squares and lines

**Menno2** · 04 August 2009, 09:10 AM

Dear all,

I had two questions concerning Corel draw:

- How to draw a line that starts as a thin line (eg 0.5 pt) and ends as a thicker (eg 4.0) line?

- If I have drawn a square and four lines, is it posible to attach the ends of the lines to the corners of the square? So if I then move the square that one end of each line will stay at its place whereas the rest of the line will move with the square...

greetings,
Menno

ps I use Corel Draw 12

**iamtheblues** · 04 August 2009, 12:07 PM

Hi Menno, welcome to the forum. To answer your first question I have attached what the help files say in version X4.
I'll have a think about the second question...

Saludos,
Bob.

**iamtheblues** · 04 August 2009, 12:35 PM

This isn’t exactly what you asked, but the end result is probably the same.
I cannot think of another way that you might do this, but someone brighter than me with a better knowledge of CorelDraw should turn up.
Saludos,
Bob.

**iamtheblues** · 04 August 2009, 01:40 PM

If you follow what I have done in my last post, and use the Shape Tool (F10) to select all of the nodes except the one you want to stay put, then drag the node at the end of the line opposite the non-selected node and drag, the whole shape will move except the non-selected node. I hope that makes sense.
Edit: I've attached a graphic which should improve on my explanation.
Saludos,
Bob.

**Menno2** · 04 August 2009, 10:17 PM

Hey Bob,

Thanks for replying, it helped me a lot.

However, I still have some questions/problems:

- I thought it was possible to connect nodes (lines and square), how is it done?
- I want the lines to smoothly change color (from grey to black), it seems that this is impossible when the artistic media tool is used, is this right?

Attached I'll find (I hope) the result I had in mind. However, it took me too much time to make it and I need to make a few more which are different. Therefore I hoped to find an easier way.

I hope you can help me with this.

groeten,
Menno

PS, ideally I would be able to move both (small and big) squares independently with the lines between them moving along, ideally

**meltsner** · 05 August 2009, 01:08 AM

Hi Menno,
I don't think it's possible to join a square and a line. To do that would be joining an open shape with an already closed one, if that's the right definition.
Bob's suggestion works for moving the outer box around. To expand on that idea, draw your smaller box and connect the lines' other ends to it (to better simulate your picture).

No. 2, you're talking about a fountain fill? Just draw an "artistic media" or convert an object to one, then choose from the Fill flyout toolbar, "fountain fill". You're color choices are unlimited! Okay, almost unlimited. Here's two I quickly did.

**meltsner** · 05 August 2009, 01:20 AM

Oops, now that I see your picture again that may not be possible if you're trying to use the gradient-filled lines to connect to the square. Not to weld them at least.

Also to clarify what I said last post, you CAN join a line and a square (welding) but then you wouldn't have a square anymore of course.

Then the "lines" couldn't be filled independently of each other. Just afraid there might not be a much easier way.

**Menno2** · 05 August 2009, 11:34 AM

OK,

I (sort of) succeeded in what I was hoping for. I am now able to draw two squares connected to each other with lines and I'm able to move them independently as well. After setting them in the right position I have to unmeld them to use the artistic media tool and to gradient-fill these objects.

One minor drawback - I hoped to draw lines that started with the same thickness as the small square and ended with the thickness of the large square. However, I think this is not possible (?).

Thanks for your help!

Menno

**meltsner** · 06 August 2009, 12:59 AM

Not that I would know of. Only way I can think of is manually -- drawing two short lines, one with the thinner stroke and the other with the thicker, then breaking apart the nodes and connecting the two.

**TXchuck2u** · 06 August 2009, 04:33 AM

What if you used the Polyline tool while having 'Snap To Objects' turned on and zooming in at each connection point to make sure your lines 'attached' to the squares are the correct width? This way you could either keep or remove outline and fill with a linear fill between the squares.

chuck