Designing the Background for the Graphic Window

  1. Double-click anywhere in the background of the Assign components window to bring up the Design background picture dialog.
  2. Use this window to import a graphic that was created with another application or create your own background using the drawing toolbar buttons.
    • "DesignButton2.png" To import an existing graphic, click the diskette button, then drag and drop the diskette in the work area. Once you have positioned the component, and released the mouse button, the Image properties dialog will pop up on the screen. The system displays the Open window. Locate the graphic you want to import and click Open. The graphic is placed in the graphic area of the dialog.
    • "DesignButton.png" To import a custom button into the background graphic, click the Custom images button in the toolbar. The Select an image window pops up on the screen. Select an button, then click OK to close the window and import the image in your design.
    • To insert shapes and text in the background image, select a rectangle, a circle, an ellipse, etc. in the toolbar, and drag and drop it in your background.
    • To modify a shape you’ve just placed in the burgeoned window, right-click it to open the Properties dialog. and make the appropriate modifications (colour, position, etc.).
    • You can setup the system to display the Properties dialog as you drop the shape into the design window. To do so, select the Show properties on Drop from the Options menu.
    • To retrieve shapes that were previously saved to a disk, select the Load annotations option in the Image menu. When you add shapes to a graphic, you have the option of saving them as annotation on a separate file in order to retrieve them later.
    • To save annotations on a separate file from your graphic, select the Save annotations option in the Image menu. You are able to retrieve them for later use.
    • To clear the shapes, select Clear annotation in the Image menu. If you save the graphic with the shapes, the shape becomes permanent.
    • Use the View menu to define how the graphic will be displayed.
      Note: Sizing handles (square handles that are displayed along the sides of the object that surrounds the selected object) indicate the object is selected.