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Graphics Editor User's Guide
for Motif


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3.12 Working with a Second Window

When you create graphics, it is useful to be able to copy or move graphics and text from one drawing to another. One way to do this is to use a second window.

To perform operations across a second window, you need to select:

The following exercise shows you how to open a second window, include a clipart file from the Artwork Gallery that contains drawings of an open book, and copy one of the drawings to your workstation screen.

The Artwork Gallery is a collection of previously-drawn graphics that is available to users of the Graphics Editor. If you cannot access the clipart in the Artwork Gallery at the location given in this exercise, see your system manager to see where the clipart library was stored at installation.

  1. Choose New Window from the Control menu of the Control Panel. A second window is opened.
  2. Drag the new window to the lower right corner of the screen or another location so you can see the original window.
  3. Choose Clipart... from the File menu on the second window.
  4. Move the pointer to the Selection field and enter the following file name:


     
    SYS$SYSROOT:[SYSHLP.EXAMPLES.DOC_GRAPHICS]BOOK.GRA 
     
    

    A positioning box the size of the Artwork Gallery file appears in the second window.

  5. Position the box in the window and click MB2. See Figure 3-5.

    Figure 3-5 Artwork Gallery


  6. Use the Ungroup option on the Control Panel to ungroup all objects in the Artwork Gallery file.
  7. Turn on Cross Window on the Setting dialog box of the Attributes menu from the Control Panel.
  8. Choose the Copy option on the Control Panel.
  9. Select the copy of the open book on the left.
  10. Click MB2, move a copy of the book to the main window, and place it in the center of the workstation screen. Click MB2 to confirm. (The book may be too large or too small for your screen but you will learn to scale it later.)
  11. Click MB3 to conclude the Copy operation. The workstation should look similar to the following figure:
  12. Choose Close from the File menu on the second window (the window where the clipart is displayed).
    The Close dialog box requests whether you want to save any changes.
  13. Choose No. The second window is closed.

3.12.1 Summary of Working with a Second Window

You can do the following operations chosen from the Control Panel across one or more windows:
Option Decscription
Copy Make a copy of one or more objects and move the copy to another window.
Copy/Mirror Make a mirror copy of one or more objects and move the copy to another window.
Mirror Mirror one or more objects and move them to another window.
Move Move one or more objects to another window.
Rotate Rotate one or more objects and move them to another window.

3.13 Scaling Objects

The Scale option on the Control Panel lets you enlarge or reduce part or all of a graphics object.

Use the Scale Percent and Interactive settings on the Control Panel to either set the percentage you want to scale the object or to scale the object interactively. The Interactive setting must be off to use percentage scaling.

To use the Interactive setting to size the open book that you copied from the Artwork Gallery to fit within the workstation screen:

  1. Choose the Scale option on the Control Panel.
  2. Turn on the Interactive setting.
  3. Select the open book. (If the screen is selected rather than the book, click MB1, move the pointer to another point on the book, and click MB1 to try again to select it.)
  4. Click MB2 to start the interactive scaling. When the book is the right size to fit into the screen, click MB2 to confirm the size.
  5. Use the Move operation to center the book on the screen if needed as shown here:

To use scale to size an object to a specific percentage:

  1. Choose the Scale option.
  2. Change the Scale Percent setting to 200.
  3. Turn off the Interactive setting.
  4. Select one of the copies of the system box.
  5. Click MB2. The system box is scaled 200 percent (twice its original size) and the scaled box is in animation so you can move it to another location.
  6. Move the system box to the desired location and click MB2 to confirm the scaling.

To scale with the Horizontal constraint on:

  1. Turn on the Horizontal constraint indicator.
  2. Point select the system box again.
  3. Click MB2 to confirm. Note that the system box is now scaled only horizontally.
  4. Click MB2 to confirm the scaling or click MB3 to cancel the scaling and return the system box to its previous size.
  5. Turn off the Horizontal constraint indicator.
  6. Use the Delete option to delete all the extra system boxes. It is faster to use the drag select method and delete all the boxes at once.

3.13.1 Summary of the Scale Option

Use the Scale Percent and Interactive settings as follows:
Scale Percent Interactive Results
Greater than 100 Off Increase the size of the object.
Less than 100 Off Reduce the size of the object.
Any number On Increase or reduce the size of the object manually, changing its size as you move the pointer.

If you use horizontal or Verical constraints with the Scale option, the object is enlarged or reduced in a horizontal or vertical direction as specified. If you use both or no constraint settings, the object is enlarged or reduced in both a horizontal or vertical direction.

Scaling is a cumulative operation. The Graphics Editor scales the object based on the current object size. For example, if you scale an object 200 percent and then scale it again 50 percent, the object is returned to its original size.

Scaling does not affect text. To enlarge or reduce text, use the Font ... menu item on the Attributes menu as explained in Section 3.18 or Screen Capture the text as explained in Chapter 4 and then use the Scale option.

