Hidden Features in Draw
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This page is in Work!
Foreword
This video series is based on the presentation of 'Hidden Gems in Draw/Impress' by ARMIN LE GRAND.
This presentation was edited and subsequently divided into several parts.
The videos "Draw - Hidden Features" - LibreOffice links to this page, which contains further information.
This video series shows hidden features in Draw and how to use them.
Notice that the drawing Features in Draw and Impress are identical and can be used equivalently.
Objects - basic
Objects are divided into three property areas.
- the shape of the object, which can only be created or changed by drawing. The geometric data for different shapes of objects are therefore stored inside objects.
- the dimensions for width, height and angle of objects.
- the appearance of objects (colours, line width, filling). You can define it as direct formatting (this is not recommended) or as formatting with
Styles in Draw (recommended).
The property areas 2. and 3. can be set together if the objects have been selected beforehand.
Links to Videos "Draw - Hidden Features" ( in German [DE] )
Video 1 - Colours and Colour Palette
Video 3 - Select and deselect Objects and Arrow keys
Video 4 - Objects arrangement and alignment
Video 5 - Edit and convert Objects - Create and change Gallery Shapes
Video 6 - Copy Objects - Basic Shapes
Video 7 - Merge, subtract and cut Objects
Docking Colour Palette in Draw
Colors and Color Bar
Link to the Video (in German [DE]):
Video 1 - Colors and Color Bar
Colors and Color Bar
You open Draw and call up the Color Bar (Color Palette).
You open the Color Bar by selecting the ▸ menu.
The Color Palette will be displayed.
The Color Palette can be free-floating or docked to any side.
Example for left and right side:
Color Bar (Palette) - floating
Colour Palette docked left
Colour Palette docked right
The "Show and Hide bar" 
can be used to hide or show the docked Color Palette.
If you move the mouse pointer over this line, a "Double arrow" vertical appears.
This line can be moved upwards (become larger) or downwards (respectively to the left or right) by dragging with left mouse button.
For docking above and below centered in the work area, the floating Color palette at the top of the ( blue ) Title area should be set to the bottom edge of the Title area.
This way the gray frame can always be created.
For use: Left click to apply as background color, Right click to set line color.
The color bar has a special feature compared to the color palettes on the toolbars.
At the last position is a white field with an "X".
If you click on this field, select the color “None”.
Floating the Color Palette
If you work with colors frequently, you can grab the gray panel with the left mouse button and pull it upwards, so that the "Colour Palette" floats.
Or hold down the Ctrl key and double-click the gray area of the color palette window.
This returns the color bar to its last position.
The dialogue window of the Colour Palette can be dragged larger at the bottom edge.
Docking Colour Palette
This video shows how you can dock the "Colour Palette" into Draw in LibreOffice, and links to this page here for more information and details.
Docking is the process of dragging the floating Colour Palette to visually connect it to a side of the workspace, for example.
Link to the Video:
Docking Colour Palette in Draw
The Colour Palette is accessed from the ▸ menu.
The Colour Palette can be floating or docked.
You can position the Colour Palette almost anywhere for your work.
Free-floating, the Colour Palette can be moved to a desired position.
The following positions of a docked Colour Palette can be selected:
- On the left side of the workspace.
- At the top of the Page Pane.
- At the bottom of the Page Pane.
- On the right side of the workspace.
- At the top of the Sidebar
- At the bottom Sidebar
- At the top of the workspace.
- At the bottom side of the workspace.
You can also dock and undock with Ctrl + double-click, when the cursor is in the gray area.
Or with Ctrl + ⇧ Shift + F10
When docking, the last position used is then assumed in each case.
For docking at the top and bottom of the workspace center, click the bottom of the Title bar.
When docked, the Colour Palette can also be hidden and made visible again.
The "Show and Hide bar" can be used to hide or show the docked Colour Palette.
Assign colors to an object
The options of docking or free floating the color palette, allows you to quickly select colors.
