Colors and Styles
- Last UpdatedMar 02, 2026
- 2 minute read
Every graphics primitive in Draw is drawn in a specific color and style, determined by the values of the relevant color and style attributes.
Within the Draw database there are 20 different color attributes and 17 style attributes, and can be classified as:
-
those for linear (line) primitives (15 linestyle and 15 color attributes)
-
those for area primitives (one fillstyle and one color attribute)
-
those for marker primitives (one markerstyle and one color attribute)
-
those for text primitives (three color attributes only).
Generally, there is a style attribute for every color attribute, except that there are no style attributes for text primitives – only color attributes.
The term style is used to describe the overall appearance of a line in terms of its thickness and repeating pattern, or to describe a hatching (fill) pattern, or to describe the size and appearance of markers. The full list of color and style attributes are:
|
Attribute type |
Style attribute |
Color attribute |
|---|---|---|
|
Line |
||
|
Leader-line |
LLSTYLE |
LLCOLOUR |
|
Label-frame |
LFSTYLE |
LFCOLOUR |
|
Dimension-line |
DLSTYLE |
DLCOLOUR |
|
Projection-line |
PLSTYLE |
PLCOLOUR |
|
Cross-hair |
CHSTYLE |
CHCOLOUR |
|
Note line |
NLSTYLE |
NLCOLOUR |
|
Table-row |
ROWSTYLE |
ROWCOLOUR |
|
Table-column |
COLSTYLE |
COLCOLOUR |
|
Front-face |
FFSTYLE |
FFCOLOUR |
|
Back-face |
BFSTYLE |
BFCOLOUR |
|
center-line |
CLSTYLE |
CLCOLOUR |
|
Obscured-line |
OBSTYLE |
OBCOLOUR |
|
Obscured-Backface-line |
BOSTYLE |
BOCOLOUR |
|
Obscured-center-line |
OCSTYLE |
OCCOLOUR |
|
P-line |
PLNSTYLE |
PLNCOLOUR |
|
Member-line |
MLNSTYLE |
MLNCOLOUR |
|
Outline |
OLSTYLE |
OLCOLOUR |
|
Text |
||
|
General text |
- |
TXCOLOUR |
|
Dimension-line text |
- |
DTCOLOUR |
|
Projection-line text |
- |
PTCOLOUR |
|
Fill |
||
|
Fill (hatch pattern) |
FSTYLE |
FCOLOUR |
|
Marker |
||
|
Marker symbol |
MSTYLE |
MCOLOUR |
The color attributes can be assigned values by color table index number or by color name. A listing of the colors is available. See Colors for further information. In some circumstances color attributes can be set to the special values: DEFAULT, TEMPLATE, UNCHANGED.
The linestyle attributes can be assigned values that describe system-defined or user-defined line styles. See System-Defined Line Styles and User-Defined Line Styles for further information. In some circumstances linestyle attributes can be set to the special values: OFF, DEFAULT, TEMPLATE, UNCHANGED.
The fillstyle attribute can be assigned values that describe system-defined or user-defined fill styles. See System-Defined Fill Styles and User-Defined Fill Styles for further information. In some circumstances fillstyle attributes can be set to the special values: OFF, DEFAULT, UNCHANGED.
The markerstyle attribute can be assigned values that describe system-defined marker styles. See Marker Styles for further information. In some circumstances markerstyle attributes can be set to the special values: OFF, DEFAULT.
User-defined line and fill styles are defined in the PADD database within a hierarchy headed by a STYLWL element. See Draw Database Basic Hierarchy for further information. STYLWL owns Linestyle and Fillstyle Tables (LSTYTB, FSTYTB), beneath which the definitions of user-defined Linestyles and Fillstyles are stored.
STYLWL, LSTYTB and FSTYTB are classified as ‘primary’ elements and can therefore be claimed.
The creation and maintenance of STYLWL hierarchies is the responsibility of the Draw Administrator.