To change the number of sides on a polygon tool in Adobe InDesign, you typically use the Polygon Settings dialog box.
You can easily customize the number of sides for the polygon you are about to draw by accessing specific settings associated with the Polygon Tool. This allows you to create triangles (3 sides), squares (4 sides), pentagons (5 sides), hexagons (6 sides), and polygons with many more sides as needed for your design.
Accessing Polygon Settings
Before drawing the polygon, you need to set its properties. Here's how you generally access these settings:
- Select the Polygon Tool from the Tools panel. It's usually grouped with the Rectangle Frame Tool or Ellipse Tool. You might need to click and hold one of those tools to reveal the Polygon Tool.
- With the Polygon Tool selected, simply click anywhere on your document page without dragging. This action will open the Polygon Settings dialog box.
Modifying the Number of Sides
Once the Polygon Settings dialog box appears, you will find options to define the polygon's shape.
According to the information provided:
- For Number of Sides, type a value for the number of sides you want for the polygon. Enter the desired integer value (e.g., 3 for a triangle, 6 for a hexagon).
- For Star Inset, type a percentage value to specify the length of a star's spikes. This setting determines if the polygon will be a standard polygon or a star shape based on the number of sides. A value of 0% results in a standard polygon, while increasing the percentage creates spikes.
Polygon Settings Summary
Here’s a quick look at the key settings in the Polygon Settings dialog box:
| Setting | Description | Input Type | Default Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Sides | Defines how many sides the polygon will have. | Integer Value | 6 |
| Star Inset | Defines the depth of the star points. 0% for a regular polygon. | Percentage (%) | 0% |
After entering the desired number of sides (and adjusting the Star Inset if creating a star), click OK. The next polygon you draw by clicking and dragging on the page will have the number of sides you specified.
You can also set the dimensions (width and height) of the polygon directly in this dialog box, which is useful for creating precise shapes without needing to resize them afterwards.
By using the Polygon Settings dialog box before drawing, you gain precise control over the shape of your polygons in InDesign, allowing for a variety of geometric forms beyond the default hexagon.
