multi color bar

[JK]

At the top of a safety flyer I modified from a word 97 template is a colored
horizontal bar about 1/8 inch high and one coloumn wide. The colors in the
bar run YELLOW/ORENGE/BLUE - and I want to change the colors to
YELLOW/OREGBGE/RED. I can add a shadow to the bar, make it a solid color,
but can not figure out how to change the individual bar colors. Seems an
object, but object properties does not show a line or reference other than
the size and wifth of the bar. Hope someone can help with this - not that
experienced with MS Word. jk

 

[Eric]

Cyber Taz is right ... I use this type of multi-color bar all the time.

Make the bar a rectangle, and go to color - fill effects.

On the gradient options, select "two colors." For the colors, select your
color extremes, in your case, yellow and red. Then use the slider bar to
control where and how wide the orange portion of the bar is going to be. It
takes a little trial and error, but it works.

 

[CyberTaz]

I'm afraid I'm having a bit of difficulty visualizing the 'bar' but if you
can change the fill color to solid you should be able to make other color
changes as well - although Word doesn't provide tools for custom gradients
of more than 2 colors.

My guess is that the shape was actually created in another program & copied
into the doc or that a Preset Gradient was used.

Right-click the shape & go to Format AutoShape. On the Colors & Lines page
open the Fill>Color: list & choose Fill Effects, then click the radio button
for Preset. There's one called Fire, applied Vertical, may be what you want,
although you might look at the others as well.

If the color combo you want isn't there you will have to create what you
want in a graphics program and replace the current bar with the new one.

 

[JK]

The three color bar, mentioned in my original post, does not seem to be a
picture. When I double click on it I'm taken to Format Object, rather than a
picture editor, and the picture folder in Format Object is inactive. The
yellow/Orange/blue colors do not blend together like the color bars at the
top of this forum's web-page. They are crisp with complete color separation.
An example of the color bar is at the free MS templates area (Microsoft
Office Programs > Word > Brochures > Brochure - Level theme), link:

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/templates/CT011389711033.aspx

I may go with creating a color bar image, but like the color bar now,
wanting to change it from YELLOW/ORANGE/BLUE to YELLOW/ORANGE/RED. Thanks so
much for the help, and if there is a way to make the color change that might
be good news for perhaps more than just me. jk

 

[Eric]

The three color bar, mentioned in my original post, does not seem to be a
picture. When I double click on it I'm taken to Format Object, rather than a
picture editor, and the picture folder in Format Object is inactive. The
yellow/Orange/blue colors do not blend together like the color bars at the
top of this forum's web-page. They are crisp with complete color separation.
An example of the color bar is at the free MS templates area (Microsoft
Office Programs > Word > Brochures > Brochure - Level theme), link:

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/templates/CT011389711033.aspx

I may go with creating a color bar image, but like the color bar now,
wanting to change it from YELLOW/ORANGE/BLUE to YELLOW/ORANGE/RED. Thanks so
much for the help, and if there is a way to make the color change that might
be good news for perhaps more than just me. jk

 

[CyberTaz]

Then it sounds like you are dealing with three colored rectangles that have
been filled with No Line & Grouped.

Instead of dbl-clicking, click once to select the shape - you should see a
set of 6 (possibly 8, depending on height of the shape) selection 'handles',
then click once again on the colored segment you want to change. You should
see a set of filled handles around that portion of the shape. Dbl-click it
and change its' color property to whatever you want (or just use the Fill
button on the Drawing Toolbar).

 

[JK]

Yes! They are Grouped rectangles. Ungrouped, changed the last bar color,
and regrouped. Amazingly simple when good advice is in charge. I tried
three grouped lines that gave similar results but could not stretch the bar.
The rectangles allowed for stretching. Thanks very much for exact advice
that worked. jk

 

[CyberTaz]

Glad it was useful & thanks for letting us know!

 

[Eric]

:

JK ... I just opened that template. The three colors are group of
rectangles. Right click on the bar and select "Group" > "Ungroup." Then clear
the three selected bars, and select each one individual to change the color.
Then using "Shift-Select" Left click on all three bars to select, then right
click and go to "Group" > "Group."

That gives you your color change.

Hope this helps.

Eric