2 Click Edit  Step and repeat.

3 In the Step and repeat docker, type a value in the Number of copies box, and click Apply.

To Do the following

Distribute copies of objects horizontally In the Vertical settings area, choose No offset from the Mode list
box. In the Horizontal settings area, choose Spacing between
objects from the Mode list box. To specify the spacing between
object copies, type a value in the Distance box. To place the object
copies to the right or left of the original, choose Right or Left from
the Direction list box.

Distribute copies of objects vertically In the Horizontal settings area, choose No offset from the Mode
list box. In the Vertical settings area, choose Spacing between
objects from the Mode list box. To specify the spacing between
copies of objects, type a value in the Distance box. To place the
copies above or below the original, choose Up or Down from the
Direction list box.

Offset all copies of objects by a specified distance In the Horizontal settings and Vertical settings areas, choose
Offset from the Mode list box, and type values in the Distance
boxes.

Multiple copies of an object are offset by a specified distance.

You can access the Step and repeat docker by pressing Ctrl+Shift+D.

To create copies of objects quickly

1 Select an object by using the Pick tool .

2 Press the Spacebar while moving, rotating, or transforming the object.

You can also

Place a copy of an object on top of the original Press the plus sign (+) on the numeric keypad.

Create a single copy by using a mouse or stylus. While moving, rotating, or transforming the object, right-click and
then release both mouse buttons.

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To transform the duplicate of an object
1 Select an object.
2 Click Object  Transformations,and click a command.
3 Choose the settings you want in the Transformation docker.
4 Type 1 in the Copies box.
5 Click Apply.

You can clear a transformation by selecting an object and clicking Object  Transformations  Clear transformations.

To delete an object
1 Select an object.
2 Click Edit  Delete.

To retrieve a deleted object, you must use the Undo command. For more information, see “Undoing, redoing, and repeating actions”
on page 38.

You can also delete an object by selecting it and pressing Delete.

Creating objects from enclosed areas

You can create objects from areas enclosed by other objects. For example, if you draw a freehand line that crosses over itself to create loops,
you can create an object from the loop shape. You can create an object in the shape of the area if the area is completely enclosed, regardless
of the number of surrounding shapes and lines.

For more information about creating objects from enclosed areas, see “Applying fills to areas” on page 277.

The Smart fill tool is used to enclose the areas created by the two spiral objects (left), so that new objects are created from
the enclosed areas. In this example, the original spiral objects are deleted (right), and the newly created objects remain.

Creating a boundary around selected objects

You can automatically create a path around selected objects on a layer to create a boundary. This boundary can be used for various
purposes, such as to produce keylines or cut lines.

The boundary is created by a closed path that follows the shape of the selected objects. The default fill and outline properties apply to the
object created by the boundary.

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 You can create a boundary around selected objects (left). The boundary is created as a
new object (middle) that can be used as a cut line or keyline for a finished logo (right).

To create a boundary around selected objects

1 Select the objects that you want to surround with a boundary.
2 Click Object  Shaping  Boundary.

Using object coordinates to draw and modify objects

You can use the Object coordinates docker to draw and modify shapes and lines with precision. The live preview in the drawing window
lets you see the effects of your adjustments.

You can type coordinate values to specify the exact position, dimensions, and angle of rotation of an object. You can also set object
attributes interactively by dragging in the drawing window.

Drawing rectangles and squares

To draw a rectangle with precision, you can specify an origin point, which is one of nine points in the rectangle (four corner points, four
midpoints, and one center point). If you rotate the rectangle, the origin point is used as the center of rotation. You can also specify the angle
of rotation, and the width and height of a rectangle.

If the angle of rotation is 0, you can specify the position of the lower-left and upper-right corners of the rectangle.

To draw a square, you can specify the origin point, the length of a side, and an angle of rotation.

Left: The origin point of a rectangle appears as a blue node in the live preview.
You can select the center point, or any corner or midpoint, as the origin point.

Drawing ellipses and circles

To draw an ellipse with precision, you can specify an origin point, which is one of nine points in the bounding box that can be drawn around
the ellipse. The origin point is used as the center of rotation.

Working with objects | 185

You can also specify the ellipse diameters, which are the width and height of the bounding box around the ellipse, and the angle of rotation.
If the angle of rotation is 0, you can specify the exact position of the lower-left and upper-right corners of the bounding box around the
ellipse.

To draw a circle, you can specify the origin point, diameter, and angle of rotation.

You can specify the width and height of the bounding box that can be drawn around an ellipse.

Drawing polygons

To draw a polygon, you can specify the number of sides, the angle of rotation, or the center and diameters of the bounding ellipse that can
be drawn around the polygon. The center of the bounding ellipse, also known as the “polygon center,” is used as the center of rotation.

You can also draw regular polygons with precision. All sides of a regular polygon are of equal length. You can specify the side length and
angle of rotation, or the center and diameter of the bounding circle that can be drawn around the regular polygon.

You can specify the diameters of the bounding ellipse that can be drawn around the polygon.

Drawing lines

You can draw a straight line by using one of two methods. With the first method, you specify the start point and endpoint of the line. With
the second method, you specify the start point and length of the line, plus an angle of rotation.

You can create complex lines by specifying the coordinates of multiple points. You can delete points, and you can modify the coordinates of
existing points. After adding all the points you want, you can close the curved line by connecting its start point to its endpoint.

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 Straight and multipoint lines

Modifying existing objects

You can use the Object coordinates docker to modify existing objects with precision. Note that when you modify an existing object, it is
replaced with a new object. As a result, the following transformations and effects applied to the original objects are lost: envelope effects,
rotations, and skew effects. In addition, any changes that were previously applied to the nodes on a polygon are lost.

To draw or modify a rectangle by using object coordinates

1 Click Window  Dockers  Object coordinates.
If you want to modify an existing rectangle, select the rectangle.
2 Click the Rectangle button .
3 Make any of the following adjustments:
• To set the origin point of the rectangle, click a point in the Origin area.
• To specify the exact position of the origin point, type values in the x and y boxes.
• To specify the width and height of the rectangle, type values in the Object size boxes.
• To specify only the height or width of the rectangle and have the other dimensions automatically adjusted in proportion, enable the
Proportional check box.
• To rotate the rectangle at a specified angle, type a value in the Angle of rotation box. The origin point of the rectangle is used as the
center of rotation.
4 Click one of the following:
• Create object — adds a new rectangle to the drawing window
• Replace object — replaces the selected rectangle with a new one

You can also

Draw a rectangle by specifying the exact position of its lower-left In the Boundingbox area, type values in the x and y boxes.
and upper-right corners
The first pair of boxes controls the position of the lower-left corner.
The second pair of boxes controls the position of the upper-right
corner.

This method for drawing rectangles is available only when no

rotation is applied.

Set the lower-left and upper-right corners of a rectangle directly in In the Bounding box area, click the Set lower-left corner
the drawing window interactively button or the Set upper-right corner interactively
button , and click in the drawing window.

Set the origin point directly in the drawing window Click the Set origin point interactively button , and click in the
drawing window.

Working with objects | 187

You can also

Specify the dimensions of the rectangle directly in the drawing Click either of the Set dimensions interactively buttons , and
window
drag in the drawing window.

Set the angle of rotation directly in the drawing window Click the Set angle interactively button , and drag in the
drawing window.

To draw or modify a square by using object coordinates

1 Click Window  Dockers  Object coordinates.
If you want to replace an existing square, select the square.
2 Click the arrow at the bottom of the Rectangle button, and click the Square button .
3 Make any of the following adjustments:
• To set the origin point of the square, click a point in the Origin area.
• To specify the exact position of the origin point, type values in the x and y boxes.
• To specify the length of a side, type a value in the Object size box.
• To rotate the square at a specified angle, type a value in the Angle of rotation box. The origin point of the rectangle is used as the
center of rotation.
4 Click one of the following:
• Create object — adds a new square to the drawing window
• Replace object — replaces the selected square with a new one

You can also

Set the origin point directly in the drawing window Click the Set origin point interactively button , and click in the
drawing window.

Specify the length of a square side directly in the drawing window Click the Set dimensions interactively button , and drag in the
drawing window.

Set the angle of rotation directly in the drawing window Click the Set angle interactively button , and drag in the
drawing window.

To draw or modify an ellipse by using object coordinates

1 Click Window  Dockers  Object coordinates.
If you want to modify an existing ellipse, select the ellipse.
2 Click the Ellipse button .
3 Make any of the following adjustments:
• To set the origin point of the ellipse, click a point in the Origin area.
• To specify the exact position of the origin point, type values in the x and y boxes.
• To specify the diameters (width and height) of the ellipse, type values in the Object size boxes.
• To specify only one of the diameters and have the other diameter automatically adjusted in proportion, enable the Proportional check
box.
• To rotate the ellipse at a specified angle, type a value in the Angle of rotation box. The origin point of the ellipse is used as the center
of rotation.
4 Click one of the following:
• Create object — adds a new ellipse to the drawing window
• Replace object — replaces the selected ellipse with a new one

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You can also

Draw an ellipse by specifying the lower-left and upper-right corners In the Bounding box area, type values in the x and y boxes.
of the bounding box around an ellipse
The first pair of boxes controls the position of the lower-left
corner of the bounding box. The second pair of boxes controls the
position of the upper-right corner of the bounding box.

This method for drawing ellipses is available only when no rotation

is applied to the ellipse.

Set the lower-left and upper-right corners of an ellipse’s bounding In the Bounding box area, click the Set lower-left corner
box directly in the drawing window interactively or Set upper-right corner interactively button ,
and click in the drawing window.

Set the origin point directly in the drawing window Click the Set origin point interactively button , and click in the
drawing window.

Specify the dimensions of the ellipse directly in the drawing Click either of the Set diameter interactively buttons , and
window
drag in the drawing window.

Set the angle of rotation directly in the drawing window Click the Set angle interactively button , and drag in the
drawing window.

To draw or modify a circle by using object coordinates

1 Click Window  Dockers  Object coordinates.
If you want to replace an existing circle, select the circle.
2 Click the arrow at the bottom of the Ellipse button, and click the Circle button .
3 Make any of the following adjustments:
• To set the origin point of the square, click a point in the Origin area.
• To specify the exact position of the origin point, type values in the x and y boxes.
• To specify the diameter of a circle, type a value in the Object size box.
• To rotate the circle at a specified angle, type a value in the Angle of rotation box. The origin point of the circle is used as the center of
rotation.
4 Click one of the following:
• Create object — adds a new circle to the drawing window
• Replace object — replaces the selected circle with a new one

You can also

Set the origin point directly in the drawing window Click the Set origin point interactively button , and click in the
drawing window.

Specify the diameter of a circle directly in the drawing window Click the Set diameter interactively button , and drag in the
drawing window.

Set the angle of rotation directly in the drawing window Click the Set angle interactively button , and drag in the
drawing window.

Working with objects | 189

To draw or modify a polygon by using object coordinates
1 Click Window  Dockers  Object coordinates.
If you want to modify an existing polygon, select the polygon.
2 Click the Polygon button .
3 In the Object size area, type a value in the Points or sides box.
4 Make any of the following adjustments:
• To rotate the polygon at a specified angle, type a value in the Angle of rotation box.
• To specify the polygon center, type values in the x and y boxes in the Bounding ellipse area. The polygon center is the center of the
bounding ellipse that can be drawn around the polygon. The polygon center is used as the center of rotation.
• To specify the diameters of the bounding ellipse around the polygon, type values in the Object size boxes in the Bounding ellipse
area.
• To specify only one diameter and have the other diameter automatically adjusted in proportion, enable the Proportional check box.
5 Click one of the following:
• Create object — adds a new polygon to the drawing window
• Replace object — replaces the selected polygon with a new one

You can also

Set the angle of rotation directly in the drawing window Click the Set angle interactively button , and drag in the
drawing window.

Set the polygon center directly in the drawing window Click the Set polygon center interactively button , and click in
the drawing window.

Specify the diameters of the bounding ellipse directly in the Click either of the Set diameter interactively buttons , and
drawing window
drag in the drawing window.

To draw or modify a regular polygon by using object coordinates

1 Click Window  Dockers  Object coordinates.
If you want to modify an existing polygon, select the polygon.
2 Click the arrow at the bottom of the Polygon button, and click the Regular polygon button .
3 In the Object size area, type a value in the Points or sides box.
4 Type a value in the Side length box.
5 Make any of the following adjustments:
• To rotate the polygon at a specified angle, type a value in the Angle of rotation box.
• To specify the polygon center, type values in the x and y boxes in the Bounding circle area.
• To specify the diameter of the bounding circle around the polygon, type a value in the Object size box.
6 Click one of the following:
• Create object — adds a new polygon to the drawing window
• Replace object — replaces the selected polygon with a new one

You can also

Set the side length directly in the drawing window Click the Set dimensions interactively button , and drag in the
drawing window.

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You can also

Set the angle of rotation directly in the drawing window Click the Set angle interactively button , and drag in the
drawing window.

Set the polygon center directly in the drawing window Click the Set polygon center interactively button , and click in
the drawing window.

Specify the diameter of the bounding circle directly in the drawing Click the Set diameter interactively button , and drag in the
window
drawing window.

To draw or modify a straight line by using object coordinates

1 Click Window  Dockers  Object coordinates.
If you want to modify an existing line, select the line.
2 Click the 2-point line button .
3 To specify the start point and endpoint along the x and y rulers, type values in the x and y boxes in the Points area.
In the live preview, the start point is highlighted.
4 Click one of the following:
• Create object — adds a new line to the drawing window
• Replace object — replaces the selected line with a new one

You can also

Draw a straight line by specifying its start point, length, and angle In the Points area, type values in the Start pointx and y boxes. In
of rotation the Object size area, type a value in the Line length box. Then,
type a value in the Angle of rotation box.

Set the start point or endpoint of a line directly in the drawing In the Points area, click one of the Set point interactively buttons
window , and click in the drawing window.

Set the line length directly in the drawing window In the Object size area, click the Set line length interactively
button , and drag in the drawing window.

Set the angle of rotation directly in the drawing window In the Object size area, click the Set angle interactively button
, and drag in the drawing window.

To draw or modify a multi-point line by using object coordinates

1 Click Window  Dockers  Object coordinates.
If you want to replace an existing line with a new one, select the line.
2 Click the Multi-point line button .
3 Click the Add point button at the bottom of the Object coordinates docker.
4 Make either of the following adjustments:
• To specify the exact position of the point along the x and y rulers, type values in the X and Y boxes.
• To add another point, click the Add point button , and type values in the X and Y boxes.
5 After specifying all the points you need, click one of the following:
• Create object — adds a new line to the drawing window
• Replace object — replaces the selected line with a new one

Working with objects | 191

You can also

Specify the position of a point directly in the drawing window Click a point in the Object coordinates docker. Click the Set point
interactively button , and click in the drawing window.

Delete a point Click a point in the Object coordinates docker, and click the Delete
point button .

Connect the start point with the endpoint of a line Click the Auto-close/open curve button .

Use the following keyboard shortcuts to create a multi-point line quickly:

• To add a point, click in the Points area, and press Insert.

• To delete a selected point, press Delete.

• To activate the X or Y box of a selected point, press F2.

• To navigate through the X and Y boxes of the available points, select a box and press Tab repeatedly.

• To navigate backward through the X or Y boxes of the available points, select a box and press Shift + Tab repeatedly.

• To activate the Set point interactively button, double-click a point in the docker.

Copying object properties, transformations, and effects

CorelDRAW lets you copy attributes from one object to another. You can copy object properties such as outline, fill, and text properties. You
can copy object transformations such as sizing, rotating, and positioning. You can also copy effects applied to an object.

To copy fill, outline, or text properties from one object to another

1 In the toolbox, click the Attributes eyedropper tool .
2 Click the Properties flyout on the property bar, and enable any of the following check boxes:
• Outline
• Fill
• Text
3 Click the object whose properties you want to copy.
The Attributes eyedropper tool automatically switches to the Apply object attributes mode.
4 Click the object to which you want to apply the copied properties.

Options that are enabled in the Transformations and Effects flyouts on the property bar are also applied when you copy properties.

You can also copy fill or outline properties, or both, by right-clicking an object with the Pick tool , dragging over another object,
releasing the mouse button, and choosing Copy fill here, Copy outline here, or Copy all properties.

To copy size, position, or rotation from one object to another

1 In the toolbox, click the Attributes eyedropper tool .
2 Click the Transformations flyout on the property bar, and enable any of the following check boxes:

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 • Size
• Rotation
• Position
3 Click the object whose transformations you want to copy.
The Attributes eyedropper tool automatically switches to the Apply object attributes mode.
4 Click the object to which you want to apply the copied transformations.

Options that are enabled in the Properties and Effects flyouts on the property bar are also applied when you copy properties.

To copy effects from one object to another

1 In the toolbox, click the Attributes eyedropper tool .
2 Click the Effects flyout on the property bar, and enable any of the following check boxes:
• Perspective
• Envelope
• Blend
• Extrude
• Contour
• Lens
• PowerClip
• Drop shadow
• Distortion
3 Click the object whose effects you want to copy.
The Attributes eyedropper tool automatically switches to the Apply object attributes mode.
4 Click the object to which you want to apply the copied effects.

Options that are enabled in the Properties and Transformations flyouts on the property bar are also applied when you copy
properties.

Cloning objects
When you clone an object, you create a copy of an object that is linked to the original. Any changes you make to the original object are
reflected automatically in the clone. Changes you make to the clone are not automatically reflected in the original, however. You can remove
changes made to the clone by reverting to the original.

Cloning lets you modify multiple copies of an object simultaneously by changing the master object. This type of modification is especially
useful if you want the clone and master objects to differ by certain properties, such as fill and outline color, but want the master object to
control other properties, such as shape.

If you simply want to use the same object in a drawing multiple times, consider using symbols, instead of clones, to keep the file size
manageable. For more information about symbols, see “Working with symbols” on page 231.

Working with objects | 193

 The object on the left was cloned twice. Different fill and outline properties
were applied to the clones. The clone on the right was also reshaped.

To clone an object
1 Select an object.
2 Click Edit  Clone.
You can also

Select the master object of a clone Right-click the clone, and click Select master.

