edit > Cut, or Edit > Copy.

2. Do one of the following:

   • To paste the object on a page, click in the margin of the page.

   • To paste the object in an existing graphic frame, click the frame’s border to select the frame.

   • To paste the object in text, click in the text where you want to paste the object.

3. Choose Edit > Paste. When you paste the object in a graphic frame or on a page that is the same size as the one from which you copied or cut the object, FrameMaker puts the object in the same relative location. Otherwise, FrameMaker centers the object.

When you paste an object into text, FrameMaker creates an anchored frame to hold the object, and centers the object in the frame. An anchor symbol appears at the insertion point when text symbols are visible.

Copy an object by dragging

1. Select the object.

2. Point on the object (not on a handle), and Alt-drag the duplicate of the object, or right-drag the object and then choose Copy Here from the menu. To constrain the duplicate object’s movement to either a horizontal or vertical direction, hold down Shift while you drag.

Delete an object

Select the object and press Delete.

Move an object

1. Select the object.

2. Do one of the following:

   • Drag in the direction you want to move the object.

   • To move the object horizontally or vertically, Shift-drag.

   • To move an object into a graphic frame, drag it until the pointer is in the frame.

   • To move an object out of a graphic frame, drag it until the pointer is outside the frame. As you drag, the frame’s border may temporarily crop the object.

     When you drag the object, the status bar shows the distance from the upper-left corner of the object to the upper-left corner of the page (or frame, if the object is in a graphic frame). When rulers are visible, lines in the rulers show you the object’s position. If the snap grid is on, objects snap to the invisible grid as you drag them.

     Tip: If your screen does not redraw properly when moving an object, press Ctrl+l (lowercase L) to redraw the screen.

   • To move an object in small increments, hold down Alt and press an arrow key to move 1 point, or hold down Alt+Shift and press an arrow key to move 6 points. However, do not use an arrow key on the numeric keypad.

     The preceding distances assume a 100% zoom setting. The actual distance moved depends on the current zoom setting, so you can do finer work when you’re zoomed in closer. For example, at 200% zoom, the distance is halved. At 50% zoom, the distance is doubled.

   • To specify the exact position of an object, select the object, choose Graphics > Object Properties, do one of the following and apply the changes:

     • For all objects except text lines and equations, specify the offset from the top and left edges of the page or graphic frame in the Offset From area.

       A. Offset from left B. Offset from top
       

       

       
       

     • For text lines and equations, specify the offset in the Alignment Point Offset area.

       Left-aligned text line
       

       

       
       

       A. Offset from left B. Offset from top

Change the stacking order of objects

When you draw or paste an object, FrameMaker places it in front of all other objects on the page or in a graphic frame. You can control how objects overlap by putting them in front of or in back of other objects.

Circle in front and circle in back

• Select one of the objects and do one of the following:

  • To put an object in front of other objects, choose Graphics > Arrange > Bring to Front.

  • To put an object in back of other objects, choose Graphics > Arrange > Send to Back.

  Tip: To create a drop shadow, stack two objects and offset them slightly.

Use gravity and grids to align objects

You can align objects (except graphic frames) with one another along either a horizontal line (by specifying top/bottom alignment) or a vertical line (by specifying left/right alignment).

1. Select the objects and choose Graphics > Arrange > Align. To align a single object in a graphic frame or on a page—for example, along the left side of a graphic frame—select only the object you want to align.

2. Choose the alignment you want and click Align. To align objects in only one direction, set the other direction to As Is.

FrameMaker aligns the objects—along their paths—with the last object you select. For example, Top Align aligns selected objects with the last selected object and is not necessarily the object that is currently highest in the anchored frame.

If you selected objects by dragging a selection border, FrameMaker aligns the objects with the object in the foreground.

Objects have gravity along their paths and at their corners. Rectangles and ovals also have gravity at their centers. Some points on an object exert a greater pull than others. For example, the corners of a triangle attract the pointer more than its sides do.

With Gravity on, an object attracts the pointer as you draw, resize, or reshape a nearby object. Gravity has no effect when you move objects.

Gravity extends the same distance on the screen regardless of the zoom setting. When you zoom in, objects and the space between them appear larger, so you can drag a handle or draw closer to an object without the object attracting the pointer.

Use gravity to align objects

It’s easier to make objects touch when you use the Gravity feature. If Gravity and Snap are both selected in the Graphics menu, gravity takes precedence.

1. If Gravity isn’t already on, choose Graphics > Arrange > Gravity.

2. Drag a handle of an object, or draw an object, close to the object to which you want to connect. As you drag, the handle jumps so the two objects touch each other.

