This special field allows you to create multiple line definitions using
a single Line object. This can help you save memory in cases where you might
otherwise need to create many Line objects to get the effect that you want.
Setting this field requires that you follow some basic rules and use the
correct symbols, or you may get unpredictable results.
Basic use requires that you specify the coordinates and dimensions for
each line in sets of four numbers - that is, the X and Y coordinates followed
by the XEnd and YEnd coordinates. To aid you in your visualisation of these
numbers, you may insert brackets and commas to organise each line definition
into a group. The following example illustrates the creation of a series of
line graphics:
"(10,10) (50,50) (100,0) (85,150) (400,30) (34,300)"
This would result in five lines being drawn across the graphics area
from one point to the next. If you need to set offsets or percentage
based values, then you will need to use the exclamation and/or percentage
symbols. This next example shows all possible symbol combinations being
used:
"(10,10) (50,50) (25%,33%) (!60,!25) (!103%,!95%)"
If you need to break the line so that it is not fully connected, you
can use the 'B' character to set a disconnection. This next example shows
the previous set of lines being broken into two via use of the B
character:
"(10,10) (50,50) B (25%,33%) (!60,!25) (!103%,!95%)"
If you need to set individual colours for each line, the unlisted field
mechanism needs to be used, and you need to know the correct index for
each line. To demonstrate, setting the colour for the first line in
the list would require us to set the field 'col0'. If you are using broken
lines then be aware that the index is based on the point settings, so in
our previous example the second line starts at point 3 and thus its colour
is accessed through 'col2'. In situations where a specific colour has not
been set, the value in the Colour field is used as a
default.
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