3.14 Zooming Objects

The Zoom menu item on the View menu of the Drawing window lets you temporarily magnify or reduce all the objects in the drawing window (text is not affected by zoom). You might want to use zoom to make it easier to add fine details on an object.

The Unzoom menu item on the View menu of the Drawing window lets you return the graphic to its original size. You cannot do file operations while you are using the Zoom option.

To use zoom to enlarge and add details to the On/Off button on the system box:

  1. Choose Zoom from the View menu and choose 2x from the Zoom submenu. The pointer changes to a mouse.
  2. Select the system box. The entire drawing is zoomed. Selecting the system box helps to ensure that the box remains on the screen after the zoom operation.
  3. Draw a small rectangle inside the On/Off button area to signify the On/Off button as shown here:
  4. Choose Unzoom from the View menu to restore the graphic to its original size.

3.14.1 Summary of Zoom and Unzoom Operations

The following table explains the effect of each of the zoom factor settings:
Zoom Factor Function
1/4x Reduce the graphic to one fourth the original size (25 percent).
1/2x Reduce the graphic to one half the original size (50 percent).
2x Enlarge the graphic two times the original size (200 percent).
3x Enlarge the graphic three times the original size (300 percent).
4x Enlarge the graphic four times the original size (400 percent).
To Box Enlarge the selected part of the graphic to the size of the drawing window. Use MB1 to draw a box around the part to zoom.
UserDef ... Enlarge or reduce the original graphic to a user-specified factor, for example, 2.5 times.

The Zoom operation is not cumulative. The Zoom operation affects the original size of the object rather than the current size if the Zoom operation has been performed.

3.15 Using the Edit Points Constraint

The Edit Points constraint on the Control Panel lets you change part of an object while the rest of the object remains stationary. For example:

Note

Turn the Edit Points constraint off when you are through using it. If it is left on, the behavior of other options is affected.

To use the Edit Points constraint with the Move option to lengthen the keyboard on your workstation drawing:

  1. Turn on the Horizontal constraint indicator.
  2. Turn on the Edit Points constraint indicator.
  3. Choose the Move option on the Control Panel.
  4. Drag select the two right-hand corners of the keyboard. Be sure both corners are within the selection box as shown here:
  5. Release MB1. The two corner points are selected.
  6. Click MB2. Drag the right side of the keyboard to lengthen or shorten it.
  7. Click MB2 to confirm the new size or click MB3 to cancel the operation and try again.
  8. Turn off the Horizontal constraint indicator.
  9. Turn off the Edit Points constraint.

To use the Edit Points constraint again with the Copy option to experiment with its capabilities:

  1. Choose the Copy option on the Control Panel.
  2. Make two copies of the keyboard and move them to another location on the screen.
  3. Turn on the Edit Points constraint indicator.
  4. Point select the upper right corner of one of the keyboards.
  5. Click MB2. The pointer is positioned on the copy at the selected corner. The original keyboard temporarily disappears.
  6. Move the pointer slightly and click MB2. Another copy appears.
  7. Move the next copy slightly and click MB2. Repeat this one more time.
  8. Click MB3 to conclude the Copy operation. You should have a drawing similar to the following:

To use the Edit Points constraint to select two points of the keyboard:

  1. Drag select both corners of the right side of the other copy of the keyboard.
  2. Click MB2. The pointer is positioned at the right side of the keyboard. Move the pointer slightly and click MB2. Another copy appears.
  3. Move the next copy slightly and click MB2. Repeat this one more time.
  4. Click MB3 to conclude the Copy operation. You should have a drawing similar to the following:
  5. Turn off the Edit Points constraint indicator.
  6. Use the Delete option to delete the extra keyboards.

3.15.1 Summary of Using Edit Points

Edit Points applies to all object shapes except the circle and ellipse and can be used with the following editing options:
Use Edit Points With: To:
Copy Make copies of the object and move the selected point or points on each copy. This can give a three-dimensional appearance to the new object.
Copy/Mirror Make mirror copies of the object and move the selected point or points on each copy.
Mirror Make a mirror image of the object and move the selected point or points on the mirror image.
Move Reposition the selected point or points on the object.
Rotate Rotate the object the specified amount and move the selected point or points.
Scale Enlarge or reduce the object the specified amount and move the selected point or points.

3.16 Using the Ignore All Groupings Constraint

The Ignore All Groupings constraint on the Control Panel lets you edit a part of a polygon or one of a group of objects without disturbing the remainder of the polygon or objects in the group. For example:
If you have a... Use Ignore All Groupings to...
Polygon Perform one or more edit operations on one of the line or arc segments.
Group of objects Temporarily ungroup the objects so you can perform one or more edit operations without permanently ungrouping the objects.

You can use the Ignore All Groupings constraint with all object shapes and with any editing option.

