Fill Master Action

Type of Action: Item Action (to use it, select an item and go to Item>Actions to choose the Action from the list).

What the Action can do: This Action lets you do the following:
  • It lets you a graphic item into a rectangle, oval, polygon or starburst graphic.
  • If lets you apply gradients using custom colors and various types of gradient.
  • It lets you edit the border of the item.
  • It lets you apply graphic effects such as shadows or glows to a graphic item.

The Fill Master Action is very different to the other Freeway graphic Actions because it creates its own content rather than needing to be used on an item containing an imported graphic.

The Action is very powerful but has four distinct areas of functionality which are Shape, Fill (Gradient), Frame and Effect. Below we will cover each of these four areas, but it is important to note that the Action lets you use two or more features from each area.

To apply the Action, draw a graphic item on the page then, with it selected, go to Item>Actions and choose Fill Master. With the item selected, see the options in the Actions palette:



Shape panel

The default behavior for the Fill Master is such that when the Action is applied, the Shape popup is set to Rectangle and the item is filled with solid red with no frame and no graphic effect applied. By clicking and holding on the Shape popup you can choose from Rectangle, Oval, Polygon or Star Burst.
  • Rectangle: With Rectangle set in the Shape popup there are no additional options available.
  • Oval: With Oval set in the Shape popup there are no additional options available. When oval is selected, the shape of the graphic item will change to an oval shape which fills the dimensions of the item.

  • Polygon: With Polygon set in the Shape popup you will see two new options appear. You will also see that the shape of the graphic item changes to an octagon, which is the default.

  • Points: Choose the amount of points (or sides) you would like to use for the polygon.
  • Angle: Choose the angle you would like the polygon to be used at.
You can see what the options do by looking at the samples below.





  • Star Burst: With Star Burst set in the Shape popup you will see four new options appear. You will also see that the shape of the graphic item changes to a star burst shape.

  • Points: Choose how many points you want your star to have.
  • Depth: Choose the size of the star burst's points in relation to the size of the graphic box. Use a lower value for a shallow pointed start, use a higher value for a sharp pointed start - but note that values of less than 50% will result in the points "self-intersecting" to the point where they show through to the other side of the star shape (which gives an interesting effect, but may not be intentional).
  • Angle: Rotates the star burst shape on its central point so you can choose the angle of the star's points.
  • Skew: Choose a skew angle (-90° to 90°) that rotates the inner vertices relative to their outer point (which can give a circular saw's teeth effect rather than being a star).
You can see what the options do by looking at the samples below.





Fill panel

The default behavior for the Fill Master's Fill panel (when set to its default rectangle shape) shows three options. Depending on the choice made in the Fill popup, you will see different additional options. Note that all samples below use the Rectangle shape - but all the following fill options can be used on any of the shapes mentioned above.

  • None: With None set in the Fill popup all options in the Fill panel will disappear.
  • Plain: This is the default setting, and this has two options below the Fill popup:
    • Opacity: Choose the level of opacity you want to use for the fill.
    • First: Use this swatch popup, which by default is set to Red, to choose the color (or colors, see later) for the fill.
  • Linear: Choosing linear lets you create a graduated fill of two specified colors (the defaults are red to blue on a horizontal axis) and many more options appear:
    • Opacity: Choose the level of opacity you want to use for the fill.
    • First: Use this swatch popup, which by default is set to Red, to choose the start color for your graduated fill.
    • Second: Use this swatch popup, which by default is set to Blue, to choose the end color for your graduated fill.
    • Scale: Lets you set the width (or height) in which the graduated effect takes place. The default is 100% - use a smaller value to squash the graduated effect into a smaller area; use a greater value to expand the area affected by the graduation.
    • Shift: Lets you choose where the graduation effect takes place within the graphic item. The default is set to 0%, which makes the effect occur in the center of the item (on the chosen axis), but you can shift the location of where the graduation takes place (but note that this is best used in conjunction with the Scale set to a smaller value).
    • Angle: Lets you change the angle of the graduation from the left to right graduation at its default setting to the angle you want to use. A positive value results in the graduation start and finish rotating counter-clockwise; a negative value results in the graduation start and finish rotating clockwise.
You can see what the options do by looking at the samples below.





