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Macros, tips, and templates for Corel® WordPerfect® for Windows®
© Copyright 1996-2023 by Barry MacDonnell. All Rights Reserved.

Adding emphasis to text:
How to create custom paragraph/page border or fill styles

Related pages -

For basic information about styles, and links to related pages on this site, see http://wptoolbox.com/tips/Styles.html.

See also -

Create a page border with repeating graphic images (clip art, photos, etc.) around the four edges of the page

BACKGROUNDFILL - A macro to create a user-specified "background fill" for the page, extending to outside page margins (or at any desired printable location)

[For WordPerfect 8 and later, but might also apply to earlier versions.]


Custom paragraph and page border styles

Example: Let's suppose you need to create a paragraph or page border with a single, vertical line on the left side of the paragraph(s) or page. The other three sides will not have any borders.

1. Click on Format, Graphic Styles, Style type:Border. Choose a line Style (e.g., "Single"). Make sure the "List styles from:" drop list is set to "Default Template" so that the new style can be saved for use in any new document. Then click the Create button to bring up the Create Border Style dialog.

2. Give the new style a name (e.g., Left Side Single). Under "Select the styles to modify," you will see (by default) all four side choices are checked. Click the Line Style button and choose "X" (i.e., "<None>") to remove all side borders from the style. (The representational image should reflect this change by removing all lines.)

4. Now, uncheck the three choices for the sides of the box that you don't need (e.g., Right, Top, Bottom), leaving the Left choice checked.

5. Click the Line Style button again, and choose a line style (e.g., Single). The graphic should show a single, vertical line. You can choose to Show the spacing and make any spacing adjustments, drop shadow, line color, etc. Click OK to return to the Graphics Styles dialog. The new style's name should appear at the end of the Styles list in the dialog. Click Close.

To apply the new style to a paragraph or several paragraphs, select the paragraph(s) and click Format, Paragraph, Border/Fill. The new style (Left Side Single) should be at the end of the drop list of "Available border styles." Choose it and click Apply, then OK.

To apply it to a page, click Format, Page, Border/Fill.

Custom background colors or "fills" for paragraphs or pages

Here's a way to make paragraphs or whole pages stand out from other text.

Example: Let's suppose you want to place a light blue background behind a paragraph or several paragraphs, or behind all the text on a page. (Tip: For full-page fills, see this macro. For line borders around the page perimeter outside page margins, see this macro.)

1. Click on Format, Graphic Styles, Style type:Fill. Choose a line Style (e.g., "Single"). Make sure the "List styles from:" drop list is set to "Default Template" so that the new style can be saved for use in any new document. Then click the Create button to bring up the Create Fill Style dialog.

2. Click the appropriate radio button, Pattern or Gradient. Let's assume the default choice, Pattern.

Tip: If you choose Gradient, you can set the offset, rotation (e.g., 90 degrees for a horizontal gradient), steps (enable Auto Steps for a smooth gradient), and custom color (use this to lighten or darken the shade of the fill).

3. Give the new style a name (e.g., Light blue background).

4. Click the Foreground color button, and choose the light blue color from the pallette. Click OK to return to the Graphics Styles dialog. The new style's name should appear at the end of the Styles list in the dialog. Click Close.

To apply the new style to a paragraph or several paragraphs, select the paragraph(s) and click Format, Paragraph, Border/Fill, Fill tab. The new style (Light blue background) should be at the end of the drop list of "Available fill styles." Choose it and click Apply, then OK.

To apply it to a page, click Format, Page, Border/Fill, Fill tab.

Tip: Once the fill is saved and applied in the document, you can edit it with Format, Graphic Styles and the changes will be reflected in the document. Of course, the changes will carry over to other documents, so you might want to create a copy of the style and save it to the Current Document only.

Tip: You can apply a fill to a custom box (Insert, Graphics/Pictures, Custom Box) such as a Watermark box. The box can then be resized and dragged into position. If the box is on a main document page it can be right-clicked and set to Wrap Behind Text. If the box is created inside a Watermark, it will show up behind all document pages.

To remove these styles

Simply open Reveal Codes and delete either the [Para Border] or [Pg Border] code at the beginning (or end) of the affected paragraphs/pages.

One thing to keep in mind: Like using pepper on food, just because a little is good, that doesn't mean a lot is better.