Polygon Line Tool
Click the Polygon Line Tool to add polygon line annotations to documents:
Figure 1. Comment Tab, Polygon Line Tool
When the Polygon Line Tool is enabled, click to designate the starting point of the first line. Move the pointer to the next desired location, then click to designate the end of the first line and the beginning of the next line. Repeat this process until the final point of the desired shape is reached, then double-click to complete the annotation, as detailed in the examples below:
Figure 2. Polygon Line Tool Examples
Click to select polygon line annotations, as detailed in the central annotation in the image above. Selected annotations can be edited as follows:
•Click and drag the outer control points to resize polygon line annotations.
•Click and drag the inner control points to reposition polygon line annotations.
•Click and drag polygon line annotations to reposition them. The circle at the center can also be used for this purpose.
•Click and drag the green control point at the top to rotate polygon line annotations. Hold down Shift to rotate at increments of fifteen degrees.
•Use the arrow keys to reposition polygon line annotations. Hold down Shift to move at an increased increment.
•Use the editing aids detailed here to assist in the precise placement of polygon line annotations.
•Right-click polygon line annotations for further options. See here for an explanation of these options.
•Press Ctrl+' to open the Properties pane for selected annotations and view/edit properties:
Figure 3. Polygon Line Tool, Polygon Line Properties Pane
•Subject is the name of the polygon line annotation, as referenced in the Comments pane.
•Author is the name of the user that created the polygon line annotation.
•Name is the unique name of the polygon line annotation, as referenced within the application.
•Created is the date and time at which the polygon line annotation was created.
•Modified is the date and time at which the polygon line annotation was last modified.
•Read Only is the read only status of the polygon line annotation. If this property is enabled then users cannot interact with the annotation. Please note that it is necessary to use JavaScript to change the value of this property.
•Printable is the print status of the polygon line annotation. If this property is enabled then the annotation is printed with the document. If this property is not enabled then the annotation is not printed.
•Locked is the locked status of the polygon line annotation. If this property is enabled then the annotation cannot be deleted and its properties (including its position and size) cannot be modified by users.
•Layer specifies the optional content layer to which the polygon line annotation belongs. Further information about layers is available here.
•Fill Color determines the color of the line ending style used at the start of the polygon line annotation. The line ending property is detailed below.
•Stroke Color determines the color of the polygon line annotation.
•Border Style determines the style of the annotation.
•Border Width determines the width of the annotation.
•Opacity determines the level of transparency in the polygon line annotation.
•Blend Mode determines how polygon line annotations blend with overlapping content. These options are explained here.
•Rotation determines the degrees of rotation of the polygon line annotation.
•Start determines the line ending style used at the start of the polygon line annotation.
•End determines the line ending style used at the end of the polygon line annotation.
•Start Scale determines the size of the line ending used at the start of the polygon line annotation.
•End Scale determines the size of the line ending used at the end of the polygon line annotation.
Note that when the Polygon Line Tool is enabled, the Format tab is available and can be used to customize the default properties of polygon line annotations:
Figure 4. Format Tab, Polygon Line Tool
•Click options in the Shape Style group to select alternative default polygon line annotation styles.
•Click Keep Selected to keep the Polygon Line Tool enabled and add multiple polygon line annotations to the document. If this option is not enabled then PDF-XChange Editor will revert to the designated default tool immediately after creating one polygon line annotation.
•Click Exclusive Mode to enable exclusive mode, which simplifies the process of using the Polygon Line Tool. When Exclusive Mode is enabled, the pointer ignores all interactive elements of documents other than base content. This makes it possible to create polygon line annotations on areas that overlap with other content without the risk of accidentally selecting undesired items. When Exclusive Mode is disabled, the pointer recognizes and interacts with all underlying elements in the usual manner.
•Click Properties to open the Properties pane and view/edit Polygon Line Tool properties, as detailed above.
•When polygon line annotations are selected, the Style Tools dropdown menu is available in the Format tab. It contains the following options:
•Click Copy Comment Style to copy the style properties of polygon line annotations.
•Click Apply Copied Comment Style to apply a copied polygon line annotation style to selected annotations.
•Click Apply Copied Comment Appearance to apply a copied polygon line annotation style to selected annotations.
•Click Make Current Properties Default to set the properties of the polygon line annotation as the default properties for subsequent annotations.
•Click Apply Default Properties to apply the default polygon line annotation properties to selected polygon line annotations.
•When polygon line annotations are selected, the Pop-up group is available in the Format tab and can be used to interact with the pop-up note of the annotation:
•Click Open to open the pop-up note.
•Click Hide to hide the pop-up note.
•Click Reset Location to reset the location of the pop-up note.
•When polygon line annotations are selected, the Arrange tab is also available and can be used to manipulate comments as detailed here.
Note that the Comment Styles Palette can be used to edit and save customized polygon line annotation styles for subsequent use, and the Commenting preferences can be used to view/edit preferences for all comments.
Convert Polygon Line Annotations to Perimeter Annotations
If you want to convert polygon line annotations to perimeter annotations, then right-click the polygon line annotation and click Convert to Perimeter:
Figure 5. Right-Click Shortcut Menu, Convert to Perimeter Highlighted
The polygon line annotation will then convert into a perimeter annotation. Note that it is possible to convert multiple annotations at the same time.