The object you want to assign the color to should be selected.
Left click to apply as background colour, right click to set line Colour.
Colours on Objects
Link to the Video (in German [DE]):
Colors on Objects
Open LibreOffice Draw and open the reference work file "Draw-Objects.odg".
Now let's color the objects.
In page 1, select the object "red oval".
If you now click with the left mouse button on a colour in the colour palette, the object takes on the selected background colour.
If you click with the right mouse button on a colour in the colour table, the border of the object takes on the selected line colour.
Alternatively, the Background colour and the Line colour can be selected by using "drag and drop", i.e. dragging the color from the Color Palette, and placing it on the object or on the border.
The Background colour and the Line colour can also be selected transparently, with this icon 
 |
Note:
|
Select and deselect Objects and Arrow keys
Link to the Video (in German [DE]):
Video 3 - Select and deselect objects and arrow keys.
Select and Deselect Objects
Open LibreOffice Draw and open the reference work file "Draw-Objects.odg".
Now let's select the objects.
There are several ways to select objects.
Select individual objects
Click on the Page 2 on the left.
Use the left mouse button to click on an single object.
Select multiple objects
You can select multiple objects by holding the ⇧ Shift key and click the left mouse button.
Or you can drag a rectangle over multiple objects (click, hold, drag, release) to select them.
Click the Page 6 on the left.
With Alt and left mouse click, you can select several arbitrary objects as a group.
Select all objects
Use Ctrl + A to select all objects.
Select next/previous object
Click the Page 3 on the left.
With the Tab ↹ key the next object is selected.
Use the ⇧ Shift and Tab ↹ keys to select the previous object.
Deselecting objects
You are now deselecting objects.
With ⇧ Shift key and left mouse click, you can select and deselect individual objects, if several are selected.
For all objects you can deselect them with the ESC key.
Arrow buttons
Move objects with the arrow keys
Use the arrow keys to move objects.
The arrow keys move the object by one tenth of a grid square (depending on your configuration settings).
Using the arrow keys in combination with the ⇧ Shift moves an object by one grid square (depending on your settings).
Using the arrow keys in combination with the Alt key will move one pixel.
Change the size of objects with the arrow keys
You can also use the arrow keys to increase or decrease the size of an object.
Select an object.
Normally, a selected object has 8 points for editing.
Press ▸ and the first point of the object flashes.
Now press the arrow keys.
Press ▸ again and the next point flashes.
Press the arrow keys again.
After the last point flashes, press ▸ to switch off the mode.
Effect of the points using the example of an ellipse.
Example ellipse
Objects arrangement and alignment
Link to the Video (in German [DE]):
Video 4 - Objects arrangement and alignment
Arranging Objects
Change the arrangement of objects.
Arrangement refers to the location within the layer system, i.e., which object is located over which.
Now let's try to change the arrangement of objects.
Click on Page 9.
From the ▸ menu ( Ctrl + F5 ), choose the Sidebar.
Scroll down the Sidebar to "Position and Size".
There you will find the options for arranging objects.
In the "Sidebar", the icons "Arrangement", sequence: "Bring to Front", "Forward one", "Back one" and "Send to Back".
Or in the "Standard" toolbar, you select the black arrow for the "Arrangement" icon.
Click on an object, e.g. the circle.
Now you have the possibility to change a previously selected object in the arrangement.
A selected object can be placed "Bring to Front", "Forward one", "Back one" and "Send to Back".
You drag the menu down to make it float.
Now you can play through the individual arrangements.
Aligning Objects
You will now align objects in their position.
To align objects in their position within a layer, a check mark must be set in the ▸ ▸ ▸ menu.
Snapping of objects to snap lines can be found in the ▸ ▸ ▸ menu, where the value of the Snap range, e.g. 20 pixels, may be adjusted.
Click on the "Page 6".
In the "Standard" toolbar, find the "Align" icon and open the menu by clicking the little black arrow beside the icon.