Gravity ensures perfect alignment.

Align objects on a grid

The visible grid appears as horizontal and vertical lines onscreen, but not on the printed page. A graphic frame contains its own visible grid, which begins at the upper-left corner of the frame.

The invisible snap grid attracts objects to it. As you draw, rotate, resize, or drag objects (and when you drag indent and tab stop symbols on the ruler), they snap to the invisible grid.

• To show or hide the visible grid, choose View > Grid Lines. If the visible grid doesn’t appear in a text frame, change the frame’s fill pattern to None.

• To turn the snap grid on or off, choose Graphics > Arrange > Snap.

• To change the grid spacing, choose View > Options, and do any of the following, and then click Set:

  • To set the space between lines in the visible grid, choose the spacing from the Grid Lines pop-up menu.

  • To set the interval for the snap grid, enter the interval in the Grid Spacing text box.

  • To set the snap interval for rotating objects, enter the number of degrees in the Snap Rotate text box.

Align text lines

When you create a text line, it is left aligned on its alignment point (where you clicked). You can change the alignment to centered or right aligned. FrameMaker then maintains the text line’s alignment when you insert text.

1. Select the text line and choose Graphics > Object Properties.

2. Choose a new alignment from the Alignment pop‑up menu and click Align.

Distribute objects

You can move objects—distribute them—so they have an equal amount of space between them. You can distribute objects horizontally and vertically.

Objects before and after distributing (with zero edge gap)

Equidistant centers and equidistant edges

If you specify the exact space between the objects (the edge gap), FrameMaker moves all objects except the one at the left or top. If you specify that the objects’ centers or edges should be equidistant, FrameMaker leaves the left and right, or top and bottom, objects where they are and moves the others.

1. Select the objects and choose Graphics > Arrange > Distribute.

2. Choose the spacing you want and click Distribute. To distribute objects in only one direction, set the other direction to As Is.

When you specify a large edge gap, objects may move off the page and disappear from sight. If they do, immediately choose Edit > Undo.

Make lines intersect cleanly

Lines intersect cleanly when they are the same thickness, meet at right angles, and use a projecting cap; lines don’t intersect cleanly when they use a projecting cap but don’t intersect at right angles. Notice the different intersections created by using the three line cap styles.

A. Projecting B. Butt C. Round

Do one of the following:

• If the lines don’t meet at a right angle, try a round cap for both lines.

• If the lines aren’t the same thickness, try a butt cap for the thinner line when the lines meet at their endpoints and for the stem of a T when they meet in a T.

For information on changing the line cap style, see Change the line end style.

Group and ungroup objects

When several objects (except graphic frames) are part of the same graphic, you can group the objects. You can then edit and arrange them as a single object.

You can combine a group of objects with other objects to form an even larger group. Because FrameMaker groups and ungroups objects hierarchically, the first set of grouped objects is maintained as a set when you group other objects with it.

• To group objects, select the objects and choose Graphics > Arrange > Group. One set of handles appears around the group.

  Objects selected and then grouped
  

  

  
  

• To ungroup objects, select the group and choose Graphics > Arrange > Ungroup. Handles appear on each object in the group. When a group has been grouped with other objects, you must choose Ungroup more than once to ungroup all objects.

You can create a mirror image of an object by flipping it up and down or left and right.

You can rotate all objects (except equations and graphic frames) any number of degrees. You can rotate graphic frames and equations in 90-degree increments.

All objects (except equations and text lines) rotate around their centers.

Equations and text lines rotate around their alignment points.

You may find it easier to edit objects—for example, to align and distribute them—in their unrotated position. After you edit an object, you can rerotate the object to restore it to its rotated position.

Flip an object

Select the object and choose Graphics > Flip Left/Right or Graphics > Flip Up/Down. If the object contains text, the text isn’t flipped. For example, the text in a flipped text line doesn’t appear flipped, but the alignment point of the text line is flipped.

A. Original B. Flipped up/down C. Flipped left/right

Create a symmetrical object

1. Draw one half of the object and copy it.

   Draw and then make a copy.
   

   

   
   

2. Flip the copy and move it until it touches the original.

   Flip and then move.
   

   

   
   

Rather than move the duplicate to the original, you can use the Distribute command with an edge gap of zero to ensure exact alignment of the objects.

Rotate objects by dragging

1. Select the object.

2. Hold down Alt and drag a handle.

   When the snap grid is on, the object snaps to multiples of the angle specified in the View Options dialog box. To constrain the rotation to 45-degree increments, also hold down Shift while you drag.

