Using the Preset Shape Tool

This tool allows you to place pre-made shapes on the image. The Shapes drop-list in the Tool Options palette has shape categories. You can choose to display All shapes, or choose categories such as Arrows, Basic Shapes, Callouts, and Preset Shapes. To use the tool:

Select the Preset Shape tool in the Tools toolbar. It's grouped with the Ellipse, Symmetric Shapes, and Preset Shape tools.
In the Tool Options palette's Shapes List, choose the desired preset shape. To control what appears in the drop list, select the appropriate category (All, Arrows, Basic Shapes, Callouts, or Preset Shapes).
To define how the preset shape will appear, choose one of the following options:
Do not mark the Retain style check box in the Tool Options palette if you want to define the preset shape's stroke and fill properties. By having this option unchecked, the preset shape will be drawn using the current Foreground/Stroke and/or Backgound/Fill property settings in the Materials palette. If you do not want to have either a Foreground/Stroke or a Background/Fill, set the appropriate property to Transparent.
To have the preset shape look just like it does in the Shape list, mark the Retain style check box. Having this option checked will ignore the Materials palette settings.

Set other tool options:

Create on Vector: Mark this check box to place the object on the current vector layer. If no vector layer exists, this option will create a new one for the object. If this option is not checked, the preset shape will be placed on a raster layer (making it more difficult to subsequently edit).
Line Style: From the drop-list, choose the style to use for the preset shape's stroke. For a plain, standard line, choose +Solid.
Width: Set the desired stroke width in pixels.
Anti-alias: Mark this check box to apply anti-aliasing to the object, giving the edges a smoother appearance.
Join: Choose from one of three Join types. Miter Join (this setting makes the Miter limit setting available) produces more pointed joins; Round Join rounds off the joins; and Beveled Join produces a sloped join.
Miter limit: (This is only available when Miter Join is chosen.) This sets the degree of pointedness for Miter joins. Lower values create less pointed joins; higher values created more pointed joins.

Place the cursor on the image canvas, hold down the left mouse button and then drag to create the shape. Release the mouse button when the shape reaches the desired size.

Note: To create the shape with the same aspect ratio as that shown in the Shapes list, hold down Shift while dragging the mouse. To place the centerpoint of the shape at the position where you clicked, hold down the right mouse button while dragging out the shape.

In the Tool Options palette, click Apply to complete the creation of the shape and deselect it.
To edit the object (assuming you created it as a vector object), click the Edit button in the Tool Options palette's Mode section, and then click the object. Edit mode allows for a variety of ways to modify the object. Note that you can also choose the Object Selection tool and modify the object in other ways (such as move, rotate, stretch, etc.).

Saving a Preset

Save an often-used set of Tool Options palette settings for subsequent use as follows:

Set the Tool Options to the desired settings.
Click the Presets drop-list, and then click the Save preset button . The Save Preset dialog appears.
In the Preset Name field, enter a name for the preset.
Optionally, you can click the Options button to enter more information about the preset, such as the Author, Copyright, and Description. You can also choose to exclude particular preset properties by clicking the associated button (a red "x" will appear over excluded properties).
Click OK to save the preset and close the Save Preset dialog.

Loading a Preset

To load a preset, click the Presets drop-list and then click the desired preset from the list.

Resetting Tool Options to Default Values

To reset the Tool Options palette to the default values, click the Presets drop-list and then click the Reset to default button .

Using the Preset Shape Tool

Saving a Preset

Loading a Preset

Resetting Tool Options to Default Values

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