Again, you can float the menu by dragging the handle in the bottom of the menu.
Now you have the possibility to align objects.
The functions in the Align menu in sequence are: "Left", "Centred", "Right", "Top", "Centre" and "Bottom".
You can now execute the individual alignments.
For a single selected object, the orientation refers to the Page.
For several selected objects, the orientation is relative to the other objects.
Aligning Objects to Snap Lines
You can also align to Snap lines.
By holding down the left mouse button on the ruler, you can pull down a Snap line.
Any number of lines, horizontal and vertical, can be pulled down.
You can also add Snap lines using the ▸ in the menu.
A dialog will appear "New Snap Object" with the selection options, "Point", "Vertical", or "Horizontal", and the specification of the position.
Right clicking on the Snap line you can select to or .
In the ▸ menu you can select an option for Snap.
If the Snap lines are not visible, they will have no effect.
Now you can drag objects with the mouse, and they will snap to the nearest snap line when you drop them.
Snap lines can also be pushed back onto the ruler.
Edit and convert Objects - Create and change Gallery Shapes
Link to the Video (in German [DE]):
Video 5 - Edit and convert objects - create and change gallery shapes
Edit and Convert Objects
Edit Objects
Open LibreOffice Draw and open the reference work file "Draw-Objects.odg".
Draw a Curve
You now want to draw a Curve.
Click on the Page 5.
If the "Curve" icon 
is not visible on the "Drawing" toolbar, select ▸ from the menu.
See also: Adding Buttons to Toolbars
Click on the "Toolbars" tab at the top.
In the "Customise" dialog, you select "Drawing" from the "Category".
For "Available Commands" scroll down and check "Curve", then click .
Now you can use the "Curve" icon .
Click the "Curve" icon , then click with the left mouse button on the Page, and drag to create a Curve.
On the Page click-hold-drag a distance and release.
Now move the mouse to deform the stretch, as a curve.
With the further sequence: click-hold-drag, release and form a curve, the curve can be continued at will.
When the curve has the desired shape, double-click to complete the curve, see example curve on the right.
Draw a Curve With Help Lines
The curve can be edited further.
Select the curve by clicking on it.
Right-click and choose ( F8 ) from the Context menu.
Left-click on a point to see the Help lines.
Hold the ⇧ Shift key to display the Help lines of several points.
By manipulating the ends of the tangent, you can further deform the curve.
Add Points
You can also add points to the curve.
Select from the ▸ ▸ menu.
In the toolbar "Edit Points", click on "Insert Point" 
.
Then click on the curve where you want the new point to be placed.
Delete Points
You can also delete points from the curve.
For this purpose the corresponding point must be clicked.
Click on the point, then click on "Edit Points", then select "Delete Points" 
in the toolbar.
Split the Curve
A curve can also be split up.
Select the point at the desired location, or set and select a new point.
After that the toolbar "Edit points", the "Split Curve" icon 
was chosen.
Display all points with help lines
When the curve is selected, hold and drag the left mouse button to assign a rectangular range covering the entire curve.
It will display all the points with their help lines.
Points - other functions
If you click on a point with the curve selected, additional functions can be selected, including "Corner Point", "Smooth Transition", and "Symmetric Transition"
.
Close the curve (Bezier)
You can also close the curve.
When the curve is selected, click on the "close Bezier" icon 
to close the curve.
Further explanations on Bézier Curves
Here are some further explanations on Bézier curve:
Dokumentation - Bézierkurven - DE, von Regina Henschel (in German)] and
Convert Objects
Page 8
Gallery: User-folder
Page 2 with 10 copied ellipses
Page 7
Convert Curve
You can also convert objects to other forms.
Click on the Curve with the right mouse button.
In the Context menu, select ▸ .
In order to keep an overview, you can watch the status of the object during processing in the lower left corner of the status bar.
Then, if you right-click the polygon, you can select ▸ in the Context menu.
