Getting Started Guide

Chapter 7
Getting Started with Draw
Vector Drawing in LibreOfficeCopyrightThis document is Copyright © 2021 by the LibreOffice Documentation Team. Contributors arelisted below. You may distribute it and/or modify it under the terms of either the GNU General
Public License (https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html), version 3 or later, or the Creative
Commons Attribution License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), version 4.0 or later.
All trademarks within this guide belong to their legitimate owners.

Contributors
To this editionPeter Schofield

Jean Hollis WeberTo previous editions
Jean Hollis Weber
Dave Barton
Hazel RussmanPeter Schofield
Ron Faile Jr.
Kees Kriek

Claire Wood
Olivier Hallot

Feedback
Please direct any comments or suggestions about this document to the Documentation Team’s
mailing list: documentation@global.libreoffice.org

Note
Everything sent to a mailing list, including email addresses and any other personal
information that is written in the message, is publicly archived and cannot be deleted.

Publication date and software version
Published June 2021. Based on LibreOffice 7.1 Community.
Other versions of LibreOffice may differ in appearance and functionality.

Using LibreOffice on macOS
Some keystrokes and menu items are different on macOS from those used in Windows andLinux. The table below gives some common substitutions for the instructions in this document.
For a detailed list, see the application Help.
Windows or LinuxmacOS equivalent

EffectTools > Options
menu selection

LibreOffice > Preferences

Access setup options

Right-click

Control+click or right-click
depending on computer setup

Open a context menu

Ctrl (Control)⌘ (Command)

Used with other keys

F11

⌘+T

Open the Styles deck on the Sidebar

Documentation for LibreOffice is available at https://documentation.libreoffice.org/en/Contents
Copyright............................................................................................................................2
Contributors.............................................................................................................................. 2
Feedback.................................................................................................................................. 2
Publication date and software version.......................................................................................2
Using LibreOffice on macOS.....................................................................................................2

What is Draw?....................................................................................................................5
Draw main window............................................................................................................5Workspace................................................................................................................................ 5
Pages pane............................................................................................................................... 5
Layers bar................................................................................................................................. 5
Sidebar..................................................................................................................................... 6
Rulers....................................................................................................................................... 7
Status bar.................................................................................................................................. 8
Toolbars.................................................................................................................................... 8

Drawing basic shapes.......................................................................................................9
Straight lines........................................................................................................................... 10
Arrows..................................................................................................................................... 12
Rectangles.............................................................................................................................. 13
Squares................................................................................................................................... 14
Ellipses (ovals)........................................................................................................................ 14
Circles..................................................................................................................................... 15
Dimension lines....................................................................................................................... 15
Curves.................................................................................................................................... 17
Polygons................................................................................................................................. 17
Polygons 45°........................................................................................................................... 18
Freeform lines......................................................................................................................... 18

Glue points and connectors...........................................................................................18
Glue points.............................................................................................................................. 18
Connectors.............................................................................................................................. 19

Geometric shapes...........................................................................................................20
Basic shapes........................................................................................................................... 20
Symbol shapes....................................................................................................................... 21
Block arrows........................................................................................................................... 21
Flowchart................................................................................................................................ 21
Callouts................................................................................................................................... 22
Stars and banners................................................................................................................... 22
3D objects............................................................................................................................... 22

Using text.........................................................................................................................22
Text mode............................................................................................................................... 23
Adding text.............................................................................................................................. 23
Vertical text............................................................................................................................. 25

Chapter 7 Getting Started with Draw | 3

Selecting objects.............................................................................................................25
Direct selection....................................................................................................................... 25
Selection by framing................................................................................................................ 25
Selecting hidden objects......................................................................................................... 25
Arranging objects.................................................................................................................... 26

Positioning and adjusting objects.................................................................................26
Using zoom............................................................................................................................. 26
Moving objects........................................................................................................................ 27
Adjusting object size............................................................................................................... 27
Rotating or slanting objects.....................................................................................................27
Rotation.............................................................................................................................. 28
Slanting.............................................................................................................................. 28
Flipping objects....................................................................................................................... 29
Object distortion...................................................................................................................... 29
Dynamic gradients..................................................................................................................29
Duplication.............................................................................................................................. 30
Cross-fading............................................................................................................................ 31

Grouping and combining multiple objects...................................................................32
Grouping................................................................................................................................. 32
Temporary grouping...........................................................................................................33
Permanent grouping........................................................................................................... 33
Editing within groups.......................................................................................................... 33
Ungrouping......................................................................................................................... 33
Nesting groups................................................................................................................... 33
Combining objects...................................................................................................................34
Merging, subtracting, and intersection.....................................................................................34
Arranging, aligning, and distributing objects............................................................................34

Inserting and exporting images.....................................................................................34
Inserting.................................................................................................................................. 34
Exporting................................................................................................................................. 35

Working with 3D objects.................................................................................................35
Working with layers.........................................................................................................35
Adding layers.......................................................................................................................... 36
Modifying layers...................................................................................................................... 37

Choosing colors..............................................................................................................37
Color palette............................................................................................................................ 37
Sidebar color........................................................................................................................... 38
Toolbar color change...............................................................................................................39

Adding comments to a drawing.....................................................................................39

4 | Chapter 7 Getting Started with Draw

What is Draw?
LibreOffice Draw is a vector graphics drawing program, although it can also perform some
operations on raster graphics (pixels). Using Draw, you can easily and quickly create a wide
variety of graphical images.
Vector graphics store and display an image as an assembly of simple geometric elements suchas lines, circles, and polygons, rather than a collection of pixels (points on the screen). Vector
graphics allow for easier storage and scaling of the image.
Draw is fully integrated into the LibreOffice suite, and this simplifies exchanging graphics with allcomponents of the suite. If an image is created in Draw, reusing it in a Writer document isrelatively easy. For example, select and copy the drawing in Draw and then paste the image
directly into a Writer document. Also, drawings can be worked on directly from within Writer or
Impress, using a subset of the functions and tools from Draw.
The functionality of LibreOffice Draw is extensive. Draw was not designed to rival high-end
graphics applications, but it possesses more functionality than the drawing tools that are
generally integrated with the majority of office productivity suites.
A few examples of the drawing functions are: layer management, magnetic grid-point system,
dimensions and measurement display, connectors for making organization charts, 3D functions
that enable small three-dimensional drawings to be created (with texture and lighting effects),
drawing and page-style integration, and Bézier curves.
This chapter introduces some features of Draw, but it does not attempt to cover all of the Drawfeatures. See the Draw Guide and LibreOffice Help for more information.

