The Shape object is used for controlling and obtaining information about a shape in a ConceptDraw document. Provides access to virtually all elements and characteristics of a shape. In ConceptDraw Basic, the Shape object describes all ConceptDraw shapes except service objects - that is, 1D-shapes, simple 2D-shapes, groups, connectors, smart connectors, vector pictures, object that contain raster images, and other. Depending on the shape type to which the instance of the Shape object corresponds, the object supports different methods and properties.
Name | Supported Types | Description |
Angle | All | The angle to which the given object is rotated relative to the coordinate system of the parent shape. |
BeginX | 1D-shape | The X coordinate of the begin point of the shape. |
BeginY | 1D-shape | The Y coordinate of the begin point of the shape. |
ConnectObjBegin | 1D-shape, connectors, smart-connectors | The ID of the shape, to which the begin point of this 1D-shape is connected. |
ConnectObjEnd | 1D-shape, connectors, smart-connectors | The ID of the shape, to which the end point of this 1D-shape is connected. |
ConnectTypeBegin | 1D-shape, connectors, smart-connectors | The connection type of the connector's begin point to the shape. |
ConnectTypeEnd | 1D-shape, connectors, smart-connectors | The connection type of the connector's begin point to the shape. |
DblClick | All | The shape's double-click action. |
DblClickAction | All | The user-defined double-click action. |
Desc | All | The description of the shape. |
Document | All | Read-only. Returns the document, to which the shape belongs. |
EndX | 1D-shape | The X-coordinate of the end point of the shape. |
EndY | 1D-shape | The Y-coordinate of the end point of the shape. |
FillColor | 1D-shape, 2D-shape | Read-only. The fill color of the shape. |
FillPatColor | 1D-shape, 2D-shape | Read-only. The fill pattern color of the shape. |
FillPattern | 1D-shape, 2D-shape | The type of the fill pattern of the shape. |
FlipX | All | A flag that specifies whether the shape is flipped horizontally. |
FlipY | All | A flag that specifies whether the shape is flipped vertically. |
FlowAroundObjects | Smart-connector | A flag that specifies whether the smart connector should flow around other shapes, located on the same page as this smart connector (True - flow around, False - pass through). |
GPinX | All | The X-coordinate of the rotation center of the shape in the coordinate system of the parent group. |
GPinY | All | The X-coordinate of the rotation center of the shape in the coordinate system of the parent group. |
Height | All | The height of the shape. |
Hyperlink | All | The ID of the hyperlink, assigned to the shape. |
ID | All | Read-only. ID of the shape. |
Is1D | All | Read-only. True if 1D-shape, False if 2D-shape or other object type. |
Layer | All | The ID of the layer to which the shape belongs. |
LineBegin | 1D-shape | The begin arrowhead type of a 1D-shape. |
LineEnd | 1D-shape | The end arrowhead type of a 1D-shape. |
LineEndSize | 1D-shape | The size of begin and end arrowheads of a 1D-shape. |
LockAspect | All | A flag that protects the shape from unproportional resizing. |
LockBegin | 1D-shape | A flag that protects the begin point of a 1D-shape from repositioning with the mouse. |
LockCalcWH | All | A flag that specifies whether to update the alignment box size if the coordinates of the shape's vertices have been changed. |
LockConnector | Smart-connector | A flag that doesn't allow the smart connector to re-route automatically. |
LockDelete | All | A flag that protects the shape from deleting. |
LockEnd | 1D-shape | A flag that protects the end point of a 1D-shape from repositioning with the mouse. |
LockFlipX | All | A flag that protects the shape from flipping horizontally. |
LockFlipY | All | A flag that protects the shape from flipping vertically. |
LockHeight | All | A flag that protects the shape's height when the shape is resized. |
LockMoveX | All | A flag that protects the shape from horizontal repositioning. |
LockMoveY | All | A flag that protects the shape from vertical repositioning. |
LockRotate | All | A flag that protects the shape from rotation. |
LockVertex | All | A flag that protects the vertices from modifying with the mouse. |
LockWidth | All | A flag that protects the shape's width when the shape is resized. |
LPinX | All | The X offset of the shape's rotation center (GPin) with respect to the center of the shape's coordinate system. |
LPinY | All | The Y offset of the shape's rotation center (GPin) with respect to the center of the shape's coordinate system. |
Name | All | The shape's name. |
NonPrinting | All | A flag that specifies whether to print the shape when the document is printed: True - don't print shape, False - print shape. |
ObjType | All | The shape type: simple shape, group, vector picture, etc. |
Page | All | The page to which the shape belongs. |
Parent | All | The parent group (the group to which this shape belongs). |
PenColor | 1D-shape, 2D-shape | Read-only. The line color for this shape. |
