Formatting shapes

You can format a shape's appearance, location and size from its properties.

  1. Select the object(s).

    To select an object, from the toolbar, click the pointer arrowhead icon and click the object. Or, click and drag around the entire object and release so that a blue bounding box appears . To select the entire diagram, from the Edit menu, click Select All (or press Ctrl+A on your keyboard).
  2. Click the properties button. The properties panel opens.

  3. Make adjustments to the format, using the following table as reference.

    Some options are not available on all shapes.
    Property Icon Description
    Shape Color Specify the shape's fill color. On some of the more complex shapes, such a network symbols, only part of the shape had a customizable color.
    Border Color Specify the color of the shape’s border.
    Border Thickness Specify the thickness of the shape’s border, or whether the shape has no border.
    Line Pattern Specify a dashed or full line.
    Gradient Add or remove a gradient to transition the fill color will transition from lighter to darker from top to bottom.
    Drop Shadow Add shadows to the shape, to suggest depth.
    Shape Opacity

    Add opacity to basic and flowchart shapes. You can manually type a value or use the scroll bar to adjust the opacity on your shape.

    X Y   Location coordinates in the diagram of the upper-left corner of the shape's boundary box. Moving objects.
    W H   Width and height of the shape. See Resizing objects.
    Lock Aspect Ratio   Locks the shape's aspect ratio, so that the shape retains it's current shape when resized. See Resizing objects.
    Lock Shape   Locks the shape's location, size, color, and other properties. See Locking and unlocking objects.
      Rotation angle of the shape. See Rotating objects.