Deciding which interface to use to format panels and panel stacks

Before you begin

You should be familiar with the different parts of a panel stack. See Defining the parts of a panel stack for detailed descriptions.

The Property List is the easiest interface to use, as it contains most of the options of the other interfaces on the same screen as the Layout area. However, you cannot use it to format the title bar. Use the Format Objects dialog box instead for that task. Most of the properties in the Property List apply to the panel stack (the holder for the panels). For instance, if you apply a drop shadow in the Property List, all the panels in the panel stack use the same drop shadow.

The remaining properties in the Property List format the current panel and determine the background. These properties are listed below:

• Backcolor

• Backstyle

• Gradient Color

• Gradient Variant

The following list presents formatting tasks and the most effective interface to use for each.

• To format basic border options, such as color and style, use the Formatting toolbar or right-click menu.

• To format 3D borders and drop shadows, use the Property List.

• To format rounded corners, which are displayed only in Flash Mode in MicroStrategy Web, use the Property List. For more information on rounded corners, see Displaying rounded corners on panel stacks (Flash Mode only).

All the border formatting described above apply to the entire panel stack.

• To format the background of the current panel, use the Property List. The current panel is the panel currently displayed in the panel stack.

• To use gradient colors for the background of the current panel, use the Property List.

• To format the title bar (font, background, alignment, and borders), use the Format Objects dialog box. Select Title in the object list on the right.

• To format different areas of the panel stack, use the Format Objects dialog box. The areas include the borders of the panel stack, the title bar, and the background of the current panel.

By changing the current panel, you can format the background of each panel in the panel stack.