PenPattern | 1D-shape, 2D-shape | The line pattern for this shape. |
PenWeight | 1D-shape, 2D-shape | The line width for this shape. |
ResizeBehaviour | All | Specifies how the shape behaves when its parent group is being resized. |
RoundCorners | 1D-shape, 2D-shape | The corner radius of the shape. |
ShadowColor | 1D-shape, 2D-shape | The shape's shadow color. |
ShadowPatColor | 1D-shape, 2D-shape | The shape's shadow pattern color. |
ShadowPattern | 1D-shape, 2D-shape | The shape's shadow pattern type. |
ShowAlignBox | All | A flag that sets whether to display the shape's alignment box. |
ShowControlHandles | All | A flag that sets whether to display the shape's control handles. |
ShowShapeHandles | All | A flag that sets whether to display the shape's resize and rotation handles. |
ShowText | All | A flag that sets whether to display the shape's text. |
SubID | All | Read-only. The unique number of the shape within its parent object (group or page). |
Text | All | The string that contains the text of the shape. |
TextAngle | All | The angle to which the object text is rotated with respect to the coordinate system of the shape. |
TextBlock | All | The shape's text block. |
TextFlipX | All | A flag that specifies whether the shape's text is flipped horizontally. True - text is flipped, False - text is not flipped. |
TextFlipY | All | A flag that specifies whether the shape's text is flipped vertically. True - text is flipped, False - text is not flipped. |
TextGPinX | All | The X-coordinate of the rotation center of the shape's text block. |
TextGPinY | All | The Y-coordinate of the rotation center of the shape's text block. |
TextHeight | All | The text block height. |
TextLPinX | All | The X offset of the rotation center of the shape's text block with respect to the center of the shape's coordinate system. |
TextLPinY | All | The Y offset of the rotation center of the shape's text block with respect to the center of the shape's coordinate system. |
TextWidth | All | The text block width. |
Width | All | The shape's height. |
Name | Supported Types | Description |
Action | All | Returns a user-defined action by its index in the user-defined action collection of the shape. |
ActionsNum | All | Returns the number of user-defined actions of the shape. |
AddAction | All | Adds a new user-defined action. |
AddConnectDot | All | Adds a new connection point to the shape. |
AddControlDot | All | Adds a new control handle to the shape. |
AddCustomProp | All | Adds a new connection point custom property to the shape. |
AddGeometry | 1D-shape, 2D-shape | Adds a new geometry to the geometry collection of the shape. |
AddVariable | All | Adds a new user variable to the variable collection of the shape. |
ArcTo | All | Draws an arc. |
BeginShape | group | Creates a shape in the group which is later considered as the current Basic shape of the group, or returns the current Basic shape of the group. |
Character | All | Returns a character block by its index in the character block collection of the shape. |
CharactersNum | All | Returns the number of character blocks in the shape. |
ColorProperty | All | Returns the color of the specified shape property. The property is defined by the constant tag and the indexes of the geometry and segment of the shape to which it belongs. |
ConnectDot | All | Returns a connection point by its index in the connection point collection of the shape. |
ConnectDotsNum | All | Returns the number of connection points in the connection point collection of the shape. |
ControlDot | All | Returns a control handle by its index in the control handle collection of the shape. |
ControlDotsNum | All | Returns the number of control handles in the control handle collection of the shape. |
ConvertToGroup | group | Converts a ConceptDraw Vector Picture object to a ConceptDraw group preserving its position in the document. |
ConvertToVFPicture | group | Converts a ConceptDraw shape to a Vector Picture object preserving its position in the document. |
CustomProp | All | Returns a custom property by its index in the custom property collection of the shape. |
CustomPropsNum | All | Returns the number of custom properties of the shape. |
DrawConnector | group | Draws a connector. |
DrawGroup | group | Creates a group inside the given group. |
DrawGuide | group | Draws a guide line. |
DrawLine | All | Draws a line. |
DrawOval | All | Draws an ellipse. |
DrawRect | All | Draws a rectangle. |
DrawSector | All | Draws a sector of the circle. |
DrawSmartConnector | group | Draws a smart connector. |
DrawStamp | group | Draws inside the group a copy of the specified shape with the specified size and position, same as the Stamp tool in ConceptDraw. |
DrawStampSelection | group | Draws inside the group copies of all selected shapes with the specified size and position, same as the Stamp tool in ConceptDraw. |
DropStamp | group | Creates inside the group a copy of the specified shape, same as the Stamp tool in ConceptDraw, preserving the size of the original shape. |
DropStampSelection | group | Creates inside the group copies of all selected shapes, same as the Stamp tool in ConceptDraw, preserving the size of the original shapes. |
