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Creating Graphics

 The general procedure for creating graphics is:

  1. Select the layer on which the graphics are to appear.

  2. Click the drawing button for the desired type of graphic.

    Once you click a drawing button, you can draw as many graphics of its type as you like. The button remains on until you click Done or do something other than draw additional graphics of the type.

  3. Draw the graphic on the icon viewer (not the layer itself).

If you try to draw in the current layer, the Icon Editor will think you are trying to move the layer. If this happens:

  1. Restore the layer to its original position (if needed).

  2. Retry the drawing operation in the icon viewer.

As you draw, the cursor indicator updates continuously to indicate the position of the cursor in workspace units. You can use this information to draw very precise graphics. All points are one workspace unit in size; all lines are one workspace unit thick.

Drawing Points

To draw a point:

  1. Click the Point button.

  2. Click the mouse at the location of the point.

Drawing Lines
To draw a line:

  1. Click the Line button.

  2. Click at the location of the beginning of the line.

  3. Click again at the location of the end of the line.

Drawing Segmented Lines
To draw a segmented line:

  1. Click the Segmented Line button.

  2. Click at the location of the beginning of the line.

  3. Click again at the location of each vertex.

    At each click, a line segment appears connecting the vertex to the previous vertex. When you have created the last vertex:

  4. Click the Done button.

Drawing Arcs
To draw an arc:

  1. Click the Arc button.

  2. Click at the location of the beginning of the arc.

  3. Click a second point.

    A line appears between the two points. As you move the mouse, this line flexes and extends so that it always forms a circular section running from the first point, through the second, to the mouse position. When the arc has the desired shape:

  4. Click a third point.

The arc remains as it was when you clicked the third point.

Drawing Rectangles

To draw a rectangle:

  1. Click the Rectangle or Filled Rectangle button.

  2. Click at the location of one corner of the rectangle.

  3. Click at the location of the diagonally opposite corner of the rectangle.

Drawing Circles
To draw a circle:

  1. Click the Circle or Filled Circle button.

  2. Click at the position of the center of the circle.

    A circle appears. The center remains at the first point. As you move the mouse, the circle expands and contracts so that its edge is always at the mouse position. When the circle has the desired radius:

  3. Click a second point.

    The circle remains as it was when you clicked the second point.

Drawing Polygons

 A filled polygon must be a simple polygon (its edges must not cross) or the editor will delete it after it is complete. An unfilled polygon need not be simple.

To draw a polygon:

  1. Click the Polygon or Filled Polygon button.

  2. Click at the location of a vertex.

  3. Click again at the location of each additional vertex.

    At each click, a line segment appears connecting the vertex to the previous vertex. When you have created the last vertex:

  4. Click the Done button.

    The editor automatically connects the last vertex to the first.

Toggling Filled and Outlined Graphics

 You can change all closed graphics on a layer to be either filled or unfilled (outlined). The change does not affect any graphics that already have the chosen appearance.

To set all closed graphics to be filled:

  1. Select the layer to be changed.

  2. Click the Fill button.

The editor redraws all closed graphics in the layer to be filled. Exception: any nonsimple polygon will remain unchanged.

To change all closed graphics to be outlined:

  1. Select the layer to be changed.

  2. Click the Outline button.

The editor redraws all closed graphics in the layer to be outlined.

Deleting Graphics

You can delete graphical elements in a layer in the reverse order of their creation.

To delete the most recent graphical element in a layer:

  1. Select the relevant layer.

  2. Click the Pop button.

The editor deletes the most recently created graphical element in the selected layer. To delete additional elements, continue clicking Pop.

If you click Pop on an empty layer, the editor deletes the layer itself. The next layer below the deleted layer, or the bottom-most layer if there was no next layer, becomes the current layer.

Moving Graphics

You can use the mouse to change the positions of the graphical elements in a layer. All of the elements move together to the new position.

To move the graphics in a layer:

  1. Select the layer whose graphics are to be moved.

  2. Click the Move button.

  3. Drag the graphics to the desired position.

The editor clips the graphics as needed if you move them outside the borders of the icon. If you move an element far enough, it may disappear entirely, but it still exists: it will reappear if you move it back into the viewing area, or expand the area to expose the graphic.

If you want to change the relative positions of the graphical elements in a layer, ungroup and group the layer as needed to provide separate access to its elements, as described under Creating Groups.

Reshaping Graphics

You cannot use the mouse to reshape a graphical element after you have drawn it. If the shape of the element is not satisfactory, you have two options:

For information on using the Text Editor to modify an icon, see Editing Icons Textually.

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