Setting the fill, line style, and borders for objects, layout parts, and the layout background
Use the Graphic area of the Inspector to change the appearance of objects, layout parts, and the layout background. You can change:
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Tip  Use the formatting bar to quickly change the fill and border of an object or layout part or the fill of the layout background. (You must have already specified borders in the Graphic area of the Inspector, but you can change borders in the formatting bar.) To display the formatting bar below the status area, click Formatting Formatting bar button in the layout bar.
Line and fill controls on the formatting bar
To change the appearance of objects or layout parts:
1.
In Layout mode, select one or more objects or a layout part label.
See Selecting objects.
2.
Click Inspector Inspector button in the layout bar, then click Appearance.
3.
See Specifying the display state for an object.
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The options you choose affect the appearance of the selected objects and parts in all modes.
Graphic area of the Inspector
 
Border control
Opacity slider
The Opacity slider is located in the color palette.
To fill the layout background with a solid color:
1.
In Layout mode, click anywhere in the layout background to select it.
Note  To select the layout background, ensure no objects or parts are selected.
2.
Click Inspector Inspector button in the layout bar, then click Appearance. Choose options in the Graphic area.
3.
For Fill, choose Solid Color.
Note  Alternatively, you can fill the layout background with a color gradient or image. See Filling objects, layout parts, or the layout background with a color gradient and Filling objects, layout parts, or the layout background with an image.
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Move the Opacity slider to change the transparency of the fill color.
To make an object, layout part, or the layout background transparent:
Note  Making an object or layout part transparent allows objects or the layout background to show through.
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For Fill and Line, choose None.
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For Line, choose None and for Fill, move the Opacity slider in the color palette.
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In the formatting bar: For Line, choose None and for Fill, choose transparent Transparent fill in color pallet.
Notes
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Each theme comes with a set of default styles for objects such as shapes, buttons, lists, and menus. When you create an object or a new part on a layout, the object or part is formatted in the theme’s default style.
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To create a custom color, choose Other Color in a color palette, then click the color to use.
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To determine the RGB value of a color, in Layout mode, click the Fill color palette in the formatting bar and choose Other Color. In OS X, select the Color Sliders tab. Values are shown for each of the basic colors.
Related topics 
Drawing and inserting objects on a layout
Selecting and working with objects on a layout
Adding borders, fill, and baselines to fields