Markers

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Markers

The start, mid and end markers are placed on the start, mid-point and end vertices, respectively. Some of the markers require a size, some of them are dependent on the line width and some of them require a size as well as being dependent on the line width.

Markers on existing paths can be set using the menu item Edit->Path->Line Styles->All Styles, and clicking on the Select button next to the appropriate marker label. This will open up the marker dialog box. Alternatively, if the start, mid and end markers all need to be the same, the menu item Edit->Path->Line Styles->All Markers can be used to set them all at the same time.

Enabling or Disabling a Marker

To enable a marker, select the Use Marker radio buttton, or to disable a marker, select the No Marker radio button. Selecting the Use Marker radio button will enable the marker type selector.

Marker Types

Marker types are divided into six categories: arrow style markers, partial arrow markers, data point style markers, bracket style markers, decorative markers and cap style markers. Note that the cap style markers do not replace the line cap style, but are in addition to the line cap style. However the cap style markers generally look best in combination with the butt cap line style.

Available markers are listed in Table 9.1 (arrow style markers), Table 9.2 (partial arrow markers), Table 9.3 (data point style markers), Table 9.4 (bracket style markers), Table 9.5 (cap style markers) and Table 9.6 (decorative markers).

Table 9.1: Available marker styles and dependencies for arrow style markers. (Line width=2bp, marker size=8bp, butt cap style.) Markers are shown in red to distinguish them from the line.

Marker Size? Line Width
Dependent? Centred on
Vertex? Sample

Pointed Required Dependent No

Pointed 60 Required Dependent No

Pointed 45 Required Dependent No

Cusp Required Dependent No

LaTeX N/A Dependent No

Alt LaTeX N/A Dependent No

Alt LaTeX Open N/A Dependent No

Triangle Required Dependent No

Triangle Open Required Dependent No

Equilateral Filled Required Independent No

Equilateral Open Required Independent No

Hooks Required Dependent No

**Table 9.1:** Available marker styles and dependencies for arrow style markers. (Line width=2bp, marker size=8bp, butt cap style.) Markers are shown in red to distinguish them from the line.

Marker	Size?	Line Width Dependent?	Centred on Vertex?	Sample
Pointed	Required	Dependent	No
Pointed 60	Required	Dependent	No
Pointed 45	Required	Dependent	No
Cusp	Required	Dependent	No
LaTeX	N/A	Dependent	No
Alt LaTeX	N/A	Dependent	No
Alt LaTeX Open	N/A	Dependent	No
Triangle	Required	Dependent	No
Triangle Open	Required	Dependent	No
Equilateral Filled	Required	Independent	No
Equilateral Open	Required	Independent	No
Hooks	Required	Dependent	No

**Table 9.2:** Available marker styles and dependencies for partial arrow style markers. (Line width=2bp, marker size=8bp, butt cap style.) Markers are shown in red to distinguish them from the line.
Marker	Size?	Line Width Dependent?	Centredon Vertex?	Sample
Hook Up	Required	Dependent	No
Hook Down	Required	Dependent	No
Half Pointed Up	Required	Dependent	No
Half Pointed Down	Required	Dependent	No
Half Pointed 60 Up	Required	Dependent	No
Half Pointed 60 Down	Required	Dependent	No
Half Pointed 45 Up	Required	Dependent	No
Half Pointed 45 Down	Required	Dependent	No
Half Cusp Up	Required	Dependent	No
Half Cusp Down	Required	Dependent	No

**Table 9.3:** Available marker styles and dependencies for data point style markers. (Line width=2bp, marker size=8bp, butt cap style.) Markers are shown in red to distinguish them from the line.
Marker	Size?	Line Width Dependent?	Centred on Vertex?	Sample
Dot Filled	Required	Independent	Yes
Dot Open	Required	Independent	Yes
Box Filled	Required	Independent	Yes
Box Open	Required	Independent	Yes
Cross	Required	Independent	Yes
Plus	Required	Independent	Yes
Star	Required	Independent	Yes
Asterisk	Required	Independent	Yes
Open 5 Pointed Star	Required	Independent	Yes
Filled 5 Pointed Star	Required	Independent	Yes
Open 6 Pointed Star	Required	Independent	Yes
Filled 6 Pointed Star	Required	Independent	Yes
Triangle Up Filled	Required	Independent	Yes
Triangle Up Open	Required	Independent	Yes
Triangle Down Filled	Required	Independent	Yes
Triangle Down Open	Required	Independent	Yes
Rhombus Filled	Required	Independent	Yes
Rhombus Open	Required	Independent	Yes
Pentagon Filled	Required	Independent	Yes
Pentagon Open	Required	Independent	Yes
Hexagon Filled	Required	Independent	Yes
Hexagon Open	Required	Independent	Yes
Octagon Filled	Required	Independent	Yes
Octagon Open	Required	Independent	Yes
Filled Semicircle	Required	Independent	No
Open Semicircle	Required	Independent	No

