Making the most out of FrameMaker's graphic tools
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The document provides an in-depth overview of the graphic tools available in FrameMaker, including object selection, alignment, drawing techniques, and customizing graphics. It outlines functionalities such as grouping objects, setting object styles, and using various tools to manipulate and enhance graphic elements. Additionally, it discusses features like cropping, scaling, and creating custom arrow styles to improve design accuracy.
Making the most out of FrameMaker's graphic tools
- 1. ShlomoPerets microtype.com Making the Most out of FrameMaker’s Graphic Tools 5 4 3 7 N 1 r −
- 2. 1 Myservices&tools ('&') ■ Training / Consulting FrameMaker (including Structured), Acrobat, Captivate (on-site or via web) ■ Template development ■ Conversion services (to FM; FM to Structured FM) ■ Add-ons: FM Express Customization; FrameMaker-to-Acrobat TimeSavers + Assistants (Forms, Navigation …) 5 4 3 7 N 1 r −
- 3. 2 FrameMakergraphics ■ Easy to handle inside FrameMaker ■ Vector ■ Not easily exported to other graphic formats for re-use elsewhere 5 4 3 7 N 1 r −
- 4. 3 FrameMaker’sgraphictools smart select select object line arc polyline freehand curve rectangle rounded rectangle oval polygon text frame text line graphic frame fill pattern pen pattern line width line end style current defaultdashed line pattern color tint overprint 5 4 3 7 N 1 r −
- 5. 4 Setupdrawingenvironment ■ Grids ● Visible grid ● Invisible snapping grid ● Choose your own spacing for the grids ■ Gravity ● Makes it easier to connect to an existing object when drawing/resizing/reshaping ● Objects exert gravity along their path; corners = double; rectangles/ovals also at their centers ● Gravity takes precedence over Snap (if active) 5 4 3 7 N 1 r −
- 6. 5 Viewquality ■ Often need to refresh screen: Window > Refresh or Control-L ■ Tip: select object before zooming in, to have it displayed in the zoomed view 5 4 3 7 N 1 r −
- 7. 6 Selectingobjects ■ Shift-click to select additional objects ■ Shift-click an object to deselect one object ■ With smart cursor: Ctrl-click text frame or text line to select as an object 5 4 3 7 N 1 r −
- 8. 7 Selectingobjects CONTINUED ■ Drag selection border around objects ■ Holding down Shift-Ctrl while dragging makes it easier to select specific items ■ Select all on page or in frame (Ctrl-A) ■ Select first drawn (Esc o F), next (Esc o n) 5 4 3 7 N 1 r −
- 9. 8 ManyusesofShiftkey ■ Shift and drag object to move along vertical or horizontal axis ■ Shift-click when selecting a tool to keep it active & draw multiple objects (select any tool to end) 5 4 3 7 N 1 r −
- 10. 9 ManyusesofShiftkey CONTINUED ■ Shift while resizing to maintain ratio ■ Shift while using the drawing tools to constrain the shapes drawn ● Oval circle ● Rectangle square ● Arc circular arc ● Line, Polyline & Polygon straight vertical or horizontal lines or at 45° 5 4 3 7 N 1 r −
- 11. 10 Quickcopying Hold down Alt or Ctrl while dragging an object to create a copy 5 4 3 7 N 1 r −
- 12. 11 Group/ungroup ■ Small groups can be nested inside larger groups – may need to ungroup several times to access a specific item ■ Small groups can be useful when aligning and distributing, e.g. several pairs of graphic item + callout 5 4 3 7 N 1 r −
- 13. 12 Objectstyles(FM11+) ■ Named styles for graphics ● Object Style Designer Esc g i ● Object Style Catalog Esc g e ■ Globally update some/all graphic properties by adjusting style definitions ■ Can use File > Import Formats to bring styles defined in other files 5 4 3 7 N 1 r −
- 14. 13 Finepositioning(“nudge”) ■ Move selected objects using arrow keys: press Alt-Arrow for a small nudge or Alt-Shift-Arrow keys for a large nudge ■ At 100% zoom, small nudge is 1 point and large nudge is 6 points; the nudge distance changes depending on zoom settings 5 4 3 7 N 1 r −
- 15. 14 Bringtofront/sendtoback ■ Controls stacking order ■ When adding callouts to bitmaps, bitmap should be sent to back 5 4 3 7 N 1 r −
- 16. 15 Align ■ Single item is aligned relative to anchored frame, graphic frame or page ■ When two or more objects selected – items align relative to last item selected Before aligning T/B Centers Tops Bottoms Before aligning L/R Centers Left Sides Right Sides 5 4 3 7 N 1 r −