To use the Ignore All Groupings constraint to add another line at the bottom of the keyboard, giving the keyboard some depth:

  1. Turn on the Ignore All Groupings constraint indicator.
  2. Choose the Copy option on the Control Panel.
  3. Point select the bottom line of the keyboard.
  4. Click MB2 to confirm the selection. A copy of the line appears.
  5. Move the copy of the line up slightly and click MB2 to fix it in place.
  6. Click MB3 to conclude the Copy operation. The figure should appear as follows:
  7. Turn off the Ignore All Groupings constraint indicator.

3.17 Using the Attributes Menu

The Attributes menu contains menu items for setting text fonts and for setting text, object, and page colors and halftones. Figure 3-6 shows what each figure attribute applies to.

Figure 3-6 Figure Attributes


3.18 Changing Text Fonts

The Graphics Editor provides approximately 180 text font styles and sizes for you to use when entering text. The default text font is 12-point Courier. The current text font is displayed at the top of the Control Panel in the Font field.

You change text fonts by using the Font ... menu item from the Attributes menu, which displays the Font Dialog box show in Figure 3-7.

Figure 3-7 Font Dialog Box


For more information on the Font dialog box, see the online help.

To change the font style and size of the labels on the workstation drawing:

  1. Choose Font ... from the Attributes menu.
    The Font dialog box appears. Drag the box to another area of the screen so the drawing window is visible.
  2. Display the Times_Bold14 font. (The fonts are in alphabetical order.)
  3. Click on Times_Bold14 in the font selection area. The font sample should show Times_bold14.
  4. Use extended select to select the Screen and Keyboard labels. (Hold down the Shift key, click MB1 on the Screen label, and click MB1 on the Keyboard.)
  5. Choose Set Font from the Set to Object menu. The Screen and Keyboard labels are changed to 14-point Times Bold font.
  6. Click on the Cancel button on the Font dialog box to remove the box. The figure appears as follows:

3.19 Changing the Object Outline and Interior

Most objects you create have an outline and an interior. You change the outline and interior using the dialog box displayed with the Object Outline ... and Object Interior ... menu items from the Attributes menu.

Figure 3-8 Object Interior Attributes Dialog Box


The Object Interior Attributes dialog box and the Object Outline Attributes dialog box are very similar. (They are also very similar to the Text Foreground ..., Text Background ..., Fonts ... and Page ... dialog boxes.) Once you have one of these dialog boxes displayed, you can display the others using the Attribute Type option menu.

To create a new object with new attributes, click on the Apply button after you make changes on the Attributes menus. If you want to change attributes on existing objects and you are using the Get From Object and Set To Object options, you do not need to click on the Apply button.

For more information on the Attributes dialog boxes, see the online help.

To change the object interior of the workstation screen:

  1. Choose Object Interior ... from the Attributes menu.
    The Object Interior Attributes dialog box appears. Drag the box to another area of the screen so the drawing window is visible.
  2. Turn on the Halftone toggle indicator and drag the Halftone slider to set a new halftone pattern. The figure in this example shows halftone 26 as shown here:
  3. Turn on the Mode toggle indicator and set the mode to Translucent.
  4. Select the inside outline of the screen.
  5. Choose Set Marked Attributes from the Set To Object menu.
  6. The screen is changed to halftone 26 as shown here:
  7. Click on Reset to return the settings to the original values.
  8. Turn off the Mode and Halftone toggle indicators.

To change the line weight of the cable on the workstation drawing:

  1. Change the Attribute Type (at the top of the Attributes dialog box) to Outline.
    The Attributes dialog box is revised to reflect the Object Outline attributes.
  2. Turn on the Line Weight toggle indicator and change the Line Weight entry to 2.
  3. Select the cable.
  4. Choose Set Marked Attributes from the Set To Object menu.
  5. The cable is redrawn in a heavier line weight as shown here:
  6. Reset the line weight entry to 0 so future lines are drawn in the default line weight.
  7. Click on the Cancel button to remove the dialog box.

3.19.1 Summary of Attributes Menu

Table 3-5 explains each menu item on the Attributes menu.

Table 3-5 Attributes Menu Items
Use This Item To
Font ... Change text fonts.
Text Foreground ...¹ Modify text character attributes, such as text color, density, and degree of transparency.
Text Background ...¹ Modify text background attributes, such as background color, density, and degree of transparency.
Object Outline ...¹ Modify the attributes for the outlines of objects, such as outline color, density, and degree of transparency.
Object Interior ...¹ Modify the attributes for the interior of objects, such as interior color, density, and degree of transparency.
Page ...¹ Modify page background attributes, such as page color, density, and degree of transparency.


¹These five menu items call the same dialog box with slight changes relevant to the specific attribute.

For more information on the Text Foreground ..., Text Background ..., and Page ... menu items, see the online help.


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