Rotate an object precisely

Select an object and do one of the following:

• To rotate from the object’s current position, choose Graphics > Rotate, specify the direction and amount of rotation, and click Rotate. If you rotate several ungrouped objects in this way, each object rotates around its center.

  Note: This method also works for equations and graphic frames.

• To rotate the object’s by a certain degree, choose Graphics > Object Properties, enter the angle of rotation and click Set.

Uncropped and cropped graphics in graphic frames

When you want to mask an area of a graphic, particularly if the part you want to mask is in the middle of a graphic, you can cover the area with nonbordered objects.

Crop the edges of a graphic frame

1. Do one of the following to create a graphic frame:

   • To create an unanchored frame, click the Place a Graphic Frame tool on the Tools pod and then drag to draw the frame. To draw a square frame, Shift-drag.

   • To create an anchored frame, use Insert > Anchored Frame.

2. Do one of the following to put the graphic in the frame:

   • Drag the graphic into the frame.

   • Select the graphic, choose Edit > Copy or Edit > Cut, select the frame border, and then choose Edit > Paste.

3. Resize the frame around the graphic.

Mask an area within a graphic frame

Put graphic objects (such as rectangles and polygons) with a white fill and pen pattern in front of the parts you want to mask.

As you arrange and resize objects in an illustration, you may want to know an object’s dimensions and exact position.

The size of an object is the size of the rectangle that encloses its path. The position is the distance from the top and left edges of the page or graphic frame.

Object size and object position

Measure an object

Do one of the following:

• Select the object and choose Graphics > Object Properties. The width and height of the object appear in the Size area of the Object Properties dialog box.

• With Snap off, select the object, point on one of its handles, and hold down the mouse button. The dimensions appear in the status bar. If you move the mouse by mistake and resize the object, immediately choose Edit > Undo.

View the position of an object

1. Select the object.

2. Choose Graphics > Object Properties. For all objects except equations and text lines, the distance from the upper left corner of the page or graphic frame to the object’s topmost and left-most point appears in the Offset From area. For equations and text lines, the distance from the upper left corner of the page or graphic frame to the alignment point at the baseline of the text line or equation appears in the Alignment Point Offset From area.

View the position of an object as you move it

Look in the status bar. The distance between the object and the upper-left corner of the page or graphic frame appears in the status bar. When rulers are visible, guidelines in the rulers also show the position of the object.

Measure any distance on the page

1. Point where you want to start measuring.

2. Shift+Control-drag to force a selection border to appear, but don’t release the mouse button.

3. When the selection border encompasses the area you want to measure, look in the status bar for the dimensions.

Dimensions appear in the status bar.

In the example, the important dimension is the height (35 points between the bases of the triangles).

As you refine a graphic, you can change the size and shape of objects. Reshaping possibilities are unlimited. For example, you can add a corner to a polyline or polygon, move a corner to change its shape, and smooth a polyline to create a freehand curve.

Original polygon and then with corner added

Corner moved and then smoothed

You can resize all objects, including text lines. When you resize a text frame created with the Text Frame tool, the text remains the same size. When you resize a text line created with the Line Text tool, the font height and width change proportionally.

Before and after resizing a text line (not a text frame)

You can change the shape of lines, polylines, polygons, curves, and arcs as follows:

• Reshape a line, polyline, or polygon by moving its corners one at a time. You can also add and remove corners.

• Reshape a curve by changing the position of its reshape handles (which define the curve and control its location) and its control points (which adjust the curvature). You can also add and remove reshape handles to change the number of points that define the curve.

A. Reshape handle B. Control point

• You reshape an arc by dragging its endpoints or by changing the percentage of a circle that the arc represents.

Resize an object by dragging

Select the object and do one of the following:

• To change either the width or the height, drag a side handle.

• To change both the width and the height, drag a corner handle.

• To increase or decrease the dimensions proportionally, Shift-drag a corner handle.

The object’s dimensions appear in the status bar as you drag.

Resize an object precisely

1. Select the object and choose Graphics > Scale.

2. Do one of the following:

   • To increase or decrease the height and width proportionally, enter a scale factor and click Scale. The scale factor is always relative to the object’s current size (100% means no change).

   • To specify the exact dimensions you want, enter the dimensions and click Scale. The dimensions shown when you display the dialog box are the object’s current (unrotated) dimensions.

Resize imported graphics

You can resize imported graphics in multiple ways. For example, you can change the width or height, DPI value, or the scaling factor from the Object Properties dialog. Or, you can use the context menu to quickly change the size of the image in proportion to the anchored frame.

