Drawing / Editing Icons

With the help of the Drawing Tools, you can create most any graphic shape you desire.
You may do inlines, outlines and fills of closed shapes (the definition of a polygon). You
can "explode" existing graphics, fonts and bitmaps for editing purposes. You can
combine graphics. You can do a "sort" or optimization of the cutter path. These tools add
a tremendous potential to using the Xenetech software.

As an aid to beginning users, Xenetech will print a brief description of what the tool is
and how to use it in the status line on the bottom of the Xenetech screen. It will do this
every time you move the mouse cursor over one of the toolbar icons. Furthermore, if you
select a shape created with these tools with the mouse or the "plus" and "minus" keys,
Xenetech will display what the type of the shape is in the status line on the bottom of the
Xenetech screen.

- POLYLINE: Point placed on work surface with each Mouse Button click,

- POLYGON: Point placed on work surface with each Mouse Button click.

- RECTANGLE: Box created from mouse clicks at opposing corners.

- ROUND CORNERED BOX: Round Cornered Box from mouse clicks at opposing
corners.

- CIRCLE: Circle created from mouse clicks at Center and Radius

- ELLIPSE: Circle created from mouse clicks at opposing corners.

- 3 POINT ARC: Arc created from 3 mouse clicks.

- FREE HAND DRAW TOOL: Line draw as long as mouse button is held down.

- POINT OR NODE EDITING TOOL: Allows you to select and move points.

- SECTION CUT TOOL: All vectors will cut where a side of select box crosses
them.

- JOIN POINT OR NODE TOOL: All end points of lines within the box will
Connect.
With the exception of the Freehand Draw tool, all tools wait to act until you have
released the mouse button. You should set a default color something besides black. Do
this with nothing selected and go to the Color Dialog in the Color Menu. Each of these
tools change the mouse cursor to reflect the different modes.

POLYLINE TOOL

This places a point on the work surface with each mouse button click. As you move the
mouse, a "trail line" will show that is attached at one end to the last point set and at the
other end to the mouse cursor. Each time you click the left mouse button a point will be
set on the work area. Xenetech will continue to draw lines until you either press the
<Enter> key or "Double-Click" the left mouse button. There is a limit of 16,384 points in
any polyline.