**Table 9.4:** Available marker styles and dependencies for bracket style markers. (Line width=2bp, marker size=8bp, butt cap style.) Markers are shown in red to distinguish them from the line.
Marker	Size?	Line Width Dependent?	Centred on Vertex?	Sample
Square Bracket	N/A	Dependent	No
Bar	N/A	Dependent	Yes
Round Bracket	N/A	Dependent	No
Brace	N/A	Dependent	No
Alt Square	Required	Dependent	No
Alt Bar	Required	Dependent	Yes
Alt Round	Required	Dependent	No
Alt Brace	Required	Dependent	No

Table 9.5: Available marker styles and dependencies for cap style markers. (Line width=10bp, marker size=5bp, butt cap style.) The cap style markers are designed to be flush against the line, so they are only clearly visible for thick lines. Markers are shown in red to distinguish them from the line.

Marker Size? Line Width
Dependent? Centred on
Vertex? Sample

Rectangle Cap Required Dependent No

Round Cap Required Dependent No

Triangle Cap Required Dependent No

Inverted Triangle Cap Required Dependent No

Chevron Cap Required Dependent No

Inverted Chevron Cap Required Dependent No

Fast Cap Required Dependent No

Inverted Fast Cap Required Dependent No

Ball Cap Required Dependent No

Leaf Cap Required Dependent No

Double Leaf Cap Required Dependent No markerleaf2cap

Triple Leaf Cap Required Dependent No markerleaf3cap

Club Cap Required Dependent No

Forward Triple Leaf Cap Required Dependent No

Backwards Triple Leaf Cap Required Dependent No

Forward Double Leaf Cap Required Dependent No

Backwards Double Leaf Cap Required Dependent No

Bulge Cap Required Dependent No

Cutout Bulge Cap Required Dependent No

**Table 9.5:** Available marker styles and dependencies for cap style markers. (Line width=10bp, marker size=5bp, butt cap style.) The cap style markers are designed to be flush against the line, so they are only clearly visible for thick lines. Markers are shown in red to distinguish them from the line.

Marker	Size?	Line Width Dependent?	Centred on Vertex?	Sample
Rectangle Cap	Required	Dependent	No
Round Cap	Required	Dependent	No
Triangle Cap	Required	Dependent	No
Inverted Triangle Cap	Required	Dependent	No
Chevron Cap	Required	Dependent	No
Inverted Chevron Cap	Required	Dependent	No
Fast Cap	Required	Dependent	No
Inverted Fast Cap	Required	Dependent	No
Ball Cap	Required	Dependent	No
Leaf Cap	Required	Dependent	No
Double Leaf Cap	Required	Dependent	No
Triple Leaf Cap	Required	Dependent	No
Club Cap	Required	Dependent	No
Forward Triple Leaf Cap	Required	Dependent	No
Backwards Triple Leaf Cap	Required	Dependent	No
Forward Double Leaf Cap	Required	Dependent	No
Backwards Double Leaf Cap	Required	Dependent	No
Bulge Cap	Required	Dependent	No
Cutout Bulge Cap	Required	Dependent	No

**Table 9.6:** Available marker styles and dependencies for decorative markers. (Line width=2bp, marker size=8bp, butt cap style.) Markers are shown in red to distinguish them from the line.
Marker	Size?	Line Width Dependent?	Centred on Vertex?	Sample
Circle	Required	Dependent	No
Diamond	N/A	Dependent	No
Circle Open	Required	Dependent	No
Diamond Open	N/A	Dependent	No
Scissors Up Filled	Required	Dependent	No
Scissors Down Filled	Required	Dependent	No
Scissors Up Open	Required	Dependent	No
Scissors Down Open	Required	Dependent	No
Right Heart Filled	Required	Independent	No
Right Heart Open	Required	Independent	No
Heart Filled	Required	Independent	No
Heart Open	Required	Independent	No
Snowflake	Required	Independent	Yes
Star Chevron Open	Required	Independent	Yes
Star Chevron Filled	Required	Independent	Yes

Marker Size

The Size box will be enabled for only the resizeable markers. This box can be used to vary the marker size, but some markers also depend on the line width, so the size box is only meant as a general guide.

Repeating Markers

Markers can be doubled or tripled by selecting the Double or Triple radio boxes. To go back to a single marker, select the Single radio box. Figure 9.5 illustrates single, double and triple repeat markers for a path with a LaTeX style end arrow. Note that the markers are placed along the gradient vector which means that they may not lie on the actual path. (See Figure 9.6.)

