Using the Symmetric Shape Tool

This tool allows you to create polygons and star shapes. To use the tool:

Select the Symmetric Shape tool in the Tools toolbar. It's grouped with the Rectangle, Ellipse, and Preset Shape tools.
In the Materials palette, set your Foreground/Stroke and Background/Fill properties.
In the Tool Options palette's Mode section, choose either Draw Polygon or Draw Stellated .
Set the remaining Tool Options:
Show Nodes: mark this check box to display the objects nodes during creation.
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.
Number of Sides: sets the number of sides for the object.
Radius: (available only for the Stellated objects) sets the object's radius.
Rounded Inner: (available only for the Stellated objects) mark this check box to apply rounded inner corners to the object.
Rounded Outer: mark this check box to apply rounded outer corners to the object.
Line Style options: set the type of line, it's stroke width, anti-alias setting, as well as Join and Miter Limit settings.

Drag the cursor to draw the symmetric object.
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), choose Edit in the Tool Options palette's Mode section. Note that the Symmetric Shape tool's Edit mode functionality is much like that of the Pen tool's Edit mode functionality. For example, to add a node to a Symmetric Shape while using the tool's Edit mode, hold down Ctrl and click on the path. 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.

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

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