---
title: "Add Shapes to a Sheet"
slug: "add-shapes-to-a-sheet"
description: "Describes how to add shapes to a Lasernet Core form."
tags: ["Form Editor", "Lasernet Core", "Shape"]
updated: 2026-04-15T13:50:00Z
published: 2026-04-15T13:50:00Z
canonical: "kb.lasernetgroup.com/add-shapes-to-a-sheet"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://kb.lasernetgroup.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Add Shapes to a Sheet

Use the **Shape** tool to add lines, rectangles, or rectangles that have rounded corners to the form design.

![](https://cdn.document360.io/c831ef63-c6b3-48ee-b443-3e33644e4e2e/Images/Documentation/shapes 1.png)

> [!NOTE]
> Note
> 
> Shapes can be added only to PDF, TIFF, and EMF sheets whose [underlying format](/v1/docs/create-a-form#underlying-output-formats) is EMF.

## Draw a Line or Shape

To add a line or a shape, follow these steps:

1. Click the down arrow next to the **Shape** button, then select **Line**, **Rectangle**, or **Rounded Rectangle**. The **Shape** button is now selected.
2. In the form design area, move the cursor (which is now a plus sign) to the start point of the new line or rectangle.
3. Drag the cursor to draw the line or to define the area of the rectangle.

When you release the left mouse button, the Form Editor adds the line or rectangle to the form and then automatically switches to **Select** mode. Now, you can double-click the shape to modify it. For example, you can specify its line color. Or, you can drag the shape to move it and drag its resize handles to resize it.

## Draw Another Line or Shape

Click **Shape**, then use the cursor to add the shape to the form.

To draw a different shape, click the down arrow as described in the steps above.

## Draw a Series of Shapes that are Linked to a Pattern in the Input Data

Because of its pattern criterion, a pattern can match multiple line items in the input data. By linking a shape to a pattern, you can automatically add multiple shapes that each correspond to a particular line item.

For example, if the input data is an invoice that contains several line items, you could (in one action) add several rectangles; you could use each one to visually enclose a particular line item in the output form. When you do this, the Form Editor will adjust the vertical spacing of any existing rearranges that are also linked to that pattern, so that the data of each line item and its corresponding shape are vertically aligned.

To add shapes that are linked to a pattern, click **Shape**, then (in the input data area) drag the plus cursor to select the pattern.

## Prevent Anyone from Moving or Resizing the Shape

Right-click the shape and then select **Lock**.

Or, on the **General** page of the **Edit Shape** window (that you use to modify the shape), select **Locked**.

## Modify the Shape’s Properties

Double-click the line or rectangle to open the **Edit Shape** window. On the **Shape** page, the following shape-modification properties are available.

> [!NOTE]
> Note
> 
> Gradient fill is available in Lasernet Core 11 and Lasernet Essentials / Professional / Advanced only.

![](https://cdn.document360.io/c831ef63-c6b3-48ee-b443-3e33644e4e2e/Images/Documentation/Shapes properties LN11.png)

| Properties | Description |
| --- | --- |
| **Style name drop-down list** (available for all shapes) |
| **Style name** | If any named shape styles exist, select a style from this list to apply it to this shape. > [!NOTE] > Note > > You cannot create named styles here. |
| **Fill group box** (available for rectangles and rounded rectangles only) |
| **Type** | Select **Solid fill** (single color) or **Gradient fill** (multiple colors). For more information about gradient fills, see [Apply a Gradient Fill to a Rectangle or Rounded Rectangle](/v1/docs/add-shapes-to-a-sheet#apply-a-gradient-fill-to-a-rectangle-or-rounded-rectangle). > [!NOTE] > Note > > This property is present in Lasernet Core 11 and Lasernet Essentials / Professional / Advanced only. |
| **Color** | **If you selected Solid fill or are using Lasernet Core 10:** Set the fill color. **If you selected Gradient fill:** See [Apply a Gradient Fill to a Rectangle or Rounded Rectangle](/v1/docs/add-shapes-to-a-sheet#apply-a-gradient-fill-to-a-rectangle-or-rounded-rectangle). |
| **Direction**, **Gradient stop**, **Position**, and **Brightness** | These properties are relevant to gradient fill only. See [Apply a Gradient Fill to a Rectangle or Rounded Rectangle](/v1/docs/add-shapes-to-a-sheet#apply-a-gradient-fill-to-a-rectangle-or-rounded-rectangle). |
| **Line group box** (available all shapes and lines) |
| **Color** | Set the color. |
| **Dashes** | Set the line style. |
| **Width** | Set the line width. |
| **Rounding group box on the Position tab** (available for the rounded rectangle only) |
| **Width (Lasernet Core 11 and Lasernet Essentials)** **Width ellipse (Lasernet Core 10)** | Define the width of the ellipse (which affects the corner rounding). |
| **Height (Lasernet Core 11 and Lasernet Essentials)** **Height ellipse (Lasernet Core 10)** | Define the height of the ellipse (which affects the corner rounding). |
| **Left / top**, **Left / bottom**, **Right / top**, and **Right / bottom** | The checkboxes enable you to choose which corners the rounding is applied to. Unselected corners become 90-degree angles. > [!NOTE] > Note > > These properties are present in Lasernet Core 11 and Lasernet Essentials / Professional / Advanced only. |