(a) (b) (c)

Figure 9.5: Repeat markers: (a) single, (b) double, (c) triple.

Figure 9.6: Repeat markers are placed along the gradient vector.

Reversing Markers

Markers can be reversed by selecting the Reversed checkbox. (See Figure 9.7.)

(a) (b) (c)

Figure 9.7: Reversed markers: (a) single reversed, (b) double reversed, (c) triple reversed.

Composite Markers

A marker can be combined with another marker by selecting the Composite checkbox which will enable the secondary marker tab. If the Overlay checkbox is selected, the primary and secondary markers will be positioned so that their origins coincide, otherwise the secondary marker will be offset from the primary marker (see also Marker Offset below). Figure 9.8 shows two examples of composite markers: in Figure 9.8(a) the start and end markers are formed from a pointed arrow primary marker of size 5bp and a composite bar secondary marker, while in Figure 9.8(b) the start and end markers are formed from an open semicircle primary marker of size 5bp with an overlaid reversed filled semicircle secondary marker of size 5bp.

(a) (b)

Figure 9.8: Examples of composite markers: (a) a bar primary marker with a pointed secondary marker of size 5bp; (b) an open semicircle primary marker of size 5bp overlaid with a reversed filled semicircle secondary marker of size 5bp.

Marker Orientation

If the Auto Orientation box is checked, the marker will be rotated so that the marker's x-axis lies along the path's gradient vector (start markers point in the opposite direction). If this box is not checked, the marker will be rotated according to the angle specified (in degrees) in the box next to the Auto Orientation box.

Marker Offset

If the Auto Offset box is checked, the marker's offset from the vertex will be computed automatically. (The primary marker will be placed with its origin coinciding with the vertex, but the secondary marker will be offset from the primary marker according to whether any duplicate markers have been specified and according to the line width.) If this box is not checked, the marker will be offset according to the length specified in the adjoining box. Examples: in Figure 9.9(a) both the start and end markers have been set to the LaTeX style marker with an offset of -10bp, and in Figure 9.9(b) both the start and end markers are composite markers formed from a bar primary marker and a pointed secondary marker, where the secondary marker's offset has been set to 2bp. Note that setting the secondary marker's offset to 0 is equivalent to using the overlay function.

Note that markers are placed along the path's gradient vector, so the marker may not necessarily lie on the path. For example, in Figure 9.10, a marker with offset 10bp has been placed at the end of a Bézier curve. The marker's offset has moved it along the gradient vector, away from the curve.

(a) (b)

Figure 9.9: Disabling the marker auto offset: (a) a negative offset makes the marker protrude off the end of the line; (b) the secondary marker has an offset of 2bp so that it is only slightly behind the primary marker.

Figure 9.10: Changing a marker's offset moves it along the gradient vector.

Repeat Gap

If the Auto Repeat Gap box is checked, the gap between repeat markers is given by 7 times the line width. If this box is not selected, the gap will be given by the length specified in the adjoining box. For example, in Figure 9.11(a) a line has an end marker with a triple arrow with the auto repeat function selected. Since the line width is 1bp, the gap between the markers is 7bp. In Figure 9.11(b) the line width is 2bp, so the gap between the markers is 14bp. In Figure 9.11(c), the line width is 1bp and the repeat gap has been set to 10bp and in Figure 9.11(d) the line width is 2bp again with a repeat gap of 10bp.

(a) (b) (c) (d)

Figure 9.11: Repeat gap: (a) line width of 1bp and auto repeat gap; (b) line width of 2bp and auto repeat gap; (c) line width of 1bp and repeat gap set to 10bp; (d) line width of 2bp and repeat gap set to 10bp.

Marker Colour

If the Colour As Path box is checked, the marker will have the same colour as the path. If you want the marker to have a specific colour, you should check the Specific Colour box, which will enable the colour panel. Note that if the marker has been assigned a specific colour, it will remain unchanged if you change the line colour of the path, otherwise it will change with the path. For example, Figure 9.12 shows a path with a transparent line colour and blue start, mid and end markers.

Figure 9.12: Marker colour may be independent of the line colour: this path has a transparent line colour and blue start, mid and end markers.

Primary and secondary marker colour settings are independent of each other. For example, in Figure 9.13 the start and end markers are composite markers formed from a filled yellow pentagon primary marker and an open pentagon secondary marker. The secondary marker colour is set to the line colour, so if the line colour is changed the pentagon outline will change accordingly, but the filled pentagon will remain yellow.

Figure 9.13: Primary and Secondary Markers are Independent

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