Variations on this tool

If you hold down one of the shift keys as you are moving the mouse, the system
goes into an "Ortho line" mode. This means that the lines drawn will either be
perfectly horizontal or perfectly vertical. This mode stays in force as long as you
are in the draw mode and hold down the shift key. You may draw a diagonal line,
hold down the shift key, draw an "ortho line" and click the left mouse button to
set a point, release the shift key and draw another diagonal line if you so desire.
You may set SINGLE POINTS in this mode. These single points will draw on the
screen only as a small box 4 pixels square. During output to the engraver,
Xenetech will move the machine to the corresponding X, Y location over the plate
and execute a "Cutter Down" followed immediate "Cutter Up". This is great for
spotting holes. The toolkit values for these single points will show that they have
a zero height and a zero width. Changing either of these two toolkit values has no
effect. You may however position the points using the "X Center" and "Baseline"
toolkit fields to any location on the plate. See section on Node Editing for info on
moving the point with the mouse. You may enter these single point lines using
one of three methods:
Double-Click the left mouse button where you want the point.
Click the left mouse button once where you want the point and press the
enter key.
Use the "Set X, Y Point..." Dialog in the color menu.
If you have already set a point and want the next point to intersect an existing
line, you may set this point by holding down one of the "Control" keys and
clicking the left mouse button with the drawing cursor touching the existing line
where you want the lines to touch.
 The right mouse button serves as a "Gravity Point". This allows you to connect a
new line point to an existing line point. To use this feature in the draw mode,
move the mouse cursor close to the existing point to which you want to "snap" or
"gravity" to and click the RIGHT mouse button. The mouse cursor will jump to
the existing point and set a new point. Remember, this is a function that will move
the mouse cursor to the closest existing point. If the mouse jumps to a point other
than the one you want to set, you have positioned the mouse closer to that point
than the one you had intended.
If you hold down one of the "Control" keys and click the left mouse button with
the mouse cursor within .100 inches of an existing line, Xenetech will "snap" and
place a point on the existing line closest to the mouse. This does not add a point to
the existing line segment, put places a point for the new line you are drawing.
If you set a point unintentionally or incorrectly, you may use the "ESCAPE" key
to unset the point. In fact, you may unset points all the way back to and including
the first point you have set to basically "undraw" the line.
If you use the polyline tool and "close" the polyline by using gravity point so the
first point of the polyline is in the same location as the last line of the polyline,
Xenetech will assume you desire a polygon (a closed shape that can be hatch
filled). Xenetech will not set the data type as a "Polygon", but as a "Vector Line".
But, Xenetech will still allow you to hatch fill, Inline and Outline the shape. The
main difference is that you may separate the beginning and ending points in the
edit mode. Xenetech will not allow you to separate the beginning and ending
points of a polygon in the edit mode (although you can "break" the polygon,
described later).
The polyline tool changes the mouse cursor to a cross hair with a diagonal line in
the upper left quadrant.
The Polyline tool will not allow you to draw off your plate.
You may terminate the draw in three fashions:
You may "double click" the left mouse button on the last point you wish to set.
You may press the "Return" or "Enter" key after you have set the last point.
Keep pressing the "Escape" key until you have "backed out" of the line segment
completely, removing all points back to and including the first point set.
You may change to color of the polyline the same way you would change the
color of a line of text, by selecting the polyline and using the "Text Color" dialog
in the Color menu.
Cutter suggestions and normal line may be used together to make the line draw
"wider" on the output device.
You may scale and size the poly shape like any other shape. You may size the
shape by using the mouse. To do this, select the line and move the mouse to one
of the black "polymarkers" found at each corner, center top, center bottom, center
left or center right. The mouse cursor will change to a large cross hair when you
have moved to the correct location over the desire polymarker. Click and hold the
left mouse button and move the mouse to size or scale the image. This works just
like sizing a line of text. The other method for sizing or scaling is done through
the toolkit. You may set the height, aspect ratio, horizontal width, etc. just like
you do now with lines of text.
 You may also rotate or slant the image as well as reverse the image. This is down
in the same manner as regular lines of text.
The system stays in this mode until you select a different mode. If you use the
"Zoom" mode, the system will automatically return to the polyline mode after the
zoom window is drawn.
Part of this mode includes information printed in the Status Line across the
bottom of the screen. This line will display the current mouse or point position in
the "X" (left to right) and "Y" (top to bottom) as well as the angle value of the
mouse pointer relative to the last point set.

POLYGON TOOL

This places a point on the work surface with each Mouse Button UP, As you move the
mouse, a "trail line" will show that is attached at one end to the last point set and at the
other end to the mouse cursor. Each time you click the left mouse button a point will be
set on the work area. A polygon by definition is any shape with more than 3 points where
the first point and the last point are common. A triangle and a rectangle are "polygons".
There is a limit of 16384 points in any one polygon. Because a Polygon MUST BE A
CLOSED SHAPE, if you do not close the shape manually (with the gravity point
described below), Xenetech will automatically draw a line from the last point you set to
the first point you set.

Variations on this tool

If you hold down one of the shift keys as you are moving the mouse, the system
goes into an "Ortho line" mode. This means that the lines drawn will either be
perfectly horizontal or perfectly vertical. This mode stays in force as long as you
are in the draw mode and hold down the shift key. You may draw a diagonal line,
hold down the shift key, draw an "ortho line" and click the left mouse button to
set a point, release the shift key and draw another diagonal line if you so desire.
If you have already set a point and want the next point to intersect an existing
line, you may set this point by holding down one of the "Control" keys and
clicking the left mouse button with the drawing cursor touching the existing line
where you want the lines to touch.
The right mouse button serves as a "Gravity Point". This allows you to connect a
new line point to an existing line point. To use this feature in the draw mode,
move the mouse cursor close to the existing point to which you want to "snap" or
"gravity" to and click the RIGHT mouse button. The mouse cursor will jump to
the existing point and set a new point. Remember, this is a function that will move
the mouse cursor to the closest existing point. If the mouse jumps to a point other
than the one you want to set, you have positioned the mouse closer to that point
than the one you had intended. If you hold down one of the "Control" keys and
click the left mouse button with the mouse cursor within .100 inches of an
existing line, Xenetech will "snap" and place a point on the existing line closest to
 the mouse. This does not add a point to the existing line segment, put places a
point for the new line you are drawing.
If you set a point unintentionally or incorrectly, you may use the "ESCAPE" key
to unset the point. In fact, you may unset points all the way back to and including
the first point you have set to basically "undraw" the line.
Xenetech will allow you to hatch fill, Inline and Outline the shape. Xenetech will
not allow you to separate the beginning and ending points of a polygon in the edit
mode (although you can "break" the polygon, described later).
The polygon tool changes the mouse cursor to a cross hair with a closed shape in
the upper left quadrant.
The polygon tool will not allow you to draw off your plate.
You may terminate the line draw in two fashions:

