Modifying Polygons
Use this dialog to change settings for one or more polygons on your document. Do one of the following to access this dialog:
- Double-click the shape.
- Right-click the shape, then select Modify.
- Select the shape, then select Shape Menu > Modify.
- Select the shape, then press Ctrl+E on your keyboard.
What's on the screen?
The Modify Polygon dialog includes the following tabs:
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Stroke and Fill
Change the thickness, style, color, and screen for strokes and fills on the selected polygon(s).
Use this element… …to… Stroke Set the options for the stroke (line) used in this polygon. Settings are:
Use this setting… …to… Width
Define how wide the stroke line is. Select a unit of measurement from the drop-down list then enter a numeric value.
The unit of measurement can be set in points, millimeters, inches, or fractions of an inch (1/5, 1/6, 1/8, and 1/10). For example, if the unit of measurement is 1/10" and the width is 2.0, then the stroke line is 2/10" wide.
Style
Set the color style. Choices are:
- Solid: the stroke and fill to be visible and have the color and screen values you select
- None: the stroke and fill will not be displayed or printed; you cannot choose a color or screen. Use this choice to remove all color from a shape.
Color
Set the color. The choices are selected from the list established when you created the document, including black and white.
Screen
Set the color screen. Screens are an economical way of adding color variety using a single-color process. They also enable you to add shading without using a different color. Select a value between 10% and 100%, in 10% increments (plus 15%). The lower the value, the lighter the color appears.
TIP: If you are using shading to create an underlay, use ‘none’ as the color. Any gradient of shade, or the color white, will be screened at 50%, and appear grayed out.
Overprint Indicate whether this shape is overprint.
The default is for this box to be checked. This means that any graphic element you create will be printed on top of the element beneath it. The top element will not knock a hole in the bottom element.
CAUTION: Do Not Change this setting unless you are familiar with the complexities of color overprinting and color trapping. When you send your document to Scantron Print Services for printing, our graphic arts specialists will analyze your form and determine if the overprint setting for any element needs to be modified. If you are unfamiliar with this process, we will perform this function for you.
Fill Set the options for the fill used in this polygon. Settings are:
Use this setting… …to… Style
Set the color style. Choices are:
- Solid: the stroke and fill to be visible and have the color and screen values you select
- None: the stroke and fill will not be displayed or printed; you cannot choose a color or screen. Use this choice to remove all color from a shape.
Color
Set the color. The choices are selected from the list established when you created the document, including black and white.
Screen
Set the color screen. Screens are an economical way of adding color variety using a single-color process. They also enable you to add shading without using a different color. Select a value between 10% and 100%, in 10% increments (plus 15%). The lower the value, the lighter the color appears.
TIP: If you are using shading to create an underlay, use ‘none’ as the color. Any gradient of shade, or the color white, will be screened at 50%, and appear grayed out.
Overprint Indicate whether this shape is overprint.
The default is for this box to be checked. This means that any graphic element you create will be printed on top of the element beneath it. The top element will not knock a hole in the bottom element.
CAUTION: Do Not Change this setting unless you are familiar with the complexities of color overprinting and color trapping. When you send your document to Scantron Print Services for printing, our graphic arts specialists will analyze your form and determine if the overprint setting for any element needs to be modified. If you are unfamiliar with this process, we will perform this function for you.
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Miscellaneous
Change the style of the polygon or lock its position.
NOTE: You cannot change the lock for multiple shapes. If you have more than one shape selected, these options are disabled.
Use this element… …to… Style
Define whether you want the polygon to be closed or open. Choices are:
- Closed - all points are connected by lines. A closed polygon can have a fill.
- Open - deletes the last line of the polygon. An open polygon cannot have a fill.
Lock Lock and unlock the polygon.
Use this option… …to… Lock Anchor the selected shape to the current location on the form, and prevent it from being cut, deleted, moved, or resized. If you want to change or delete the shape, you need to first unlock it.
Lock Vertical Anchor the selected shape vertically so you can only move or resize the shape horizontally.
Lock Horizontal Anchor the selected shape horizontally so you can only move or resize the shape vertically.
Unlock Unlock the selected shape so you can cut, delete, move, or resize it in any direction.
You can also lock or unlock the polygon position by right-clicking. See Shape Pop-up Menu for details.
How do I…
…draw a polygon?
- Select Tools > Polygon.
- Place the mouse pointer where you want the polygon to begin, click the left mouse button and move the mouse pointer to the end of the first side, then click the left mouse button again.
- Continue to move and click with the left mouse button for each side, EXCEPT the LAST side.
- When you get to the next to the last point of the polygon, press the right mouse button to fill in the last side of the polygon. The software closes the polygon automatically.
…create a drop shadow?
You may want to create the illusion that an element of your design, such as a box or response grid, is floating and casting a shadow. This effect is called a "drop shadow."
Show me an example
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Without
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With
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Scantron DesignExpert does not have a drop shadow tool but it is relatively easy for you to create your own simple drop shadow if you need one.
- Create or select an element.
- Draw a box of the same size as the element.
- Use Modify Box to create your "shadow" by changing the box Stroke and Fill to a screen percentage such as 15%.
- Duplicate this box and use Modify Box to change the second box Stroke and Fill to Solid Style and White Color.
- Drag the "white" box on top of your element (an OMR response grid in this case) then move it to the graphic layer behind the element (right-click the box, then choose Move to Back).
- Drag the 15% screened box on top of your element and offset down and to the right by half a response grid space. Then, move it to the graphic layer behind the element.
- Select all of the elements in your finished grid and Group them so that they stay together when moved on the workspace.
Your element is complete with drop shadow. We suggest you experiment with other shapes, screen percentages, and colors. And, be sure to add it to your Shape Library if you will use it with other form designs.