EndShape | group | Returns the current Basic shape of the group and informs ConceptDraw that creation of the shape is finished. |
Equal | All | Copies all the properties and the contents of the specified shape to the given shape. |
GeometriesNum | 1D-shape, 2D-shape | Returns the number of geometries in the shape. |
Geometry | 1D-shape, 2D-shape | Returns a geometry by its index in the geometry collection of the shape. |
GetBooleanProperty | All | Returns the value of a Boolean type property. |
GetByteProperty | All | Returns the value of a Byte type property. |
GetCharacterIndex | All | Returns the index of the character block which includes the character with the specified index in the line of the shape's text. |
GetDoubleProperty | All | Returns the value of a Double type property. |
GetIntegerProperty | All | Returns the value of an Integer type property. |
GetLongProperty | All | Returns the value of a Long type property. |
GetParagraphIndex | All | Returns the index of the paragraph in the shape's paragraph collection by the specified character's index in the shape's text. |
GetPropertyFormula | All | Returns the property's formula in the form of a string. |
GetSingleProperty | All | Returns the value of a Single type property. |
GetStringProperty | All | Returns the value of a String type property |
InsertPicture | group | Inserts into a group an object that contains picture from the specified file. |
IsDefaultFormula | All | Returns True if the specified property of the shape has a formula that is marked as default. Otherwise returns False. |
IsNullFormula | All | Returns True if the specified property of the shape has no formula. Otherwise returns False. |
LAtoWA | All | Converts the specified angle from local coordinates of this shape into global coordinates. |
LineTo | 1D-shape, 2D-shape, group | Draws a line in the shape. |
LPtoGP | All | Converts the coordinates of the point from local coordinates of this shape into the coordinate system of the parent shape (group or page). |
LPtoWP | All | Converts the coordinates of the point from local coordinate system of this shape into global coordinates. |
MoveTo | 1D-shape, 2D-shape, group | Sets the position of the current point of the shape, used for drawing shapes. |
Paragraph | All | Returns a paragraph by its index in the paragraph collection of the shape. |
ParagraphsNum | All | Returns the number of paragraphs in the shape's text. |
PropertyChanged | All | Tells the ConceptDraw engine that the value of the specified table property has been changed and the formulas of the dependent properties must be re-calculated. |
RecalcProperty | All | Tells the ConceptDraw engine that the value of the specified table property is to be re-calculated using its table formula. |
RemoveAction | All | Removes a user-defined action by its index in the user-defined action collection of the shape. |
RemoveCharacter | All | Removes a character block by its index in the character block collection of the shape. |
RemoveConnectDot | All | Removes a connection point by its index in the connection point collection of the shape. |
RemoveControlDot | All | Removes a control handle by its index in the control handle collection of the shape. |
RemoveCustomProp | All | Removes a user-defined action by its index in the user-defined action collection of the shape. |
RemoveGeometry | 1D-shape, 2D-shape | Removes a geometry by its index in the geometry collection of the shape. |
RemoveParagraph | All | Removes a paragraph by its index in the paragraph collection of the shape. |
RemoveServObj | group | Removes a service object by its index in the service object collection of the group. |
RemoveServObjByID | group | Removes a service object with the specified ID (the ID property) from the service object collection of the group. |
RemoveShape | group | Removes a shape by its index in the shape collection of the group. |
RemoveShapeByID | group | Removes a shape with the specified ID from the shape collection of the group. |
RemoveVariable | All | Removes a user-defined variable by its index in the user-defined variable collection of the shape. |
ReorderServObj | group | Moves the service object to the specified position in the service object collection of the group. |
ReorderServObjByID | group | Moves a service object with the specified ID to the indicated position in the service object collection of the group. |
ReorderShape | group | Moves the shape to the specified position in the shape collection of the group. |
ReorderShapeByID | group | Moves a shape with the specified ID to the indicated position in the shape collection of the group. |
ServObj | group | Returns a service object by its index in the service object collection of the group. |
ServObjByID | group | Searches for a service object with the specified ID in the service object collection of the group. |
ServObjsNum | group | Returns the number of service objects in the group. |
SetBooleanProperty | All | Sets the value of a Boolean type property by the specified tag. |