Select the clone objects of a master Right-click the master, and click Select clones.

You can clone a master object multiple times, but you cannot clone a clone.

To revert to the master object of a clone

1 Right-click a modified clone, and click Revert to master.
2 Enable any of the following check boxes:
• Clone fill — restores the master fill attributes
• Clone outline — restores the master outline attributes
• Clone path shape — restores the master shape attributes
• Clone transformations — restores the master shape and size attributes
• Clone bitmap color mask — restores the master color settings

Only the clone properties that are different from the master object are available in the Revert to master dialog box.

Positioning objects
You can position objects by dragging them to a new location, by nudging, or by specifying their horizontal and vertical coordinates.
Nudging lets you move an object in increments by pressing the Arrow keys. The increment value is known as “nudge distance.” Micro-
nudging lets you move an object by a fraction of the nudge distance. Super-nudging lets you move an object by a multiple of the nudge
distance. By default, you can nudge objects in 0.1-inch increments, but you can change this increment value to suit your needs. You can
also change micro-nudge and super-nudge values.

To position an object, you can set horizontal and vertical coordinates that are relative to the center anchor point, or other anchor point, of
the object.

You can also move an object to another page. For more information, see “To move an object to another page” on page 448.

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To move an object
1 Select an object.
2 Point to the center of the bounding box.
3 When the position cursor appears, drag the object to a new position in the drawing.

You can move an object to another page by dragging the object over a page number tab at the bottom of the document window
and then dragging the object into the document window.

To move an object while drawing

1 Start drawing a shape such as a rectangle, ellipse, or polygon.
2 Hold down the right mouse button without releasing the left mouse button, and drag the unfinished object to its new position.
3 Release the right mouse button, and continue drawing.

Moving an object while drawing

To nudge an object

To Do the following

Nudge a selected object by the nudge distance Press an Arrow key.

Nudge a selected object by a fraction of the nudge distance (micro- Hold down Ctrl, and press an Arrow key.
nudge)

Nudge a selected object by a multiple of the nudge distance (super- Hold down Shift, and press an Arrow key.
nudge)

To set nudge distances

1 Click Tools  Options.
2 In the Document list of categories, click Rulers.
3 Type a value in the Nudge box.
4 Type a value in one of the following boxes:
• Super nudge
• Micro nudge

Working with objects | 195

 You can also set the nudge distance by deselecting all objects and typing a value in the Nudge distance box on the property bar.

To save the new nudge distances to use in new drawings, click Tools  Save settings as default.

To position an object by x and y coordinates

1 Select an object.
If you want to change the object origin, click a point on the Object origin button on the property bar.
2 Type values in the following boxes:
• x — lets you position the object on the x-axis
• y — lets you position the object on the y-axis
The x and y values specify the exact position of the object origin.
3 Press Enter.

The object origin, also known as “anchor point” or “reference point,” can be the center of an object or any one of the object’s
selection handles. The object origin remains stationary when an object is positioned by typing values in the x and y boxes on the
property bar.

To position an object by changing the anchor point

1 Select an object.
2 Click Window  Dockers  Transformations  Position.
3 Disable the Relative position check box in the Transformation docker.
4 Type values in the following boxes:
• H — lets you specify a value for the position of an object along the horizontal axis
• V — lets you specify a value for the position of an object along the vertical axis
5 Enable the check box that corresponds to the anchor point that you want to set.
6 Click Apply.

By default, the point of origin (0,0) is at the lower-left corner of the drawing page.

When you enable the Relative position check box on the Transformation docker, the position of the center anchor point is identified
as 0,0 in the H and V boxes. When you specify a different position in the H and V boxes, the values represent a change from the
current position as measured from the center anchor point of the object.

Aligning and distributing objects

CorelDRAW lets you precisely align and distribute objects in a drawing. You can align objects with each other and with parts of the drawing
page, such as the center, edges, and grid. When you align objects with objects, you can line them up by their centers or by their edges.

You can align multiple objects horizontally or vertically with the center of the drawing page. Single or multiple objects can also be arranged
along the edge of the page and to the nearest point on a grid. You can also align objects with a reference point by specifying its exact x and
y coordinates.

Distributing objects automatically adds spacing between them based on their width, height, and center points. You can distribute objects so
that their center points or selected edges (for example, top or right) appear at equal intervals. You can also distribute objects so that there
is equal space between them. You can distribute objects over the extent of the bounding box surrounding them or over the entire drawing
page.

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 Scattered objects (left) are vertically aligned and equally distributed (right).

To align objects
1 Select the objects.
2 Click Object  Align and distribute  Align and distribute.
3 In the Align area of the docker, click one of the following buttons to use an object edge or center for aligning.
• Align left — to align the left edges of objects
• Align center horizontally — to align object centers along a vertical axis
• Align right — to align the right edges of objects
• Align top — to align the top edges of objects
• Align center vertically — to align object centers along a horizontal axis
• Align bottom — to align the bottom edges of objects

To align objects from their outlines, click the Outline button .

4 In the Align objects to area, perform any of the following tasks.

To Do the following

Align an object with a specific object Click the Active objects button .

If you select the objects one at a time, the last object selected is the
reference point for aligning the other objects. If you marquee select
the objects, the object that is positioned in the upper-left corner of
the selection is used as a reference point.

Align an object with the page edge Click the Page edge button .

Align an object with the page center Click the Page center button .

To align the center of the object with the page center, make sure
that the Align center horizontally button and Align center

vertically button in the Align area are enabled.

Align an object with the closest grid line Click the Grid button .

Align an object with a specified point Click the Specified point button , and type values in the
Specify coordinates boxes.

Working with objects | 197

To Do the following

You can also specify a point interactively by clicking the Specify

point button, and clicking in the document window.

Set an alignment option for text objects In the Text area, choose one of the following options:
• First line baseline — aligns text by the baseline of the first
line
• Last line baseline — aligns text by the baseline of the last
line
• Bounding box — aligns text by its bounding box

You can also align objects with another object quickly, without using the Align and distribute docker, by clicking Object  Align
and distribute and clicking any of the first six alignment commands. The letter next to a command name indicates the keyboard
shortcut that you can use to align objects. For example, the letter L next to the Align left command shows that you can press L to
align objects with the leftmost point of the object that is used as a reference point.

You can also align all objects with the page center, vertically and horizontally, by pressing P.

To distribute objects
1 Select the objects.
2 Click Object  Align and distribute  Align and distribute.
3 To distribute objects horizontally, click one of the following buttons:
• Distribute left — evenly spaces the left edges of the objects
• Distribute center horizontally — evenly spaces the center points of the objects along a horizontal axis
• Distribute right — evenly spaces the right edges of the objects
• Distribute space horizontally — places equal intervals between the objects along a horizontal axis
4 To distribute objects vertically, click one of the following buttons:
• Distribute top — evenly spaces the top edges of the objects
• Distribute center vertically — evenly spaces the center points of the objects along a vertical axis
• Distribute bottom — evenly spaces the bottom edges of the objects
• Distribute space vertically — places equal intervals between the objects along a vertical axis
5 To choose the area over which the objects are distributed, click one of the following buttons in the Distribute objects to area:
• Extent of selection — distributes the objects over the area of the bounding box surrounding them
• Extent of page — distributes the objects over the drawing page

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 Top row: Options for distributing objects horizontally. 1) The Left option evenly spaces the left edges. 2)
The Center option evenly spaces the center points. Bottom row: Options for distributing objects vertically.
3) The Top option evenly spaces the top edges. 4) The Center option evenly spaces the center points.

Applying object hinting

Object hinting allows you to improve object rendering by adjusting the display of an object so that it lines up with the pixel grid. For
example, if you’re creating a button for the web, you can enable object hinting to ensure the object appears clean and sharp when
exporting it as a bitmap.

The Pixel view of a square (left) with a 1-pixel line width that was created without
object hinting. A copy of the square (right) displayed with object hinting applied.

To apply object hinting

1 Select an object.
2 Click Object  Object hinting.

Snapping objects
When you move or draw an object, you can snap it to another object in a drawing. You can snap an object to various snap points on the
target object. When you move the pointer close to a snap point, the snap point becomes highlighted, which identifies it as the pointer’s
snapping target.

You can snap objects to other objects, to page elements (such as the center of the page), to the document grid, pixel grid, baseline grid, or
the guidelines.

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To snap an object to another object with greater precision, you can first snap the pointer to a snap point in the object, and then snap the
object to a snap point in the target object. For example, you can snap the pointer to the center of a rectangle, drag the rectangle by the
center, and then snap the rectangle to the center of another rectangle.

The pointer was snapped to an end node of the leaf (top), and then
the leaf was dragged to snap to the end node of the branch (bottom).

Snapping modes determine which snap points you can use in an object. The table below includes descriptions of all available snapping
modes.

Snapping mode Description Snapping mode indicator

Node Lets you snap to a node on an object

Intersection Lets you snap to a geometric intersection of

objects

Midpoint Lets you snap to a line segment midpoint

Quadrant Lets you snap to points that are at 0°, 90°,

180°, and 270° on a circle, ellipse, or arc

Tangent Lets you snap to a point on the outside

edge of an arc, circle, or ellipse where a line
touches, but does not intersect, the object

Perpendicular Lets you snap to a point on the outside

edge of a segment where a line is
perpendicular to the object

Edge Lets you snap to a point that touches the

edge of an object

Center Lets you snap to the center of the closest

object (arc, regular polygon, or curve
centroid)

Text baseline Lets you snap to a point on the baseline of

artistic or paragraph text

You can choose a number of snapping options. For example, you can disable some or all snapping modes to make the application run faster.
You can also set a snapping threshold, which specifies the distance from the pointer at which a snap point becomes active. You can also turn
snapping on and off.

To turn snapping on or off

• Perform one or more tasks from the following table:

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To Do the following

Enable snapping for all objects Click View  Snap to  Objects.

Enable snapping objects to page elements (edges, edge midpoints, Click View  Snap to  Page.
and page center)

Enable snapping objects to the pixel grid Click View  Snap to  Pixels.

This option is available only when pixel view is enabled. For more
information, see “Choosing viewing modes” on page 42.

Enable snapping objects to the document grid Click View  Snap to  Document grid.

For more information, see “Setting up the document grid” on page

452.

Enable snapping objects to the baseline grid Click View  Snap to  Baseline grid.

For more information, see “Setting up the baseline grid” on page

453.

Enable snapping objects to guidelines Click View  Snap to  Guidelines.

For more information, see “Setting up guidelines” on page 454.

A check mark next to the snap command indicates that snapping is turned on.

You can also press Alt + Z to toggle snapping to objects on and off, or press Ctrl + Y to toggle snapping to the document grid on
and off.

To snap objects
1 Select the object that you want to snap to the target object.
2 Move the pointer over the object until the snap point becomes highlighted.
3 Drag the object close to the target object until the snap point on the target object becomes highlighted.

To snap an object as you draw it, drag in the drawing window until the snap point in the target object becomes highlighted.

To set snapping options

1 Click Tools  Options.
2 In the Workspace list of categories, click Snap to objects.
3 On the Snap to objects page of the Options dialog box, enable one or more of the check boxes in the Modes area.
To enable all snapping modes, click Select all.
To disable all snapping modes without turning off snapping, click Deselect all.
4 Type a value in the Snapping radius box to set the radius, in pixels, of the snapping field around the pointer.

You can also

Display or hide snapping mode indicators Enable or disable the Show snap location marks check box.

Display or hide screen tips Enable or disable the Screen tip check box.

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Using dynamic guides
You can display dynamic guides to help you precisely move, align, and draw objects in relation to other objects. Dynamic guides are
temporary guidelines that you can pull from the following snap points in objects — center, node, quadrant, and text baseline. For more
information about snap points and snapping modes, see “Snapping objects” on page 199.

As you drag an object along a dynamic guide, you can view the distance of the object from the snap point that was used to create the
dynamic guide, which helps you position the object precisely. You can use dynamic guides to place objects in relation to other objects as you
draw them. You can also display intersecting dynamic guides and then place an object at the intersection.

A dynamic guide was pulled from a node in the object on the left. The screen tip next to the node displays the angle of the
dynamic guide (0º)and the distance between the node and the pointer (1.5 inches.) The object on the right was dragged along
the dynamic guide and positioned precisely 1.5 inches away from the node that was used to generate the dynamic guide.

Dynamic guides contain invisible divisions, called ticks, to which your pointer gravitates. Ticks let you move objects with precision along a
dynamic guide. You can adjust tick spacing to suit your needs, and you can disable snapping to ticks. You can set other options for dynamic
guides. For example, you can choose to display dynamic guides at one or more preset angles, or at custom angles that you specify. You can
preview the angle settings. You can also customize the color and line style of dynamic guides. When you no longer need a dynamic guide at
a certain angle, you can delete the angle settings. You can also display dynamic guides that are extensions of line segments.

This dynamic guide is an extension of a line segment.

You can turn off dynamic guides at any time.

To enable or disable dynamic guides

• Click View  Dynamic guides.

A check mark beside the Dynamic guides command indicates that dynamic guides are enabled.

You can toggle dynamic guides on and off by pressing Shift + Alt + D.

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To display dynamic guides
1 With dynamic guides enabled, click a drawing tool.
2 Move the pointer over, and then off, an eligible snap point of an object.
3 Repeat step 2 with other objects to display other dynamic guides.

The snap points that you point to are registered in a queue and are used to create dynamic guides.

The eligible snap points — the node, center, quadrant, and text baseline snap points — appear only when the corresponding
snapping modes are activated. For more information about snap points and snapping modes, see “Snapping objects” on page
199.

To avoid displaying too many dynamic guides, you can clear the queue of points at any time by clicking in the drawing window or
pressing Esc.

You can use the snap points you registered to display intersecting dynamic guides. To do this, display a dynamic guide, and then
move the pointer along the dynamic guide to where an intersecting dynamic guide would appear from a registered snap point.

To place an object in relation to another object

1 With dynamic guides enabled, select an object.
If you want to move the object by a specific snap point, move the pointer over the snap point until the snap point becomes highlighted.
2 Drag the object to an eligible snap point of the target object.
3 When the snap point of the target object becomes highlighted, drag the object along the dynamic guide to position it.

The eligible snap points — the node, center, quadrant, and text baseline snap points — appear only when the corresponding
snapping modes are activated. For more information about snap points and snapping modes, see “Snapping objects” on page
199.

To draw an object in relation to another object

1 With dynamic guides enabled, click a drawing tool.
2 Move the pointer over an eligible snap point of an object.
3 When the snap point becomes highlighted, move the pointer to display a dynamic guide.
4 Move the pointer along the dynamic guide to the point where you want to draw, and drag to draw an object.

The eligible snap points — the node, center, quadrant, and text baseline snap points — appear only when the corresponding
snapping modes are activated. For more information about snap points and snapping modes, see “Snapping objects” on page
199.

To place an object at the intersection of dynamic guides

1 With dynamic guides enabled, select an object.
If you want to use a specific snap point to move the object, move the pointer over the snap point until the snap point becomes
highlighted.
2 Drag the object to an eligible snap point of another object, drag to display a dynamic guide, and continue to hold down the mouse
button.
3 Drag the object to another eligible snap point. When the snap point becomes highlighted, drag to display another dynamic guide where
the two dynamic guides would intersect.

Working with objects | 203

4 When the intersecting point appears, release the mouse button.

In the following example, intersecting dynamic guides are used to position an ellipse.

First, the ellipse was dragged by its center snap point (left) to the edge of
the other carton, and then to the right to display a dynamic guide (right).

Next, the ellipse was dragged to the edge of the carton, and then down to display another dynamic
guide (left). Finally, the ellipse was positioned at the intersection of the dynamic guides (right).

The eligible snap points — the node, center, quadrant, and text baseline snap points — appear only when the corresponding
snapping modes are activated. For more information about snap points and snapping modes, see “Snapping objects” on page
199.

To set options for dynamic guides

1 Click Window  Dockers  Alignment and dynamic guides.
2 In the Alignment and dynamic guides docker, click the Dynamic guides button .
3 Perform one or more tasks from the following table.

To Do the following

Enable or disable dynamic guides Enable or disable the check box in the top-right corner of the
Dynamic guides section of the docker.

Change the line style of dynamic guides Open the Line style picker, and choose a line style.

Change the color of dynamic guides Open the Line color picker, and choose a color.

Display or hide the angle of dynamic guides and the distance from Click the Display screen tips button .
the snap point used to create the dynamic guide

Display dynamic guides that are extensions of line segments Click the Extend along segment button .

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To Do the following

Snap to specified invisible divisions along the dynamic guide Click the Snap to tick spacing button , and type a value in the
Tick spacing box.

Choose the angles at which to display the dynamic guides Enable or disable the angle check boxes.

When you enable an angle check box, a preview of the dynamic

guide appears in the Guides preview window.

Add a custom dynamic guide angle Type a value in the Custom angle box, and click the Add custom
angle button .

Delete a dynamic guide angle Select a dynamic guide in the list, and click the Delete custom
angle button .

Display dynamic guides at all available angles Click the Select all button .

Disable dynamic guides at all available angles Click the Deselect all button .

Using alignment guides

You can align objects interactively on the drawing page by using alignment guides. Alignment guides are temporary guidelines that appear
when you create, resize, or move objects in relation to other nearby objects. While dynamic guides provide precise measurements for
creating technical illustrations, alignment guides are useful in page layout to align text or graphic elements quickly and accurately.

Alignment guides help you align the center of an object with the center of another object (center to center) or the edge of an object with
the edge of another object (edge to edge). In addition, you can align the edge of an object with the center of another object (edge to
center).

Alignment guides appear as an object is moved.

If you want to align an object at a set distance from the edge of another object, you can set margins for the alignment guides. After you
specify the margins, you can choose how the edge guides appear: they can follow either the margins, or both the margins and the edges of
the object.

Margin alignment guides let you use offset margins, inset margins, or both. There are separate controls for horizontal and vertical margin
alignment guides, so you can modify settings for one without affecting the other.

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 You can offset (left) and inset (right) margin alignment guides.