Now you have a Curve that has more points than before.
Basic Shapes Transform and Deform
Click on the Page 2.
In the "Drawing" toolbar, select the Circle for standard shapes and draw a Circle.
Now click on the Circle with the right mouse button, and choose ▸ and you can deform the Circle.
Click-hold-drag a point and release.
You can repeat this with any points.
Convert Text Symbols
Simple text can also be converted just like curves.
Click on the Page 8.
In the "Standard" toolbar, click the "Text box" 
icon and place a Text box on the Page.
In the main menu ▸ you can select the font, e.g. "Webdings".
Write some characters in the text box and select a larger font, e.g. 150 pt.
Right-click on the frame of the text box and select ▸ .
With the right mouse button click on the characters and select "Ungroup".
Now the individual characters can be deformed, colored, and added to the gallery.
Add text characters to the Gallery
A user folder must be created in the gallery.
When adding to the gallery, proceed as follows:
Click on the text symbol with the left mouse button and hold it until the cursor takes on the following shape 
.
Then move it to the Gallery pull.
See also: The Gallery in LibreOffice
Create And modify gallery shapes
A user folder must be created in the Gallery.
With "drag and drop" you can drag the converted text symbols into the Gallery.
The Gallery objects can now be added arbitrarily with .
Or you can drag an object from the Gallery onto the Page.
Copy Objects - Basic Shapes
Link to the Video (in German [DE]):
Video 6 - Copy objects - standard shapes
Copy objects
Click on the Page 2.
You draw any object, for example an ellipse.
Any selected object can be dragged-copied with the left mouse button while holding down the Ctrl key.
The Ctrl key can also be used to copy several selected objects simultaneously.
Alternatively, ⇧ Shift + F3 can be used to specify the number of copies of a selected object.
Press ⇧ Shift + F3.
The dialog opens "Duplicate".
You enter the desired number of copies.
Here you can also enter the "Placement", "Enlargement" and "Colours" for "Start" and "End".
For "Placement", "X axis", enter 0.50 cm.
For "Start" and "End" select two different Colours and click .
You have now, for example 10 copies are generated.
With ⇧ Shift + F3, this operation can also be performed with multiple objects.
Basic Shapes
Objects can also be inserted quickly.
Click on the Page 7.
On the "Drawing" toolbar, click the black arrow at the right of "Basic Shapes" icon.
The selection of the Basic Shapes is displayed.
The selection with the Basic Shapes can be dragged with the mouse button held down, floating freely.
With Ctrl and clicking the left mouse button on a Shape icon, this Shape with the standard attributes is inserted into the Page.
Merge, subtract and cut Objects
Link to the Video (in German [DE]):
Video 7 - Merge, subtract and cut objects
Merging, subtracting, and cutting objects
Object Merging
Click on the Page 9.
In the drawing toolbar, you can use the Ellipse icon to draw a circle or an ellipse.
Then use the Rectangle to draw a rectangle.
You move the rectangle partially over the circle and select both circle and rectangle.
Now select ▸ from the menu.
The circle and rectangle have now merged into a new shape.
Object Subtracting
Following the circle and rectangle example, lay the circle over the rectangle.
Now select ▸ from the menu.
You can repeat this with other shapes.
Object Cutting
Again, you select both the rectangle and the circle.
Now select ▸ from the menu.
The shapes will be cut and only the intersection part will be left.
Further Informations
Work files
Starting with Draw
See: Starting with Draw
Connectors in Draw
See: Connectors in Draw
Text Boxes in Draw
See: Text Boxes in Draw
Layer Functions in Draw
Zoom Functions under Windows
See: Zoom Functions under Windows
Formatting with Styles
See: Styles in Draw
The Gallery LibreOffice 7.0
FAQ/Draw - Gallery
Documentation / Manuals
Here you will find the Documentation / Manuals:
Any questions?
For questions on this topic go to:
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