Customizing dashes
Dashes are composed of alternating solid and blank segments. Using
the Dash manager, you can customize the length of up to 13 seg-
ments to create new, complex dash sequences.
You can design dashes interactively using the edit window. To pre-
cisely set the length of each dash segment, you can also specify an
exact length. The ruler in the Dash manager displays inches; how-
ever, you can enter dash lengths in inches, points, millimeters, or
picas; see Units preferences on page 15.236 for details.
Dashes in the Strokes palette always appear as 1-point wide, black
and white segments. However, when you apply these dashes to an
objects pen, the black segments adopt the color and size of the pen,
and the white segments become transparent.
To create a custom dash sequence: With the Strokes palette
floating, select the Dash tab and open the Dash manager, if needed.
Use the edit window and Length text box to design the sequence, as
described next.
Dash stroke
Dash manager
Use these controls to create
custom dashes.
A Click to move the edit win-
dow view left or right.
B To change the length of a
segment, drag a segment edi-
tor. You can type a number in
the Length box. When you se-
lect or drag a segment, it high-
lights.
C To zoom in, click the right
button. To zoom out, click the
left button. You can change
magnification in steps from
100% to 1000%.
D To add a segment, drag to
the left from the segment edi-
tor. The segment editor re-
mains at the right of the window
until you create the maximum
13 segments.
E The segments number (its
order in the sequence) and its
color. Black indicates it will
appear in the color of the pen
ink, and White indicates it will
be transparent.
F Displays a sample of the
current settings.
Proportional. Tells Canvas to
scale the length of the seg-
ments to match the pen width
of the object. The length of
segments in the Dash manager
are based on a 1-point line.
Therefore, if the pen width is 6
points and Proportional is
selected, Canvas multiplies the
lengths by six.
F
B
D
A
A
C
C
E