Alignment guides are turned off by default. You can easily enable or disable alignment guides, or modify their default settings, including
the color and line style. You can choose whether alignment guides appear for individual objects in a group, or for the bounding box of the
group as a whole.

The Intelligent Spacing feature lets you precisely arrange and position an object in relation to other onscreen objects, and the Intelligent
Dimensioning feature lets you intuitively scale and rotate an object in relation to other onscreen objects.

Intelligent Dimensioning displays indicators when an object is rotated to

the same angle (top) or scaled to same size as the closest object (bottom).

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 Intelligent Spacing displays indicators when an object is equidistant between two
other objects (left) or has the same spacing as the closest onscreen objects (right).

To enable or disable alignment guides

• Click View  Alignment guides.

A check mark beside the Alignment guides command indicates that alignment guides are enabled.

You can also enable or disable alignment guides by clicking the Alignment guides button on the Layout toolbar. To open the Layout
toolbar, click Window  Toolbars  Layout.

You can also enable alignment guides by pressing Shift + Alt + A.

To modify alignment guide settings

1 Click Window  Dockers  Alignment and dynamic guides.
2 In the Alignment and dynamic guides docker, click the Alignment guides button .
3 Perform any of the following tasks.

To Do the following

Enable or disable alignment guides Enable or disable the check box in the top-right corner of the
Alignment guides section.

Change the color of alignment guides Open the Line color picker, and choose a color.

Change the line style of alignment guides Open the Line style picker, and choose a line style.

Set guides to align the edge of an object with the edge of another Click the Object edges button .
object

Set guides to align the edge of an object with the center of another Click the Object centers button .
object

Set guides to align to individual objects in a group Click the Individual objects in a group button .

Distribute objects using the same spacing as the closest onscreen Ensure that the Intelligent spacing button is enabled, and
objects
drag the object until indicator arrows appear.

Position an object equidistantly between two other objects Ensure that the Intelligent spacing button is enabled, and drag the
object between two other objects until indicator arrows appear.

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To Do the following

Scale objects to the same dimensions as other onscreen objects Ensure that the Intelligent dimensioning button is enabled,
and scale the object until indicator arrows appear.

Rotate objects to the same angle as other rotated onscreen objects Ensure that the Intelligent dimensioning button is enabled, and
rotate the object until rotation indicators appear.

You can access most alignment guide controls on the Layout toolbar by clicking the Layout toolbar button .

To add margin alignment guides

1 Click Window  Dockers  Alignment and dynamic guides.
2 In the Alignment and dynamic guides docker, click the Alignment guides button .
3 Perform any of the following tasks.

To Do the following

Add margin alignment guides Enable the Margins check box. If the Margins check box is not
displayed, click the arrow button located at the bottom of the
Alignment guides section.

Change the line color of margins Open the Margin line color picker, and choose a color.

Change the line style of margins Open the Margin line style picker, and choose a line style.

Set horizontal margins Type a value in the Horizontal margin box, click the Horizontal
margin button, and choose one of the following options:
• Offset horizontally — creates a margin of the specified
distance around an object
• Inset horizontally — creates a margin of the specified
distance within an object
• Offset and inset horizontally — creates margins of the
specified distance around and within an object

Set vertical margins Type a value in the Vertical margin box, click the Vertical margin
button, and choose one of the following options:
• Offset vertically — creates a margin of the specified distance
around an object
• Inset vertically — creates a margin of the specified distance
within an object
• Offset and inset vertically — creates a margin of the
specified distance around and within an object

Lock the ratio between vertical and horizontal margins Click the Lock ratio button

View only margin alignment guides Disable the Object edges button , the Object centers button
, the Intelligent spacing button , and the Intelligent
dimensioning button .

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To Do the following

Disable horizontal margins Click the Horizontal margin button, and choose No horizontal
margin .

Disable vertical margins Click the Vertical margin button, and choose No vertical
margin .

Changing the order of objects

You can change the stacking order of objects on a layer or a page by sending objects to the front or back of other objects. You can also
position objects precisely in the stacking order, as well as reverse the stacking order of multiple objects.

The four objects (left) are ordered from top to bottom to create the final image (right).

To move an object in the stacking order

1 Select an object.
2 Click Object  Order, and then click one of the following commands:
• To frontof page — moves the selected object in front of all other objects on the page
• To back of page — moves the selected object behind all other objects on the page
• To front of layer — moves the selected object in front of all other objects on the active layer
• To back of layer — moves the selected object behind all other objects on the active layer
• Forward one — moves the selected object forward one position. If the selected object is in front of all other objects on the active
layer, it is moved to the layer above.
• Back one — moves the selected object behind one position. If the selected object is behind all other objects on the selected layer, it is
moved to the layer below.
• In front of — moves the selected object in front of the object that you click in the drawing window
• Behind — moves the selected object behind the object that you click in the drawing window

An object cannot be moved to a locked (non-editable) layer; instead, it is moved to the closest editable layer. For example, when you
apply the To front of page command, and the topmost layer is locked, the object is moved to the topmost editable layer. Any objects
on the locked layer remain in front of the object.
By default, all objects on the master page appear on top of the objects on other pages. For information about reordering content on
master page layers, see “To move a layer” on page 229.

An Order command is unavailable if the selected object is already positioned in the specified stacking order. For example, the To front
of page command is unavailable if the object is already in front of all the other objects on the page.

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To reverse the order of multiple objects
1 Select the objects.
2 Click Object  Order  Reverse order.

Sizing and scaling objects

CorelDRAW lets you size and scale objects. In both cases, you change the dimensions of an object proportionally by preserving its aspect
ratio. You can change the dimensions of an object by specifying precise values or by changing the object interactively. When you scale an
object, you change its dimensions by a specified percentage.

To size an object

To Do the following

Size a selected object Drag any of the corner selection handles.

Set a precise size Type values in the Object size boxes on the property bar.

Size a selected object from its center Hold down Shift, and drag one of the corner selection handles.

Size a selected object to a multiple of its original size Hold down Ctrl, and drag one of the corner selection handles.

Stretch and size a selected object simultaneously Hold down Alt, and drag one of the corner selection handles.

The anchor point of an object, also known as “object origin,” remains stationary when you resize the object by typing values in the
Object size boxes on the property bar. If you want to change the object origin, click a point on the Object origin button on the
property bar.

You can also size an object by clicking Object  Transformations  Size and then typing values in the Transformation docker.

To scale an object
1 Select an object.
2 In the toolbox, click the Free transform tool .
3 Click the Free scale button on the property bar.

If you want to change the object origin, click a point on the Object origin button on the property bar.

4 Type a percentage by which you want to scale the object in the Scale factor boxes on the property bar.

You can also

Apply the scaling according to the object’s position rather than the Click the Relative to object button on the property bar.
x and y coordinates

Scale an object using the Transformation docker Click Window  Dockers  Transformations  Scale and mirror.

Leave the original object unchanged and apply the transformation Click the Apply to duplicate button on the property bar, or type a
to a copy number in the Copies box in the Transformation docker.

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 The object origin, also known as “anchor point” or “reference point,” can be the center of an object or any one of the object’s
selection handles. The object origin remains stationary when an object is scaled by typing values in the Scale factor boxes on the
property bar.

You can also scale an object by dragging a corner selection handle.

You can also scale an object by using the Transform toolbar. To open the toolbar, click Window  Toolbars  Transform.

Rotating and mirroring objects

CorelDRAW lets you rotate and create mirror images of objects. You can rotate an object by specifying horizontal and vertical coordinates.
You can move the center of rotation to a specific ruler coordinate or to a point that is relative to the current position of the object.

Rotating objects around a single point

Mirroring an object flips it from left to right or top to bottom. By default, the mirror anchor point is in the center of the object.

Mirroring an object from top to bottom

To rotate an object
1 Select an object.
2 In the toolbox, click the Free transform tool .
3 Click the Free rotation button on the property bar.

4 Type a value in the Angle of rotation box on the property bar.

Working with objects | 211

You can also

Apply the rotation according to the object’s position rather than Click the Relative to object button on the property bar.
the x and y coordinates

Use rotation handles to rotate an object Using the Pick tool, click the object twice to display the rotation
handles. Drag a rotation handle clockwise or counterclockwise.

Rotate an object using the Transformation docker Click Window  Dockers  Transformations  Rotate.

You can also view and set the relative center of an object by clicking the object to display the rotation handles and dragging the
relative center handle (circle with a dot in the middle) to a new position.
You can set the relative center of an object to its original position by enabling the Relative center check box in the Transformation
docker and clicking the center option in the area below the check box.

You can also rotate an object by using the Transform toolbar. To open the toolbar, click Window  Toolbars  Transform.

To rotate an object around a ruler coordinate

1 Select an object.
2 Click Window  Dockers  Transformations  Rotate.
3 Disable the Relative center check box.
4 Type a value in the Angle box.
5 Type values in any of the following Center boxes:
• H — lets you specify the point on the horizontal ruler around which the object rotates
• V — lets you specify the point on the vertical ruler around which the object rotates
6 Press Enter.

To mirror an object
1 Select an object.
2 Click Window  Dockers  Transformations  Scale and mirror.
3 In the Transformation docker, click one of the following buttons:
• Horizontal mirror — lets you flip the object from left to right
• Vertical mirror — lets you flip the object from top to bottom
If you want to flip the object on a specific anchor point, enable the check box that corresponds to the anchor point you want to set.
4 Click Apply.

You can also mirror a selected object by holding down Ctrl and dragging a selection handle to the opposite side of the object.

You can also mirror a selected object by clicking the Mirror horizontally or the Mirror vertically button on the property bar.

Using the Object Properties docker to modify objects

The Object properties docker presents object-dependent formatting options and properties, letting you modify object settings from one
location. For example, if you create a rectangle, the Object properties docker automatically presents outline, fill, transparency, and corner
formatting options, as well as the rectangle’s properties. If you create a text frame, the docker instantly displays character, paragraph, and
frame formatting options, as well as the text frame’s properties.

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You can navigate quickly to the properties that you want to modify by using the controls at the top of the Object properties docker. In
addition, two view modes are available: Scroll and Tab. Scroll mode displays all relevant object properties, letting you scroll to the options
you want. Tab mode displays only one group of object properties at a time, hiding the other options. For example, you can view only fill
options, and then click the Outline button to view only outline options.

If objects have outline, fill, or other styles applied to them, style indicators appear beside the property in the Object properties docker. You
can hide the style indicators to save space.

To use the Object Properties docker

1 Select an object.
If the Object properties docker is not open, click Window  Dockers  Object properties.
2 Perform any of the following tasks.

To Do the following

Display the object properties that you want to modify Click the corresponding button at the top of the docker.

Switch between Scroll and Tab mode Click the Scroll/Tabmode button.

Display or hide the style indicators Click the Style indicator button.

Grouping objects
When you group two or more objects, they are treated as a single unit but retain their individual attributes. Grouping lets you apply the
same formatting, properties, and other changes to all the objects within the group at the same time. In addition, grouping helps prevent
accidental changes to the position of an object in relation to other objects. You can also create nested groups by grouping together existing
groups.

Individual objects retain their attributes when they are grouped.

You can add objects to or remove objects from a group, and you can delete objects that are members of a group. You can also edit a single
object in a group without ungrouping the objects. If you want to edit multiple objects in a group at the same time, you must first ungroup
the objects. If a group contains nested groups, you can ungroup all objects in the nested groups simultaneously.

To group objects
1 Select the objects.
2 Click Object  Group  Group objects.

The status bar indicates that a group of objects is selected.

You can select objects from different layers and group them; however, after objects are grouped, they reside on the same layer and
are stacked on top of one another.

Working with objects | 213

 You can create a nested group by selecting two or more groups of objects and clicking Object  Group  Group objects.
You can also group objects by dragging an object in the Object manager docker over another object. If the Object manager docker
is not open, click Window  Dockers  Object manager.

You can also group objects by clicking the Group button on the property bar.

To add an object to a group

• In the Object manager docker, drag the object to the group.

If the Object manager docker is not open, click Window  Dockers  Object manager.

To remove an object from a group

• In the Object manager docker, drag an object outside the group.

If the Object manager docker is not open, click Window  Dockers  Object manager.

To delete an object in a group, select the object in the object list, and click Edit  Delete.

To edit an object in a group

1 Click the Pick tool .
2 Hold down Ctrl, and click an object in a group to select it.
3 Edit the object.

You can also select an object in a group by clicking the object in the Object manager docker. If the Object manager docker is not
open, click Window  Dockers  Object manager.

To ungroup objects
1 Select one or more groups.
2 Click Object  Group, and click one of the following commands:
• Ungroup objects — breaks a group into individual objects, or a nested group into multiple groups
• Ungroup all objects — breaks one or more groups into individual objects, including objects within nested groups

Choosing Ungroup all objects also ungroups all nested groups. To preserve nested groups, select Ungroup objects.

You can also ungroup objects by clicking the Ungroup button on the property bar.

You can also ungroup all nested groups within a group by clicking the Ungroup all button on the property bar.

Combining objects
Combining two or more objects creates a single object with common fill and outline attributes. You can combine rectangles, ellipses,
polygons, stars, spirals, graphs, or text so that they are converted to a single curve object. If you need to modify the attributes of an object
that has been combined from separate objects, you can break apart the combined object. You can extract a subpath from a combined object

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to create two separate objects. You can also weld two or more objects to create a single object. For information about welding objects, see
“Welding and intersecting objects” on page 164.

The two objects (left) are combined to create a single object (right). The
new object has the fill and outline properties of the last object selected.

To combine objects
1 Select the objects to be combined.
2 Click Object  Combine.

Combined text objects become larger blocks of text.

You can also combine selected objects by clicking the Combine button on the property bar.

You can close open lines in a combined object by clicking Object  Join curves and choosing settings in the Join curves docker.

To break apart a combined object

1 Select a combined object.
2 Click Object  Break curve apart.

If you break apart a combined object that contains artistic text, the text breaks apart into lines first, and then into words. Paragraph
text breaks into separate paragraphs.

To extract a subpath from a combined object

1 Click the Shape tool , and select a segment, node, or group of nodes on a combined object.

2 Click the Extract subpath button on the property bar.

After you extract the subpath, the fill and outline properties of the path are removed from the combined object.

Working with objects | 215

Locking objects
Locking an object prevents you from accidentally moving, sizing, transforming, filling, or otherwise changing it. You can lock single, multiple,
or grouped objects. To change a locked object, you need to unlock it first. You can unlock one object at a time, or all locked objects at the
same time.

To lock an object
• Select an object, and click Object  Lock  Lock object.

You cannot lock linked objects, such as blends, contours, or text inside an object. You also cannot lock objects within groups or linked
groups.

You can also lock an object by right-clicking it and then clicking Lock object.

To unlock objects
1 Select a locked object or group of objects.
2 Click Object  Lock, and then click one of the following:
• Unlock object
• Unlock all objects

You can also unlock an object by right-clicking it and then clicking Unlock object.

Finding and replacing objects

You can use the Find and Replace wizards to locate and edit objects in a large drawing.

Using search criteria that you specify, the Find wizard guides you step-by-step when you need to find and select objects in a drawing. The
search criteria can include object type and its related properties, fill and outline properties, vector effects applied to objects, or the name
of an object or style. For example, you can search for and select all rectangles with rounded corners and without fill, or all text on a path.
You can also search for objects that contain the same properties as a selected object. You can change the search criteria in the middle of a
search. You can also save search criteria for later use.

The Replace wizard guides you through the process of finding objects that contain the properties you specify and then replacing those
properties with others. For example, you can replace all object fills of a certain color with fills of a different color. You can also replace color
models and palettes, outline properties, and text attributes, such as font and font size.

You can also search for specific words and replace them with other words. For more information, see “Finding, editing, and converting text”
on page 349.

To find and select objects

1 Click Edit  Find and replace  Find objects.
2 Follow the instructions in the Find wizard.

You can also access the Find wizard by pressing Ctrl + F.

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To replace object properties
1 Click Edit  Find and replace  Replace objects.
2 Follow the instructions in the Replace wizard.

Constraining objects
You can restrict how objects are drawn and edited by using a constrain key while you draw. For example, you can press a constrain key to
constrain a rectangle to a square, an ellipse to a circle, or a straight line to a perfectly horizontal or vertical line. By default, the application
uses the Ctrl key to constrain the shape or angle of objects, and the Shift key to draw shapes outward from their center of origin. However,
you can change the default constrain key to Shift at any time.

You can use a control key to draw or rotate an object, or the nodes and control handles of an object, at a preset increment. This increment is
known as the constrain angle. By default, the constrain angle is 15 degrees, but you can change it to suit your needs.

To constrain objects while drawing or editing

To Do the following

Constrain a shape to equal width and height While holding down Ctrl, draw diagonally.

Use a preset increment (the constrain angle) to draw or rotate an While holding down Ctrl, move the pointer to draw or rotate the
object object.

A rectangle is constrained to a square, an ellipse to a circle, and a polygon to a shape with sides of equal length.

To change the constrain key

1 Click Tools  Options.
2 In the Workspace list of categories, click Toolbox, and then click Pick tool.
3 In the Ctrl and Shift keys area, enable one of the following options:
• Traditional CorelDRAW — lets you use the Ctrl key as the constrain key and the Shift key to draw shapes outward from their center
of origin
• Windows standard — lets you use the Shift key as the constrain key and the Ctrl key to apply transformations to the duplicate of an
object while leaving the original intact

To change the constrain angle

1 Click Tools  Options.
2 In the Workspace list of categories, click Edit.
3 Type a value in the Constrain angle box.

Inserting bar codes

The Barcode wizard in CorelDRAW lets you add bar codes to drawings. A bar code is a group of bars, spaces, and sometimes numbers that
is designed to be scanned and read into computer memory. Bar codes are most commonly used to identify merchandise, inventory, and
documents.

The Barcode wizard guides you through the process of inserting a bar code. If you need additional information at any step, you can consult
the Help in the Barcode wizard.

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You can also insert QR codes. For more information, see “Inserting and editing QR codes” on page 219.

To insert a bar code

1 Click Object  Insert barcode.
2 Follow the instructions in the Barcode wizard.

If you need help with choosing options, click Help in the Barcode wizard.

A bar code is inserted into a drawing as an object.