Draw main window
Workspace
The large area in the center of the Draw main window (Figure 1) is the Workspace, where
drawings are created. This drawing area can be surrounded with toolbars and information areas.
The number and position of the visible tools vary with the task in hand, user preferences, andcomputer setup.
The maximum size of a drawing page in LibreOffice Draw is limited by the computer setup andthe page size that that can be set and used in the printer connected to the computer.

Pages pane
Drawings in Draw can be split over several pages. Multi-page drawings are used mainly forpresentations. The Pages pane, on the left side of the Draw main window, gives an overview ofthe pages that are created in a drawing. If the Pages pane is not visible, go to View > Page Paneon the Menu bar. To make changes to the page order, drag and drop one or more pages.

Layers bar
A layer is a workplace where you can insert drawing elements and objects. By default, theWorkspace consists of three layers (Layout, Controls, and Dimension Lines). The default
layers cannot be deleted or renamed, but you can add layers when necessary.
Tabs for default and other layers appear in the Layers bar at the bottom of the Workspace. You
can use the Layers bar for navigation between layers, adding layers as required, or deleting
layers that have been created. For more information on layers, see “Working with layers” onpage 35.

Draw main window | 5

Figure 1: Draw main window

Sidebar
The Sidebar has five main decks in Draw and is similar to the Sidebar in the other LibreOfficemodules. To open a deck, click on its icon on the right of the Sidebar, or click on the Sidebar
Settings icon at the top of the tab bar and select a deck from the drop-down list. If the Sidebar is
not visible, go to View > Sidebar on the Menu bar.
Properties
Contains panels for object properties, for example Page, Character, Paragraph, Area,
Effect, Shadow, Image, Line, and Position and Size. Available panels depend on the object
selected.
ShapesProvides quick selection of most items that are available on the Drawing toolbar: Lines andArrows, Curves and Polygons, Connectors, Basic Shapes, Symbol Shapes, Block Arrows,
Flowchart, Callouts, Stars and Banners, and 3D Objects.
StylesProvides options to edit and apply Drawing Styles to objects within a drawing. When a styleis edited or modified, the changes are automatically applied to all of the elements formatted
using that style. In Draw, Presentation Styles are not available.
Gallery
From the Gallery deck, objects can be inserted into a drawing either as a copy or as a link.
The Gallery is divided into categories: Arrows, BPMN (Business Process Model and
Notation), Bullets, Diagrams, Flowchart, Icons, Network, Shapes, and Sounds. See theDraw Guide for more information on creating links to objects and files.
6 | Chapter 7 Getting Started with Draw

Navigator
On the Navigator deck, you can quickly select pages and objects in a drawing. It is
recommended to give pages and objects in a drawing meaningful names so that they areeasily identified when using the Navigator.

RulersRulers are positioned on the upper and left-hand sides of the Workspace. If they are not visible,
go to View > Rulers on the Menu bar. The rulers show the size of a selected object on the pageusing double lines (highlighted in Figure 2). You can also use the rulers to manage object
handles and guide lines when positioning objects.
The page margins in the drawing area are also represented on the rulers. You can change themargins directly on the rulers by dragging them with the cursor. The margin areas are indicatedby the grayed out area on the rulers as shown in Figure 2.
To change the measurement units of the rulers, right-click on a ruler and select the measurement
unit from the drop-down list, as shown in Figure 3 for the horizontal ruler. The horizontal andvertical rulers can be set to different measurement units.

Figure 2: Rulers showing object size

Figure 3: Ruler measurement units

Draw main window | 7

Status bar
The Status bar (Figure 4) is located at the bottom of the Workspace in all LibreOffice modules. It
includes several Draw-specific fields, which are described where relevant in this chapter. For
details on the contents and use of these fields, see Chapter 1, Introducing LibreOffice, in thisguide and the Draw Guide. To hide the Status Bar, go to View on the Menu bar and deselectStatus Bar.

Figure 4: Status bar

Note
The measurement units shown on the Status Bar are set by going to Tools >Options > LibreOffice Draw > General on the Menu bar. These units may bedifferent to the measurement units set for the rulers.

Toolbars
To display or hide the various Draw toolbars, go to View > Toolbars on the Menu bar and selectfrom the drop-down menu. For more information on toolbars, see the Draw Guide.
The icons used for the tools on each toolbar depend on the computer operating system and how
LibreOffice has been setup on a computer. For more information on how to setup LibreOffice, see
Chapter 2, Setting Up LibreOffice.
The three main toolbars used in Draw are:•Standard – this toolbar is the same for all LibreOffice components. By default it is docked
at the top of the Workspace when a Draw document Is opened (Figure 5).

Figure 5: Standard toolbar•

Drawing – this toolbar contains all the necessary functions for drawing various geometricand freehand shapes, and for organizing them in the drawing. By default, it is locked into
position on the left of the Workspace (Figure 6).

Figure 6: Drawing toolbar•

Line and Filling – this toolbar is normally docked at the top of the Workspace below theStandard toolbar. The tools and pull-down lists on this toolbar vary according to the typeof object selected. The Line and Filling toolbar (Figure 7) only becomes active when an
object on the Workspace is selected.

8 | Chapter 7 Getting Started with Draw

Figure 7: Line and Filling toolbar

Drawing basic shapes
Draw provides a wide range of shapes, located in palettes accessed from the Drawing toolbar orfrom the Shapes deck on the Sidebar (Figure 8). This section describes only a few of the basic
shapes, including text, which are treated as objects in Draw. See the Draw Guide for a complete
description of the basic shapes available.
Some of the tool icons on the Drawing toolbar change according to the shape that has been
selected. Some tools on a toolbar have extra tool palettes available and these are indicated by asmall downward triangle ▼ to the right of the tool icon.

Note
When you draw a basic shape or select one for editing, the Information field in the
Status bar changes to reflect the present action. For example Line created, Text
frame xxyy selected, and so on.

Figure 8: Shapes deck on Sidebar

Drawing basic shapes | 9

Straight lines
1) Use one of the following methods to start drawing a line:– Click on Insert Line on the Drawing toolbar.
– Click the small downward triangle ▼ on the right of the Lines and Arrows tool on the
Drawing toolbar and select Insert Line from the drop down list.
– Click on Insert Line in the Lines and Arrows section of the Shapes deck on the
Sidebar (Figure 8).
2) Place the cursor at the starting point on the drawing, then click and drag the cursor to
draw a straight line.
3) Release the mouse button when the end point is reached and a straight line is created. A
selection handle appears at each end of the line, showing that this object is the currently
selected object. The selection handle at the starting point of the line is slightly larger thanthe other selection handle as shown in Figure 9.

