Chapter 6: Creating Drawings with Draw
Using Snap Lines
It is advisable to use snap lines to position lines and objects more precisely. To display a snap line, click on a ruler and hold down the mouse button to drag it into the document. To move the snap line, rest the mouse pointer on it until a double arrow appears. Shift the line by holding down the mouse button and dragging the line to the desired position. To delete a snap line, simply drag it back onto the ruler. In Draw, snap lines can also be positioned in a numerically exact way using the Edit Snap Line... command from the context menu of the snap line. Note: Snap lines are lines which are visible only on the screen and are used for the sole purpose of precise positioning and alignment. An unlimited number of horizontal and vertical snap lines can be created.
Using Dimension Lines With Draw, dimension lines can be directly inserted into a drawing. Drag the snap lines from the ruler into a document and positioned so that there is a snap line over every major line in the drawing. To do this, click the Dimension Line icon on the Lines floating toolbar. The mouse pointer will turn into a cross and a dimension line may be dragged directly from one side to the other, or, even better, from one snap line to another. To edit the look of dimension lines, select them, open the context menu and click Dimensions.... The dialogue that appears, permits determination of the appearance and position of the dimension lines.
To increase the space between a dimension line and the measured object, move the mouse pointer to one of the points on the dimension line. The mouse pointer will turn into another icon, enabling either expansion or reduction of the space. Note: To obtain an absolutely horizontal or vertical dimension line or one at a 45째 angle, press the Shift key while dragging the dimension line.
OpenOffice.org User Guide for 2.0
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