  • Radial: Choosing Radial lets you create a graduated fill of two specified colors which starts at the center and gradually changes to the second color as it goes towards the edges of the item. By default, this starts with Red in the center and ends with Blue at the item's edge. Many options are the same as using a Linear fill, but there are two different ones:
    • Opacity: Choose the level of opacity you want to use for the fill.
    • First: Use this swatch popup, which by default is set to Red, to choose the start color for your graduated fill.
    • Second: Use this swatch popup, which by default is set to Blue, to choose the end color for your graduated fill.
    • Scale: Lets you set the width (or height) in which the graduated effect takes place. The default is 100% - use a smaller value to squash the graduated effect into a smaller area; use a greater value to expand the area affected by the graduation.
    • Center X: Controls where (along the horizontal axis) the radial graduation begins.
    • Center Y: Controls where (along the vertical axis) the radial graduation begins.
You can see what the options do by looking at the samples below.






  • Shape: Unlike the other fill options above, this option changes according to the shape used, but this essentially gives a radial graduation which blends to the shape of the item.
There are just two options available to customize a shape graduated fill:
  • First: Use this swatch popup, which by default is set to Red, to choose the start color for your graduated fill.
  • Second: Use this swatch popup, which by default is set to Blue, to choose the end color for your graduated fill.
A rectangle shape will give an x-shaped graduation inside the item - see sample below.



An oval shape will, because of its shape, give exactly the same effect as using Radial - so we recommend using Radial as it offers more options.

A polygon will give a blended star-shaped graduation fill which will have as many points as the number of sides used for the polygon - see sample below.



A star burst will give a blended graduated star-shaped fill which extends into each of the points of the star - see sample below.



Frame panel

By default the Frame popup will be set to None. As the name suggests, you can apply a border to the outside edge of any shape by applying a frame. Choosing Plain reveals three new options:
  • Opacity: Choose the level of opacity you want to use for the fill.
  • Color: Choose a color for the frame by clicking on the Color swatch popup and selecting a color.
  • Width: Choose a width for the stroke of the frame.


It is important to note that using a frame on a Star Burst shape doesn't work in the same way as it works for other shapes. Because of the way the Fill Master Action works to create star burst shapes, applying a frame will result in a double frame being displayed (which is an interesting effect, but might not be what was expected). You can change the inner frame size by adjusting the Depth option in the Shape panel.


Effect panel

By default the Effect popup will be set to None. As the name suggests, you can apply a graphic effect to any shape by choosing one of the two options in the Effect popup:
  • Shadow: Lets you apply a soft outer drop shadow effect to your shape.
  • Glow: Lets you apply a soft outer glow effect to your shape.
Shadow: By choosing Shadow you will see a lot of new options appear.
  • Outer Shadow: This popup is currently redundant.
  • Opacity: Choose the level of opacity you want to use for the shadow effect.
  • Color: Choose a color for the shadow by clicking on the Color swatch popup and selecting a color.
  • Size: Controls the size of the shadow that's generated by the effect.
  • Spread: Controls the softness of the spread of the shadow effect.
  • X Offset and Y Offset: Lets you choose the horizontal and vertical offsets used by the shadow effect.


Glow: By choosing Glow you will see a different set of options.
  • Outer Glow: This popup is currently redundant.
  • Opacity: Choose the level of opacity you want to use for the glow effect.
  • Color: Choose a color for the glow by clicking on the Color swatch popup and selecting a color.
  • Size: Controls the size of the glow that's generated by the effect.


Again, it is important to note that using an Effect on a Star Burst shape doesn't work in the same way as it works for other shapes. Because of the way the Fill Master Action works to create star burst shapes, applying an Effect will result in a multiple frames with effects being displayed (which is an interesting effect, but might not be what was expected).