Using circles, lines, and rectangles

The drawing objects in the Object Library palette provide you with a way to enhance forms graphically.

  • Using the Circle object, you can draw circular, elliptical, or arc shapes anywhere on the page.

  • Using the Line object, you can draw solid, dashed, or dotted lines anywhere on the page.

  • Using the Rectangle object, you can draw rectangles that have 90° or rounded corners. Use rectangles to graphically frame an area of the form or provide a rectangular area as a background for other objects.

After you add a drawing object to the form design, you can manipulate the object’s properties in the Draw tab of the Object palette. You can define these properties:

  • Change the line style.

  • Change the thickness of the line.

  • Select a line color.

  • Specify the shape of the circle.

  • Specify the start and end points of an arc.

  • Fill the circle or rectangle with color or a pattern.

  • Change the slope of the line.

  • Change the corners of the rectangle.

  • Make the object visible, invisible, or hidden.

  • Define the object as visible, invisible, or hidden. See Making objects visible, invisible, or hidden.

To change the line style

  1. Select the circle, line, or rectangle.

  2. In the Object palette, select a style from the Line Style list.

    You may have to zoom in or increase the thickness of the line to see the style.

To change the thickness of the line

  1. Select the circle, line, or rectangle.

  2. In the Object palette, in the box to the right of the Line Style, type a new thickness.

    If you type a number that makes the line very thick (for example, 1 in), then the line will be difficult to select. Use the Hierarchy palette to select the line.

To select a line color

  1. Select the circle, line, or rectangle.

  2. In the Object palette, click the color selector button and select a color.

To specify the shape of the circle

  1. Select the circle.

  2. In the Object palette, select the shape of the object from the Appearance list.

    • To draw an elliptical shape, select Ellipse.

    • To draw a circular shape, select Circle.

    • To draw an arc, select Arc.

To specify the start and end points of an arc

  1. Select the arc.

  2. In the Object palette, type the start and end points of the arc (in degrees) into the Start and Sweep boxes respectively.

To fill the circle or rectangle with color or a pattern

  1. Select the circle or rectangle.

  2. In the Object palette, select an option from the Fill list.

  3. Using the adjacent color selector buttons, select appropriate fill colors.

To change the slope of the line

You can change the slope of the line. This is useful if you have drawn a line that is crooked. You can use this option to straighten the line.

  1. Select the line.

  2. In the Object palette, click one of the Appearance buttons  .

To change the corners of the rectangle

  1. Select the rectangle.

  2. In the Object palette, click one of the Corners buttons.

  3. In the Radius box, define the corner radius.

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