Figure 9: Line starting pointTip
To snap the end of a line to the nearest grid point, keep the Ctrl key pressed while
drawing the line. However, if the Snap to Grid option in View > Snap Guides on the
Menu bar has been selected, the Ctrl key deactivates the snap to grid.
To restrict the drawing angle of a line to a multiple of 45 degrees (0, 45, 90, 135, andso on), keep the Shift key pressed while drawing the line. However, if the option
When creating or moving objects in the Constrain Objects section of Tools >Options > LibreOffice Draw > Grid has been selected, the Shift key deactivates
this restriction.
To draw a line symmetrically outwards in both directions from the start point, keep
the Alt key pressed while drawing the line. This draws lines by starting from thecenter of the line.
When a line is drawn, it uses default attributes. To change any of these attributes and format aline to the drawing requirements, select a line by clicking on it and use one of the following
methods to access formatting options for the line:•

Go to the Properties deck on the Sidebar and open the Line panel (Figure 10).

•

Right-click on a line and select Line in the context menu to open the Line dialog(Figure 11).

•

Go to Format > Line on the Menu bar to open the Line dialog.

•

Use the tools Line Style, Line Width, and Line Color on the Line and Filling toolbar.

10 | Chapter 7 Getting Started with Draw

Figure 10: Line panel in Properties deck on Sidebar

Figure 11: Line dialog - Line page

Drawing basic shapes | 11

Arrows
Draw classifies both lines and arrows as lines and are drawn like straight lines. Hovering the
cursor over each tool in the Lines and Arrows sub-toolbar (Figure 12) indicates what type of line
or arrow each tool will draw. The information field on the Status Bar shows them only as lines.

Figure 12: Lines and Arrows sub-toolbar
1) Use one of the following methods to start drawing an arrow:– Click the small downward triangle ▼ on the right of the Lines and Arrows tool on the
Drawing toolbar and select the type of arrow required from the Lines and Arrows
sub-toolbar (Figure 12) that opens.
– Click on the type of arrow required in the Lines and Arrows section of the Shapes
deck on the Sidebar.
2) Place the cursor at the starting point of the arrow, then click and drag the cursor. The
arrowhead is drawn at the end point of the arrow when the mouse button is released.

Tip
To snap the end of an arrow to the nearest grid point, keep the Ctrl key pressed while
drawing the arrow. However, if the Snap to Grid option in View > Snap Guides on
the Menu bar has been selected, the Ctrl key deactivates the snap to grid.
To restrict the drawing angle of an arrow to a multiple of 45 degrees (0, 45, 90, 135,
and so on), keep the Shift key pressed while drawing the arrow. However, if theoption When creating or moving objects in the Constrain Objects section of Tools> Options > LibreOffice Draw > Grid has been selected, the Shift key deactivates
this restriction.
To draw an arrow symmetrically outwards in both directions from the start point, keep
the Alt key pressed while drawing the arrow. This draws arrows by starting from thecenter of the line.

Note
Hovering the cursor over each type of line or arrow available indicates the type ofline or arrow each tool draws.

Note
The tool icon for the Lines and Arrows tool used most recently will already be
selected on the Drawing toolbar. This makes it easier to use the same tool again.

12 | Chapter 7 Getting Started with Draw

Note
After drawing a line or arrow, the line or arrow style can be changed by opening theLine dialog and using the options available on the Line Styles or Arrow Styles pages.

Rectangles
1) Use one of the following methods to start drawing a rectangle:– Click on Rectangle on the Drawing toolbar.
– Click the small downward triangle ▼ on the right of the Basic Shapes tool on the
Drawing toolbar and select Rectangle from the Basic Shapes sub-toolbar (Figure 13).
– Click on Rectangle in the Basic Shapes section of the Shapes deck on the Sidebar.
– Select the type of rectangle from the Legacy Rectangles toolbar (Figure 14). To
display the toolbar, go to View > Toolbars on the Menu bar and select it.
2) Place the cursor at the starting point for the rectangle, then click and drag the cursor until
the required size is drawn. As the rectangle is drawn, the rectangle appears with its
bottom right corner attached to the cursor.
3) To draw a rectangle from its center, position the cursor on the drawing, press the mousebutton and then hold down the Alt key while dragging the cursor. The rectangle uses thestart point as the center of the rectangle.

Figure 13: Basic Shapes sub-toolbar

Figure 14: Legacy Rectangles toolbar

Drawing basic shapes | 13

Squares
1) Use one of the following methods to start drawing a square:– Click on Rectangle on the Drawing toolbar, then hold down the Shift key whiledragging the cursor to draw a square.
– Click the small downward triangle ▼ on the right of the Basic Shapes tool on the
Drawing toolbar and select Square from the Basic Shapes sub-toolbar (Figure 13).
– Click on Square in the Basic Shapes section of the Shapes deck on the Sidebar.
– Select the type of square from the Legacy Rectangles toolbar (Figure 14). To display
the toolbar, go to View > Toolbars on the Menu bar and select it.
2) Place the cursor at the starting point for the square, then click and drag the cursor until
the required size is drawn. As the square is drawn, the square appears with its bottom
right corner attached to the cursor.
3) To draw a square from its center, position the cursor on the drawing, press the mousebutton and then hold down the Alt key while dragging the cursor. The square uses thestart point as the center of the square.

Ellipses (ovals)
1) Use one of the following methods to start drawing an ellipse:– Click on Ellipse on the Drawing toolbar.
– Click the small downward triangle ▼ on the right of the Basic Shapes tool on the
Drawing toolbar and select Ellipse from the Basic Shapes sub-toolbar (Figure 13).
– Click on Ellipse in the Basic Shapes section of the Shapes deck on the Sidebar.
– Select the type of ellipse from the Legacy Circles and Ovals toolbar (Figure 15). To
display the toolbar, go to View > Toolbars on the Menu bar and select it.
2) Place the cursor at the starting point for the ellipse, then click and drag the cursor until
the required size is drawn. As the ellipse is drawn, the ellipse appears with its bottom
right corner attached to the cursor.
3) To draw an ellipse from its center, position the cursor on the drawing, press the mousebutton and then hold down the Alt key while dragging with the cursor. The ellipse uses thestart point as the center of the ellipse.

