Creating Graphics

You can create a wide variety of graphic shapes for your parts or to add to your schematic page. You can work with the snap-to-grid option turned on or turned off. For close work, you may want to try Zooming in on your graphic. To draw very precisely, use the Go To command on the View menu.

Before you begin drawing, you may want to specify default line and fill styles because all lines and shapes you draw adopt the current line style and closed shapes adopt the current fill style. You can use a variety of line types or fill styles for any schematic page or part.

To change the snap-to-grid option

• From the Options menu, choose the Preferences command, then choose the Grid Display tab. You set the option separately for the schematic page editor and the part editor.

To set a default line style

1. From the Options menu, choose the Preferences command and then choose the Miscellaneous tab.

2. Click the Line Style and Line Width drop-down list to display the options. Note that you can specify separate options for the schematic page editor and the part editor.
3. Select one of the options and click OK. Any lines or shapes you draw will have this line style.

To define a default fill

1. From the Options menu, choose the Preferences command and then choose the Miscellaneous tab.
2. Click the Fill Style drop-down list to display the options. Note that you can specify separate options for the schematic page editor and the part editor.
3. Select one of the options and click OK. Any closed shapes you draw will have this fill style.

To edit line style or fill style of a placed object

In schematic page editor:

1. Select the required object.
2. From the Edit menu, choose the Properties command.
3. Select another line style or fill style in the dialog box that appears, then click OK.

In part editor:

1. Select the required object.
2. Use the Basic Attributes section in the Property Sheet pane to modify the line style or fill style.

To draw an object

1. From the Place menu, choose the appropriate drawing command or select the appropriate drawing tool from the tool palette.
2. Use the mouse to draw the object. To constrain the object by the orthogonality rules, press and hold the Shift key while you draw.