- 17. 16 Align CONTINUED ■ Esc g a to open Graphics > Align (multiple choices, vertical+horizontal) ■ Use direct alignment: Esc j followed by ● l (left) ● t (top) ● r (right) ● m (middle) ● c (center) ● b (bottom) 5 4 3 7 N 1 r −
- 18. 17 Distribute Leftmost / topmost items remain in place Objects as drawn Equidistant centers Edge gap = .0625" Equidistant edges Horizontal distribution Objects as drawn Equidistant centers Edge gap = .0625" Equidistant edges Vertical distribution 5 4 3 7 N 1 r −
- 19. 18 Rotate ■ Free rotate with Alt+drag handle (rotation angle reported in status bar) ■ Shift while Alt+dragging a corner or reshape handle constrain rotation to 45° ■ Can inspect an object’s rotation angle in Object Properties (Rotation/Angle) Objects rotate around their centers Text lines rotate around their alignment points Abc Abc 5 4 3 7 N 1 r −
- 20. 19 Reshape ■ Reshape arc ■ Reshape polyline / polygon Arc: 270 -306 10% Arc: 270 18 30%Start and end angles Percentage of circle 2 Choose Reshape 3 Drag 4 Release1 Select 5 4 3 7 N 1 r −
- 21. 20 Reshape CONTINUED ■ Reshape curve Control point Reshape handle 2 Drag reshape handle 3 Drag control point 4 Rotate control point 1 Select Reshape 5 4 3 7 N 1 r −
- 22. 21 Reshape CONTINUED ■ Ctrl-click to add/remove control points ■ Right-drag reshape handle to crimp a curve Right-drag reshape handle Select Reshape 5 4 3 7 N 1 r −
- 23. 22 Join ■ Join lines, arcs, polylines, freehand curves – so that fill can be applied ■ Objects have to be touching end to end to be joined Objects drawn Objects positioned and selected Objects joined Fill pattern selected 5 4 3 7 N 1 r −
- 24. 23 Smooth Smooth/unsmooth Before smoothing After smoothing 5 4 3 7 N 1 r −
- 25. 24 Scale Useful when you need to resize different items consistently 5 4 3 7 N 1 r −
- 26. 25 Curvatureofroundedrectangle The curvature of the “corners” of a rounded rectangle can be changed by specifying the radius of an imaginary circle drawn in the corner of a rectangle (Graphics > Object Properties) Radius = .125 inch Radius = .25 inches Radius = .375 inch r r r The longer the radius, the more curved the corners are 5 4 3 7 N 1 r −
- 27. 26 Croppingagraphic Use an anchored or unanchored graphic frame to crop (mask) the edges of a graphic Uncropped graphic Graphic placed and cropped in an unanchored graphic frame 5 4 3 7 N 1 r −
- 28. 27 Pickingupobjectproperties To change one or more properties of one object to match another: ● Select the object that has the properties you want to copy ● Hold down Shift, Graphics > Pick Up Object Properties – properties of selected object are made the default in palette ● Select the objects you want to change and click the properties to apply 5 4 3 7 N 1 r −
- 29. 28 Changelinecapstyle Cap style determines the appearance of any line ends that don’t have arrowheads Projecting Butt Round 5 4 3 7 N 1 r −
- 30. 29 Changearrowstyle Arrow styles are determined by their base angle, tip angle, and length. They can be filled, hollow, or drawn with sticks. B = Base angle T = Tip angle L = Length T B L Filled Hollow Stick 5 4 3 7 N 1 r −
- 31. 30 Customarrowstyle You can create a custom arrow style by specifying new settings below Custom: ● Style: Filled, Hollow, or Stick ● Base angle: 10–175 (at least 5 greater than tip angle; FrameMaker ignores base angle setting when choosing Stick) ● Tip angle: 5–85 ● Length: 0–255 points 5 4 3 7 N 1 r −
- 32. 31 Customarrowstyle CONTINUED Length specified applies to objects that have a line width of 1 point. When you use a thicker line width, arrowhead is longer Arrow Base angle Tip angle Length 70 30 10 points 80 30 10 points 70 15 10 points 70 30 5 points 5 4 3 7 N 1 r −
- 33. 32 Setnumberofsides Use to draw a regular polygon Original object Number of sides = 3 Start angle = 0 Number of sides = 3 Start angle = 45 0 0 45 5 4 3 7 N 1 r −
- 34. 33 FrameMakerclipart ■ Ancient…, but can still be used as a basis for development, or to learn how graphic techniques were used ■ Files are in the clipart folder (Help > Clip Art…) C:Program Files (x86)AdobeAdobeFrameMaker12ClipArt 5 4 3 7 N 1 r −
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