Figure 15: Legacy Circles and Ovals toolbar

14 | Chapter 7 Getting Started with Draw

Circles
1) Use one of the following methods to start drawing a circle:– Click on Ellipse on the Drawing toolbar, then hold down the Shift key while dragging
the cursor to draw a circle.
– Click the small downward triangle ▼ on the right of the Basic Shapes tool on the
Drawing toolbar and select Circle from the Basic Shapes sub-toolbar (Figure 13).
– Click on Circle in the Basic Shapes section of the Shapes deck on the Sidebar.
– Select the type of circle from the Legacy Circles and Ovals toolbar. To display the
toolbar, go to View > Toolbars on the Menu bar and select it.
2) Place the cursor at the starting point for the circle, then click and drag the cursor until therequired size is drawn. As the circle is drawn, the circle appears with its bottom rightcorner attached to the cursor.
3) To draw a circle from its center, position the cursor on the drawing, press the mousebutton and then hold down the Alt key while dragging with the cursor. The circle uses thestart point as the center of the circle.

Tip
To quickly insert a line, rectangle, ellipse, or circle, press and hold down the Ctrl key
and then click on one of the icons for Line, Rectangle, Ellipse, or Circle and astandard sized object is drawn automatically in the work area. The size, shape, andcolor are all standard values. These attributes can be changed later, if desired. For
more information, see the Draw Guide.

Dimension lines
Dimension lines display a measurement of an object in the drawing (Figure 16). The dimension
line does not belong to the object itself, but it is normally placed close to it.
1) Use one of the following methods to start drawing a dimension line:– Click the small downward triangle ▼ on the right of the Lines and Arrows tool on the
Drawing toolbar and select Dimension Line from the Lines and Arrows sub-toolbar
that opens.
– Click on Dimension Line in the Lines and Arrows section of the Shapes deck on the
Sidebar.
2) Place the cursor at the point close to the object to position the start of the dimension line.
3) Click and drag the cursor to draw the dimension line. As the dimension line is drawn, thedimension is displayed and automatically calculated.
4) To change the measurement unit used for dimension lines, go to Tools > Options >LibreOffice Draw > General on the Menu bar.
5) To change the display of a dimension line and its appearance, right-click on thedimension line and select Dimensions in the context menu to open the Dimension Linedialog (Figure 17).
6) Select the required options in Line and Legend, then click OK to save the changes andclose the Line Dimension dialog.

Drawing basic shapes | 15

Figure 16: Example of dimension lines on an object

Figure 17: Dimension Line dialog

16 | Chapter 7 Getting Started with Draw

Figure 18: Curves and Polygons sub-toolbar

Curves1) Use one of the following methods to start drawing a curve:– Click the small downward triangle ▼ on the right of the Curves and Polygons tool on
the Drawing toolbar and select the type of curve from the Curves and Polygons
sub-toolbar (Figure 18).
– Click on the type of curve required in the Curves and Polygons section of the Shapes
deck on the Sidebar.
2) Click and hold the left mouse button to create the starting point of the curve, then dragfrom the starting point to draw a line. Release the mouse button and continue to drag the
cursor to bend the line into a curve.
3) Double-click to set the end point of the curve and fix the curve on the drawing. A filledcurve automatically joins the last point to the first point, closing the curve and filling it withthe selected fill color. A curve without fill will not be closed at the end of drawing the curve.

Note
A single click fixes the curve to the drawing and allows drawing of straight lines fromthe end of the curve. Each single click allows the drawing of straight lines tocontinue. Double-click to end drawing a curve with straight lines.

Polygons
1) Use one of the following methods to start drawing a polygon:– Click the small downward triangle ▼ on the right of the Curves and Polygons tool on
the Drawing toolbar and select the type of polygon from the Curves and Polygons
sub-toolbar (Figure 18).
– Click on the type of polygon required in the Curves and Polygons section of the
Shapes deck on the Sidebar.
2) Click and hold the left mouse button to create the starting point of the polygon, then dragfrom the starting point to draw a line.
3) Release the mouse button and continue to drag the cursor to draw the next line forpolygon, then click to mark the end point of the line and to start drawing another line.
Holding the Shift key down while drawing lines, restricts the angles used in the polygon to
45° or 90°.
4) Double-click to set the end point of the polygon and fix the polygon on the drawing. A
filled polygon automatically joins the last point to the first point, closing the polygon andfilling it with the selected fill color. A polygon without fill will not be closed at the end ofdrawing the polygon.

Drawing basic shapes | 17

Polygons 45°
A polygon 45° is drawn using the same procedure as polygons, but the angles between lines are
restricted to 45° or 90°. This restriction of angles cannot be changed. However, and if required,hold down the Shift key as the line is drawn so that the line is drawn at an angle other than 45 or
90 degrees.
A filled polygon 45° automatically joins the last point to the first point, closing the polygon andfilling it with the selected fill color.

Freeform lines
Drawing a freeform line is similar to drawing with a pencil on paper.
1) Use one of the following methods to start drawing a freeform line:– Click the small downward triangle ▼ on the right of the Curves and Polygons tool on
the Drawing toolbar and select the type of freeform line from the Curves and Polygons
sub-toolbar (Figure 18).
– Click on the type of freeform line required in the Curves and Polygons section of the
Shapes deck on the Sidebar.
2) Click and drag the cursor to create the freeform line shape required.
3) Release the mouse button when satisfied with the freeform line and the drawing iscompleted. A filled freeform line automatically joins the last point to the first point, closing
the freeform line and filling it with the selected fill color.

Glue points and connectors
Glue points
All Draw objects have glue points, which are not normally displayed. Glue points (Figure 19)
become visible on an object when a connector is selected on the Drawing toolbar or in the
Shapes deck on the Sidebar.
Most objects have four glue points (Figure 19). More glue points can be added and customized
using the Glue Points toolbar (Figure 20). If the Glue Points toolbar is not visible, go to View >Toolbars > Glue Points on the Menu bar to open the toolbar. For a more detailed description on
adding and using glue points, see the Draw Guide.
Glue points are not the same as the selection handles of an object. Selection handles are formoving or changing the shape of an object. Glue points are used to fix or glue a connector to an
object so that when the object moves, the connector stays fixed to the object.

Figure 19: Example of object glue points

18 | Chapter 7 Getting Started with Draw

Figure 20: Glue Points toolbar

Connectors
Connectors are lines or arrows whose ends automatically snap to a glue point of an object.
Connectors are especially useful in drawing organization charts, flow diagrams, and mind-maps.
When objects are moved or reordered, the connectors remain attached to a glue point. Figure 21
shows an example of using two objects and a connector. For a more detailed description of theuse of connectors, see the Draw Guide.

