Polygons

January 2021

Circuit includes a means to create a simple polygon, and as a fully walled shape, it can be filled with either a colour or even a hatch.

Note: The polygon tool is basic, has limitations, and is considered a "development in progress".

Steps to create a new Polygon:-

  • polygon is made from a collection of Line objects only - no other type can be included

  • draw the lines such that they link end-to-end in one clockwise or counter-clockwise drawing sequence

  • use Create Polygon feature

  • select new polygon and move from away from the Lines used to create it

  • (delete lines if required)

  • select new polygon, colour its outline and fill

  • optionally, add a hatch to the polygon

  • polygons can be copied and pasted, but cannot be edited

Example

Open a Sheet in Edit mode, and ensure the Grid is visible (hit F2)...

Select the Line tool...

Draw in one sequence of movements from the place you want the Insertion Point of the finished polygon to be, right back around to the start point, for example if clockwise then...

Press the Pointer tool to stop adding new Lines. To see the Insertion Points hit F3.

At this point you can select individual lines and move their ends slightly (but do not reverse the ends, and make sure they form one continuous sequence as shown above from start to finish).

Drag over with the left mouse down, and select all the lines...

From the menu choose Symbol > Create Polygon...

The polygon will be created, and will now be siting on TOP of the lines used to create it's shape...

Press L on the keyboard (or choose Edit > Select Item > Last) to select the last object in the drawing stack (which we know was the polygon just added)...

Now use the arrow keys to move the polygon away from the lines, for example...

To change the outline of the polygon choose Line > Color Picker and select a colour.

To choose a fill colour choose Fill > Color Picker...

To choose a hatch with the Fill Colour selected, choose Fill > Hatch ## > Select Style...

Press [Apply] to complete.

The original lines may also be deleted now, if no longer required.

Other Features

To remove a hatch, select the Polygon, then choose Fill > Hatch ## > None.

After removing a hatch the fill colour will be solid, to also remove this, choose Fill > Transparent.

Multiple polygon, rectangle and circle objects may be selected and have their hatch styles and colours modified at once.

That's all for creating simple polygons for now.