This dialog is accessible through the Graphical Properties... button in the text box properties dialogs of different model elements. In this dialog, you can define additional graphical properties for the text fields shown with the model element. On the Fill tab, you can select whether to use a transparent, solid, gradient, texture, or hatch background style. On the Line tab, you can define properties for the line used in the text box edges.

 

 

Fill

The settings on the Fill tab define the additional graphical properties for the background of the text box.

 

Style

You can choose the style used in the background of the text box from the drop-down list:

•The Solid style fills the background of the text box with the chosen color.

•The Transparent style makes the text box transparent, so that other elements that are behind it on the diagram can be seen through it.

•The Gradient style colors the background with a gradual blend of the primary color and the secondary color. From the Gradient Type drop-down list, you can select whether to use a rectangle or a linear gradient type. The settings of the rectangle gradient type are fixed. For the linear gradient type, you can select the direction of the  gradient from the Gradient Mode drop-down list.

•The Texture style uses an image as the background of the element. You can select the image by clicking the Browse button. In addition, you can select how the texture is used on the element from the Wrap Mode drop-down menu.

•The Hatch style applies a hatch pattern to the background of the element using the primary and secondary colors. You can select the pattern from the Hatch Style drop-down list.

 

Colors

You can define the colors used in the chosen style from the Primary Color and Secondary Color drop-down lists. The levels of transparency for both colors can be defined by using the Transparency sliders, by entering a value to the fields next to the sliders, or by using the arrows next to the fields. Adding transparency will make the other elements behind the selected element visible through the selected element.

 

 

Line

The settings on the Line tab define the additional graphical properties for the lines used in the text box.

 

Style

•The Width of the line in pixels can be defined either by entering a value between 1 and 100 to the value field or by using the arrows on the right side of the field.

•The Color of the line can be chosen from the drop-down list.

•The Transparency of the line can be defined by using the transparency slider, by entering a value to the field, or by using the arrows next to the field.

•The Dash style of the line can be chosen from the drop-down list. To define a custom dash style, select Custom Line from the drop-down list, and define the pattern in the Custom Dash Pattern field by entering a string that defines the pattern. A valid pattern definition contains an even amount of space-separated values ranging from 0 to 99. The first value in a value pair defines the amount of pixels that are drawn and the second one the amount of pixels that are left empty in the line. So for example a pattern "10 20 15 25" (without the double quotes) draws 10 pixels, leaves a 20-pixel gap, then draws 15 pixels and leaves a 25-pixel gap before starting over from drawing 10 pixels.