Figure 21: Example of a connector between two objects
Use one of the following methods to access connectors:•

Click the small downward triangle ▼ on the right of the Connectors tool on the Drawing
toolbar and select the type of connector from the Connector sub-toolbar (Figure 22).

•

Click on the type of connector required in the Connectors section of the Shapes deck on
the Sidebar.

Figure 22: Connectors sub-toolbar

Glue points and connectors | 19

Geometric shapes
Geometric shapes are similar to basic shapes. They are provided in Draw as a starting point
when creating objects for a drawing. Geometric shapes are located on the Drawing toolbar and in
the Shapes deck on the Sidebar.
The tool icons on the Drawing toolbar, used for drawing geometric shapes, always indicate thelast geometric shape drawn and may not be the same as the tool icons shown on the Drawing
toolbar in this chapter. This makes it easier to use the same tool again.
Access geometric shapes using one of the following methods:•

Click on Shapes on the Sidebar to open the Shapes deck, then choose from thegeometric shapes available.

•

Click the small downward triangle ▼ on the right of a geometric shape on the Drawing
toolbar to open a drop-down or sub-toolbar giving access to more geometric shape tools.
See below for the tools available.

Using geometric shapes is similar to drawing rectangles, squares, ellipses, or circles as
explained in “Drawing basic shapes” on page 9. For more information on geometric shapes, see
the Draw Guide.

Note
Text can be added to all geometric shapes. For more information, see “Using text” onpage 22 and the Draw Guide.

Basic shapes
The Basic Shapes sub-toolbar (Figure 23) also includes rectangle and ellipse tools that are
identical to the ones displayed on the Drawing toolbar.

Figure 23: Basic Shapes sub-toolbar

20 | Chapter 7 Getting Started with Draw

Symbol shapes

Figure 24: Symbol Shapes sub-toolbar

Block arrows

Figure 25: Block Arrows sub-toolbar

Flowchart

Figure 26: Flowchart sub-toolbar

Geometric shapes | 21

Callouts

Figure 27: Callouts sub-toolbar

Stars and banners

Figure 28: Stars and Banners sub-toolbar

3D objects

Figure 29: 3D-Objects sub-toolbar

Using text
In Draw you can add, insert, and format text in a drawing, object, or shape, as follows. For more
information, see the Draw Guide.
•As a dynamic text frame, which is an independent Draw object that expands as more text
is added within the frame.

•

As text within a previously drawn object. This integrates the text within the object and isplaced within the boundary rectangle that surrounds an object. This boundary rectangle
is not dynamic and care must be taken so that the text does not go outside the object
boundaries.

22 | Chapter 7 Getting Started with Draw

Text mode
Before you can add any text to a drawing, you need to activate text mode, using one of thefollowing methods:•

Click on Insert Text Box on the Standard or Drawing toolbars.

•

Go to Insert > Text Box on the Menu bar.

•

Use the keyboard shortcut F2.

•

Double-click inside the boundary rectangle that surrounds an object on the drawing. Text
inside an object is not placed into a text box.

The Text Formatting toolbar (Figure 30) automatically opens when text mode is activated,
replacing the Line and Filling toolbar.

Figure 30: Text Formatting toolbar

Adding text
When you add text to a drawing, a text box is automatically created to contain the text.
1) Activate text mode as above.
2) Create a text box in the drawing using one of the following methods:– Click at the approximate position for the text box and a single line text box is createdcontaining a flashing cursor. Start typing the text or paste copied text into the text box.
The width of a single line text box increases as text is added.
– Click at the approximate position for the text and drag the cursor to the approximate
width required for the text box creating a multi-line text box. Start typing the text or
paste copied text into the text box. As the horizontal limit of the text box is reached,
the text automatically word wraps inside the text box and the text box expands
vertically as it fills.
The Status bar indicates text edit mode and the position of the cursor (Figure 31).

Note
You can create multiple lines of text in a single-line text box by pressing Enter tocreate a new paragraph, or using Shift+Enter to create a line break in the tex.

Using text | 23

Figure 31: Text information in Status bar
3) When you have finished adding text, click outside the text box to exit text mode. The Text
Formatting toolbar closes and the Line and Filling toolbar opens in its original position.
4) To format and/or reposition the text box, see the Draw Guide for more information.
5) If required, select the text using the various tools on the Text Formatting toolbar(Figure 30) or in the Character, Paragraph, and Lists panels on the Properties deck of the
Sidebar (Figure 32).

Figure 32: Character, Lists, and Paragraph panels in
the Properties deck on Sidebar

24 | Chapter 7 Getting Started with Draw

Vertical text
By default, Draw is set for horizontal text only. The options for vertical text have to be switched on
and added as follows:
1) Go to Tools > Options > Language Settings > Languages on the Menu bar to open the
Languages page in the Options dialog.
2) In Default Languages for Documents, select the Asian option and the default language
displayed in the scroll box.
3) Click Apply, then OK to close the Options dialog and save the changes.
4) Add the Insert Vertical Text tool to the Standard and/or Drawing toolbar as follows:a) Right-click in a blank area on the toolbar and select Visible Buttons in the context
menu.
b) Select Insert Vertical Text from the list of available tools and the icon will appear on
the toolbar.

Note
Formatting vertical and vertical text boxes is the same as horizontal text andhorizontal text boxes. A vertical text box expands vertically as text is added into thebox. For more information on vertical text, see the Draw Guide.

Selecting objects
Direct selection
The easiest way to select an object is to click directly on it. For objects that are not filled, click on
the object outline to select it. The first click selects an object and a second click deselects theselected object. To select or deselect more than one object, hold the Shift key down while
clicking.

Selection by framing
You can several objects once by clicking and dragging the cursor around the objects, drawing a
selection rectangle around the objects. Only objects that lie entirely within this selection rectangle
are selected. To select multiple objects by framing, Select on the Drawing toolbar must be active.

Note
When you drag the cursor to select multiple objects, the selection rectangle being
created is also known as a marquee.

Selecting hidden objects
If objects are located behind others and not visible, they can still be selected. When you select ahidden object, its selection handles appear through the objects covering it.
•

Windows, macOS or Linux – press the Tab key to select and cycle through the objects
in a drawing, stopping at the hidden object to select it. To cycle through the objects inreverse order, press Shift+Tab.