> [!NOTE]
> Note
> 
> The properties on all the other pages in the **Edit Shape** window are described in [Edit Rearrange Properties](/v1/docs/edit-rearrange-properties#position-properties).

## Apply a Gradient Fill to a Rectangle or Rounded Rectangle

> [!NOTE]
> Note
> 
> Gradient fill is available in Lasernet Core 11 and Lasernet Essentials / Professional / Advanced only.

A gradient fill is a transition between colors. A gradient fill can transition between just two colors, or it can transition through a series of colors. For example, a rectangle’s fill can transition from black to white, or it can transition from black to gray to white.

In the example of gradient fills below, a rectangle that uses a gradient fill covers the whole page to form the background of the output document. The **Edit Shape** window (on the left) shows the bottom-to-top gradient **Fill** settings for the shape, and the outcome is displayed on the right. Also, at the top of the page, a different rectangle uses a left-to-right gradient fill.

![](https://cdn.document360.io/c831ef63-c6b3-48ee-b443-3e33644e4e2e/Images/Documentation/gradient fill 1.png)

An essential part of creating a gradient fill is creating gradient stop points. Each gradient stop specifies the color at a specific stage of the fill. So, a gradient fill must have at least two gradient stops (one at the left-side 0% (start) position and another at the right-side 100% (end) position) but can have additional gradient stops at intermediate percentage positions.

For example, if there are three gradient stops (**Position** 0% with **Color** black, **Position** 40% with **Color** blue; **Position** 100% with **Color** white), the fill will begin in black, transition to blue over the first 40% of its extent, then transition to white over the rest of its extent.

To use a gradient fill on a shape, follow these steps:

1. Double-click the shape to open the **Edit Shape** window.
2. Navigate to the **Shape** page, then click **Gradient fill** (in the **Fill** area).
3. Select a **Direction**.

![](https://cdn.document360.io/c831ef63-c6b3-48ee-b443-3e33644e4e2e/Images/Documentation/gradient fill 2.png)
  - The gradient stop points specified in the following step are applied to the shape in the order specified by **Direction**.
  - For example, if the **Gradient stop** bar is white at its left side (the 0% position) and black at its right side (the 100% position), and **Direction** is **Bottom to top**, the shape’s fill will be white at its bottom end and black at its top.
4. Create gradient stop points to design the fill that you want to apply to the shape:
  1. Click the existing 0% gradient stop and configure it.

> [!NOTE]
> Note
> 
> The selected gradient stop is displayed as a triangle under the color bar.
    - **Color:** Choose a color for the selected gradient stop. **No Color** is not supported.
    - **Brightness:** Use this control to make small brightness adjustments to the color. 0% results in the **Color** that you selected. A negative brightness value darkens the color; a positive value brightens it.
  2. Repeat the preceding step for the 100% gradient stop.
  3. Add new points if necessary. To add a new gradient stop point:
    1. Decide where you want to add the stop point, then click the stop point to the left of that position.
    2. Click the **plus** icon (to the right of the color bar). The Form Editor will add a stop point halfway between the selected stop point and the next stop point.
    3. Specify the new point’s **Color**, **Position** (use the up and down arrows beside the position % value to change the position of the selected gradient stop), and **Brightness**.
5. Click **minus** to delete points, if necessary.
6. Click **Preview** to see the effect of your settings on the shape. If necessary, adjust the fill settings.
7. Click **Ok** to apply the fill to the shape.

> [!NOTE]
> Tip
> 
> Multiple gradient stops can have the same **Color**. So, if you want a fill to transition from black to white over the first 70% of the shape, then stay white for the remaining 30% of the shape, specify three gradient stops: **Position** 0% with **Color** black, **Position** 70% with **Color** white, **Position** 100% with Color white.

> [!NOTE]
> Note
> 
> A gradient fill cannot be applied to a rotated shape. So, if a shape has a gradient fill, its **Rotation** control (on the **Position** page of the **Edit Shape** window) is grayed out. If a shape’s **Rotation** is not 0%, you cannot select **Gradient fill** on the **Shape** page of the **Edit Shape** window.