Setting Shape Attributes

You can specify several characteristics for a shape.

When you apply a stroke to a shape, you can choose the color, opacity, and width of the path outlining the shape. You can also control the way line ends are drawn and joined.

You can also apply a fill to a shape by coloring the area enclosed by the stroke. When you fill a shape, you can choose the color and opacity of the fill.

Stroke and fill attributes apply to both open and closed shapes. Before filling an open shape, Corel Painter closes the shape by connecting the endpoints with a straight line.

You can also change the default shape attributes. For more information, refer to "Shape Preferences".

To set shape attributes

1. Select one or more shapes whose attributes you want to change.

You can select a shape by clicking it with the Shape Selection tool, or clicking its name on the Layers palette.

2. Do one of the following:

• Choose Shapes menu > Set Shape Attributes.
• Press Return (Mac OS) or Enter (Windows).
• Double-click a shape's name on the Layers palette.

3. In the Set Shape Attributes dialog box, specify any of the following stroke attributes:

• Stroke-enable the Stroke check box to apply a stroke to the selected shape. To remove the stroke, disable the check box.
• Color-double-click the color chip, and choose a color from the Color Picker.
• Opacity-controls the opacity of the stroke. Adjust to the right to make the stroke more solid. Adjust to the left to make the stroke more transparent.
• Width-controls the thickness of the stroke.
• Line cap-controls the endpoints of open shapes. Choose Projecting, Round, or Butt.
• Line join-determines how corners are created when two segments meet. Choose Miter, Round, or Bevel.
• Miter Limit-if you have chosen a line join style, you can specify a miter limit. When lines are joined at a sharp angle, a sharp corner is created. You can set the miter limit to smooth out the sharpness.

4. Specify any of the following Fill attributes:

• Fill-to fill a shape, enable the Fill check box. To empty the shape (clear the fill), disable the Fill check box.
• Color-double-click the color chip and choose a color from the Color Picker.
• Opacity-controls the opacity of the fill. Adjust to the right to make the fill more solid. Adjust to the left to make the fill more transparent.

5. Choose one of the following fill methods:

• Fill overlaps-Overlapping areas are filled.
• Don't fill overlaps-Overlapping areas are not filled and multiple overlaps alternate between filled and not filled.

6. Set the general shape attributes.

• Flatness controls how many straight lines the program uses to approximate a curve when printing. PostScript output devices create curved lines by linking a series of short, straight lines that progress in angle. The smaller the flatness setting, the greater the number of straight lines and the more accurate the curve.

If you want to apply the settings to new shapes you create, click Set New Shape Attributes.

• Usually, it is not necessary to change the flatness setting. You may want to change it to adjust for a particular high resolution printer or to avoid a PostScript limitcheck error. Check with your output service to find out if they have a recommended flatness setting.
• A change in flatness will appear only in your output, not on your screen.

• You can also specify the Stroke, Stroke Color, Fill, and Fill Color attributes on the property bar when you select a shape with the Layer Adjuster or Shape Selection tool.
• You can also use the Effects menu > Fill command or the Paint Bucket tool to fill a shape. Since these methods apply pixel data to the region, Corel Painter first converts the shape to a pixel-based layer. For more information, refer to "Filling Techniques".