Dot/dash line styles

Dot and dash line styles can be applied to objects as strokes and further customised to create a variety of different patterns.

About dot/dash line styles

The Stroke panel, and Stroke properties (on the Pen Tool or shape tool's context toolbar), let you change your stroke into a dotted or dashed line. For either, the Dash Pattern controls appear when the Dash Line Style is set.

A section of the panel sets the line's pattern using three number pairs:

Dash pattern control

To configure, you can enter values directly or drag the dash (white) or gap (black) strips under the number sequence to the left or right to adjust in 0.1 increments.

Balanced Dash Pattern When enabled, Balanced Dash Pattern applies the pattern to the shape's outline so it appears seamless along the outline and is symmetrical at all corners. When Balanced Dash Pattern is disabled, you can set the phase value to manually 'shift' the dot/dash line style along so the design begins at a different point in the style's sequence.

Dash Line Style Pattern
Dashed line style with Butt Cap and Balanced Dash Pattern enabled.
Dotted line style
Dotted and dashed line style with Round Cap and Balanced Dash Pattern enabled. The value 0 shows as a dot because it is zero length and formed from a pair of round caps.
Dash Line Style Phase
Dashed line style with Butt Cap enabled, Balanced Dash Pattern disabled and Phase settings 0 (left) and 2 (right), respectively.

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