•

Windows or macOS only – select the object in front of a hidden object, then press theAlt key and click to select the hidden object. If there are several hidden objects, keep
holding down the Alt key and clicking until the object required is reached. To cycle
through the objects in reverse order, hold down the Alt+Shift keys and click.
Selecting objects | 25

Arranging objects
In a complex drawing, several objects may be stacked on top of one another. This stacking ordercan be rearranged by moving an object forward or backward using one of the following methods:•

Select an object, go to Shape > Arrange on the Menu bar, or right-click on the object andselect Arrange from the drop-down menu, then use one of the following options:– Bring to Front (Ctrl+Shift++)– Bring Forward (Ctrl++)– Send Backward (Ctrl+-)– Send to Back (Ctrl+Shift+-)– In Front of Object– Behind Object– Reverse – clicking on this option reverses the order of the selected objects.

•

Select an object, then click on one of the Arrange tools on the Line and Filling toolbar.
When you hover the cursor over a tool, its function is indicated.

Positioning and adjusting objects
When positioning or changing the size of an object, check the information area of the Status barat the bottom of the Draw Workspace (Figure 33). From left to right, it shows what object isselected, its position on the drawing in X/Y coordinates, and the dimensions of the object. The
measurement units are those selected in Tools > Options > LibreOffice Draw > General.
For more information on positioning and adjusting objects, see the Draw Guide.

Figure 33: Information on left end of Status Bar when working with objects

Using zoom
To help in the positioning and adjustment of objects, Draw has a zoom function that reduces orenlarges the screen display of the current drawing. For example, zoom in to position objects on a
drawing with greater accuracy; zoom out to see the complete drawing. Zooming is controlledusing the Status bar, Zoom & View Layout dialog, or Zoom toolbar. For more information on using
zoom, see the Draw Guide.

26 | Chapter 7 Getting Started with Draw

Moving objects
To move an object (or a group of objects), select it and then click within the object borders andhold down the left mouse button while dragging the mouse. During movement, a ghost image ofthe object appears to help with repositioning (Figure 34). To locate the object at its new location,
release the mouse button.

Figure 34: Moving objects

Adjusting object size
To change the size of a selected object (or a group of selected objects), move the mouse cursor
to one of the selection handles. The cursor changes shape to indicate the direction of movement
for that selection handle. As the object size changes, a ghosted outline of the object appears(Figure 35). When the desired size of the object is reached, release the mouse button.
The results depend on which selection handle you use. To resize an object along one axis, use aside, top, or bottom handle. To resize along both axes, use a corner handle.

Figure 35: Adjusting object size

Note
If you press and hold the Shift key while resizing an object, the change in size will be
carried out symmetrically with respect to the object width and height so that the
aspect ratio of the object remains the same. This Shift key behavior works on all
selection handles.

Rotating or slanting objects
To rotate or slant an object (or a group of objects), select an object and switch to rotation modeusing one of the following methods:•

Right-click on the object and select Transformations > Rotate in the context menu.

•

Click on the small downward triangle ▼ on the right of the tool icon for Transformations
on the Standard or Line & Filling toolbar and select Rotate.

Positioning and adjusting objects | 27

The selection handles change shape and color and a center of rotation appears in the center ofthe object. As the cursor is moved over the handles, the cursor changes shape to indicate thetype of movement.

Figure 36: Rotating an object

Rotation
1) Click and hold the mouse button over a corner selection handle, then move the cursor torotate the object. A ghost image of the object being rotated appears and the current angleof rotation is shown in the Status bar, as shown in Figure 36.
2) When the object is at the desired rotation angle, release the mouse button.
3) To change the angle of rotation, click on the rotation point and drag it to another position.
This position can be outside the object.

Note
Press the Shift key while rotating or slanting an object and the movement is restricted
to 15°.

Slanting
1) Click and hold the mouse button over a selection handle at the top, bottom, left side, orright side of an object.
2) Drag the selection handle to slant the object. A ghost image of the object being slanted
appears (as shown in Figure 37) and the current slant angle is shown in the Status bar.
The axis used for slanting an object is fixed to the edge of the object directly opposite theselection handle being used to slant the object.
3) When the object is at the desired slant angle, release the mouse button.

Figure 37: Slanting an object

28 | Chapter 7 Getting Started with Draw

Flipping objects
Select an object so that the selection handles are displayed and flip the object vertically or
horizontally using one of the following methods:•

Right-click on the object and select Flip > Vertically or Horizontally in the context menu.

•

Go to Shape > Flip > Vertically or Horizontally on the Menu bar.

•

Click on Vertically or Horizontally tool on the Line and Filling toolbar.

•

Use Flip Vertically or Flip Horizontally tool in the Position and Size section on theProperties deck of the Sidebar.

However, the Flip tool on the Transformations toolbar (Figure 38) provides greater control overthe flipping process. Use the Flip tool to change the position and angle that the object flips over.
See the Draw Guide for more information.

Figure 38: Transformations toolbar

Object distortion
Three tools on the Transformations toolbar (Figure 38) let you drag the corners and edges of an
object to distort an object.
•

Distort – distorts an object in perspective.

•

Set in Circle (perspective) – creates a pseudo 3D effect.

•

Set to Circle (slant) – creates a pseudo 3D effect. Despite the (slant) in the name of thistool, it operates differently from the slanting created by rotation.

In all three cases, you are asked if you want to convert the object into a curve. This is anecessary first step, so click Yes. Then you can move the object handles to produce the desired
effect. See the Draw Guide for more information on how to distort an object.

Dynamic gradients
Transparency gradients can be controlled the same as color gradients. Both types of gradientcan be used together. With a transparency gradient, the direction and degree of the object fillcolor changes from opaque to transparent. In a color gradient, the fill changes from one color toanother, but the degree of transparency remains the same. An example of a dynamic gradient isshown in Figure 39.
Two tools on the Transformations toolbar are used to dynamically control transparency and color
gradients – Interactive Transparency and Interactive Gradient. See the Draw Guide for more
information on how to create transparencies and gradients in an object.

Positioning and adjusting objects | 29

Figure 39: Dynamic gradient example

Duplication
Duplication makes copies of an object while applying a set of changes such as color or rotation to
the duplicates that are created. An example of duplication is shown in Figure 40. For more
information on duplication, see the Draw Guide.

Figure 40: Duplication example
1) Click on an object or group of objects and open the Duplicate dialog (Figure 41) using
one of the following methods:– Go to Edit > Duplicate on the Menu bar.
– Go to Shape > Duplicate on the Menu bar.
– Use the keyboard shortcut Shift+F3.
2) Select the required number of copies, placement, enlargement, and colors from theoptions available.
3) Click OK to duplicate the object and close the Duplicate dialog.

