Resize and reshape objects

Learn how to resize and reshape objects in FrameMaker, resize imported graphics, and smooth and unsmooth objects.

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.

Figure 1. Original polygon and then with corner added

Original polygon and addedingacornertoit

Figure 2. 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.

Figure 3. 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.

Figure 4. A. Reshape handle B. Control point

Reshaping a curve by changingtheposition ofitsreshapehandlesanditscontrolpoints

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

Select the object and choose Graphics > Scale.
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

Note: Choose Edit > Preferences > Graphics and select the option Auto-Scale Image Along Width (on Insertion) when you insert an image in a text frame, table cell, heading, side head, or a column. The image automatically scales and fits in. See Auto-Scale an image in a graphic 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 panel, 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.

When you import an image and scale it or use the Fit To Frame (Proportionally) functionality, FrameMaker maintains the image's resolution to the best possible DPI when you resize an image maintaining its original aspect ratio. This value also reflects in the DPI of the resized image.

Figure 5. DPI reflects the change in the image resolution of the resized image

Note: If the graphic is a TIFF file (or other format that uses DPI settings), scaling must be done through the Object Properties to ensure that the DPI value is not lost when scaled using the Scale dialog.

Move a corner of a polyline or polygon

Select the object and choose Graphics > Reshape > Reshape. Reshape handles appear on the object, replacing the selection handles.
Drag a handle. To move the handle horizontally or vertically, Shift-drag.

Add or remove a corner or reshape handle

Select the line, polyline, polygon, or curve, and choose Graphics > Reshape > Reshape.
Control-click where you want to add a reshape handle (or corner), or Control-click the handle you want to remove.

Reshape a curve

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.
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.
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.

Figure 6. Choose Reshape and drag handle.

Figure 7. 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

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

Figure 8. Drag to reshape an arc.

Reshape an arc precisely

Select the arc and choose Graphics > Object Properties.
Enter a new Start Angle and End Angle, and click Set.

Crimp a curve

Select the curve and choose Graphics > Reshape > Reshape.
If the control points aren’t the ones you want, click the reshape handle where you want to change the curve.
Drag a handle or control point with the right mouse button.

Figure 9. 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.

Figure 10. Radius (r) = .125" and radius (r) = .25"

Changing thecornerradiusofaroundedrectangle

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.

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

Figure 11. 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.