1. You may "double click" the left mouse button on the last point you wish to
set.
2. You may press the "Return" or "Enter" key after you have set the last
point.

If you do not close the shape manually (with the gravity point described below),
Xenetech will automatically draw a line from the last point you set to the first point you
set.

You may change to color of the polygon the same way you would change the
color of a line of text, by selecting the polygon and using the "Text Color" dialog
in the Color menu.
Cutter suggestions and normal line may be used together to make the line draw
"wider" on the output device. A positive number will create a smaller polygon. A
negative cutter suggestion will create a larger polygon.
If you wish to inline or outline the polygon, you may type in a "cutter suggestion"
to cause this to happen.
You may hatch or "S" fill a polygon by selecting the shape and setting "Hatch
Fill" in the Font menu. If a line has a cutter suggestion, the hatch fill will reflect
this value. If no cutter suggestion is present, the "Line Offset" value in the "Hatch
Fill Setup" dialog found in the Line/Group menu will set the hatch fill distance.
Currently, the items related to sorting and connecting the hatch, along with the
hatch offset amount work on filled polygons in this dialog. So if you want the
system to create the hatch fill connected, select "connected" and sort in this
dialog.
You may scale and size the poly shape like any other shape. You may size the
shape by using the mouse. To do this, select the line and move the mouse to one
of the black "polymarkers" found at each corner, center top, center bottom, center
left or center right. The mouse cursor will change to a large cross hair when you
have moved to the correct location over the desire polymarker. Click and hold the
left mouse button and move the mouse to size or scale the image. This works just
 like sizing a line of text. The other method for sizing or scaling is done through
the toolkit. You may set the height, aspect ratio, horizontal width, etc. just like
you do now with lines of text.
You may also rotate or slant the image as well as reverse the image. This is down
in the same manner as regular lines of text.
The system stays in this mode until you select a different mode. If you use the
"Zoom" mode, the system will automatically return to the polygon mode after the
zoom window is drawn.
Part of this mode includes information printed in the Status Line across the
bottom of the screen. This line will display the current mouse or point position in
the "X" (left to right) and "Y" (top to bottom) as well as the angle value of the
mouse pointer relative to the last point set.

RECTANGLE TOOL

This will create a Box or Rectangle shape from mouse clicks at opposing corners. To use
this tool, click your left mouse button once in the area where you want one of the corners
and move the mouse to the opposite corner. As you move the mouse, Xenetech will draw
a "Rubber Box" as a display prompt. Again click your left mouse button to set the point.
At this point the system will set a box on the screen.

