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Change the appearance of shapes and connectors

 

When working with a model in Detail View you can format shapes and connectors.

You can define:

  • The font used for text inside shapes and beside connectors  

  • The fill color in a shape

  • The line weight and color of a connector or shape border

What do you want to do?

 

Change the text displayed on a shape or connector

  1. Make sure you are in edit mode.

  2. Select the shape or connector.

  1. On the Home tab, in the Item group, click the Properties image.

The Shape Properties or Connector Properties dialog box opens.

  1. In the Name box, edit the text to be displayed on a shape or connector.

  2. Click OK.

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Change the formatting of text in a shape or connector

  1. Make sure you are in edit mode.

  2. Select the shape or connector.

  3. On the Home tab, in the Format group, select the font, point size, style or color that you want to apply.

NOTE  You can also define a model style with specific font, line, or fill  that you can apply to the models in your project.

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Resize a shape or connector

  1. Make sure you are in edit mode.

  2. Click the required shape or connector. Handles are displayed when the shape is selected.

  3. Click and drag a handle to resize.

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Change the fill color in a shape

  1. Make sure you are in edit mode.

  2. Select the required shape.

  3. On the Home tab, in the Format group, click Fill.

The Fill dialog box opens.

  1. Click Color and select the required color from the Color list.

  2. Click OK.

NOTE  You can also define a model style with specific text styling, line, or fill that you can apply to the models in your project.

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Display an image on a shape

  1. Make sure you are in edit mode.

  2. Select the required shape.

  3. On the Home tab, in the Format group, click Fill.

The Fill dialog box opens.

  1. Click Image. The Select Fill Image dialog opens.

  2. Select the image you want to display on the shape, and then click Open.

  3. Click OK.

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Display item color indicator on model shapes

If you have assigned colors to sources, nodes, relationships, or attribute values that are in your model, you can display the item color indicator on the model shapes. Items with no color have no color indicator.

To display item color indicator on model shapes:

  • On the View tab, in the Visualization group, click Color Scheme, and then click Item Colors.

NOTE  You can also set the application options to display item colors by default when you create a model—refer to Set application options (Display tab options) for more information.

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Change the line weight and color of a connector or shape border

  1. Make sure you are in edit mode.

  2. Select the required shape or connector.

  3. On the Home tab, in the Format group, click Line.

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The Line dialog box opens.

  1. Select the line style, weight and color that you want to apply.

  2. Click OK.

NOTE  You can also define a model style with specific text styling, line, or fill that you can apply to new models.

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Define model styles that apply to any new models in your current project

You can create and apply custom model styles to differentiate elements in your model. For example, you could create a model style for nodes representing negative attitudes, and another style for nodes representing positive attitudes. Then you can apply these styles to shapes in your model to visually emphasize the different attitudes of your survey participants.  

Model styles include definitions for text and line styling for shapes and connectors, and the fill color of shapes.

To create a new model style:

  1. Click the File tab, point to Info, and then click Project Properties.

The Project Properties dialog box opens.

  1. Click the Model Styles tab.

  2. Click the New Style button. 'New style' is added to the list of styles and you can define its name, text styling, line, or fill.

NOTE

  • You can also define model styles for all new projects refer to Set application options for more information.

  • If you change a model style, existing models in your project that use they style are not automatically updated. If you want to apply the changed styling to existing models, you must reapply the style to the model shapes.

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Apply a model style

  1. Make sure you are in edit mode.

  2. Select the required shape or connector.

  3. On the Home tab, in the Styles group, select a style from the Style list.

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