SetByteProperty | All | Sets the value of a Byte type property by the specified tag. |
SetCharColor | All | Sets color for the specified character block of the shape's text. |
SetCharFont | All | Sets font for the specified character block of the shape's text. |
SetCharHyperlink | All | Sets hyperlink for the specified character block of the shape's text. |
SetCharLanguage | All | Sets encoding for the specified character block of the shape's text. |
SetCharPos | All | Sets position (subscript, superscript) for the specified character block of the shape's text. |
SetCharSize | All | Sets font size for the specified character block of the shape's text. |
SetCharSpacing | All | Sets character spacing for the specified character block of the shape's text. |
SetCharStyle | All | Sets font style (bold, italic, underline, etc.) for the specified character block of the shape's text. |
SetDefaultFormula | All | Creates a default formula for the specified table property of the shape. |
SetDoubleProperty | All | Sets a value of the specified Double type table property. |
SetIntegerProperty | All | Sets a value of the specified Integer type table property. |
SetLongProperty | All | Sets a value of the specified Long type table property. |
SetNullFormula | All | Removes the formula from the specified table property of the shape. |
SetParaAfterSpacing | All | Sets spacing between the specified and next paragraph of the shape's text. |
SetParaBeforeSpacing | All | Sets spacing between the specified and previous paragraph of the shape's text. |
SetParaFirstInd | All | Sets the first line indent for the specified paragraph of the shape. |
SetParaHAlign | All | Sets horizontal alignment type for the specified paragraph relative to the text box. |
SetParaLeftInd | All | Sets the distance to the left edge of the text box for the specified paragraph of the shape. |
SetParaLineSpacing | All | Sets the line spacing for the specified paragraph of the shape. |
SetParaRightInd | All | Sets the distance to the right edge of the text box for the specified paragraph of the shape. |
SetPropertyFormula | All | Sets a table formula for the specified table property of the shape. |
SetSingleProperty | All | Sets a value of the specified Single type table property. |
SetStringProperty | All | Sets a value of the specified String type table property. |
SetStyle | All | Assigns a style with the specified name to the shape. |
Shape | group | Returns a shape by its index in the shape collection of the group. |
ShapeByID | group | Searches for a shape with the specified ID in the shape collection of the group. |
ShapesNum | group | Returns the number of shapes in the group. |
SplineStart | 1D-shape, 2D-shape, group | Starts drawing a new spline. |
SplineTo | 1D-shape, 2D-shape, group | Creates a spline segment in the shape. |
Variable | All | Returns a user-defined variable by its index in the user-defined variable collection of the shape. |
VariablesNum | All | Returns the number of user-defined variables contained in the shape. |
WPtoLP | All | Converts the coordinates of the specified point from the global coordinate system to the local coordinate system of this shape. |
A ConceptDraw shape can be located on a document page, inside a group of shapes, or be stored inside a library object (Master object) - that is, inside a library. Which page or group contains its own collection of ConceptDraw shapes, and uses the appropriate methods of the Page and Shape objects to control them. Each library object can contain only one ConceptDraw shape. An instance of the Shape object can also be retrieved by using properties of other objects (Shape, ServObj, Window) which refer to the shape to which they belong.
The Shape object has some properties, known as table properties of the shape - that is, the properties which can be associated with a table formula. To work with such properties as with table properties the appropriate methods of the Shape object are used (see above). Note, that if a table property was modified, one should use the RecalcProperty and PropertyChanged methods to re-calculate the depending properties and re-draw the shape respectively.
Also the methods of the Shape object provide control over connection points of connectors, control handles, user-defined actions, variables, custom properties, text block parameters, paragraphs and character blocks of the shape's text, shape geometries, etc.
An instance of the Shape object can be retrieved by using the following methods
and properties:
Master object: Shape
property.
Page and Shape object: Shape
method, ShapeByID method and other
ServObj and Shape object: Parent
property.
Window object: Shape property.
Also an instance of the Shape object can be retrieved by using the thisShape global variable, pre-defined at the shape script level. thisShape returns the shape which script is being executed when the variable is referred to.
See Also |
Character object, Color object, Document object, Hyperlink object, Master object, Page object, Paragraph object, ServObj object, TextBlock object, Window object |