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Inserting and editing QR codes

A Quick Response (QR) code is a type of barcode that represents information in two dimensions. Typically, QR codes consist of dots (also
called “pixels”) arranged in a square pattern and displayed against a contrasting background. QR codes are known for their fast readability
and can store information such as website addresses, phone numbers, and messages.

With the widespread use of smartphones, QR codes have become popular in consumer advertising and packaging. By scanning a QR code
on your smartphone, you can quickly access the brand’s website for more information about a product.

This section contains the following topics:

• “Inserting QR codes” (page 219)
• “Editing QR codes” (page 220)
• “Validating QR codes” (page 221)

Inserting QR codes
CorelDRAW lets you insert QR codes with embedded information such as a web address, email address, phone number, text message, geo
location, or plain text.

An example of a QR code

To insert a QR code
1 Click Object  Insert QR code.
2 In the Object properties docker, choose one of the following options from the QR code type list box:
• URL — lets you specify a URL for a website
• Email address — lets you specify an email address if you want to use the QR code to generate a blank email

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 • Phone number — lets you specify a phone number for the QR code. Depending on the QR reader that you use, scanning the code can
initiate, with your permission, dialing the phone number on smartphones.
• SMS — lets you include a Short Message Service (SMS) message by typing a phone number and message text. With your permission,
the QR reader can initiate sending the SMS message to the specified phone number.
• Contact — lets you specify contact information in vCard or meCard format. From the Contact card type list box, choose vCard
or meCard, and type the contact information in the appropriate boxes. With your permission, this contact information can be
automatically added to the address book on your phone.
• Calendar event — lets you schedule an event by specifying a name, location, start date/time, and end date/time for the event. With
your permission, the event can be added to your calendar.
• Geo location — lets you show a geographic location by specifying latitude and longitude values
• Plain text — lets you include plain (unformatted) text

Editing QR codes
After you insert a QR code, you can use the Object properties docker to customize the pixel fill, the background fill, the pixel outline, as well
as the pixel shape and corner roundness. When you customize the shape of the pixels, the markers (the three larger squares in the corners,
as well as one or more smaller squares in the interior of the code pattern) remain unchanged to maintain the readability of the code. You
can also specify the margin around the QR code or weld the pixels together.

A QR code with customized pixel shapes and added text. The markers remain unchanged.

Error correction

Visual effects, logos, or text added to a QR code can give it an artistic look but may be considered errors by scanners. You can use the error
correction settings to minimize the possibility of error when scanning the QR code. For example, if part of the pixel pattern is covered by a
graphic or text, the error correction duplicates some of the hidden data so that this data can be recovered. Four levels of error correction are
available. Higher correction levels duplicate a higher percentage of the information, which may limit the amount of new information a QR
code can store. This may be a problem for QR codes that are approaching, or already contain, the maximum amount of information before
high error correction is applied. In that case, you are prompted to reduce either the correction level or the amount of data in the QR code.

You can move, resize, scale, and align the QR code like any other object. For more information, see “Working with objects” on page 175.

With QR codes, you can use styles to control the appearance of the fill, outline, and other properties. For more information, see “Working
with styles and style sets” on page 423. You can also change the default look of QR codes by modifying the default object properties. For
more information, see “Managing default object properties” on page 427.

To edit a QR code
1 Double-click the QR code.
2 In the Object properties docker, perform any of the following tasks.

To Do the following

Apply a fill to the pixels of the QR code Choose a fill type from the Pixel fill type list box, and then choose
a fill from the Pixel fill color picker.

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To Do the following

If you want to customize the fill, click the Pixel fill settings button
next to the pixel color picker, and specify the fill settings.

Apply a fill to the background Choose a fill type from the Background fill type list box, and then
choose a fill from the Background fill color picker.

If you want to customize the fill, click the Background fill settings
button next to the background color picker, and specify the fill
settings.

Specify the pixel outline width and color Type a value in the Pixel outline width box, and then choose a
color from the Pixel outline color picker.

If you want to customize the outline, click the Pixel outline

settings button next to the outline color picker, and specify the
outline settings.

Specify the margin around the QR code Type a value in the Margin box.

Choose a pixel shape Choose a shape from the Pixel shape picker.

To set the percentage of fill on the pixels, type a value in the Pixel
fill factor box.

Weld pixels Click the arrow button at the bottom of the QR code section
to expand it, and enable the Weld pixels check box.

Set the corner roundness of the pixels Click the arrow button at the bottom of the QR code section
to expand it, and type a value in the Pixel roundness box.

When editing the fill, make sure that there is high contrast between the pixels and the background to avoid errors in scanning the
code.

To set the error correction level

1 Double-click a QR code.
2 In the Object properties docker, click the arrow button at the bottom of the QR code section to expand it, and choose an option
from the Error correction level list box.
The error correction levels specify what percentage of the information used in a QR code can be restored if lost.
• Low — restores 7% of the information
• Medium — restores 15% of the information
• Quartile — restores 25% of the information
• High — restores 30% of the information

Validating QR codes
After inserting and formatting a QR code, you can validate it to make sure that it can be read by QR code readers and scanners.

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To validate a QR code
1 Double-click the QR code.
2 In the Object properties docker, click Validate.

To validate a QR code that was not created in CorelDRAW, click Object  Validate barcode, and marquee-select the QR code.

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Working with layers

You can work with layers to help you organize and arrange objects in complex illustrations.

This section contains the following topics:

• “Creating layers” (page 223)
• “Changing layer properties” (page 226)
• “Moving and copying layers and objects” (page 229)

Creating layers
All CorelDRAW drawings consist of stacked objects. The vertical order of these objects — the stacking order — contributes to the
appearance of the drawing. An effective way to organize these objects is by using invisible planes called layers.

Drawings can be assembled by placing objects on various levels or layers.

Layering gives you added flexibility when you organize and edit the objects in complex drawings. You can divide a drawing into multiple
layers, each containing a portion of the drawing’s contents. For example, you can use layers to organize an architectural plan for a building.
You can organize the building’s various components (for example, plumbing, electrical, structural) by placing them on separate layers.

Local layers and master layers

All content is placed on a layer. Content that applies to a specific page is placed on a local layer. Content that applies to all pages in a
document can be placed on a global layer called a master layer. Master layers are stored on a virtual page called the Master Page.

Working with layers | 223

 The Object manager docker displays the default layer structure. The names of the active page and layer appear at the top.

You can create master layers for all pages, for even pages, or for odd pages. For example, placing content on an even master layer means
that the content will appear on all even pages but not on the odd pages.

Each new file is created with a default page (Page 1) and a Master Page. The default page contains the following layers:
• Guides — stores page-specific (local) guidelines. All objects placed on the Guides layer appear as outlines only, and the outlines act as
guidelines.
• Layer 1 — represents the default local layer. When you draw objects on the page, the objects are added to this layer unless you choose a
different layer.

The Master Page is a virtual page that contains the information that applies to all pages in a document. You can add one or more layers to a
master page to hold content such as headers, footers, or a static background. By default, a master page contains the following layers:
• Guides (all pages) — contains the guidelines that are used for all pages of the document. All objects placed on the Guides layer appear
as outlines only, and the outlines act as guidelines.
• Desktop — contains objects that are outside the borders of the drawing page. This layer lets you store objects that you may want to
include in the drawing at a later time.
• Document grid — contains the document grid that is used for all pages of the document. The document grid is always the bottom
layer.

The default layers on the master page cannot be deleted or copied.

To add content to a layer, you must first select the layer so that it becomes the active layer.

Viewing layers, pages, and objects

You can choose different views that let you display pages, layers, or all the objects in your document. The view you choose depends on the
complexity of your document and the task you are performing. For example, in a long multipage document, you can choose a pages-only
view so that you can navigate the document more easily and view only one page at a time. The Current page, layers only view lets you view
and reorder all the layers that affect the current page, including the master layers.

For information about how facing page views affect layers, see “To view facing pages” on page 44.

For information about how layers are affected when you save a file to an earlier version of CorelDRAW, see “To save a drawing” on page 45.

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To create a layer
1 If the Object manager docker is not open, click Object  Object manager.
2 Perform a task from the following table.

To Do the following

Create a local layer In the upper-right corner of the Object manager docker, click the
flyout button , and click New layer.

Create a master layer for all pages In the upper-right corner of the Object manager docker, click the
flyout button , and click New master layer (all pages).

Create a master layer for odd pages In the upper-right corner of the Object manager docker, click the
flyout button , and click New master layer (odd pages).

This command is available only when the active page is an odd

page.

Create a master layer for even pages In the upper-right corner of the Object manager docker, click the
flyout button , and click New master layer (even pages).

This command is available only when the active page is an even

page.

To use a layer in the drawing, you must first make the layer active by clicking the layer name in the Object manager docker. The
layer name appears in a red bold font to indicate that it is the active layer. When you start a drawing, the default layer (Layer 1) is the
active layer.
Master layers are always added to the master page. Content added to these layers is visible on all pages of the document, all odd
pages, or all even pages, depending on the type of master layer that you have chosen.

Master layers for odd and even pages cannot be created in Facing Pages view. If you have created odd and even master pages before
switching to Facing Pages view, the odd and even master layers will be converted to all-page master layers. For more information
about facing pages, see “To view facing pages” on page 44.

You can also add a layer by clicking the New layer button in the Object manager docker.
You can also create new master layers by clicking the respective button in the Object manager docker: New master layer (all
pages) , New master layer (odd pages) , or New master layer (even pages) .

You can make any layer a master layer by right-clicking the layer name, and clicking Master (all pages), Master (odd pages), or
Master (even pages).

To make a layer active

1 If the Object manager docker is not open, click Object  Object manager.
2 In the Object manager docker, click the layer name.

The layer name appears in a red bold font to indicate that it is the active layer.

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 By default, the active layer is Layer 1.

The name of the active layer and the type of the currently selected object appear on the status bar at the bottom of the application
window. The names of the active page and layer also appear at the top of the Object manager docker.

To display pages, layers, and objects in the Object Manager docker

1 If the Object manager docker is not open, click Object  Object manager.
2 Perform a task from the following table.

To Do the following

Display pages Click the flyout button , and then click Show pages.

Display all layers for the current page Click the name of a page, click the Layer manager view button
, and then click Current page, layers only.

Display all layers and objects across all pages Click the Layer manager view button , and then click All
pages, layers and objects.

Display selected objects in the Object manager docker Click the flyout button , and then click Expand to show
selection.

The name of the active layer and the type of the currently selected object appear on the status bar at the bottom of the application
window. The names of the active page and layer also appear at the top of the Object manager docker.

If you want to view a document that has facing pages, see “To view facing pages” on page 44.

To delete a layer
1 If the Object manager docker is not open, click Object  Object manager.
2 Click the name of a layer.
3 Click the flyout button , and click Delete layer.

When you delete a layer, you also delete all the objects on it. To preserve an object, move it to a different layer before you delete the
current layer.

You can delete any unlocked layer except the following default layers: Document grid, Desktop, Guides, and Guides (all pages). For
more information about locking and unlocking layers, see “To set the editing properties of a layer” on page 228.

You can also delete a layer by right-clicking the layer name in the Object manager docker and choosing Delete.

Changing layer properties

For each new layer that you create, the display, editing, and printing and exporting properties are enabled by default. You can change these
properties at any time. You can also turn a local layer into a master layer, or a master layer into a local layer. For information about master
layers, see “Creating layers” on page 223.

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 The icons to the left of a layer’s name let you change the layer’s properties.

Showing and hiding layers

You can choose to show or hide layers in a drawing. Hiding a layer lets you identify and edit the objects on other layers. It also reduces the
time required for your drawing to refresh when you edit it.

Printing and exporting layers

You can set printing and exporting properties for a layer to control whether a layer is displayed in the printed or exported drawing. Note
that hidden layers are displayed in the final output if the printing and exporting properties are enabled. The Document grid layer cannot be
printed or exported.

Setting a layer’s editing properties

You can allow editing of the objects on all layers or restrict editing so that you can only edit objects on the active layer. You can also lock a
layer to prevent accidental changes to the objects it contains. When you lock a layer, you cannot select or edit the objects on that layer.

Renaming layers

You can rename layers to indicate their contents, their position in the stacking order, or their relationship with other layers.

Using layer color to view objects

You can change the layer color so that objects on the layer are displayed with the layer color when you use Wireframe view. For example, if
you place various components of an architectural plan (plumbing, electrical, structural) on separate layers, you can use layer color to quickly
identify to which component the objects belong. For more information about Wireframe view, see “Choosing viewing modes ” on page 42.

To change layer properties

1 If the Object manager docker is not open, click Object  Object manager.
2 Right-click the layer, and click Properties.
3 Specify the settings you want.

Working with layers | 227

To show or hide a layer
1 If the Object manager docker is not open, click Object  Object manager.
2 Click the Show or hide icon beside the layer name.

The layer is hidden when the Show or hide icon is grayed out.

Objects on a hidden layer are displayed in the printed or exported drawing unless the layer’s printing and exporting properties are
disabled. For more information, see “To enable or disable printing and exporting of a layer” on page 228.

You can also show or hide a layer by right-clicking the layer in the Object manager docker and then clicking Visible.

To enable or disable printing and exporting of a layer

1 If the Object manager docker is not open, click Object  Object manager.
2 Click the Enable or disable printing and exporting icon beside the layer name.

Disabling the printing and exporting of a layer prevents its contents from appearing in the printed or exported drawing, or in full-
screen previews.For information about full-screen previews, see “Previewing drawings” on page 41.

You can also enable or disable the printing and exporting of a layer by right-clicking the layer in the Object manager docker and
clicking Printable.

To set the editing properties of a layer

1 If the Object manager docker is not open, click Object  Object manager.
2 In the Object manager docker, click the name of the layer that you want to edit.
The layer name appears in a red bold font to indicate that the layer is active.
3 Perform a task from the following table.

To Do the following

Lock or unlock a layer Click the Lock or unlock icon beside the layer name.

Allow editing on all layers Click the flyout button , and click Edit across layers.

Allow editing on the active layer only Click the flyout button , and disable Edit across layers.

If you disable editing across layers, you can work only on the active layer and the Desktop layer. You cannot select or edit objects on
inactive layers. For example, if you use the Pick tool to marquee-select multiple objects on the drawing page, only the objects on the
active layer are selected.

You cannot lock or unlock the Document grid layer.

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 You can also allow editing on all layers by clicking the Edit across layers button in the Object manager docker. Editing across
layers is enabled when the button appears pressed. Clicking the button again restricts editing to the active layer.

You can also lock or unlock a layer by right-clicking the layer in the Object manager docker and then clicking Editable.

To rename a layer
1 If the Object manager docker is not open, click Object  Object manager.
2 Right-click the layer name, and click Rename.

Layer names may not be preserved when you save a CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X7 file to a previous version.

You can also rename a layer by clicking the layer name twice and typing a new name.

To change the layer color

• In the Object manager docker, double-click the color swatch that appears to the left of the layer name, and choose a color.

Objects on the layer are displayed with the layer color when you use Wireframe view (View  Wireframe).

You can also choose to display only the objects on a specific layer in Wireframe view by right-clicking the layer name, choosing
Properties, and enabling the Override full color view check box in the layer properties dialog box.

Moving and copying layers and objects

You can move or copy layers on a single page or between pages. You can also move or copy selected objects to new layers, including layers
on the master page.

Moving and copying layers affects the stacking order. Moving or copying an object to a layer below its current layer causes the object to
become the top object on its new layer. Similarly, moving or copying an object to a layer above its current layer causes the object to become
the bottom object on its new layer.

To move a layer
1 If the Object manager docker is not open, click Object  Object manager.
2 In the layers list, drag a layer name to a new position.

You can change the order of the master layers relative to local layers by displaying the list of all layers for the current page and
dragging a layer name to a new position in the layers list. To display all layers for a page, click a page name, click the Layer manager
view button at the top of the Object manager docker, and choose Current page, layers only.

To copy a layer
1 If the Object manager docker is not open, click Object  Object manager.
2 In the layers list, right-click the layer that you want to copy, and click Copy.

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3 Right-click the layer above which you want to place the copied layer, and click Paste.

The layer and the objects it contains are pasted above the selected layer.

To move or copy an object to another layer

1 If the Object manager docker is not open, click Object  Object manager.
2 Click an object in the Object manager docker.
3 Click the flyout button , and click one of the following:
• Move to layer
• Copy to layer
4 Click the destination layer.

When you move objects to or from a layer, the layer must be unlocked.

You can move and copy an object to another layer by dragging the object to a new layer in the Object manager docker.

You can also move an object to another layer by using an Order command. For more information, see “To move an object in the
stacking order” on page 209.

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Working with symbols

CorelDRAW lets you create objects and save them as symbols. Symbols are defined once and can be referenced many times in a drawing.
Each time you insert a symbol into a drawing, you create an instance of the symbol. Symbol definitions, as well as information about
instances, are stored in a symbol manager, which is part of the CorelDRAW (CDR) file. Using symbols for objects that appear many times in a
drawing helps to reduce file size.

In this section, you’ll learn about

• “Creating, editing, and deleting symbols” (page 231)
• “Using symbols in drawings” (page 233)
• “Managing collections and libraries” (page 235)

For information about modifying symbol instances and about unsupported object types, see “Reference: Working with symbols” on page
236.

For information about working with special characters in text, see “Embedding graphics” on page 359.

Creating, editing, and deleting symbols

Symbols are objects that are defined once and can be referenced many times in a drawing. You can have multiple instances of a symbol in a
drawing with little impact on file size. Symbols make editing a drawing quicker and easier, as changes made to a symbol are automatically
inherited by all instances.

Working with symbols | 231

 Using symbols for objects that appear many times helps to reduce file size.

Symbols are created from objects. When you convert an object to a symbol, the new symbol is added to the Symbol manager docker, and
the selected object becomes an instance. You can also create a symbol from multiple objects. Most objects in CorelDRAW can be converted
to symbols, with some exceptions. For more information, see “Unsupported object types ” on page 237.

The symbols that you create in a drawing are saved with the CorelDRAW (CDR) file. In addition, you can create symbol libraries, which
contain symbols that can be shared between drawings. For more information, see “Managing collections and libraries ” on page 235.

