Sams Teach Yourself StarOffice® 5 for Linux in 24 Hours |
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Hour 6: Creating Graphics with StarDraw |
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To start a new StarDraw image, double-click on the New Drawing icon on the StarOffice desktop, or choose Drawing from the Start menu or New submenu on the File menu.
A newly opened drawing screen is shown in Figure 6.1.
Figure
6.1
A
new StarDraw drawing includes rulers and color tools to create your graphic.
Following are some points to notice on this screen:
A Slide 1 tab is shown below the page. This is similar to a page number, although most of your drawings will only have one page. The StarDraw and StarImpress presentation programs share many features.
The Object toolbar above the page shows several drop-down lists that you can use to modify objects' colors and other properties. This procedure is described later in this hour.
The Main toolbar to the left of the page shows drawing tools that you can select. You'll use these in a moment to start drawing.
Rulers are shown to the left of and above the page. The rulers are probably displaying inches, but you can alter that with the Drawing Options Layout tab.
The status bar (if you have it visible via the View menu) displays your pointer position as you move the mouse, the size of the page view (as a percentage), and a few other pieces of information.
As you work with icons on the Main toolbar (on the left side of the screen), you'll notice that most of them have a tiny arrow in the upper right corner. This indicates that you can click and hold on that icon to change its function.
For example, if you click and hold on the square icon, a pop-up window appears in which you can select which type of object you want to create (see Figure 6.2).
Figure
6.2
The
square icon on the Main toolbar displays a pop-up selection box in which you
choose what you want to create.
In the pop-up selection box for a square, your choices include the following:
Create a filled-in rectangle using the current color.
Create a filled-in square using the current color. (This is the default selection.)
Create a filled-in rectangle with rounded corners using the current color.
Create a filled-in square with rounded corners using the current color.
Create a rectangle (unfilled).
Create a square (unfilled)
Create a rectangle with rounded corners (unfilled).
Create a square with rounded corners (unfilled)
These choices make it easier to create just what you need in your drawing. Each of the icons includes a similar set of choices. If you leave the mouse pointer over one of the choices, a pop-up message tells you what that selection is used for.
The simple drawing you'll create here won't fill the entire page, so start by zooming in so that you can see better the objects you create. Follow these steps:
1. Click and hold on the Zoom icon (showing a page by default), and then choose the magnifying glass with a plus sign (see Figure 6.3).
Figure
6.3
The Zoom options enable you to alter the page view by selecting an area to view.
2. Move the mouse pointer to the page. The pointer changes to a magnifying glass with a plus sign in it. Click and drag to outline about one-fourth of the page.
3. When you release the mouse button, the page changes to show only the area that you selected. Zooming doesn't alter any objects on the page--it only changes how closely you're viewing them.
Note - You can change the view back to the page view by choosing either the Entire Slide option or the Entire Page option from the Zoom pop-up selection box. |
To insert an object into your drawing, click on one of the drawing icons on the Main toolbar. For this example, choose the 3D object icon, hold down the mouse button, and then choose the torus (ring) from the selection window. (See Figure 6.4).
Figure
6.4
To draw an object, choose a drawing icon from the Main toolbar.
Now move the mouse pointer to the center of the visible area of the document, click and drag to outline a rectangle, and release the mouse button. A 3D torus object appears on the screen. (See Figure 6.5). Notice the following:
Figure
6.5
Objects can be drawn by clicking and dragging the mouse with the selected object
tool.
The new object is selected, indicated by the green handles surrounding it. This means that you can immediately modify this object if necessary.
The 3D object is filled in with the current fill color. (3D Objects always use a fill to show shading.)
The 3D object icon is no longer selected on the Main toolbar. The focus has reverted to the arrow selection tool, with which you can select objects or areas in the drawing.
Tip - If you make a mistake as you draw the object, you can press the Delete key after creating it (while it still has the green selection handles) to immediately delete the object. Then you can draw it again. |
Now, use the following steps to add another object:
1. Click on the Lines & Arrows icon and choose the line with an arrow on each end.
2. Click and drag the mouse pointer horizontally across the middle of the first object you created.
3. As you finish the line, hold down the Shift key to make the line perfectly horizontal, and then release the mouse button. Figure 6.6 shows the results.
Figure
6.6
A line with or without arrows can be added using the Lines & Arrows tool.
In the next section, you'll modify these basic objects to suit your needs for this drawing.
Sams Teach Yourself StarOffice® 5 for Linux in 24 Hours |
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Hour 6: Creating Graphics with StarDraw |
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