Do one of the following to resize an image:

• Open the Object Properties dialog by clicking on the image and selecting Graphics > Object Properties. Or, right-click on an image and choose Object Properties from the context menu.

• In the Object Properties pod, use any one of the following ways to resize an image:

  • Size: Set either the width or height of the image or both.

    If you have selected the Preserve Aspect Ratio option, then the aspect ratio of the image is automatically preserved. Else, the image is resized as per the specified height or width values.

  • Scaling: Specify a scale factor in percent.

  • DPI: Select an option from the DPI drop-down list. You can choose from the predefined DPIs of 72, 96, 150, 300 DPIs or you can specify a value.

  • Shift-drag a corner handle of the bitmap. Holding down Shift while you drag maintains the width/height aspect ratio of the graphic.

• Right-click on an image and choose from the following options to resize the image:

  • Fit to Frame: resize the image to the size of its anchored frame. This does not maintain the aspect ratio of the image.

  • Fit to Frame (Proportionally): resize the image to the size of its anchored frame by maintaining its aspect ratio.

  The context menu also provides you quick ways of switching between selecting the image and its anchored frame.

Move a corner of a polyline or polygon

1. Select the object and choose Graphics > Reshape > Reshape. Reshape handles appear on the object, replacing the selection handles.

2. Drag a handle. To move the handle horizontally or vertically, Shift-drag.

Add or remove a corner or reshape handle

1. Select the line, polyline, polygon, or curve, and choose Graphics > Reshape > Reshape.

2. Control-click where you want to add a reshape handle (or corner), or Control-click the handle you want to remove.

Reshape a curve

1. Select the curve and choose Graphics > Reshape > Reshape. Reshape handles appear at the locations that define the curve. Control points also appear around one of the handles.

2. If the control points aren’t the ones you want, click the handle where you want to change the curve. Control points appear around the handle that you click—the two control points that correspond to the handle and the next closest one on each side of the handle.

3. Drag a handle to change the position of the curve at the handle, or drag or rotate a control point to change the curvature. When you begin to drag, a lever appears that touches the curve at the handle. You can achieve different effects by dragging along the lever or by rotating it.

Choose Reshape and drag handle.

Drag a control point.

As you drag a reshape handle, the control points move as well, so the result is a smooth curve. As you drag a control point, the curvature changes on both sides of the handle, so the result is also a smooth curve.

Reshape an arc

1. Select the arc and choose Graphics > Reshape > Reshape. Reshape handles appear on the object, replacing the selection handles.

2. Drag a handle. As you drag, the start and end angle of the arc and the percentage of a circle that the arc represents appear in the status bar.

Drag to reshape an arc.

Reshape an arc precisely

1. Select the arc and choose Graphics > Object Properties.

2. Enter a new Start Angle and End Angle, and click Set.

Crimp a curve

1. Select the curve and choose Graphics > Reshape > Reshape.

2. If the control points aren’t the ones you want, click the reshape handle where you want to change the curve.

3. Drag a handle or control point with the right mouse button.

   Crimping a curve.
   

   

   
   

Change the corner radius of a rounded rectangle

You can define the curvature of the corners of a rounded rectangle by specifying the radius of an imaginary circle drawn in the corner of a rectangle. The longer the radius, the more curved the corners.

Radius (r) = .125" and radius (r) = .25"

When you specify a corner radius, you also change the current drawing properties. New rounded rectangles you draw have this corner radius until you change it with the Object Properties command or until you exit FrameMaker.

1. Select a rounded rectangle and choose Graphics > Object Properties.

2. Enter the corner radius and click Set. The largest meaningful radius is one-half the length of the shortest rectangle side. For example, if the rectangle is 2 inches by 4 inches, the largest meaningful radius is 1 inch (one-half of 2 inches).

Smooth and unsmooth objects

You can smooth polylines, polygons, rectangles, and rounded rectangles. When you smooth a polyline, polygon, or rectangle, you change its angles to smooth curves. When you unsmooth a curve, you restore its angles.

Before and after smoothing

Each time you smooth a rounded rectangle, you increase the curvature of its corners (its corner radius).

• Do one of the following:

  • To smooth an object, select the object and choose Graphics > Reshape > Smooth. After smoothing a polygon or polyline, reshape handles and control points appear so you can reshape the curve.

  • To unsmooth an object, select the object and choose Graphics > Reshape > Unsmooth. If you later smooth the object, its shape is sometimes different from the original.