outlining a journal box in PSPX

[robes]

I did the beginners tutorial SEVERAL months ago, and I seem to recall the directions working, but now I can't seem to get an outline around my journal box. After I make the box (rectangle shape tool) it automatically flood fills. Then I go to selections>modify, and expand is not in bold type...it's not an option. If I IMMEDIATELY "select all" (it doesn't work a few steps later...then "select all" just selects my whole layout), I can then go back and expand is an option, and I pick it and choose 5 pixels, but I can't see that anything changes and I'm unable to flood fill a border.

Sorry for my ignorance, but can anyone help?!:confused:

[Vallie]

I think it is not in bold type because nothing is selected. Is the rectangle box on a different layer? :)

[robes]

Yes, it's on its own layer. If, as soon as I create the rectangle, I "select all", I can get "expand" as an option...but even if I choose "expand", it doesn't seem to do it...there's no border to fill.

[Lizzerd92]

1. on the options palette:
(a) the shape should be set to Vector,
(b) the line width should be more than zero
2. on the Materials Palette:
(c) background/fill should be null
(d) foreground/stroke should be something

[Vallie]

Me again. I was trying to figure out what you meant. You mean to make a coloured rectangle for journalling and add a border around it? If so, this may work, I use PSP9 but probably not much different in PSPX.
Open background image (or the layout you are working on).
Go to preset vector shapes on side menu, select rectangle shape and the fill colour you want it to be, have no outline colour. Draw the rectangle on your image. It will be a coloured box and be Vector 1 in the layers palette.
Go to magic wand tool and select the rectangle box colour, marching ants will appear around it.
Go to Selections/modify and expand to say 20 pixels. Marching ants are now outside of the box.
To colour the border, hold down the Ctrl key and use the magic wand again to select the coloured rectangle. You now have a double border of marching ants.
Go to Layers/Convert to raster layer.
Flood fill the selection with your colour choice. You now have a coloured rectangle with a different coloured border around it.
Not sure if this is what you want but hope it helps. :)

[Emma]

The tutorial has you creating shapes with the Selection Tool, so YOU have to fill it. When you use the Shape Tool, it fills with whatever is in the Materials dialog.

As for adding a border, what about Image>Borders and check the Layer box so it only outlines the layer?

Otherwise I'd do a vector shape with a stroke on it, or on a layer below the box just draw another colored box a tad larger. Or duplicate the box layer, drag it under the other, size a tad larger and change the Hue on it. Or Magic Wand the box, Selection>Modify>Expand and fill the selection on a new layer under the box layer, or...

[robes]

thanks so much to everyone for your help...I'll give the suggestions a try.