Things to know

If you set the first point and decide it is not in the right place, you may press the
"Escape" key to unset the box corner. This only works BEFORE you set the
second, opposing point.
You may change to color of the rectangle the same way you would change the
color of a line of text, by selecting the rectangle and using the "Text Color" dialog
in the Color menu.
Cutter suggestions and normal line may be used together to make the line draw
"wider" on the output device. A positive number will create a smaller rectangle. A
negative cutter suggestion will create a larger rectangle.
If you wish to inline or outline the rectangle, you may type in a "cutter
suggestion" to cause this to happen.
You may hatch or "S" fill a rectangle by selecting the shape and setting "Hatch
Fill" in the Font menu. If a line has a cutter suggestion, the hatch fill will reflect
this value. If no cutter suggestion is present, the "Line Offset" value in the "Hatch
Fill Setup" dialog found in the Line/Group menu will set the hatch fill distance.
Currently, the items related to sorting and connecting the hatch, along with the
hatch offset amount work on filled rectangle in this dialog. So if you want the
system to create the hatch fill connected, select "connected" and sort in this
dialog.
 You may scale and size the rectangle like any other shape. You may size the
shape by using the mouse. To do this, select the line and move the mouse to one
of the black "polymarkers" found at each corner, center top, center bottom, center
left or center right. The mouse cursor will change to a large cross hair when you
have moved to the correct location over the desire polymarker. Click and hold the
left mouse button and move the mouse to size or scale the image. This works just
like sizing a line of text. The other method for sizing or scaling is done through
the toolkit. You may set the height, aspect ratio, horizontal width, etc. just like
you do now with lines of text.
You may also rotate or slant the image as well as reverse the rectangle. This is
down in the same manner as regular lines of text.
The rectangle tool changes the mouse cursor to a cross hair with a box in the
upper left quadrant.
The system stays in this mode until you select a different mode. If you use the
"Zoom" mode, the system will automatically return to the rectangle mode after
the zoom window is drawn.
Part of this mode includes information printed in the Status Line across the
bottom of the screen. This line will display the current mouse or point position in
the "X" (left to right) and "Y" (top to bottom) as well as the angle value of the
mouse pointer relative to the last point set.

ROUND CORNERED BOX TOOL

This will create a Box or Rectangle shape from mouse clicks at opposing corners. To use
this tool, click your left mouse button once in the area where you want one of the corners
and move the mouse to the opposite corner. As you move the mouse, Xenetech will draw
a "Rubber Box" as a display prompt. Again click your left mouse button to set the point.
At this point the system will set a round cornered box on the screen.

Things to know

If you set the first point and decide it is not in the right place, you may press the
"Escape" key to unset the box corner. This only works BEFORE you set the
second, opposing point.
You may change to color of the rectangle the same way you would change the
color of a line of text, by selecting the rectangle and using the "Text Color" dialog
in the Color menu.
Cutter suggestions and normal line may be used together to make the line draw
"wider" on the output device.
If you wish to inline or outline the rectangle, you may type in a "cutter
suggestion" to cause this to happen. A positive number will create a smaller round
 cornered box. A negative cutter suggestion will create a larger round cornered
box.
You may hatch or "S" fill a rectangle by selecting the shape and setting "Hatch
Fill" in the Font menu. If a line has a cutter suggestion, the hatch fill will reflect
this value. If no cutter suggestion is present, the "Line Offset" value in the "Hatch
Fill Setup" dialog found in the Line/Group menu will set the hatch fill distance.
Currently, the items related to sorting and connecting the hatch, along with the
hatch offset amount work on filled rectangle in this dialog. So if you want the
system to create the hatch fill connected, select "connected" and sort in this
dialog.
You may scale and size the rectangle like any other shape. You may size the
shape by using the mouse. To do this, select the line and move the mouse to one
of the black "polymarkers" found at each corner, center top, center bottom, center
left or center right. The mouse cursor will change to a large cross hair when you
have moved to the correct location over the desire polymarker. Click and hold the
left mouse button and move the mouse to size or scale the image. This works just
like sizing a line of text. The other method for sizing or scaling is done through
the toolkit. You may set the height, aspect ratio, horizontal width, etc. just like
you do now with lines of text.
You may also rotate or slant the image as well as reverse the rectangle. This is
down in the same manner as regular lines of text.
The round cornered box tool changes the mouse cursor to a cross hair with a
round cornered box in the upper left quadrant.
Unlike the round cornered boxes found in the Utility font, the radiused corners of
this new drawing shape will always maintain a perfect circular arc even after you
change the height or width of the object.
When you draw the round cornered box as described above, the system sets the
radius or amount of arc for the round corners to 25 percent of the overall height of
the box you create. Thus, if you draw a box that is four (4) inches high, each
corner will have a radius of one (1) inch. This information can be confirmed by
selecting the shape and looking in the toolkit. The height of the box will be
displayed in the toolkit under "Letter Height". The width of the box will be
displayed in the Line Width field and the radius of the corners will be displayed in
the Arc Radius field.
After you have drawn the round cornered box, you may change the radius of the
corners by selecting the shape and clicking on the Arc Radius field in the Toolkit.
Type in the new value you want and press the Enter Key. The system will
immediately redraw the box with the new radiused corners.
The system stays in this mode until you select a different mode. If you use the
"Zoom" mode, the system will automatically return to the round cornered box
mode after the zoom window is drawn.
Part of this mode includes information printed in the Status Line across the
bottom of the screen. This line will display the current mouse or point position in
the "X" (left to right) and "Y" (top to bottom) as well as the angle value of the
mouse pointer relative to the last point set.
CIRCLE TOOL

This will make a perfect circle created from mouse clicks at the center and outside
diameter.

