Please note : This help page is not for the latest version of Enterprise Architect. The latest help can be found here.
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Diagram Gradients and Backgrounds
When reviewing the diagrams in your model, you have a range of options for managing the display and appearance of the diagrams and their contents. These options include setting the color and shading of the diagram and elements, and the style of the page border of the diagram. You can also, instead of using the color wash, select a tiled background image for the diagrams you display, from a set of system-supplied images or from images that you have created or downloaded to a local system folder yourself.
Access
Ribbon |
Start > Workspace > Preferences > Preferences > Diagram > Gradients and Background |
Keyboard Shortcuts |
| Diagram | Gradients and Background |
Diagram Background Options
Field/Button |
Action |
See also |
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Tile |
Either:
The selected background is immediately applied to any diagrams you have open, and the field displays the location of the background graphic file, such as: C:\Program Files\Sparx Systems\EA\BackgroundTiles\Aqua_03.jpg If you no longer want to apply a background tile to your diagrams, click on the to clear the field. |
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Paper |
Click on the drop-down arrow to change the background color of the diagrams you display. This field is disabled if you have selected a background tile (above). The field is re-enabled when the file path is deleted from the 'Tile' field. |
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Page Border Style |
Click on the drop-down arrow and select the option for the type of page border you want to use when displaying diagrams on your monitor. You can choose from:
If you cannot see the page border on a diagram, right-click on the diagram and select the 'Properties' option, then check that the 'Hide Page Border (All Diagrams)' or 'Hide Page Border (Current Diagram)' options are not selected. |
Configure Diagram Display |
Gradient |
Click on the drop-down arrow and select the direction of the color gradient to apply to the background color of the diagrams you display - Up or Down. You set the background color itself in the 'Paper' field. Select <none> to apply the background color uniformly to the diagram background. This field is disabled if you have selected a background tile. The field is re-enabled when the file path is deleted from the 'Tile' field. |
Element Fill Options
Option |
Action |
See also |
---|---|---|
Gradient Fill Direction For an Element |
Click on the drop-down arrow and select the direction of the color gradient applied to the element fill color. Select <none> to apply the element fill color uniformly to the element, with no color gradient. |
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Gradient Style for Element |
Click on the drop-down arrow and select the style to apply to the element fill color gradient. The options apply:
Select '<none>' to have a single band of color fading across the element in the fill direction. |
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Fill |
Click on the drop-down arrow and select the fill color of all elements (except Screen elements and Notes) on the diagrams you display. You can also change the element fill color on the 'Standard Colors' page, where you can define the fill color of Screen and Notes elements as well. You can quickly make fill color changes using the 'Hue', 'Saturation' and 'Luminosity' fields, in combination. The 'Fill' field reflects the color changes as you make them, but having a diagram open with large elements also shows the changes immediately and very clearly. |
Standard Colors |
Revert |
Click on this button to reset the fill color to the previously saved color. If you have been testing new colors but have not closed and re-opened the 'Preferences' dialog, you can return to the color you originally changed from. |
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Hue |
Click on the slider icon and drag it along the line to set the basic primary color or combination of two primary colors. The numerical value of the color (the H value in the HSL code) displays in the field to the right of the slider. |
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Saturation |
Click on the slider icon and drag it along the line to set the color saturation (the degree of grayness in the color). The numerical value of the saturation (the 'S' value in the 'HSL' code) displays in the field to the right of the slider. |
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Luminosity |
Click on the slider icon and drag it along the line to set the color luminosity (the degree of light in the color, from none (black) to full (white). The numerical value of the luminosity (the L value in the HSL code) displays in the field to the right of the slider. |
Gradient Options
These options are ineffective if the 'Gradient Fill Direction for an Element' field is set to '<none>'.
Field/Button |
Action |
See also |
---|---|---|
Tint Amount |
Click on the slider icon and drag it along the line to set the degree of tint in the color gradient. Moving from the left end the slider sets completely black at the top of the gradient, through no tint to completely white at the top of the gradient. The percentage tint displays in the field to the right of the slider, showing -50% for the left end of the slider, 0% (the default) in the center and 50% at the right end. To reset the Tint Amount to the system default (which is a slight, dusky gradient), click on the . |
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Fill Amount |
Click on the slider icon and drag it along the line to set the degree of fill of the gradient. From the left end the slider sets, effectively, no gradient (0%) through to starting the gradient immediately at one edge of the element and building right across the element (100%). The percentage gradient fill displays in the field to the right of the slider. To reset the Fill Amount to the system default (80%), click on the . |
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