30 | Chapter 7 Getting Started with Draw

Figure 41: Duplicate dialog

Cross-fading
Cross-fading transforms one object shape to another object shape. Cross-fading only works
when two objects are selected.
1) Select two differently shaped objects and go to Shape > Cross-fading on the Menu bar
to open the Cross-fading dialog (Figure 42).
2) In Increments enter the number of shapes between the two objects.
3) Select Cross-fading attributes to apply a gradual change of line and fill properties
between the two objects.
4) Select Same orientation to apply a smooth transition between the two objects.
5) Click OK to carry out the cross-fading and close the Cross-fading dialog.

Figure 42: Cross-fading dialog
Positioning and adjusting objects | 31

The result is a new group of objects with the first object selected as the start object and thesecond object selected as the end object. For example, when the options in the Cross-fading
dialog are applied to a diamond and an ellipse, the cross-fading produces the result shown in
Figure 43.

Figure 43: Cross-fading example of two objects

Grouping and combining multiple objects
Using Draw, a group of objects can be grouped together allowing multiple objects to be treatedas one object, or combined together to create a new shape, as shown by the example in
Figure 44. For more information on grouping and combining objects, see the Draw Guide.

Grouping
Grouping of objects is similar to putting objects into a container. The objects can be moved as agroup and global changes applied to the objects within the group. A group can always be undone(ungroup). Objects that make up a group can always be manipulated separately and retain theirown individual properties.

Figure 44: Example of grouped and combined objects

32 | Chapter 7 Getting Started with Draw

Temporary grouping
A temporary grouping is when several objects are selected using one of the following methods:•

While holding down the Shift key, click on each object with the cursor to select it for the
temporary group.

•

Using the mouse, click and drag a rectangle (also known as a marquee) around theobjects for the temporary group.

Any changes to object parameters carried out are applied to all of the objects within thetemporary group. For example, rotating a temporary group of objects in its entirety.
To cancel a temporary grouping of objects, click outside of the selection handles displayedaround the objects.

Permanent grouping
A permanent grouping of objects can be created after selecting objects using one of the following
methods:•

Go to Shape > Group > Group on the Menu bar.

•

Right-click on the selected objects and select Group in the context menu.

•

Use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+Shift+G.

When deselected, the objects remain grouped together. Any editing operations carried out on thegroup are applied to all objects within the group. If one object in the group is clicked, the wholegroup is selected.

Editing within groups
You can edit an individual within a group without ungrouping or breaking the group. After
selecting the group, use one of the following methods to enter the group:•

Go to Shape > Group > Enter Group on the Menu bar.

•

Right-click on the selected group and select Enter Group in the context menu.

•

Use the keyboard shortcut F3.

•

Double-click on the selected group.

When you have finished editing an individual object within a group, use one of the following
methods to exit the group:•

Go to Shape > Group > Exit Group on the Menu bar.

•

Right-click and select Exit Group in the context menu.

•

Use the keyboard shortcut Shift+F3.

Ungrouping
To ungroup or break apart a permanent group of objects, use one of the following methods after
selecting the group:•

Go to Shape > Group > Ungroup on the Menu bar.

•

Right-click and select Ungroup in the context menu.

•

Use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+Alt+Shift+G.

Nesting groups
You can create a group of groups, more commonly known as nested groups. When nested
groups are created, Draw retains the individual group hierarchy and remembers the order inwhich groups were selected. That is, the last individual group selected will be on top of all theother groups within a nested group. Ungrouping and entering a nested group work in the same
way as for individual groups.
Grouping and combining multiple objects | 33

Combining objects
Combining is a permanent merging of objects, creating a new object. The original objects are nolonger available as individual entities and cannot be edited as individual objects. Any editing of a
combined object affects all the objects that were used when combination was carried out. For
more information on combining objects, see the Draw Guide.
After selecting the objects for combining, use one of the following methods to create a new
object:•Go to Shape > Combine on the Menu bar.

•

Right-click on the objects and select Shapes > Combine in the context menu.

•

Use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+Shift+K.

Merging, subtracting, and intersection
After selecting several objects, the Merge, Subtract, and Intersect functions become available.
These functions are similar to combining objects, but allow the creation of a differently shaped
object from the selected objects. The shape of the object depends on which function used. See
the Draw Guide for more information on how to use these functions.

Arranging, aligning, and distributing objects
In Draw, selected objects can be arranged, aligned, and distributed in relation to each other:•

Arrange the position of an object by moving it either forward or backward in relation to theorder of objects.

•

Align objects with respect to each other using Left, Centered, or Right for horizontalalignment and Top, Center, or Bottom for vertical alignment.

•

Distribute objects so that the space between each of the objects is the same.

See the Draw Guide for more information on arranging and aligning objects.

Inserting and exporting images
Inserting
Draw contains a number of functions for editing images (also called pictures, raster graphics, orbitmaps). These functions include the import and export of images, and conversion from one
image format to another. For more information on working with images, see Chapter 11, Images
and Graphics in this guide and the Draw Guide.
Draw includes a large range of filters so that it can read and display several image file formats. It
also includes several tools for working with images, but does not have the same functionality as
specialized programs like GIMP or Adobe Photoshop.
Images can be added from several sources:•

Directly from a scanner (Insert > Media > Scan on the Menu bar).

•Created by another program, for example photographs from a digital camera (Insert >Image on the Menu bar).

•

The LibreOffice Gallery; see Chapter 11, Images and Graphics.

34 | Chapter 7 Getting Started with Draw

Exporting
Draw saves images as drawings in the Open Document Format (ODG). To save an image or theentire Draw file in another format, go to File > Export on the Menu bar and select a format fromthe drop-down list. The image formats that Draw can export in and save to are listed in Appendix
B, Open Source, Open Standards, OpenDocument in this guide.
Draw files can also be exported in HTML, XHTML, or PDF format from LibreOffice. For more
information, see Chapter 10, Printing, Exporting, Emailing, and Signing.
HTML export uses a conversion wizard that creates as many web pages as there are pages in a
Draw document. You can optionally choose to dispaly drawing pages in frames with a navigatorand set an index page. For more information, see Chapter 12, Creating HTML Files.

Working with 3D objects
Although Draw does not match the functionality of specialized drawing or image editing
programs, it is capable of producing and editing very good 3D drawings. For more information,
see the Draw Guide.
You can create a 3D object in Draw using one of the following methods:•

Select a 3D shape from the 3D Objects section in the Shapes deck on the Sidebar.