To use this tool:

1. Click your left mouse button once in the area where you want the center of the
circle and move the mouse toward the area where you want the outside of the
circle to be.
2. As you move the mouse, Xenetech will draw a "Rubber Circle" as a display
prompt. Notice also that Xenetech is changing the display value in the toolkit to
reflect the height, radius, etc of your circle.
3. Again click your left mouse button to set the outside of the circle. At this point the
system will set a perfect circle on the screen.

Things to know

If you set the first point and decide it is not in the right place, you may press the
"Escape" key to unset the circle center. This only works BEFORE you set the
second, outside point.
You may change to color of the circle the same way you would change the color
of a line of text, by selecting the circle and using the "Text Color" dialog in the
Color menu.
Cutter suggestions and normal line may be used together to make the line draw
"wider" on the output device.
If you wish to inline or outline the circle, you may type in a "cutter suggestion" to
cause this to happen. A positive number will create a smaller circle. A negative
cutter suggestion will create a larger circle.
You may hatch or "S" fill a circle by selecting the shape and setting "Hatch Fill"
in the Font menu. If a line has a cutter suggestion, the hatch fill will reflect this
value. If no cutter suggestion is present, the "Line Offset" value in the "Hatch Fill
Setup" dialog found in the Line/Group menu will set the hatch fill distance.
Currently, the items related to sorting and connecting the hatch, along with the
hatch offset amount work on filled rectangle in this dialog. So if you want the
system to create the hatch fill connected, select "connected" and sort in this
dialog.
You may scale and size the circle like any other shape.
You may size the shape by using the mouse. To do this:

1. Select the line and move the mouse to one of the black polymarkers found
at each corner, center top, center bottom, center left or center right.
 2. The mouse cursor will change to a large cross hair when you have moved
to the correct location over the desire polymarker.
3. Click and hold the left mouse button and move the mouse to size or scale
the image.

The other method for sizing or scaling is done through the toolkit. You may set the
height, aspect ratio, horizontal width, etc. just like you do now with lines of text.

You may change the radius of the ellipse, which will automatically change the
"height" of the object. You may change the "height" of the ellipse, which will
automatically change the radius of the object.
You may convert the circle into an ellipse by altering the "Aspect Ratio" value in
the toolkit.
You may change where the arc starts and ends by altering the values stored in the
"Begin Angle" and "End Angle" tool kit fields.
You may also rotate or slant the image as well as reverse the circle. This is down
in the same manner as regular lines of text.
The circle tool changes the mouse cursor to a cross hair with a circle in the upper
left quadrant.
The system stays in this mode until you select a different mode. If you use the
"Zoom" mode, the system will automatically return to the circle mode after the
zoom window is drawn.
Part of this mode includes information printed in the Status Line across the
bottom of the screen. This line will display the current mouse or point position in
the "X" (left to right) and "Y" (top to bottom) as well as the angle value of the
mouse pointer relative to the last point set.

ELLIPSE TOOL

This creates an ellipse (a circle with the height and width no the same) from mouse clicks
at opposing corners. To use this tool, click your left mouse button once in the area where
you want one of the corners and move the mouse to the opposite corner. As you move the
mouse, Xenetech will draw a "Rubber Ellipse" as a display prompt. Again click your left
mouse button to set the point. At this point the system will set an ellipse on the screen.