You can edit a symbol; any changes you make affect all instances in the drawing. The selection handles for symbols differ from those for
objects. Selection handles for symbols are blue; selection handles for objects are black. When you insert a symbol from an external library,
a copy of the symbol is added to the active drawing, but it remains linked to the source symbol. You can edit a linked symbol or you can
decide to break the link to the external library and make the symbol internal. When the link is broken, the local copy of the symbol remains
in the drawing as an internal symbol, and it can be edited independently from the symbol in the external library.

You can delete a symbol. When you delete a symbol that is used in a document, all instances of the symbol are removed from the document.
You can also delete all symbols that are stored in the document library but are not used in the document.

To create a symbol
1 Select an object or multiple objects.
2 Click Object  Symbol  New symbol.
3 Type a name for the symbol in the Create new symbol dialog box.

Symbols cannot span layers. If you convert objects on different layers to a symbol, the objects are combined on the topmost object’s
layer. For more information about layers, see “Working with layers” on page 223.

Not all objects can be converted to symbols. For more information, see “Unsupported object types ” on page 237.

You can also convert an existing object or objects to a symbol by dragging the object or objects to the Symbol manager docker. To
open the docker, click Object  Symbol  Symbol manager.

To edit a symbol
1 In the Symbol manager docker, choose a symbol from the list.
To open the Symbol manager docker, click Object  Symbol  Symbol manager.
2 Click the Edit symbol button .
3 Modify the objects on the drawing page.
4 Click the Finish editing object tab in the bottom-left corner of the drawing window.

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 Changes made to a symbol are automatically made to all instances in the active drawing.

While working in symbol edit mode, you cannot add layers or save a drawing.

You can also edit a symbol by selecting an instance in the drawing window and clicking the Edit symbol button on the property
bar, or holding down Ctrl and clicking a symbol instance.
To edit a linked symbol, click File  Open. Choose the drive and folder of the library that contains the symbol that you want to modify.
Click a library (.csl) filename, and click Open. The symbol appears in the Symbol manager docker, and it can be selected and edited
like any other symbol. You may need permission to change files on the network.
To rename a symbol, double-click the symbol’s name in the Symbol manager docker, and type a new name.

While editing a symbol, you can insert an instance of another symbol, which creates a nested symbol. You cannot, however, insert an
instance of the same symbol.

To make a linked symbol internal

1 Select a symbol in the drawing window.
2 Click Object  Symbol  Break link.

If there are other instances of the symbol in the drawing, you are given the choice to break the link to all instances. If you do, the internal
symbol will then apply to all the instances.

You can also make a linked symbol internal by right-clicking a symbol and choosing Break link.

To delete a symbol
1 In the Symbol manager docker, choose a symbol from the list.
2 Click the Delete symbol button .

When you delete a symbol, all instances of the symbol are removed from the drawing.

To delete unused symbols

1 In the Symbol manager docker, click the name of the active document.
2 Click the Purge unused definitions button .

Using symbols in drawings

You can insert a symbol into a drawing, which creates a symbol instance. You can modify certain properties of a symbol instance, such
as size and position, without affecting the symbol definition stored in the library. For a full list of the properties that you can modify, see
“Modifying symbol instances ” on page 236. You can convert a symbol instance back to an object while preserving its properties.

You can share symbols between drawings. Copying symbols to the Clipboard leaves the originals in the library. You can also copy and paste
instances of a symbol to and from the Clipboard. Pasting a symbol instance places the symbol in the library and also places an instance of
the symbol in the drawing. Subsequent pasting will place another instance of the symbol in the drawing without adding it to the library.
If a modified symbol instance is pasted into a drawing, the new instance maintains the properties of the original instance, and the new
symbol definition in the library maintains the properties of the original symbol. Symbol instances are copied and pasted in the same way
other objects are. For more information, see “Copying, duplicating, and deleting objects” on page 181.

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You can also export symbols to an external library that can be shared between drawings. For more information, see “Managing collections
and libraries” on page 235.

You can also delete a symbol instance.

To insert a symbol instance

1 Open the Symbol manager docker by clicking Object  Symbol  Symbol manager.

If you want the symbol scaled automatically to match the current drawing scale, ensure that the Scale to world units button is
enabled.
2 Choose a symbol from the list.
3 Click the Insert symbol button .

For information about working with special characters in text, see “Embedding graphics” on page 359.

You can also insert a symbol instance by dragging a symbol from the Symbol manager docker to the drawing window.

To modify a symbol instance

1 Select a symbol instance.
2 Make any changes.

Not all properties of a symbol instance can be modified. For a list of properties that can be modified, see “Modifying symbol instances”
on page 236. To modify other properties, you can revert the symbol instance to an object, or modify the symbol itself.

If a symbol contains multiple objects, all objects in the symbol instance are treated as if they were a group. You cannot modify
individual objects in a symbol instance.

When a symbol instance is selected, you can modify many object properties on the property bar.

To convert a symbol instance to an object or objects

1 Select a symbol instance.
2 Click Object  Symbol  Revert to objects.

The symbol remains in the Symbol manager docker.

You can also revert a symbol instance to an object by right-clicking the symbol instance and clicking Revert to objects.

To share symbols between drawings

To Do the following

Copy symbols to the Clipboard Open the source document. In the Symbol manager docker,
choose the symbol or symbols from the list, right-click, and click
Copy.

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To Do the following

Paste symbols from the Clipboard Open the target document. In the Symbol manager docker, right-
click, and click Paste.

The first pasted symbol is named “Symbol1,” and an increment number is appended to the names of subsequent copies: “Symbol2,”
“Symbol3,” and so on.

To delete a symbol instance

1 Select a symbol instance.
2 Press Delete.

The symbol remains in the Symbol manager docker.

Managing collections and libraries

The symbols that you create in a drawing are saved with the CorelDRAW file. If you want to use the symbols in other drawings or share them
with other users, you can save or export them to the Corel Symbol Library (CSL) format, creating a symbol library. When you save a drawing
to the Corel Symbol Library (CSL) format, all symbol instances are saved with the document. When you export a library, only the symbols are
saved with the document.

The Symbol manager docker displays the libraries that are in the local Symbols folder. The Symbols folder is the default location for custom
symbol libraries that have been exported from CorelDRAW and imported libraries that are copied locally.

The symbols that are used within the document appear under the document filename in the Symbol manager docker.

You can add libraries and collections (groups of library files) to your drawing. You can also delete libraries and collections.

You can add symbols to an existing library.

To create a symbol library

1 Create the symbols you want.
2 Click File  Save.
3 Choose the drive and folder where you want to store the library.
4 Choose CSL - Corel Symbol Library from the Save as type list box.
5 Type a filename in the File name box.
6 Click Save.

All symbols and symbol instances are saved with the document.

You can also click the name of the active document in the Symbol manager docker, and then click the Export library button .
When you export a library, only the symbols are saved with the document.

To add a collection or library to a drawing

1 In the folder tree of the Symbol manager docker, click Local symbols or Network symbols.
2 Click the Add librarybutton .
3 Locate and choose a collection or library.
4 Click OK.

Working with symbols | 235

 By default, library files are referenced from their original location. If you want to copy a library to your Symbols folder, enable the
Copy libraries locallycheck box.

If you are adding a collection, you can enable the Recursive check box to include subfolders.

To delete a collection or library

1 In the Symbol manager docker, click a collection or library.
2 Press Delete.

The collection or library is removed from the folder tree in the Symbol manager docker, but files are not deleted.

To add a symbol to an existing library

1 In the Symbol manager docker, right-click a symbol, and click Copy.
2 Click File  Open.
3 Choose the drive and folder where the library is stored.
4 Choose CSL - Corel Symbol Library from the Files of type list box.
5 Choose the library file where you want to add a symbol.
6 Right-click in the Symbol manager docker, and click Paste.
7 Save the library file.

Reference: Working with symbols

Modifying symbol instances

The following object properties can be modified for symbol instances. If a symbol contains multiple objects, all objects in the symbol instance
are treated collectively as a single object, just as if they were grouped.

Property Notes

Position Can be modified on the property bar. For more information, see
“Positioning objects” on page 194.

Size Can be modified on the property bar. For more information, see
“Sizing and scaling objects” on page 210.

Scale Percentage is relative to the symbol definition. Can be modified

on the property bar. For more information, see “Sizing and scaling
objects” on page 210.

Skew For more information, see “Skewing and stretching objects” on

page 144.

Rotation angle Can be modified on the property bar. For more information, see
“Rotating and mirroring objects” on page 211.

Transparency Uniform transparency only. Can be modified in the Symbol section

of the Object properties docker.

Mirror Can be modified on the property bar. For more information, see
“Rotating and mirroring objects” on page 211.

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Property Notes

Wrap text Can be modified in the Summary section of the Object properties
docker. Can also be modified on the property bar. For more
information, see “To wrap paragraph text around an object, artistic
text, or a text frame” on page 353.

Order Can be modified on the property bar. For more information, see
“Changing the order of objects” on page 209.

Name The name of an instance is displayed in the Symbol manager

docker. Click twice to change it.

Unsupported object types

Most objects in CorelDRAW can be converted to symbols, with the following exceptions.

Unsupported object type Notes

Linked or embedded objects Includes bar codes

Objects with lenses that are not frozen Lenses must be frozen.

Control objects in link groups (such as drop shadows, contours, All related objects in the link group must be included in the symbol.
blends, bevels, and extrusions) For example, if an object has a drop shadow, you cannot convert
the object without the drop shadow. Alternatively, you can break
the group apart.

Objects with Artistic Media effects applied Spray effects must be broken apart into curve objects. Other Artistic
Media effects must be either broken apart, or converted as a
link group. Spray effects that contain transparencies cannot be
converted to symbols.

Print merge fields

Linked bitmaps

Placed PDF or EPS files

Locked object Object must be unlocked.

Paragraph text

Connector and dimension lines Must be broken apart or included with the linked object or objects

Guidelines

Rollovers You cannot convert a rollover to a symbol; however, you can

include a symbol instance in a rollover state.

Objects with transparency or transparency effects applied Transparency effects must be converted to a bitmap.

Working with symbols | 237

238 | CorelDRAW X7 User Guide
Linking and embedding objects

Object linking and embedding (OLE) is a method of exchanging information between applications. Using OLE, you can take selected
objects or entire files from one application, called the source application, and place them into another application, called the destination
application.

You can freely move objects and files between applications as long as all the applications involved support OLE. CorelDRAW lets you create
and edit OLE objects, as well as insert objects and files created in other applications.

Linking results in a larger file size but is useful when you want to use an object or file in multiple files. To change every instance of the object
or the file, you only need to change the object in the source application. Linking is also useful when the destination application does not
directly support files created in the source application. Embedding is useful when you want to include all objects in one file. Embedded
objects are not linked to the source file, and result in a smaller file size in the destination application.

This section contains the following topics:

• “Inserting linked or embedded objects” (page 239)
• “Editing linked or embedded objects” (page 240)

Inserting linked or embedded objects

CorelDRAW lets you insert CorelDRAW files as linked or embedded objects in other applications. You can also insert a linked or embedded
object in CorelDRAW. A linked object remains connected to its source file; whereas an embedded object is not linked to its source file but is
integrated into the active document.

To insert a linked object

1 In CorelDRAW, select an object.
Make sure that the file is saved first.
2 Click Edit  Copy.
3 Click Edit  Paste special in the destination application.
4 Enable the Paste link option.

To insert a linked object into the active drawing from another application, click Object  Insert new object. In the Insert new object
dialog box, enable the Create from file option, browse to the file you want to insert, and enable the Link check box.

Linking and embedding objects | 239

To insert an embedded object
1 In the destination application, click Object  Insert new object.
2 Enable the Create from file option.
3 Click the Browse button.
4 Click a filename.

You can also create an embedded object by enabling the Create new option, and choosing the application in which you want to
create the object from the Object type list box.

You can also insert an embedded object by selecting an object in the source application, and dragging it to the window of the target
application.

Editing linked or embedded objects

You can edit a linked or embedded object. You can edit a linked object by editing its source file. Any changes you make to the source file are
automatically applied to the linked object. You can also modify a linked object; for example, you can update a linked object, substitute the
source file of a linked object for another, or break a link between a linked object and its source file.

To edit a linked or embedded object

1 Double-click the linked or embedded object to start the source application.
2 Edit the object in the source application.
3 Save the changes in the source application.
4 Close the source application.
5 Return to the active application window to review the edits.

In most cases, you can edit OLE objects only in the source application. If you try to change an OLE object using CorelDRAW, note the
following limitations. Depending on the source of the OLE object, you might not be able to rotate, skew, clone, trim, weld, intersect,
use as symbols, or combine OLE objects. Also, you might not be able to apply any of the effects in the Effects menu to OLE objects,
except for PowerClip objects. You can only size, move, copy OLE objects and place them into PowerClip containers.

You can also edit linked or embedded objects by starting the source application and opening the file directly.

To modify a linked object

1 Select a linked object using the Pick tool .
2 Click Object  Links.
3 Click one of the following buttons:
• Update now — updates the linked object to reflect changes made in the source file
• Open source — opens the object in the source application
• Change source — redirects the link to another file
• Break link — disconnects the link so that the object is embedded in the file

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Managing projects

The Object Data Manager is an advanced feature that is particularly useful as a project management tool when you create or supervise a
large project. Using the Object Data Manager is like having a small spreadsheet program, like Quattro Pro or Microsoft Excel, within your
graphics program. It lets you track expenses, deadlines, assignments, progress, or anything else you need to organize. You can enter many
types of project data about individual objects or groups of objects.

This section contains the following topics:

• “Setting up the project database” (page 241)
• “Assigning and copying object data” (page 242)
• “Viewing an object data summary” (page 243)

Setting up the project database

Before you assign project data to objects in a drawing, you need to know what information you want to display. By default, CorelDRAW
creates four data fields: Name, Cost, Comments, and CDRStaticID. The first three fields can be edited or deleted as required. The
CDRStaticID field is hidden; it is used by CorelDRAW to identify objects, and it can’t be edited or deleted.

You can create and assign as many data fields as you want, as long as they use permitted format variables. For more information about
assigning data fields, see “Assigning and copying object data” on page 242.

At any time, you can change the setting, such as the name or format, of a data field. If you require custom fields, you can define their
formats using four basic field formats: General, Date/time, Linear/angular, and Numeric. Each of these formats provides a series of
common settings. If the preset formats in CorelDRAW don’t provide the information you want in your data summary, you can create your
own custom formats using the variables available for the format type you’re using. The field format you select is used for all objects in the
active drawing.

You can also delete any data field except Name and CDRStaticID. When you delete a field, you also delete all data entered for that field in
the active document.

To add a data field

1 Click Window  Dockers  Object data manager.
2 In the Object data docker, click the Open field editor button .
3 In the Object data field editor dialog box, click Create new field.
4 To change the name of the field you created, double-click the field, type a new name, and press Enter.

Managing projects | 241

5 In the Add field to area, enable one or both of the following check boxes:
• Document defaults — stores the new field in the current document
• Application defaults — stores the new field in the application

You can also use this procedure to change the settings of an existing data field.

You can also

Change the format of a data field Select the data field, and click Change in the Format area. In the
Format definition dialog box, enable the option beside the format
type that you want to use, and choose a format from the list.

Create a custom format for a data field Select the data field, and click Change in the Format area. In the
Format definition dialog box, enable the option beside the format
type that you want to create. Type the format in the Create box,
and press Enter.

Delete a data field Choose the name of the data field from the list, and click Delete. To
choose multiple fields, hold down Ctrl, and click the names in the
list.

Assigning and copying object data

After creating all the data fields you want for a drawing, you can create a database. The Object data docker and the Object Data Manager
(a spreadsheet launched from the Object data docker) provide all the commands and features that you need to add and edit object
information.

The Object data docker is best for entering data for single objects. It lets you add, edit, and delete object data. The Object Data Manager, in
contrast, is best for entering and editing data for multiple objects. It provides many of the editing features available in popular spreadsheet
applications.

You can use one object’s data entries to update another object’s data entries. This function does not replace an object’s data entries; rather,
it appends fields and data where appropriate.

To add or edit data for an object

1 Select the object using the Pick tool .
2 Click Window  Dockers  Object data manager.
3 Select a data field. Type text in the Value column for the field, and press Enter.
4 Repeat step 3 to add data to other fields.

You can also

Clear one field Click the Clear field button .

Clear all fields Click the Clear all fields button .

To add or edit data for multiple objects

1 Select the objects using the Pick tool .
2 Click Window  Dockers  Object data manager.

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3 In the Object data docker, click the Open spreadsheet button .

4 In the Object data manager window, click a cell, and type the appropriate data. Press Enter to assign the entry to the cell, the fields,
and the objects.

To copy data from one object to another

1 Using the Pick tool , select the object to which you want to copy data.
2 Click Window  Dockers  Object data manager.
3 In the Object data docker, click the Copy data from button .

4 Click the object from which you want to copy data.

Viewing an object data summary

The Object Data Manager provides the commands and functions you need to view your object data summary. It summarizes the information
you’ve assigned to the objects in a drawing. While the Object Data Manager can be used to view and edit data associated with a single
object, its main purpose is to help you view and manage large amounts of data associated with multiple objects contained in various groups
in a drawing.

You can change how object data displays:

• You can display individual group subtotals for fields shared by multiple groups. Use this command when more than one group of objects
is displayed in a datasheet. This command applies only to fields with numeric formats.
• To create a visible distinction between groups in a column, you can place a two-space indent before data relating to objects in groups.
• You can have the Object Data Manager automatically total the values in the selected column. The total is displayed at the bottom of the
column.

The Object Data Manager gives you access to all of the application’s printing capabilities. This gives you the option to print quickly or print
using specific settings.

To view an object data summary

1 Select the object or objects using the Pick tool .

If you want to view an object data summary for the entire document, click Edit  Select all  Objects.
2 Click Window  Dockers  Object data manager.
3 In the Object data docker, click the Open spreadsheet button .

The object data summary displays in the Object data manager window.

