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Transparency

All graphic objects have a transparency or opacity property.  Any graphic item, including frames, has a transparency setting that can be changed.  If an object is transparent, the items behind the item show through.  An opaque item is whatever color, gradient, or pattern you choose.

transparencyex.gif (2081 bytes)
Examples of transparency.  In the first example, the Fill Color of the star is 100% transparent, or completely opaque.  The star is therefore the chosen color.   In the second example, the Fill Color of the star is 50% transparent.  In the third example, the Fill Color of the star is completely transparent (0%).  Notice that the fill color of the item behind the star shows through entirely.

To Set the Transparency of a Graphic Item or Frame

The transparency of an object can be set in two ways.  You can either set the transparency of an item through the Text Color, Fill or Pen tools.  Or, you can select the transparency tool from the Format Bar (image below) and thus change the transparency of any selected item. 

calloutgrtransp.gif (5929 bytes)

Setting the Transparency with the Text Color, Fill or Pen tools.

  1. Select the item you wish to format. 

  2. From the FormatBar, select the Text Color, Fill Color, or Pen Attributes tool, depending on what you want to change the transparency of.

    calloutgrfill.gif (7231 bytes)
  • In this example we select the Fill Color Tool buttonfill.gif (1008 bytes).  This tool sets the fill color of a selected graphic object or frame. 

    1. Click the tool to display the Fill Color tool menu bar:  transpmenubar.gif (1487 bytes)

    2. Select the Transparency tab tabtransparent.gif (923 bytes).  A popup box (image below) from which you can select a transparency percentage for the item's fill color is displayed.  100% transparency represents full opacity (Opaque), 0% denotes total transparency (Transparent).  A transparent fill makes whatever items are behind the item show through.  An opaque fill is whatever color, gradient, or pattern you chose.

      transparencyfill.gif (4868 bytes)

    3. Choose Other to select a new transparency percentage.   A New Transparency Amount dialog box is displayed (image below).  Enter the new transparency amount in the field and click OK.  Click Cancel to close the dialog box without changing the transparency.

      transparencynew.gif (3210 bytes)
    4. You can also use the tear-off formatting palette to set the transparency of an item.   Tear-off the Text Color, Fill Color, or Pen Attributes tool.  In this example the Fill Color tool is torn off.

      filltransparency.gif (6792 bytes)
    5. Set the transparency of the fill color by using the slider bar on the right side of the dialog box.

    6. The fill color of the selected item is set to the transparency selected.

      transparencyex2.gif (6332 bytes)

    Setting the Transparency with the Transparency Tool

    The transparency tool on the FormatBar buttontransp.gif (953 bytes) is used to set the opacity or transparency of a selected item.  When selected, the tool displays a popup box (image below) from which you can select a transparency percentage.  100% represents full opacity (Opaque), 0% denotes total transparency (Transparent).  Choose Other to select a new transparency percentage.  A transparent fill makes whatever items are behind the item show through.  An opaque fill is whatever color, gradient, or pattern you chose.

    transparencychoose2.gif (5347 bytes)

    This shape transparency box can also be torn-off to display a floating slider bar (image below) from which you can select the transparency of the object.  The slider bar remains open as you work on the document.

    transparency.gif (2544 bytes)


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