Re: Help with multicoloured point to point line

jools wrote:
> I have been trying to get some help in a different forum but
> this one has been recommended as the place to be, so here
> goes.
>
> I am using PSP7 to annotate some maps. What I need to do is
> mark an existing line on a scanned-in map with a 1pt red line
> with a 5pt yellow highlight on the inside. As the line is not
> a straight line I thought point to point would be best but
> there doesn't seem to be any way to edit the line to make it
> multicoloured.
>
> Rick Simon has suggested the following (thanks Rick) which
> works OK but is a bit convoluted. Also I cant use this
> technique if part of the shape to be highlighted runs off the
> map edge i.e. lines where the path is not closed.
[snip Rick's method]

This thread continues one of the same subject in c.g.a.p-s-p, for 
those who are climbing aboard here.

Jools, you are correct that PSP does not have multi-colored lines 
built in. There are many ways to construct them with selections. I 
will offer another here. You should be able to cook up your own from 
the ingredients in this one and Rick's.

If you are going to do much of this, I recommend buying a cheap copy 
of PSP 9 on eBay. It offers more ways to work with selections 
(combining selections and selecting the edges of selections would be 
useful here), vectors (drawing as a selection directly) and scripts, 
which let you record the tedious repetitive parts of the task to 
play back again and again with one button.

This method builds the multi-colored line on its own raster layer, 
where you can edit it before an optional merge into the map itself. 
The Draw tool outlines the outside edge of the red line, a selection 
made from that outline then gets filled with colors.

1. If your line will extend to the edge of the image, increase the 
canvas size, making room to close the line outside the map, to be 
cropped away later.

2. Create a new raster layer above the map layer. This will hold the 
new line. Make the Layer palette visible with the L key so you can 
navigate among the layers.

3. Create a vector layer above the line layer. Leave it active.

4. Fetch the Draw tool. Set its Tool Option palette for anti-alias, 
closed path, and create as vector. Set the Color palette for a null 
stroke and a fill color of your choice.

5. Draw a closed vector object around the outside edge of the field, 
enclosing the red line and continuing outside the map edge if 
necessary. If the fill color obscures the map, turn off the 
visibility of the vector layer while drawing.

6. Selections > From Vector Object. Turn off the visibility of the 
vector layer and click on the line layer in the Layer palette. We 
are done with the vector layer, but keep it around for a while in 
case you change your mind.

7. Fetch the Fill tool. Set its Foreground color to red. Fill the 
selection with red.

8. Selections > Modify > Contract by the width of the red line.

9. Fill the selection with yellow.

10. Selections > Modify > Contract by the width of the yellow line.

11. Edit > Clear to reveal the map beneath the line layer.

12. Use the Eraser and Paint Brush tools as needed to clean up the 
line. Crop away any parts outside the map.

13. Optional. Merge layers.

You mentioned fading the line earlier. It is not clear what you mean 
by "fade," but you can experiment with gradients in place of solid 
colors with the Fill tool or you can add a mask, filling it with 
gradients to fade the opacity.
-- 
Fred Hiltz,  fhiltz at yahoo dot com