You can also

Display or hide group subtotals Select the column by clicking the column title, and click Field
options  Summarize groups. A check mark beside the Summarize
groups command indicates that the group subtotals are displayed
in italics.

Indent or align groups in a column Select the column by clicking the column title, and click Field
options  Show hierarchy. A check mark beside the Show
hierarchy command indicates that the groups in a column are
indented.

Display or hide the sum of values in a column Select the column by clicking the column title, and click Field
options  Show totals. A check mark beside the Show totals

Managing projects | 243

You can also
command indicates that the sum of the values in a column are
displayed.

Print the object data summary Click File  Print. Choose a printer from the Printer list box. Type a
number in the Number of copies box. For more information about
the printing capabilities of CorelDRAW, see “Printing basics” on
page 525.

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Color, fills, and transparencies

Working with color..............................................................................................................................................................................247

Filling objects.......................................................................................................................................................................................265

Changing the transparency of objects................................................................................................................................................. 281

Managing and sharing fills and transparencies.................................................................................................................................... 291

Using color management.................................................................................................................................................................... 295

Color, fills, and transparencies | 245

246 | CorelDRAW X7 User Guide
Working with color

CorelDRAW lets you choose and create colors by using a wide variety of industry-standard color palettes, color mixers, and color models. You
can store frequently used colors for future use by using the Document palette, or creating and editing custom color palettes.

You can customize how a color palette appears on your screen by changing the size of swatches, the number of rows, and other properties.

You can also create color styles. For more information, see “Working with color styles” on page 431.

This section contains the following topics:

• “Understanding color models” (page 247)
• “Understanding color depth” (page 249)
• “Choosing colors” (page 250)
• “Using the Document palette” (page 256)
• “Creating and editing custom color palettes” (page 258)
• “Organizing and displaying color palettes” (page 260)
• “Displaying or hiding color palettes in the Palette libraries” (page 262)
• “Setting the properties of color palettes” (page 263)

Understanding color models

Color models provide a precise method for defining colors, each model defining colors through the use of specific color components. There
is a range of color models to choose from when creating graphics.

CMYK color model

The CMYK color model, which is used in printing, uses the components cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y), and black (K) to define color.
Values for these components range from 0 to 100 and represent percentages.

In subtractive color models, such as CMYK, color (that is, ink) is added to a surface, such as white paper. The color then “subtracts”
brightness from the surface. When the value of each color component (C,M,Y) is 100, the resulting color is black. When the value of each
component is 0, no color is added to the surface, so the surface itself is revealed — in this case, the white paper. Black (K) is included in the
color model for printing purposes because black ink is more neutral and darker than blending equal amounts of cyan, magenta, and yellow.
Black ink produces sharper results, especially for printed text. In addition, black ink is usually less expensive than using colored ink.

Working with color | 247

 Black is the result of combining the three CMY colors at their highest intensities.

RGB color model

The RGB color model uses the components red (R), green (G), and blue (B) to define the amounts of red, green, and blue light in a given
color. In a 24-bit image, each component is expressed as a number from 0 to 255. In an image with a higher bit rate, such as a 48-bit
image, the value range is greater. The combination of these components defines a single color.

In additive color models, such as RGB, color is produced from transmitted light. RGB is therefore used on monitors, where red, blue, and
green lights are blended in various ways to reproduce a wide range of colors. When red, blue, and green lights are combined at their
maximum intensities, the eye perceives the resulting color as white. In theory, the colors are still red, green, and blue, but the pixels on
a monitor are too close together for the eye to differentiate the three colors. When the value of each component is 0, which signifies an
absence of light, the eye perceives the color as black.

White is the result of combining the three RGB colors at their maximum intensities.

RGB is the most commonly used color model, because it allows a broad range of colors to be stored and displayed.

HSB color model

The HSB color model uses hue (H), saturation (S), and brightness (B) as components for defining color. HSB is also known as HSV (with the
components hue, saturation, and value). Hue describes the pigment of a color and is expressed in degrees to represent the location on the
standard color wheel. For example, red is 0 degrees, yellow is 60 degrees, green is 120 degrees, cyan is 180 degrees, blue is 240 degrees,
and magenta is 300 degrees.

Saturation describes the vividness or dullness of a color. Values of saturation range from 0 to 100 and represent percentages (the higher the
value, the more vivid the color). Brightness describes the amount of white in the color. Like saturation values, brightness values range from 0
to 100 and represent percentages (the higher the value, the brighter the color).

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 HSB color model

Grayscale color model

The grayscale color model defines color by using only one component, lightness, which is measured in values ranging from 0 to 255. Each
grayscale color has equal values of the red, green, and blue components of the RGB color model. Changing a color photo to grayscale
creates a black-and-white photo.

Grayscale color model

Understanding color depth

Color depth refers to the maximum number of colors an image can contain. Color depth is determined by the bit depth of an image (the
number of binary bits that define the shade or color of each pixel in a bitmap). For example, a pixel with a bit depth of 1 can have two
values: black and white. The greater the bit depth, the more colors an image can contain, and the more accurate the color representation is.
For example, an 8-bit GIF image can contain up to 256 colors, but a 24-bit JPEG image can contain approximately 16 million colors.

Usually, RGB, grayscale, and CMYK images contain 8 bits of data per color channel. That is why an RGB image is often referred to as 24-
bit RGB (8 bits x 3 channels), a grayscale image is referred to as 8-bit grayscale(8 bits x channel), and a CMYK image is referred to as 32-bit
CMYK (8 bits x 4 channels).

Regardless of how many colors an image contains, the image displayed onscreen is limited to the highest number of colors supported by the
monitor on which it is viewed. For example, an 8-bit monitor can display only up to 256 colors in a 24-bit image.

Working with color | 249

Choosing colors
You can choose fill and outline colors by selecting a color from the Document palette, custom color palettes, palettes from the Palette
libraries, color viewers, or color blends. When you want to use a color that already exists in an object or document, you can sample the color
by using the Color eyedropper tool to achieve an exact match.

For information about applying the colors you choose, see “Applying uniform fills ” on page 265 and “Formatting lines and outlines” on
page 105. For information about saving colors for future use, see “Working with color styles” on page 431.

Default color palette

A color palette is a collection of color swatches. In some programs, color palettes are known as “swatch palettes.”

In CorelDRAW, the default color palette is based on the primary color mode of the document. For example, if the document’s primary color
model is RGB, the default color palette is also RGB. For more information, see “Understanding color models” on page 247. You choose the
default color model when you create a new drawing. You can open and use additional color palettes at any time.

You can choose both fill and outline colors by using the default color palette. The selected fill and outline colors appear in the color swatches
on the status bar.

Document palette

When you create a new drawing, the application automatically generates an empty palette, called the Document palette. It helps you
keep track of the colors that you use by storing them with your document for future use. For more information, see “Using the Document
palette” on page 256.

Palette libraries and custom color palettes

The color palettes that are found in the Palette libraries cannot be edited directly. Some of them are provided by third-party manufacturers,
for example PANTONE, HKS Colors, and TRUMATCH. It may be useful to have on hand a manufacturer’s swatch book, which is a collection
of color samples that shows exactly what each color looks like when printed.

The PANTONE solid coated palette is an example of a color palette from the Palette libraries.

Some palettes found in the Palette libraries — PANTONE, HKS Colors, TOYO, DIC, Focoltone, and SpectraMaster — are collections of spot
colors. If you create color separations when you print, each spot color requires a separate printing plate, which can significantly affect the
cost of the printing job. If you want to use color separations but would like to avoid using spot colors, you can convert the spot colors to
process colors when printing. For more information, see “Printing color separations” on page 545.

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Custom color palettes can include colors from any color model, including palettes from the Palette libraries, such as a spot color palette. You
can save a custom color palette for future use. For more information about working with custom color palettes, see “Creating and editing
custom color palettes ” on page 258 and “Organizing and displaying color palettes” on page 260.

Sampling colors

When you want to use a color that already exists in a drawing, palette, or on your desktop, you can sample the color to achieve an exact
match. By default, you sample a single pixel from the drawing window.

Color viewers

Color viewers provide a representation of a range of colors by using either one-dimensional or three-dimensional shapes. The default color
viewer is based on the HSB color model, but you can use this viewer to choose CMYK, CMY, or RGB colors. For information about color
models, see “Understanding color models” on page 247.

An example of a color viewer

Color blends

When you choose a color by using color blends, you combine base colors to produce the color you want. The color blender displays a grid of
colors that it creates from the four base colors you choose.

An example of color blends

Working with color | 251

Choosing web colors

You can use web colors when you design documents that will be published to the web. With CorelDRAW, you can define web colors by
using RGB hexadecimal values (for example, ‑aa003f).

To choose a color by using the default color palette

To Do the following

Choose a fill color for a selected object Click a color swatch.

Choose an outline color for a selected object Right-click a color swatch.

Choose from different shades of a color Click and hold a color swatch to display a pop-up color picker, and
then click a color.

View more colors on the default color palette Click the scroll arrows at the top and bottom of the color palette.

You can display color values by pointing to a swatch.

To display color names instead of color values, click the Options flyout button at the top of the default palette, and click Show
color names. This action undocks the default color palette and displays the color names.

An example of a pop-up color palette

To choose a color by using a color palette

1 Select an object.
2 Double-click the Fill button on the status bar.
3 In the Edit fill dialog box, click the Uniform fill button.
4 Click the Palettes tab .
5 Choose a color palette from the Palette list box.
6 Move the color slider to set the range of colors displayed in the color selection area.
7 Click a color in the color selection area.

You can also

Display or hide the names of colors Enable or disable the Show color names check box.

Swap the reference color (original color of the selected object) with Click the Swap colors button.
the new color

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You can also

Choose an outline color Double-click the Outline button on the status bar. In the
Outline pen dialog box, open the Color picker, and click More. In
the Select color dialog box, repeat steps 4 to 7.

Each spot color swatch on a color palette is marked with a small white square .

You should use the same color model for all colors in a drawing; the colors will be consistent and you will be able to predict the
colors of the final output more accurately. For more information about reproducing colors accurately, see “Using color management”
on page 295.

You can also access color palettes in the Color docker by clicking the Show color palettes button, and choosing a palette from
the list box. If the Color docker is not open, click Window Dockers Color.

To choose a color by using a color viewer

1 Select an object.
2 Double-click the Fill button on the status bar.
3 In the Edit fill dialog box, click the Uniform fill button.
4 Click the Models tab .
5 Choose a color model from the Model list box.
6 Choose a color viewer from the Color viewers list box.
7 Move the color slider.
8 Click a color in the color selection area.

You can also

Sample a color from the drawing or desktop Click the Eyedropper button , and click the drawing or
desktop.

Swap the reference color (original color of the selected object) with Click the Swap colors button.
the new color

If you choose a color that is out of the printer’s gamut, CorelDRAW allows you to replace it with a similar color that is in the printer’s
gamut. To replace the color, click the Bring color into gamut button, which appears to the left of the New color swatch. For
information about color correction, see “Using color management” on page 295.

You should use the same color model for all colors in a drawing; the colors will be consistent and you will be able to predict the
colors of the final output more accurately. It is preferable to use the same color model in your drawing that you will be using for the
final output.

Working with color | 253

 When you choose a color that is out of the printer’s gamut, the Bring
color into gamut button appears below the Eyedropper button.

You can also access color models in the Color docker by clicking the Show color viewers button and choosing a color model
from the list box. If the Color docker is not open, click Window  Dockers  Color.

To choose a color by using color blends

1 Select an object.
2 Double-click the Fill button on the status bar.
3 In the Edit fill dialog box, click the Uniform fill button.
4 Click the Mixers tab.
5 Choose Color blend from the Mixers list box.
6 Open each color picker, and click a color.
7 Click a color in the color selection area.

You can also

Sample a color from the drawing or desktop Click the Eyedropper button , and click the drawing or
desktop.

Only colors that are on the default color palette can be blended. To blend other colors, you must change the default color palette. For
more information, see “To display or hide a custom color palette” on page 261.

You can change the cell size of the color grid by moving the Size slider.

To sample a color
1 In the toolbox, click the Color eyedropper tool .
2 On the property bar, click one of the following buttons:
• 1×1 — lets you choose the color of the pixel you click

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 • 2×2 — lets you choose the average color in a sample area of 2 × 2 pixels. The pixel you click is in the middle of the sample area.
• 5×5 — lets you choose the average color in a sample area of 5 × 5 pixels
If you want to sample a color outside the drawing window, click Select from desktop on the property bar, and click a color on the
desktop.
3 Click the color that you want to sample.
The Color eyedropper tool automatically switches to the Apply color mode.
4 Perform a task from the following table.

To Do the following

Fill an object with a sampled color Hover over an object. When the Apply color pointer changes to a
solid color swatch , click to apply the sampled color.

Fill an object’s outline color with the sampled color Hover over an object’s outline. When the Apply color pointer
changes to an outline shape , click to apply the sampled color.

Add the sampled color to the Document palette On the property bar, click the arrow next to Add to palette, and
choose Document palette.

Sample an additional color On the property bar, click the Select color button , and then
click the color that you want to sample.

You can also

Drag a sampled color from one object to another Drag the color to another object.

Apply a sampled color from the Selected color swatch on the Drag the sampled color from the Selected color swatch to the
property bar object.

Apply a sampled color from the Uniform fill swatch in the lower- Drag a color from the Uniform fill swatch to the object.
right corner of the drawing window

Add the sampled color to the Document palette Drag the sampled color from the Selected color swatch or the
Uniform fill swatch to the Document palette.

In some cases, the sampled color may be an RGB or CMYK color that is the closest equivalent to the original color, rather than being a
complete match.

To choose a web color

1 Select an object.
2 Click Window  Dockers  Color.
3 In the Color docker, choose RGB from the list box.
4 Type or paste a value in the Hex value box.
Whether you use a three-digit (‑fff) or six-digit format (‑ffffff), the final value is presented in the six-digit format.
5 Click one of the following buttons:
• Fill — fills the selected object with the new color
• Outline — applies the color to the outline of the object

Working with color | 255

 You can specify hexadecimal color values only when working with RGB colors.
If you type an invalid hexadecimal value, the color does not change.

You can view hexadecimal color values on the status bar.

You can also choose web colors from the Select color dialog box (on the status bar, double-click the Outline pen button, open
the Color picker in the Outline pen dialog box, and click More) and the Edit fill dialog box (on the status bar, double-click the Fill
button, and click the Uniform fill button), which let you view and copy the hexadecimal equivalents of non-hexadecimal color values.

Using the Document palette

When you start a new drawing, an empty color palette, called the Document palette, appears docked in the lower-left corner of the drawing
window. Every time you use a color in your drawing, it’s automatically added to the Document palette. However, if you prefer to control
which colors are added to the Document palette, you can disable the automatic updates and add colors manually.

You can add colors from a color palette, an external image, a color picker, or a color-related dialog box, such as the Uniform fill dialog box.
In addition, you can add colors from an imported image or object.

Drag a bitmap to the Document palette to add colors.

When you open documents that were created in CorelDRAW X4 or an earlier version of the program, only custom spot colors and a
maximum of 100 legacy color styles are added to the Document palette. The legacy styles are added to the palette as regular colors.

You can clear the Document palette of any unwanted or unused colors by removing colors individually or resetting the palette to remove all
unused colors at once. You can also add all colors from an existing drawing to the Document palette.

The Document palette is automatically saved with the document. If you rename the .cdr file to .zip, the Document color palette
(DocumentPalette.xml) is included in the .zip package.

To disable the automatic adding of color to the Document palette

• On the Document palette, click the flyout button , and click Automatically update.

By default, the Document palette is docked above the status bar at the bottom of the application window.

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 You can also disable the automatic adding of color by clicking Tools  Customization, clicking Color palette in the Customization list
of categories, and disabling the Automatically update the document palette check box.

To manually add colors to the Document palette

To Do the following

Add a color from another color palette Drag a color from an open color palette to the Document palette.

Add a color from a bitmap image On the Document palette, click the Eyedropper button, and click a
color in the image.

Add multiple colors from an image On the Document palette, click the Eyedropper button , hold
down Ctrl, and then click the image until you add the colors that
you want.

Add multiple colors from an image or object by dragging Drag an image or object from the drawing window to the
Document palette.

Add colors from a selection Select an object or multiple objects. On the Document palette, click
the flyout button , and click Add from selection.

Add a color from a color-related dialog box In the dialog box, click a color swatch, click the arrow next to Add
to palette, choose Document palette, and then click Add to
palette.

Move a color swatch Drag a color swatch to a new position on the Document palette.

When dragging most vector objects to the palette, you add all object colors to the palette. When dragging a bitmap, you can specify
the number of colors that you want to be added to the palette. If an object includes a fountain fill, texture fill, or pattern fill, only
colors that are defined during the fill creation are supported. Colors from PostScript fills are not supported.

By default, the Document palette is docked above the status bar at the bottom of the application window.

To add colors from an existing drawing to the Document palette

1 Open a drawing.
2 On the Document palette, click the flyout button , and click Add from document.

By default, the Document palette is docked above the status bar at the bottom of the application window.

If the drawing was created in a previous version of CorelDRAW and it includes custom spot colors, they appear in the Document
palette.

If you have a document with both vector and bitmap images, and you want to add only the colors from the vector images to the
Document palette, specify 0 in the Add colors from bitmap dialog box.

To remove a color from the Document palette

1 Click a color swatch on the Document palette.

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2 On the Document palette, click the flyout button , and click Delete color.

By default, the Document palette is docked above the status bar at the bottom of the application window.

You can also remove all colors that are no longer used from the Document palette by clicking the flyout button , choosing
Palette, and clicking Reset palette.

To reset the Document palette

• On the Document palette, click the flyout button , choose Palette, and click Reset palette.

By default, the Document palette is docked above the status bar at the bottom of the application window.

To hide the Document palette

• Click Window  Color palettes  Document palette.

Hiding the Document palette does not disable the automatic adding of color.

Creating and editing custom color palettes

Custom color palettes are collections of colors or color styles that you save. They can include colors or color styles from any color model,
including spot colors, or any color palette found in the Palette libraries. You can create a custom palette to store all colors or color styles that
you need in a current, or future, project.