•

Right-click on a 2D object and select Convert > To 3D or To 3D Rotation Object in thecontext menu.

•

Right-click on a 2D object and select Format > 3D Effects on the Menu bar.

Working with layers
Using layers when creating complex drawings makes a drawing easier to navigate and edit.
Placing a simpler drawing that is part of a complex drawing into its own layer makes editing
easier. Any area of a layer that does not contain a drawing object is transparent and does not
obscure any part of a complex drawing. Any number of layers can be added to a drawing. For
more information on layers, see the Draw Guide.
A drawing in LibreOffice contains three default layers that cannot be deleted or renamed:•

Layout – is the default Workspace where objects are normally placed when a drawing iscreated.

•Controls – used for form controls that have been assigned an action. Objects on thislayer are always in front of objects on other layers.

•

Dimension Lines – is where the dimension lines are drawn. By switching the layer toshow or hide, dimension lines can be switched on or off.

A layer can be set to one or all of the following attributes:•

Visible or hidden.

•

Printable or not printable.

•

Locked or unlocked.

To quickly toggle the attributes for a selected layer, use the following keyboard shortcuts:•

Shift+click – toggle between a layer being visible or hidden.

•

Ctrl+click – toggle between a layer being locked or unlocked.

•

Ctrl+Shift+click – toggle between a layer being printed or not printed.

Working with layers | 35

Adding layers
To add a layer to a drawing:1) Use one of the following methods to open the Insert Layer dialog (Figure 45):
– Go to Insert > Layer on the Menu bar.
– Right-click on the layer tabs at the bottom of the Workspace and select Insert Layerin the context menu.

Figure 45: Insert Layer dialog
2) Enter a meaningful Name, Title, and Description for the new layer in the text boxes.
3) Select Visible if the layer is to be visible in a drawing. When Visible is not selected, thelayer is hidden and its name in the layer tab changes color to blue.
4) Select Printable if the layer is to be printed when a drawing is printed. Not printing isuseful if a draft layer is required for guides or annotations that are used in making adrawing, but you do not it want to appear in the final output. The name of a layer isunderlined in the layer tab bar when the Printable option is turned off.
5) Select Locked to prevent any objects on this layer from deletion, editing, or moving. No
additional objects can be added to a locked layer. Locking a layer is useful, for example,
when a base plan is to be protected while adding a new layer with other details. The
name of a locked layer is written in Italics in the layer tab bar.
6) Click OK to create the new layer and close the Insert Layer dialog. A new layer
automatically becomes active when added to a drawing.

Note
Layers are added to the drawing in the order that they were inserted. The layer order
cannot be changed.

36 | Chapter 7 Getting Started with Draw

Modifying layers
1) To modify a layer, use one of the following methods to open the Modify Layers dialog,
which is similar in layout and options to the Insert Layers dialog.
– Right-click on the name tab of the layer and select Modify Layer in the context menu.
– Double-click on the layer tab.
– Go to Format > Layer on the Menu bar.
2) Make the required changes to the layer, then click OK to save the changes and close theModify Layers dialog.

Choosing colors
You can choose colors using a color palette, the Area and Line panels on the Properties deck of
the Sidebar, and tools on the Line and Filling and Drawing toolbars, as described below.

Note
For a more detailed description of the options available for color palettes and custom
colors, as well as more information on the difference between the CMYK and RGB
color schemes, refer to the Draw Guide.

Color palette
To display the Color Palette that is currently in use (Figure 46), go to View > Color Bar on the
Menu bar. To close the Color Palette, go to View on the Menu bar and deselect Color Bar.
Using the Color Palette, you can rapidly choose the color of the area or background, and lines of
selected objects in your drawing.
•

Left-click on a color to change the color of the area or background of a selected object.

•

Right-click on a color to change the color of the lines in a selected object.

•

Left-click or right-click on the box with the X at the bottom left of the Color Palette to
select no color for the area or lines of a selected object.

Figure 46: Color Palette (Color Bar)

Choosing colors | 37

Sidebar color
In the Area and Line panels in the Properties deck on the Sidebar (Figure 47), you can change
the color of an area or line of a selected object as follows:
1) Select an object in a drawing.
2) Click on Properties on the Sidebar to open the Properties deck.
3) Open the Area and/or Line panels by clicking on the down-pointing symbol ▼ on thepanel’s title bar.

Figure 47: Area and Line panels in Properties deck on the
Sidebar4) Change the color of an area in the Area panel as follows:a) Select Color from the Fill drop-down list.
b) Click on the down-pointing symbol ▼ next to the Fill Color box to open the color
palette.
c) Click on a color to change the area color.
d) To change the color palette, click on the down pointing symbol ▼ at the top of thecolor palette and select a color palette from the drop-down list.

38 | Chapter 7 Getting Started with Draw

5) Change the color of a line in the Line panel as follows:a) Click on the down-pointing symbol ▼ next to the Line Color box to open the color
palette.
b) Click on a color to change the line color.
c) To change the color palette, click on the down pointing symbol ▼ at the top of thecolor palette and select a color palette from the drop-down list.

Toolbar color change
The Line and Filling and Drawing toolbars have the same two tools that can be used to change
the color of an area (fill) or line – Fill Color and Line Color. These two tools are used in thesame way as changing colors using the Area and Line panels on the Properties deck of the
Sidebar, described above.

Adding comments to a drawing
You can add comments to a drawing using a similar process to the one used in Writer and Calc.
For more about adding, navigating, and replying to comments, see Chapter 4, Getting Started
with Writer.
Before using comments, make sure that your name and initials are entered into Tools > Options> LibreOffice > User Data. The name and initials then appear in the comment marker and in the
Author field of the comment.
If more than one person edits the document, each author is automatically allocated a different
background color.
1) Go to View > Comments on the Menu bar to show or hide the comment markers.
2) Go to Insert > Comment on the Menu bar. A small box containing your initials appears in
the upper left-hand corner of the drawing with a larger text box beside it (Figure 48). Draw
automatically adds your name and the date at the bottom of this text box.
3) Type or paste your comment into the text box.

Figure 48: Inserting a comment4) If necessary, click and drag the small comment markers to move the comment to adifferent position on the drawing. Normally, the comment marker is placed on or near theobject you refer to in the comment.
5) Right-click on the comment and choose an option in the context menu to delete thecurrent comment, all the comments from the same author, or all the comments in the
document.
Adding comments to a drawing | 39