User manual

Customizing layouts 7-15
Or, to specify attributes for objects you add later, start with no
objects selected.
2. Choose colors, patterns, line or border widths, and object effects
from the palettes in the status area.
palette
Fill pattern
Pen pattern
Line width
Fill color
Object
Pen color
palette
Pen sample
palette
palette
effects
palette
Current line
palette
width
Fill sample
To change Use the
The width of a line, or the width of a border Line width palette
around a shape, text object, field, or portal
The color or pattern of a line, or the color or Pen color and pen pattern palettes
pattern of a border around a shape, text
object, field, or portal
The color or pattern of an object, including Fill color and fill pattern palettes
the backgrounds of text objects, fields, and
portals
The effect with which FileMaker Pro draws Object effects palette, then choose
an object (except lines) Embossed, Engraved, or
Drop Shadow (see the next section,
“About object effects”)
If an object is selected, the sample boxes next to the palettes show
the attributes for that object. If nothing is selected, the sample boxes
show the default attributes.
Keep these points in mind:
• To make an object transparent, choose the transparent pattern
from the pattern palette. An object with a transparent pattern is
“hollow.” Other objects are visible beneath it, and it can only be
selected by clicking its border.
• To copy the attributes of one object to other objects, use the Format
Painter tool. For more information, see FileMaker Pro Help.
• For fields, palette settings replace Field Border dialog box settings.
See “Adding borders, fill, and baselines to fields” on page 7-1.
• To apply a color or pattern to a layout part, see “Adding or
changing layout parts” on page 6-26.
About object effects
Use commands from the object effects palette to give your layouts a
3-dimensional appearance. You can assign object effects to objects
you draw (except lines), fields, and portals.
Apply effects to layout objects
Choose To
Embossed Make the selected object appear to be raised above the
background
Engraved Make the selected object appear to be depressed into the
background
Drop Shadow Make the selected object appear to cast a shadow below and to
the right.
Embossed Engraved Drop shadow
Keep these points in mind:
• Object effects look best when you specify a transparent pen pattern
(in other words, an invisible border) and a pen width of at least 2
points. Also, try changing the background color of the enclosing part
to a color similar in shade to the object’s fill color. (See “Adding or
changing layout parts” on page 6-26.)