It’s easy to share color palettes with others. The custom palettes are accessible from the My palettes folder in the Color Palette Manager.

You can create a custom color palette by choosing individual colors or color styles, or by using the colors in a selected object or an entire
document. You can also edit, rename, and delete custom color palettes.

Custom color palettes are saved as XML files and are stored in the My Documents\My Palettes folder.

To create a custom color palette from scratch

1 Click Window  Dockers  Color palette manager.
2 Click the Creates a new empty color palette button .
3 Type a filename in the File name box.
4 Click Save.
5 In the Color palette manager, choose the custom palette that you created.
6 Click the Opens the palette editor button .
7 In the Palette editor dialog box, click Add color.
8 In the Select color dialog box, choose a color, and click Add to palette.

You can also

Treat the color as a spot color In the Selected color area of the Palette editor dialog box, choose
Spot from the Treat as list.

Treat the color as a process color In the Selected color area of the Palette editor dialog box, choose
Process from the Treat as list.

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You can also

Rename a color In the Palette editor dialog box, click a color in the color selection
area, and type a name in the Name box.

To add a color to a custom color palette

1 Open a custom color palette.
2 Perform a task from the following table.

To Do the following

Add a color from another color palette Drag a color from an open color palette to the custom palette.

Add a color from an image On the custom palette, click the Eyedropper button , and click
the color that you want to add.

Add multiple colors from an image On the custom palette, click the Eyedropper button , hold
down Ctrl, and click the image until you add the colors that you
want.

Add multiple colors from an image or object Drag an image or object from the drawing window to the custom
palette.

Add a color from a color-related dialog box In the dialog box, click a color swatch, click the arrow next to Add
to palette, choose the name of your custom palette from the list,
and then click Add to palette.

Add colors from a selection Select an object or multiple objects. On the custom palette, click
the flyout button , and click Add from selection.

Move a color swatch Drag a color swatch to a new position on the palette.

When dragging most vector objects to the palette, you add all object colors to the palette. When dragging a bitmap, you can specify
the number of colors that you want to be added to the palette. If an object includes a fountain fill, texture fill, or pattern fill, only
colors that are defined during the fill creation are supported. Colors from PostScript fills are not supported.

To create a color palette from an object

1 Select an object.
2 Click Window  Color palettes  Create palette from selection.
3 Type a filename in the File name box.
4 Click Save.

To create a color palette from a document

1 Click Window  Color palettes  Create palette from document.
2 Type a filename in the File name box.
3 Click Save.

To edit a custom color palette

1 Click Window  Color palettes  Palette editor.

Working with color | 259

2 Choose a palette from the list box.
3 Perform a task from the following table.

To Do the following

Add a color Click Add color. In the Select color dialog box, click the Models
tab, click a color in the color selection area, and click Add to
palette.

Treat a color as a spot color In the Selected color area of the Palette editor dialog box, choose
Spot from the Treat as list.

Treat a color as a process color In the Selected color area of the Palette editor dialog box, choose
Process from the Treat as list.

Change a color In the color selection area, click a color, and click Edit color. In the
Select color dialog box, click the Models tab, and click a new color
in the color selection area.

Delete a color In the color selection area, click a color, and click Delete color.

Sort colors Click Sort colors, and choose a color sorting method.

Move a color Drag a color swatch to a new position.

Rename a color Click a color in the color selection area, and type a name in the
Name box.

You can delete multiple colors by holding down Shift or Ctrl, clicking the colors that you want to delete, and clicking Delete color.

If you add a process color to the palette, but treat it as a spot color, the color is changed to spot and the color name is preserved.
However, if you choose a spot color with a trademarked name, for example a PANTONE color, and convert it to a process color, the
trademarked name is substituted with the color components for that color.

To rename a custom color palette

1 Click Window  Dockers  Color palette manager.
2 From the My Palettes folder, right-click a custom palette, and click Rename.
3 Type a new name, and press Enter.

To delete a custom color palette

1 Click Window  Dockers  Color palette manager.
2 From the My Palettes folder, right-click a custom palette, and click Delete.

Organizing and displaying color palettes

The Color Palette Manager is a docker that lets you quickly access the available color palettes, including the Document palette and the
Color Styles palette, and create custom color palettes. The color palettes in the Color Palette Manager are divided into two main folders: My
palettes and Palette libraries.

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You can use the My palettes folder to store all the custom color palettes that you create. You can add folders to store and organize your
color palettes for different projects. You can also copy a color palette or move it to a different folder. You can open and control the display of
all color palettes.

The Palette libraries folder of the Color Palette Manager contains collections of preset color palettes from which you can choose colors.
You cannot edit any of the color palettes that are found in the Palette libraries. However, you can create a custom color palette by copying a
color palette from the Palette libraries folder. For more information, see “Displaying or hiding color palettes in the Palette libraries” on page
262.

To open the Color Palette Manager

• Click Window  Dockers  Color palette manager.

To display or hide a custom color palette

1 Open the Color Palette Manager.
2 In the My palettes folder, click the Show or hide icon beside the custom palette name.

If you want to set a custom color palette as the default palette, click the custom palette flyout button , and click Set as default.

To open a custom color palette

1 Open the Color Palette Manager.
2 Click the Opens a palette button .
3 Choose the drive and folder where the custom color palette is stored.
If you want to open a color palette (.cpl file) that was created in a previous version of CorelDRAW, select Legacy custom palette (*.cpl)
from the Files of type list box.
4 Click the custom palette.
5 Click Open.

When you open a legacy custom palette (.cpl) file, it is automatically converted to the XML format (.xml). The XML version is stored
in the x:\Documents and Settings\your name\My Documents folder, and also appears in the My palettes folder in the Color Palette
Manager.

If the custom color palette (.xml) was saved to the My palettes folder, you can open it by clicking Window  Color palettes and
choosing the custom palette from the list.

To create a folder for storing custom color palettes

1 Open the Color Palette Manager.
2 Click the Create a new folder button .
3 Type a new name, and press Enter.

If you want to move a custom color palette, drag it to the new folder.

To cut or copy a custom color palette

1 Open the Color Palette Manager.
2 In the My palettes folder, right-click a custom palette, and click one of the following:
• Cut

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 • Copy

If you want to paste the custom palette to a different folder, right-click the folder, and click Paste.

To copy a palette from the Palette libraries for editing

1 Open the Color Palette Manager.
2 Drag a palette from the Palette libraries folder to the My palettes folder.

An editable copy of the color palette appears in the My palettes folder.

Displaying or hiding color palettes in the Palette libraries

The Palette libraries contain a collection of color palettes. You can control the display of the default color palettes, such as the default RGB
and default CMYK color palettes. The main Palette libraries that are included are Process color and Spot color.

The Process color library contains the default RGB, CMYK, and Grayscale color palettes. In addition, you can find preset color palettes that
have a specific theme, such as nature. The Spot color library contains color palettes that are provided by third-party manufacturers, such as
HKS Colors, PANTONE, Focoltone, and TOYO. These color palettes can be very useful when you need specific company-approved colors for
your printed projects. The color palette libraries are locked, which means that you cannot edit them.

Palette libraries

To display a color palette in the Palette libraries

1 Open the Color Palette Manager.
2 In the Palette libraries folder, click the Show or hide icon beside the color palette name.

To display spot or process color palettes

1 Open the Color Palette Manager.
2 In the Palette libraries folder, double-click one of the following folders:
• Spot

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 • Process
3 Click the Show or hide icon beside the color palette name.

Setting the properties of color palettes

You can customize color palettes.

Color palettes can be either docked or floating. Docking a color palette attaches it to the edge of the application window. Undocking a color
palette pulls it away from the edge of the application window, so it floats and can be easily moved around.

With color swatches, you can set the right mouse button either to display a context menu or to set the outline color. You can also adjust the
color swatch border and size, and you can hide or display the No color well.

To dock or undock a color palette

To Do the following

Dock a color palette Click the top of the color palette border, and drag the color palette
to any edge of the application window until a thin black toolbar
outline appears.

Undock a color palette Click the dotted border of the color palette, and drag the color
palette away from the edge of the application window.

Change the number of rows on a docked color palette On the palette, click the flyout button , click Rows, and choose
an option from the list.

You can also change the number of rows on a docked color palette by clicking Tools  Customization, clicking Color palette in the
Customization list of categories, and typing a value in the Maximum palette rows when docked box. You can set a maximum of
seven rows on a color palette.

To set the action of the right mouse button for color swatches
1 Click Tools  Customization.
2 In the Customization list of categories, click Color palette.
3 Enable one of the following check boxes:
• Context menu
• Set outline color

If you enable Set outline color, you can still display the context menu by right-clicking anywhere on the border of a color palette.

To customize color swatches

1 Click Tools  Customization.
2 In the Customization list of categories, click Color palette.
3 Enable or disable any of the following check boxes:
• Wide borders
• Large swatches
• Show “no color” well

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 You can also display color names in the color swatches by clicking the flyout button on a color palette and clicking Show color
names.

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Filling objects

You can add colored, patterned, textured, and other fills to the inside of objects or other enclosed areas. You can customize a fill and set it
as a default, so that each object you draw has the same fill.

This section contains the following topics:

• “Applying uniform fills” (page 265)
• “Applying fountain fills” (page 266)
• “Applying pattern fills” (page 268)
• “Applying texture fills” (page 272)
• “Applying PostScript fills” (page 274)
• “Applying mesh fills” (page 275)
• “Applying fills to areas” (page 277)
• “Working with fills” (page 279)

Applying uniform fills

You can apply a uniform fill to objects. Uniform fills are solid colors you can choose or create using color models and color palettes. For
information about creating colors, see “Working with color” on page 247.

To apply a uniform fill

1 Select an object.
2 Click a color on the color palette.

If you want to mix colors in a uniform fill, press Ctrl, and click another color on the color palette.

You can also choose a uniform fill by clicking

• the Uniform fill button in the Fill section of the Object properties docker

• the Interactive fill tool in the toolbox, and then clicking the Uniform fill button on the property bar

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Applying fountain fills
A fountain fill is a smooth progression of two or more colors that adds depth to an object. Fountain fills are also known as gradient fills.

There are four types of fountain fills: linear, elliptical, conical, and rectangular. A linear fountain fill flows in a straight line across the object,
a conical fountain fill creates the illusion of light hitting a cone, an elliptical fountain fill is dispersed in concentric ellipses from the center of
the object, and a rectangular fountain fill is dispersed in concentric rectangles from the center of the object.

There are four types of fountain fills (left to right): linear, elliptical, conical, and rectangular.

You can choose fountain fills from a personal library or from the Content Exchange. You can browse the available fountain fills, search
by keyword, mark fills as favorites, vote for fills that you like, or copy fills from the Content Exchange to your personal library. For more
information, see “Managing fills and transparencies” on page 291.

Any fountain fill can be modified to suit your needs, and you can create your own fills. Fountain fills can contain two or more colors, which
you can position anywhere in the fill’s progression. You can specify fill attributes such as the direction of a fill’s color blend, the fill’s angle,
center point, and midpoint. You can also smooth, skew, or repeat a fill.

After you create a fountain fill, you can save it for future use or share it with other users on the Content Exchange. For more information, see
“Saving and sharing fills and transparencies” on page 293.

You can adjust the print and display quality of the fountain fill by specifying the number of fountain steps. By default, the fountain steps
setting is locked so that the print quality of the fountain fill is determined by the value specified in the print settings and the display quality
is determined by the default value you set. However, you can unlock the fountain steps setting and specify a value that applies to both the
print and view quality of the fill. For information about setting fountain fill steps for printing, see “Fine-tuning print jobs” on page 529.

To apply a fountain fill

1 Select an object.
2 Click Object  Object properties.
3 In the Object properties docker, click the Fountain fill button to display fountain fill options.
4 Open the Fill picker, and click a fill thumbnail.
5 Click the Apply button in the pop-up window that appears.

You can add a color to a fountain fill by clicking the Interactive fill tool in the toolbox, clicking the Fountain fill button on the
property bar, and dragging a color from the color palette to an object’s interactive vector handle.

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To create a fountain fill
1 Select an object.
2 Click Object  Object properties.
3 In the Fill section of the Object properties docker, click the Fountain fill button to display fountain fill options.
4 Click one of the following buttons to choose a fountain fill type:
• Linear fountain fill

• Elliptical fountain fill

• Conical fountain fill

• Rectangular fountain fill

5 Click the start node above the color band, open the Node color picker, and choose a color.
6 Click the end node above the color band, open the Node color picker, and choose a color.
7 Move the midpoint slider below the color band to set the midpoint between the two colors.

You can also

Change a color Select the corresponding node, open the Node color picker, and
choose a color.

Change the transparency of a color Select the corresponding node, and type a value in the Node
transparency box.

Add an intermediate color Double-click the color band where you want to add a node. With
the new node selected, open the Node color picker, and choose a
color.

Change the position of an intermediate color Drag the corresponding node to a new location above the color
band, or type a value in the Node position box.

Delete an intermediate color Double-click the corresponding node.

Specify the way the colors blend between two nodes Select either the two nodes or the midpoint between them, click
the Blend direction button, and choose an option from the list:
•Linear color blend —blends the colors along a straight line,
beginning at the start color and continuing across the color
wheel to the end color
•Clockwise color blend — blends the colors along a clockwise
path around the color wheel
•Counterclockwise color blend — blends the colors along a
counterclockwise path around the color wheel

Mirror, repeat, or reverse the fill In the Object properties docker, click the arrow button at the
bottom of the Fill section to display more fill options, and click one
of the following buttons:
• Default fountain fill
• Repeat and mirror

• Repeat
• Reverse fill

Filling objects | 267

You can also

Specify how quickly the fountain fill blends from one color to Move the Acceleration slider.
another

Create smoother color transitions between fountain fill nodes Click the Smooth button .

Set the width and height of the fill as a percentage of the object’s Type values in the Fill width and Fill height boxes.
width and height

Move the center of the fill up, down, left, or right Type values in the X and Y boxes.

Slant the fill at a specified angle Type a value in the Skew box.

Rotate the color progression clockwise or counterclockwise Type a value in the Rotate box.

Allow the fill to be skewed or stretched disproportionately Enable the Free scale and skew check box.

Apply the selected fill to the intersecting area of combined objects Enable the Fill winding check box.

For more information, see “Combining objects” on page 214.

Let the fill print on top of the underlying colors. Enable the Overprint fill check box.

You can also apply a custom fountain fill by clicking the Interactive fill tool in the toolbox and dragging colors from the color
palette in the document window onto the object’s interactive vector handles. You can mix colors by selecting one of the interactive
vector handles, pressing Ctrl, and clicking a color on the color palette.

To change the fountain fill print and display quality

1 Select an object that has a fountain fill applied to it.
2 In the Object properties docker, click the arrow button at the bottom of the Fill section to display more fill options.
3 Click the Set to default button to unlock the fountain steps, and type a value in the Fountain stepsbox.

Higher numbers create a smoother transition between colors.

When the Fountain steps box is locked, the number of steps in the printed fountain fill is determined by the value specified in the
Print dialog box. For information about setting fountain fill steps for printing, see “Fine-tuning print jobs” on page 529.

To set the display quality for fountain fills

1 Click Tools  Options.
2 In the list of categories, double-click Workspace, and click Display.
3 Type a value in the Preview fountain steps box.

Applying pattern fills

You can fill objects with vector or bitmap pattern fills, as well as two-color fills.

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 Examples of vector pattern fills

Examples of bitmap pattern fills

Examples of two-color pattern fills

A two-color pattern fill is composed only of the two colors that you choose. A vector pattern fill is a more complex vector graphic composed
of lines and fills. A vector fill can have color or transparent background. A bitmap pattern fill is a bitmap image whose complexity is
determined by its size, image resolution, and bit depth.

CorelDRAW provides a collection of vector and bitmap patterns that you can access. You can browse the available patterns, search patterns
by keyword, mark patterns as favorites, vote for patterns that you like, or copy patterns from the Content Exchange to your personal library.
For more information, see “Managing fills and transparencies” on page 291.

You can also create your own patterns. For example, you can create patterns from areas of the workspace or images that you import. Vector
and bitmap patterns are made up of smaller units called tiles. Depending on the size of the object, the fill may consist of one or more tiles.

Filling objects | 269

The pattern is created by repeating the tile to fill up the object. You can create a new pattern by selecting an area of the workspace to use as
a tile, or by using an imported image as a tile source.

After you create a new pattern, you can save it for future use or share it with other users on the Content Exchange. For more information,
see “Saving and sharing fills and transparencies” on page 293.

You can modify pattern fills to suit your needs. For example, you can change the size of the pattern fill, or specify exactly where the fill
begins by setting the tile origin. CorelDRAW also lets you offset tiles in a fill. Adjusting the horizontal or vertical position of the first tile,
relative to the top of the object, affects the rest of the fill.

You can mirror the fill so that alternating tiles are reflections of each other. If you want a pattern fill to change according to actions you
perform on the filled object, you can set the fill to transform with the object. For example, if you enlarge the object, the pattern becomes
larger while the number of tiles remains the same.

Bitmap patterns created in Patterns, an iOS application that turns photos into bitmap patterns, can be opened in CorelDRAW. The bitmap
pattern effects available in both Patterns and CorelDRAW let you create seamless patterns and adjust the pattern parameters, such as the
pixel configuration along the edge of the tile and the brightness, luminance, and color contrast of the pattern.

To apply a two-color pattern fill

1 Select an object.
2 Click Object  Object properties.
3 In the Object properties docker, click the Two-color pattern fill button .
4 Choose a fill from the Fill picker.
5 Open the Front color picker, and click a color.
6 Open the Back color picker, and click a color.

You can also mix colors in a two-color pattern fill by pressing Ctrl and clicking a color on the color palette.
You can also apply a fill by clicking the Interactive fill tool in the toolbox and clicking the Two-color pattern fill button on the
property bar. You can drag colors from the color palette to the interactive handles to change the colors of the fill. You can mix colors
by holding down Ctrl while dragging a color to the interactive handles.

To edit the attributes of the two-color fill, in the Object properties docker, click the arrow button at the bottom of the Fill
section to display more fill options, and specify the attributes you want.