If you set the first point and decide it is not in the right place, you may press the
"Escape" key to unset the Ellipse corner. This only works BEFORE you set the
second, opposing point.
You may change to color of the Ellipse the same way you would change the color
of a line of text, by selecting the Ellipse and using the "Text Color" dialog in the
Color menu.
Cutter suggestions and normal line may be used together to make the line draw
"wider" on the output device.
 If you wish to inline or outline the Ellipse, you may type in a "cutter suggestion"
to cause this to happen. A positive number will create a smaller ellipse. A
negative cutter suggestion will create a larger ellipse.
You may hatch or "S" fill an Ellipse by selecting the shape and setting "Hatch
Fill" in the Font menu. If a line has a cutter suggestion, the hatch fill will reflect
this value. If no cutter suggestion is present, the "Line Offset" value in the "Hatch
Fill Setup" dialog found in the Line/Group menu will set the hatch fill distance.
Currently, the items related to sorting and connecting the hatch, along with the
hatch offset amount work on filled Ellipse in this dialog. So if you want the
system to create the hatch fill connected, select "connected" and sort in this
dialog.
You may scale and size the Ellipse like any other shape. You may size the shape
by using the mouse. To do this:

1. Select the line and move the mouse to one of the black polymarkers found
at each corner, center top, center bottom, center left or center right.
2. The mouse cursor will change to a large cross hair when you have moved
to the correct location over the desire polymarker.
3. Click and hold the left mouse button and move the mouse to size or scale
the image. This works just like sizing a line of text.
4. The other method for sizing or scaling is done through the toolkit.

You may set the height, aspect ratio, horizontal width, etc. just like you do now
with lines of text.
You may change the radius of the ellipse, which will automatically change the
"height" of the object. You may change the "height" of the ellipse, which will
automatically change the radius of the object.
You may convert the ellipse into a circle or change the width/height ratio of the
ellipse by altering the "Aspect Ratio" value in the toolkit.
You may change where the arc starts and ends by altering the values stored in the
"Begin Angle" and "End Angle" tool kit fields.
You may also rotate or slant the image as well as reverse the Ellipse. This is down
in the same manner as regular lines of text.
The ellipse tool changes the mouse cursor to a cross hair with an ellipse in the
upper left quadrant.
The system stays in this mode until you select a different mode. If you use the
"Zoom" mode, the system will automatically return to the ellipse mode after the
zoom window is drawn.
Part of this mode includes information printed in the Status Line across the
bottom of the screen. This line will display the current mouse or point position in
the "X" (left to right) and "Y" (top to bottom) as well as the angle value of the
mouse pointer relative to the last point set.

THREE POINT ARC TOOL

This creates an open arc from 3 mouse clicks. To use this tool:

1. Set a point with the left mouse button.

2. Move the mouse to where you will set the second point.
3. As you move the mouse, a "trail line" will show that is attached at one end to the
first point you set and at the other end to the mouse cursor.
4. Click the mouse to set the second point on the arc.
5. As you move the mouse, a "trail arc" will draw to act as an aid for setting the third
and last point.
6. You can now find and set the third point using the left mouse button. At this point
the system will set a perfect 3 point arc on the screen.

Things to know

If you set the first or second point and decide one of them is not in the right place,
you may press the "Escape" key to unset the arc point. This only works BEFORE
you set the third point.
You may change to color of the arc the same way you would change the color of a
line of text, by selecting the arc and using the "Text Color" dialog in the Color
menu.
Cutter suggestions and normal line may be used together to make the arced line
draw "wider" on the output device
You may scale and size the arc like any other shape. You may size the shape by
using the mouse. To do this, select the line and move the mouse to one of the
black polymarkers found at each corner, center top, center bottom, center left or
center right. The mouse cursor will change to a large cross hair when you have
moved to the correct location over the desire polymarker. Click and hold the left
mouse button and move the mouse to size or scale the image. This works just like
sizing a line of text. The other method for sizing or scaling is done through the
toolkit. You may set the height, aspect ratio, horizontal width, etc. just like you do
now with lines of text.
You may change the radius of the arc, which will automatically change the
"height" of the object. You may change the "height" of the arc, which will
automatically change the radius of the object.
You may convert the arc into an elliptical arc by altering the "Aspect Ratio" value
in the toolkit. You may change where the arc starts and ends by altering the values
stored in the "Begin Angle" and "End Angle" tool kit fields.
You may also rotate or slant the image as well as reverse the arc. This is down in
the same manner as regular lines of text.
The 3 point arc tool changes the mouse cursor to a cross hair with an arc in the
upper left quadrant.
The system stays in this mode until you select a different mode. If you use the
"Zoom" mode, the system will automatically return to the 3 point arc mode after
the zoom window is drawn.
Part of this mode includes information printed in the Status Line across the
bottom of the screen. This line will display the current mouse or point position in
 the "X" (left to right) and "Y" (top to bottom) as well as the angle value of the
mouse pointer relative to the last point set.

