Standard Colors

Ribbon

Start > Desktop > Preferences > Preferences > Diagram > Standard Colors

Keyboard Shortcuts

Ctrl+F9 | Diagram | Standard Colors

1

On the selected color combo box, click on the drop-down arrow.

A 10x14 color pallet displays showing a range of standard colors, with the system default color shown above the pallet and a row of squares for custom colors underneath. If custom colors have already been defined (using the Define Colors button) they are shown in the additional row.

2

If the color you want to use is shown on the pallet, click on it to select it and to return to the 'Standard Colors' page.

3

If the color you want to use is not shown, click on the More Colors button.

The 'Color' dialog displays showing the 'Standard' tab, offering a larger range of standard colors.

4

If the color you want to use is shown on the pallet, click on it to show that color in the 'New' panel and (optionally) compare it with the currently-set color in the 'Current' panel.

Click on the OK button to set the selected color and to return to the 'Standard Colors' page.

5

If a suitable color is not available in the extended pallet, click on the 'Custom' tab. This contains:

• A spectrum panel, with a 'sampler' icon; move the icon around the panel to change the color shown in the 'New' panel
• A 'Luminosity' bar; move the arrow on the right up and down to change the intensity of the color shown in the 'New' panel
• 'Hue', 'Sat'(uration) and 'Lum'(inosity) (HSL) fields, and 'Red', 'Green' and 'Blue' (RGB) fields; type and increment or decrement the decimal values to either:
       -  make slight modifications to a color or
       -  exactly define a color for which you know the HSL and/or RGB values

As you define the color it changes in the 'New' panel; (optionally) compare it with the currently-set color in the 'Current' panel and adjust it as necessary.

When you have defined your color, click on the OK button to select it and to return to the 'Standard Colors' page.

6

As an alternative to selecting a standard color or defining a new one, you can capture a color that is used elsewhere on your current monitor screen.

Click on the Select button to redisplay the cursor as an 'eye-dropper' icon; move this around the screen to the color you want to sample.

Position the cursor so that the color is under the tip of the 'eye-dropper' and shown in the 'New' panel.

Click the left mouse button to capture the color, then click on the OK button to select it and to return to the 'Standard Colors' page.

7

Click on the Close button to save your changes and close the 'Preferences' dialog.

Fill

Define the fill color of all elements (except Screen elements and Notes) on the diagrams you display.

This color can also be changed on the 'Gradients and Backgrounds' page, and overridden by any other fill color definition in your model, such as the Layout ribbon fill setting, element default appearance, Template Element Package or stereotype definition.

Line

Define the line color of all element borders on the diagrams you display.

Text

Define the font color of element text and labels on the diagrams you display (including Text elements).

Shadows

Define the color of element outline shadows on the diagrams you display (including Notes).

Attributes

Define the font color of attribute text in the attribute compartment of all elements on the diagrams you display.

Methods

Define the font color of method (operation) text in the operation compartment of all elements on the diagrams you display.

Behaviors

Define the color for behaviors in Activity diagrams you display.

Notes

Define the color of text in the element notes compartment of all elements on the diagrams you display.

Fill

Define the fill color of Note and Constraint elements on the diagrams you display.

Text

Define the font color of Note and Constraint text on the diagrams you display.

Note Line

Define the line color of the borders on Note elements on the diagrams you display.

Constraint Line

Define the line color of the borders on Constraint elements on the diagrams you display.

Connector Lines

Define the line color of all connectors on the diagrams you display.

Screen Fill

Define the fill color of Screen elements on User Interface diagrams you display.

Custom Colors

Click on the Define Colors button to define a set of custom colors for you to apply to diagram elements anywhere in the model.

Hyperlinks

Define the color in which Hyperlink text will be displayed. When you mouse over a Hyperlink in the model, it will be shown in a contrasting color.

Show Project Custom Colors in Color Combo Boxes

Select this checkbox to add up to 16 defined custom colors to the end of the color selection pallets on the various object and text appearance dialogs.

Use Dark Theme Style

Select this option to apply a system-managed color theme to certain types of element (including Packages, Navigation Cells, Hyperlinks and Diagram Notes) on diagrams when a dark Theme is applied to the diagrams. The general effect is to make the element colors brighter and richer. The option also allows use of a diagram background color when saving the diagram as an image or copying it to the clipboard.