To apply a vector or bitmap pattern fill

1 Select an object.
2 Click Object  Object properties.
3 In the Object properties docker, click one of the following buttons:
• Vector pattern fill

• Bitmap pattern fill

4 Open the Fill picker, and click a pattern thumbnail.

5 Click the Apply button in the pop-up window that appears.

You can also apply a vector or a bitmap pattern fill by clicking the Interactive fill tool in the toolbox, clicking the Vector pattern
fill or Bitmap pattern fill button on the property bar, and choosing a fill from the Fill picker.

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To create a vector or bitmap pattern from the workspace
1 Select an object.
2 Click Object  Object properties.
3 In the Fill area of the Object properties docker, click one of the following buttons:
• Vector pattern fill

• Bitmap pattern fill

4 Click the New from document button .

5 Select an area of the workspace that you want to use as a pattern.
The area can include any objects or parts of objects that you have drawn.
6 Click the Accept pattern button displayed below the selection, and click OK in the dialog box that appears.

Vector patterns can have transparent or color background.

You can also click the New source from workspace button and select an area of the document to use as a tile source. In this
case, the current settings in the Transformations area of the Object properties docker will apply to the new pattern.

To create a vector or bitmap pattern from an imported image

1 Select an object.
2 Click Object  Object properties.
3 In the Fill area of the Object properties docker, click one of the following buttons:
• Vector pattern fill

• Bitmap pattern fill

4 Click the New source from file button .

5 In the Import dialog box, locate the image that you want to use, and double-click the filename.

To modify a vector or bitmap pattern fill

1 Select an object.
2 Click Object  Object properties.
3 In the Fill area of the Object properties docker, click one of the following buttons:
• Vector pattern fill

• Bitmap pattern fill

4 Click the arrow button at the bottom of the Fill area to display more pattern fill options.
5 Perform a task from the following table.

To Do the following

Arrange the tiles so that alternating tiles are reflections of each Click the Mirror tiles horizontally or the Mirror tiles
other
vertically button.

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To Do the following

Create a radial or linear seamless blend In the Seamless area, click the Radial button , or click the

Linear button and move the slider.

This setting applies only to bitmap pattern fills.

Smooth the color transition of the pattern tile edges with their Enable the Edge match check box, and move the slider.
opposite edge
This setting applies only to bitmap pattern fills.

Increase or decrease the brightness of the pattern Enable the Brightness check box, and move the slider.

This setting applies only to bitmap pattern fills.

Increase or decrease the grayscale contrast of the pattern Enable the Luminance check box, and move the slider.

This setting applies only to bitmap pattern fills.

Increase or decrease the color contrast of the pattern Enable the Color check box, and move the slider.

This setting applies only to bitmap pattern fills.

Set the width and height of the pattern as a percentage of the Type values in the Fill width and Fill height boxes.
object’s width and height

Move the center of the pattern fill up, down, left, or right Type values in the X and Y boxes.

Rotate the pattern at a specified angle Type a value in the Rotate box.

Slant the pattern at a specified angle Type a value in the Skew box.

Specify row or column offset as a percentage of the tile’s height or Click the Row offset or the Column offset button , and
width
type a value in the % of tile box.

Apply object changes to the pattern fill Enable the Transform with object check box.

Apply the selected fill to the intersecting area of combined objects Enable the Fill winding check box.

For more information, see “Combining objects” on page 214.

You can also click the Interactive fill tool in the toolbox and use the controls on the property bar.
You can also skew or rotate tiles by clicking the Interactive fill tool in the toolbox, selecting an object, and dragging the skewing
or rotation handles to change the appearance of the pattern.

Applying texture fills

A texture fill is a randomly generated fill that you can use to give your objects a natural appearance. You can use existing texture fills, such
as water, minerals, and clouds, or you can edit a texture to create your own texture fill. You can use colors from any color model or palette.
Texture fills can hold only RGB colors; however, other color models and palettes can be used as a reference to select colors. For information
about color models, see “Understanding color models” on page 247.

You can change the tile size of texture fills. Increasing the resolution of a texture tile increases the accuracy of the fill. You can also specify
exactly where these fills begin by setting the tile origin. CorelDRAW also lets you offset tiles in a fill. Adjusting the horizontal or vertical
position of the first tile, relative to the top of the object, affects the rest of the fill.

You can also rotate or skew the fill, adjust the tile size, and change the center of the texture.

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If you want a texture fill to change according to the actions you perform on the filled object, you can set the fill to transform with the object.
For example, if you enlarge the filled object, the texture becomes larger while the number of tiles remains the same.

Texture fills can enhance a drawing. However, they also increase the size of a file and the time it takes to print, so you may want to use them
in moderation.

Examples of texture fills

To apply a texture fill

1 Select an object.
2 Click Object  Object properties.
3 In the Fill area of the Object properties docker, click the flyout arrow on the Two-color pattern fill button , and click the Texture fill
button to display texture fill options.
4 Choose a texture library from the Texture library list box.
5 Choose a texture from the Fill picker.

You can also apply a texture fill by clicking the Interactive fill tool in the toolbox, clicking the Texture fill button on the property
bar, and using the controls on the property bar.

To create a texture fill

1 Select an object.
2 Click Object  Object properties.
3 In the Fill area of the Object properties docker, click the flyout arrow on the Two-color pattern fill button, and click the Texture fill
button to display texture fill options.
4 Choose a texture library from the Texture fill list box.
5 Choose a texture from the Texture fill picker.
6 Click the Edit fill button .

7 In the Edit fill dialog box, perform an action from the following table.

To Do the following

Arrange the tiles so that alternating tiles are reflections of each Click Transformations, and click the Mirror tiles horizontally
other
or the Mirror tiles vertically button .

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To Do the following

Change the size of the fill Click Transformations, and type values in the Fill width and Fill
height boxes.

Move the center of the fill up, down, left, or right Click Transformations, and type values in the X and Y boxes.

Rotate the fill at a specified angle Click Transformations, and type a value in the Rotate box.

Slant the fill at a specified angle Click Transformations, and type a value in the Skew box.

Specify a row or column offset as a percentage of the tile’s width Click Transformations, and click the Row offset or the Column
or height
offset button . Type a value in the % of tile box.

Apply object changes to the texture fill Click Transformations, and enable the Transform with object
check box.

Specify the bitmap resolution of the texture fill Click Options, and type a value in the Bitmap resolution box.

Apply the selected fill to the intersecting area of combined objects Enable the Fill winding check box.

For more information, see “Combining objects” on page 214.

Save the texture fill Click the Save texture button , and type a name in the Texture
name box in the Save texture as dialog box. Choose a library from
the Library name list box.

You can modify the texture you choose from the texture library and save it to another library, but you cannot save textures to or
overwrite textures in the texture library.

Applying PostScript fills

You can apply PostScript texture fills to objects. A PostScript texture fill is created in the PostScript language. Some textures are very complex,
and large objects that contain PostScript texture fills may take time to print or to be updated on the screen. Depending on the view mode
you are using, the letters “PS” — rather than the fill — may appear. For more information about displaying PostScript fills, see “Working with
views” on page 44.

When you apply a PostScript texture fill, you can change several properties, such as the size, line width, and the amount of gray that appears
in the texture’s foreground and background.

Examples of PostScript fills

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To apply a PostScript fill
1 Select an object.
2 Click Object  Object properties.
3 In the Object properties docker, click the flyout arrow on the Two-color pattern fill button , and click the PostScript fill button
to display postscript fill options.
4 Choose a fill from the PostScript fill textures list box.

If you want to change the fill properties, click the Edit fill button , and specify the settings you want.

You can also apply a PostScript fill by clicking the Interactive fill tool , clicking the PostScript fill button on the property bar, and
choosing a fill from the PostScript fill textures list box.

Applying mesh fills

When you fill an object with a mesh fill, you can create unique effects. For example, you can create smooth color transitions in any direction
without having to create blends or contours. When you apply a mesh fill, you specify the number of columns and rows in the grid, and you
specify the grid’s intersecting points. After you have created a mesh object, you can edit the mesh fill grid by adding and removing nodes or
intersections. You can also remove the mesh.

Mesh fills were applied to the original drawing (left) to give it a realistic look (right).

A mesh fill can be applied only to closed objects or a single path. If you want to apply a mesh fill to a complex object, you must first create a
mesh-filled object and combine it with the complex object to form a PowerClip object. For more information about working with PowerClip
objects, see “Creating PowerClip objects” on page 166.

You can add color to a patch of a mesh fill and to the individual intersection nodes. You can also choose to mix colors for a more blended
appearance.

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 Left: Adding a color to a mesh fill. Right: Moving an intersection node in a mesh fill lets you adjust the progression of colors.

In addition, you can smooth the color in a mesh fill to reduce the appearance of hard edges. You can also reveal objects underneath a
selected area by applying transparency to the mesh fill.

To apply a mesh to an object

1 Select an object.
2 In the toolbox, click theMesh fill tool .
3 Type the number of columns in the top portion of the Grid size box on the property bar.
4 Type the number of rows in the bottom portion of the Grid size box on the property bar, and press Enter.
5 Adjust the grid nodes on the object.

You can also

Add a node or an intersection Click once within a grid, and click the Add intersection button
on the property bar.

You can also add a node or an intersection by double-clicking

within a grid.

Remove a node or an intersection Click a node, and click the Delete nodes button on the
property bar.

Shape the mesh fill Drag a node to a new location.

Remove the mesh fill Click the Clear mesh button on the property bar.

If the mesh object contains color, adjusting the intersection nodes of the mesh affects how the colors blend together.

You can also marquee select or freehand marquee select nodes to shape an entire area of the mesh. To marquee select nodes, choose
Rectangular from the Selection mode list box on the property bar, and drag around the nodes that you want to select. To freehand
select nodes, choose Freehand from the Selectionmode list box, and drag around the nodes that you want to select. Holding down
Alt while dragging lets you toggle between the Rectangular and Freehand selection modes.

You can add an intersection or a node by double-clicking in a space, or you can add a single line by double-clicking a line.

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To fill a mesh with color
1 Select a mesh-filled object.
2 In the toolbox, click theMesh fill tool .

3 Drag a color from the color palette to a patch in the object.

You can also

Color a node in a mesh fill Click a node, and click a color on the color palette.

You can also drag a color from the color palette to a node.

Mix a color in a mesh fill Select part of the mesh, press Ctrl, and click a color on the color
palette.

You can also marquee select or freehand marquee select nodes to apply a color to an entire area of the mesh. To marquee select
nodes, choose Rectangular from the Selection mode list box on the property bar, and drag around the nodes that you want to
select. To freehand select nodes, choose Freehand from the Selectionmode list box on the property bar, and drag around the nodes
that you want to select. Holding down Alt while dragging lets you toggle between the Rectangular and Freehand selection modes.

To smooth color transitions in a mesh fill

1 Select a mesh-filled object.
2 In the toolbox, click theMesh fill tool .

3 Make sure that the Smooth mesh color button on the property bar is enabled.

To apply transparency to a mesh fill

1 Select a mesh-filled object.
2 In the toolbox, click theMesh fill tool .
3 Click a node to select part of the mesh.
4 On the property bar, move the Transparency slider to the right to increase the transparency of the selected area.

Applying fills to areas

You can apply fills to any enclosed area by using the Smart fill tool. Unlike other fill tools, which fill only objects, the Smart fill tool detects
the edges of an area and creates a closed path so that the area can be filled. For example, if you draw a freehand line that crosses over itself
to create loops, the Smart fill tool can detect the edges of the loops and fill them. As long as the paths of one or more objects completely
enclose an area, it can be filled.

In the example above, the original spiral object is duplicated and offset,
resulting in enclosed areas that can be filled by using the Smart fill tool.

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 Using the Smart fill tool to fill enclosed areas

Because the Smart fill tool creates a path around the area, it essentially creates a new object that can be filled, moved, copied, or edited.
This means that the tool can be used in one of two ways: to fill an area or to create a new object from an area.

Although primarily used to fill areas, the Smart fill tool can also be used to create new objects. In the example above, the
original objects — the two spirals (left) — are deleted (right), but the fill remains because each filled area is actually an object.

You can apply the default fill and outline to the area, use the property bar to specify a specific fill color and outline, or create an outline with
no fill.

When you use the Smart fill tool on areas that already have fills applied to them, remember the following:
• An object with transparency applied to it is considered completely transparent —paths under any area of the object are detected,
regardless of whether the specific area appears opaque.
• PostScript fills are considered transparent — paths under any area of a PostScript fill are detected.
• All fills other than PostScript fills are considered opaque — paths under these fills are not detected.

To apply a fill to an enclosed area

1 In the toolbox, click theSmart fill tool .
2 On the property bar, choose one of the following options from the Fill list box:
• Use default — lets you apply the default fill settings
• Specify — lets you fill the area with a solid color by choosing a color from the Fill color picker on the property bar
• No fill — applies no fill to the area
3 From the Outline list box, choose one of the following options:
• Use default — lets you apply the default outline settings
• Specify — lets you choose a line width from the Outline width box and a line color from the Outline color color picker
• No outline — applies no outline to the area
4 Click inside the enclosed area that you want to fill.

A new object is created from the enclosed area, and the selected fill and outline options on the property bar are applied to it. The new
object appears on top of the existing objects in the layer.

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 If you click outside an enclosed area, a new object is created from all objects on the page, and the selected fill and outline options on
the property bar are applied to the new object.

The outline width is centered on an object’s path. Because the Smart fill tool detects paths, not outlines, thick outlines appear
partially covered by the new object. You can uncover the original outlines by changing the stacking order of the objects. For
information about changing the stacking order of objects, see “To move an object in the stacking order” on page 209.

Working with fills

There are a number of tasks that are common to all types of fills. You can choose a default fill color so that every object that you add to a
drawing has the same fill. You can also remove a fill, copy it to another object, or use it to fill an area surrounded by an open curve.

If you want to apply the same fill to other objects or simultaneously modify the fill attributes of multiple objects in a drawing, you can save
the fill settings as a style. For more information about styles, see “Working with styles and style sets” on page 423.

To choose a default fill color

1 Click a blank area on the drawing page to deselect all objects.
2 On the status bar, double-click the Fill icon .
3 In the Edit fill dialog box, choose a fill type, choose a fill color, and click OK.
4 In the Change document defaults dialog box, enable the check boxes for the types of objects whose default fill you want to change.

You can also change the default fill color by editing the default style sets in the Object styles docker. For more information, see
“Managing default object properties” on page 427.

To remove a fill
1 Select an object.
2 Click Object  Object properties.
3 In the Object properties docker, click the No fill button .

You cannot remove mesh fills by following this procedure. To remove a mesh fill from an object, select the object by using the Mesh
fill tool, and click the Clear mesh button on the property bar.

To copy a fill to another object

1 Using the Pick tool , select the object from which you want to copy the fill.
2 With the right mouse button, drag the object over the destination object to which you want to apply the fill.
A blue outline of the first object follows the pointer to the destination object.
3 When the pointer changes to a crosshair pointer , release the mouse button, and choose Copy fill here from the context menu.

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 You can also click the Interactive fill tool , select the object to which you want to copy a fill, click the Copy fill button on the
property bar, and click the object from which you want to copy the fill.
You can also use the Attributes eyedropper tool to copy a fill. For more information, see “To copy fill, outline, or text properties
from one object to another” on page 192.

You can also sample the color of an existing object and apply the sampled color to another object as a uniform fill. For more
information, see “To sample a color” on page 254.

To show fills in open curves

1 Click Tools  Options.
2 In the list of categories, double-click Document, and click General.
3 Enable the Fill open curves check box.

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Changing the transparency of objects

When you apply a transparency to an object, you make the objects beneath it partially visible. You can apply transparencies by using the
same kind of fills you apply to objects; that is, uniform, fountain, texture, and pattern. For more information about these fills, see “Filling
objects” on page 265.

Examples of different types of transparencies, including uniform, fountain, and pattern.

CorelDRAW also lets you specify how the color of the transparent object combines with the color of the object beneath it by using merge
modes.

This section contains the following topics:

• “Applying uniform transparency” (page 281)
• “Applying fountain transparency” (page 282)
• “Applying pattern transparency” (page 284)
• “Applying texture transparency” (page 286)
• “Copying, freezing, and removing transparencies” (page 287)
• “Applying merge modes” (page 287)

Applying uniform transparency

Uniform transparency alters the transparency values of all pixels in the object or editable area by an equal amount.

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To apply a uniform transparency
1 Select an object.
2 Click Object  Object properties.
3 In the Transparency area of the Object properties docker, click the Uniform transparency button .

4 Move the Transparency slider to increase or decrease the transparency.

You can click a color on the color palette to apply a color to the transparency.
To apply the transparency only to the fill or the outline of the object, click the Fill button or the Outline button .

You can also click the Transparency tool in the toolbox and use the controls on the property bar.

Applying fountain transparency

Fountain transparency makes the object fade from one transparency value to another. The fountain transparency can be linear, elliptical,
conical, or rectangular.

You can choose fountain transparencies from a personal library or from the Content Exchange. You can browse the available transparency
patterns, search by keyword, mark patterns as favorites, vote for patterns that you like, or copy patterns from the Content Exchange to your
personal library. For more information, see “Managing fills and transparencies” on page 291.

You can create a fountain transparency by adding and removing nodes, and specifying a transparency value for each node. You can also
reverse, mirror, resize, or skew a fountain transparency, or apply other transformations.

After you create a fountain transparency, you can save it for future use or share it with other users on the Content Exchange. For more
information, see “Saving and sharing fills and transparencies” on page 293.

To apply a fountain transparency

1 Select an object.
2 Click Object  Object properties.
3 In the Transparency area of the Object properties docker, click the Fountain transparency button to display fountain transparency
options.
4 Open the Transparency picker, and click a thumbnail.
5 Click the Apply button in the pop-up window that appears.

To apply the transparency only to the fill or the outline of the object, click the Fill button or the Outline button in the
Transparency area of the Object properties docker.
To modify the transparency, click the Edit transparency button in the Object properties docker, and specify the settings you
want.

You can also click the Transparency tool in the toolbox and use the controls on the property bar.

To create a fountain transparency

1 Select an object.
2 Click Object  Object properties.

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