# The Format Bar

The Format Bar sits above the horizontal ruler and is designed to provide quick access to create and edit simple fill and stroke styles. It provides access to these stroke style components: color, stroke width, dashes, end-caps and corner joints; and fill style components: color and shadow.

NOTE: Complex styles, such as such as those containing arrows, hatches, patterns, or gradients, are created and edited using the Style Inspector.

## Show Hide Using the Format Bar

1. Choose View > Show (or Hide) Rulers & Format Bar from the main menu.

## Show Hide To Draw Using Styles Created in the Format Bar:

1. Choose a drawing tool from the Tools palette.
2. Start drawing.
3. In the Format Bar, edit the style properties as desired.
4. Continue drawing (subsequent objects have the same style properties until they are changed).

Artboard goes way beyond simple fill and stroke… See Using the Style Inspector for detailed information about creating expert stacked styles and editing library styles.

## Show Hide To Change Styles in the Format Bar:

Do one of the following:

- While drawing, edit the style properties as desired, and continue drawing (subsequent objects have the same style properties until they are changed).
- Click the 'Reset' button in the Format Bar to reset to the default style, edit the style properties as desired, and continue drawing (subsequent objects have the same style properties until they are changed).

## Show Hide To Format a Simple Style:

With an object selected, do one or more of the following:

- Click the checkmarks in the Format Bar to turn stroke and fill on or off as desired.
- Press and hold the color-wells to display the color array, or click once on the color-well to open the Colors panel.
- Set line width with the drop-down line width list or the slider.
- Continue drawing with the style you have defined.

Previous Topic: The Styles & Clip Art Palette
| Next Topic: The Library Manager