FREE HAND DRAW TOOL

This will draw a line as long as the left mouse button is held down.

As you move the mouse, a "trail line" will show that is attached at one end to the last
point set and at the other end to the mouse cursor. The faster you move the mouse the
farther apart the points set will be and vice-versa.

Things to know

If you hold down one of the shift keys as you are moving the mouse, the system
goes into an "Ortho line" mode. This means that the lines drawn will either be
perfectly horizontal or perfectly vertical. This mode stays in force as long as you
are in the draw mode and hold down the shift key. You may draw a diagonal line,
hold down the shift key, draw an "ortho line" and click the left mouse button to
set a point, release the shift key and draw another diagonal line if you so desire.
The free hand tool changes the mouse cursor to a cross hair with a diagonal line in
the upper left quadrant.
The free hand tool will not allow you to draw of f your plate.
You may terminate the draw in two fashions:

1. You may release the left mouse button on the last point you wish to set.
2. You may press the "Return" or "Enter" key after you have set the last
point.

You may change to color of the free hand the same way you would change the
color of a line of text, by selecting the polyline and using the "Text Color" dialog
in the Color menu.
Cutter suggestions and normal line may be used together to make the line draw
"wider" on the output device.
You may scale and size the poly shape like any other shape. You may size the
shape by using the mouse. To do this, select the line and move the mouse to one
of the black "polymarkers" found at each corner, center top, center bottom, center
left or center right. The mouse cursor will change to a large cross hair when you
have moved to the correct location over the desire polymarker. Click and hold the
left mouse button and move the mouse to size or scale the image. This works just
like sizing a line of text. The other method for sizing or scaling is done through
the toolkit. You may set the height, aspect ratio, horizontal width, etc. just like
you do now with lines of text.
 You may also rotate or slant the image as well as reverse the image. This is down
in the same manner as regular lines of text.
The free hand tool changes the mouse cursor to a small pencil.
The system stays in this mode until you select a different mode. If you use the
"Zoom" mode, the system will automatically return to the freehand draw mode
after the zoom window is drawn.
Part of this mode includes information printed in the Status Line across the
bottom of the screen. This line will display the current mouse or point position in
the "X" (left to right) and "Y" (top to bottom) as well as the angle value of the
mouse pointer relative to the last point set.

POINT OR NODE EDITING TOOL

This will allow you to select and move points. This versatile tool sets a mode where you
can use the Right Mouse Button or the PERIOD Key to move the mouse cursor and the
focus to the closest drawn or exploded line segment point. Once Xenetech has found the
closest point, it will highlight the current line segment by drawing it in another color and
placing small rectangles around each point of the line. The Starting and Ending points are
drawn with "large" rectangles and the intervening points are draw with "small"
rectangles. This helps you identify the "ends" of the line. A Polygon (closed shape) draws
one "large" rectangle around the common starting and ending points of the object.

Things to know

You may move the mouse to move the point of the line. You will notice that the
point will stay "attached" to the mouse and move along with the mouse
"dragging" connecting lines from the points on each side of the current point.
When you have moved the mouse cursor to the new location for the current point
you can set the new location by clicking the Left Mouse Button. Clicking the Left
Mouse Button sets the new point location and exits the move mode, but does not
exit the edit mode.
The right mouse button serves as a "Gravity Point". This allows you to connect
the current line point to an existing line point. To use this feature in the edit mode,
move the mouse cursor close to the existing point to which you want to "snap" or
"gravity" to and click the RIGHT mouse button. The mouse cursor will jump to
the existing point and move the current point along with it. Remember, this is a
function that will move the mouse cursor to the closest existing point. If the
mouse jumps to a point other than the one you want to set, you have positioned
the mouse closer to that point than the one you had intended. Clicking the Right
Mouse sets the new point location and exits the move mode, but does not exit the
edit mode.
You may also set the point by pressing the "Enter" or "Return" key.
 Part of this mode includes information printed in the Status Line across the
bottom of the screen. This line will display the current mouse or point position in
the "X" (left to right) and "Y" (top to bottom) as well as the angle value of the
mouse pointer relative to the last point set.
You may also use the "Nudge Keys" to make minute position changes. These
keys are:
UP ARROW
DOWN ARROW
LEFT ARROW
RIGHT ARROW

