Cool effects

OpenOffice.org 2.x Draw Guide

Chapter 8: Tips and Tricks

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• Positioning objects with Zoom
• Positioning objects with snap functions
• Snap to grid
• Snap to snap objects
• Other snap functions
• Positioning objects with helper lines
• Drawing to scale
• Splitting complex drawings on multiple layers
• Example: house plan and furniture
• Multi-page document
• Using page backgrounds
• Color palette
• Using the color picker dialog
• Cool effects

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Duplication

Duplication makes copies of an object while applying a set of changes (such as color or rotation) to the duplicates.

Figure 28: Duplication example.

To start duplication, click on an object or group and choose Edit > Duplicate. The Duplicate dialog appears:

Figure 29: Duplicate dialog.

Choose the number of copies, their separation (placement), rotation, and so on. The choices above applied to a blue rectangle produce the following result shown in Figure 28 above.

Here is another example, showing the result of a different set of choices:

Figure 30. The duplication tool in action.

Cross-fading

Cross-fading transforms one shape into another. The result is a new group of objects including the two end points and the intermediate steps.

To do a cross-fade, select two objects.

Figure 31: The two objects selected for cross fading.

Then choose Edit > Cross-fading.

Figure 32: Cross-fading dialog.

On the dialog choose the number of increments (transition steps). You probably want to have Cross-fade attributes and Same orientation both checked. The end result is shown below.

Figure 33: Cross-fading with 6 steps.

Which object goes in front?

How do I tell OpenOffice.org I want and not ? If you want then select (the object we want in front), right-click and choose Arrange > Bring to Front (or Ctrl+Shift++). Or select (the object we want behind), right-click and choose Arrange > Send to Back (or Ctrl+Shift+-).