Setting color, pattern, line width, and object effects

Contents > Editing objects on layouts > Selecting and working with objects on a layout > Setting color, pattern, line width, and object effects

Setting color, pattern, line width, and object effects

Use the fill, pen, line width, and object effects palettes in the status area to change the appearance of objects — including fields and portals — on the layout.

Fill controls	Pen controls

To set color, pattern, line width, and other effects for objects:

1.	In Layout mode, select one or more objects.

For more information, see Selecting objects.

Or, to specify attributes for objects you add later, start with no objects selected.

2.	Choose from the palettes in the status area.

To choose

Use this palette

The line width or the width of a border around a shape, text object, field, or portal

Line width line width palette

palette

The color or pattern of a line, or the color or pattern of a border around a shape, text object, field, or portal

Pen color

and pen pattern pen pattern palette

palettes

The color or pattern of an object, including the backgrounds of text objects, fields, and portals

Fill color fill color palette

and fill pattern fill pattern palette

palettes

The effect with which FileMaker Pro draws an object (except lines)

Object effects object effects palette

palette, then choose Embossed, Engraved, or Drop Shadow. For more information, see About object effects.

The sample boxes next to the palettes show a sample of each attribute that you choose.

If one or more objects are selected, they also change to reflect the attributes you choose.

To make an object transparent: Choose the transparent pattern

from the pattern palette. An object with a transparent pattern is "hollow," and can only be selected by clicking its border. Any non-transparent objects behind it are visible and can be selected.

Notes

To quickly format an object, use the shortcut menu: right-click (Windows) or Ctrl-click (Mac OS) on the object, and choose the appearance options you want from the shortcut menu that appears. (If the object is transparent, click the object's border.)

You can also change the appearance of fields by adding field borders. For more information, see Adding borders, fill, and baselines to fields.

To apply a color or pattern to a layout part, click the part label, then, in the status area, choose from the fill color palette, fill pattern palette, or both. (The color you specify for the body part also affects the background of the table in View as Table.)

To set the default attributes from the attributes of an existing object, Ctrl-click (Windows) or ⌘-click (Mac OS) the existing object while in Layout mode. This is a good way to "pick up" attributes applied by a layout theme applied in the New Layout/Report assistant.

You can change the color palette that FileMaker Pro displays. For more information, see Setting layout preferences.

To create a custom color, choose Other Color from the color palette and click on the color to use.

Tip To determine the RGB value of a color:

(Windows) In Layout mode, click the Fill Color palette and choose Other Color. Values are shown for each of the basic colors.

(Mac OS) Start the DigitalColor Meter application in the Applications/Utilities folder. Choose RGB As Actual Value, 8-bit. Move the pointer over colors onscreen to see their values.

Selecting and working with objects on a layout

Copying attributes between objects

Formatting tab controls

Contents > Editing objects on layouts > Selecting and working with objects on a layout > Setting color, pattern, line width, and object effects