These keys will move the mouse cursor along with the currently selected point one
"Nudge Amount" in the direction the arrow indicates.

The node tool changes the mouse cursor to a large slanted black arrow head.
The system stays in this mode until you select a different mode. If you use the
"Zoom" mode, the system will automatically return to the point edit mode after
the zoom window is drawn.
Part of this mode includes information printed in the Status Line across the
bottom of the screen. This line will display the current mouse or point position in
the "X" (left to right) and "Y" (top to bottom) as well as the angle value of the
mouse pointer relative to the last point set.
See section titled NEW HOT KEYS LISTED for a complete listing of hot keys
you can use that work in the Node Edit Mode.
If you use "gravity" (see section C above) to connect the ends of a vector polyline,
the polyline type is changed to a Polygon (a closed shape). Xenetech will now
allow you to hatch fill, Inline and Outline the shape. Xenetech will not allow you
to separate the beginning and ending points of a polygon in the edit mode
(although you can "break" the polygon, described later).

SECTION CUT TOOL

This will cut all vectors where a side of the select box crosses them. This tool works
through use of a "rubber box" you create with the mouse. You do this by drawing the
rubber box (the same kind of box you draw around lines to select them) that crosses
through the drawing. Xenetech will break each line where it is crossed by one (or more)
of the sides of the rubber box.

Things to know

This feature will work on any poly vector you have created using the POLYLINE
and POLYGON tools.
 This feature will not work (at present) on other shapes (arc, circle, rectangle, text,
etc.) unless you first "EXPLODE" the object you want to cut. (See section below
on Explode for more info)
This feature will work on any poly vector combined object you have created using
the POLYLINE and POLYGON tools and then "Combined" as a single object.
(See sections below on Combine and Sort/Combine for more info)
After the cut is down, Xenetech will "select" the object (the standard select box as
used on text). You may then do any further work required such as Delete Line in
the edit menu. If the object is a combined object made up of more than one poly
vector line, Xenetech will "break out" and select the section of the object within
the rubber box and combine these "entities" together as one object. The rest of the
original object is left combined together. (See sections below on Combine and
Sort/Combine for more info)
Unlike the other tools described, the Section Cut tool is a one time only tool. This
was done intentionally to prevent accidental sectioning. However, there will be
times when you will want to do multiple section cuts without having to reselect
the mode. To do multiple section cuts, simply select the section tool and hold
down one of the shift keys. Draw the section rubber box. You will notice that
Xenetech leaves the Section Tool selected. The section tool will remain selected
until you do a cut without the shift key held down or select another mode.
The section cut tool changes the mouse cursor to a closed pair of scissors.
Part of this mode includes information printed in the Status Line across the
bottom of the screen. This line will display the current mouse or point position in
the "X" (left to right) and "Y" (top to bottom) as well as the angle value of the
mouse pointer relative to the last point set.

JOIN POINT OR NODE TOOL

This will allow you to connect end points of lines. You do this by drawing a rubber box
(the same kind of box you draw around lines to select them) that encloses 2 or more ends
of existing lines.

Things to Know

This function does not move all points to a new location, but sets the first point
found as an "anchor" and moves all other points to this location.
UNDO will undo the join. You must select all lines that were joined and undo
them.
The join tool changes the mouse cursor to a picture of tool "people" with hands
joined.
 The system stays in this mode until you select a different mode. If you use the
"Zoom" mode, the system will automatically return to the join mode after the
zoom window is drawn.
Part of this mode includes information printed in the Status Line across the
bottom of the screen. This line will display the current mouse or point position in
the "X" (left to right) and "Y" (top to bottom) as well as the angle value of the
mouse pointer relative to the last point set.