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A theme is a group of visual settings that can be applied to an entire process flow. A theme can affect:

• The color of the background, activities, shared assets, etc.
• The styles of the connectors
• The font and style of the fonts
• The color and visual functionality of the containers (flow chart objects)

FlexSim comes with six different pre-set themes you can use. You can use these themes to quickly implement these visual styles. You can also adapt these visual themes or make your own custom themes using the Theme dialog box.

This topic will explain how to use the process flow themes. It will include the following topics:

• Opening the Theme Dialog Box
• The Six Pre-Set Themes
• Applying a Pre-Set Theme
• Creating a Custom Theme
• Theme Dialog Box Properties

Opening the Theme Dialog Box

You can use the Theme dialog box to change the default colors, text, connection visuals, and other visual properties of the process flow. You can also use this dialog box to select one of FlexSim's pre-set visual themes or to create a new theme. You can also save your custom themes and use them in future process flows.

To get to this dialog box:

1. Click on an empty area somewhere in the process flow (so that nothing else is selected).
2. In Quick Properties, under the Theme menu, click the More Theme Settings button to open the Theme dialog box.

The Six Pre-Set Themes

FlexSim comes with six different pre-set themes you can use. You can use these themes to quickly implement these visual styles:

The Classic Theme

The Aqua Theme

The Dusk Theme

The Forest Theme

The Gray Theme

The Sunset Theme

Applying a Theme

To apply a pre-set or custom theme:

1. Click on an empty area somewhere in the process flow (so that nothing else is selected).
2. In Quick Properties, select a theme from the Theme menu. The theme will automatically be applied to the current process flow.

Creating a Custom Theme

To create a custom theme:

1. Open the Theme dialog box. See Opening the Theme Dialog Box for more information.
2. If you would like to use one of the pre-set themes as a the starting point for your custom theme, select the desired theme from the Themes menu at the top of the dialog box. You'll notice that the properties for that theme will appear in all of the properties in the dialog box. However, the theme will not immediately be applied to the current process flow.
3. Click the Add button next to the Themes menu to add a new theme. The Theme Name poop-up will appear, as shown in the following image:

   

4. Type a descriptive name and click the Add button next to the Themes menu.
5. Change any of the visual properties that you would like to make part of this theme. (See Theme Dialog Box Properties for a complete description of each property.)
6. Click the Update button next to the Themes menu to save your changes to the currently selected theme.
7. Click the Apply Theme to Objects button to apply this theme to your current process flow. NOTE: If you only want the theme to be applied to future objects rather than the current process flow objects, do not press the Apply Theme to Objects button. Simply click the Apply button at the bottom of the dialog box instead.
8. Click the OK button to close the Themes dialog box.

Your custom theme will now appear in the Themes menu in Quick Properties and will be avaiable for any future process flows you create.

Deleting a Custom Theme
To delete a custom theme, open the Themes dialog box. Select the theme from the Themes menu and click the Delete button to delete the theme. Be aware that you can't delete any of the pre-set themes.

Theme Dialog Box Properties

The properties that are available in the Theme dialog box are shown in the following image:

For your reference, each property will be explained in the following sections:

• Themes You can use the Themes menu to create your own custom theme. See Creating a Custom Theme for more information.
• Apply Theme To Objects Button that applies the theme to previously created objects within the Process Flow. See Creating a Custom Theme for more information.
• Default Connector Properties The Default Connector Properties affect the way connections are drawn between activities. See Adding and Connecting Activities for more information about connectors.
  
  
  • Type - You can select different arrow styles from this menu. In this version of FlexSim, the two available styles are straight and Bezier. Future FlexSim versions might have more styles.
  • Width - Sets the width of the connector's line.
  • Style - You can select the connector's line style (such as a solid, dashed, or dotted line) from this menu.
  • Start Cap - You can use this menu to select the visual style of the start of the connector. You can give the start of the line a shape such as a square, a circle, or another arrowhead.
  • End Cap - Similar to Start Cap menu, you can use this menu to select the visual shape at the end of the connector.
• Default Text Properties The Default Text Properties affect the style of the text in a process flow. It will affect text such as the name of containers or any other display text that has been added. NOTE: Changing the text settings here will not affect the text in activities, which is affected by the Default Activity Properties.
  
  
  • Font - The font menu has 13 common fonts available.
  • Size - Changes the font size.
  • Style - You can make the text bold, italicized, or underlined.
  • Color - You can change the color of the text by using the color selector or using the Sampler button to select a color from any object in your simulation model or process flow.
  • Color Alpha - This slider changes the transparency of the text.
  • Outline - If you check the Outline checkbox, text objects will appear to have a border around them. There are a variety of properties you can use to change the border display:
    • Style - Changes the line style of the border.
    • Thickness - Changes the thickness of the border.
    • Color Selector - You can change the color of the border by using the color selector or using the Sampler button to selecta color from any object in your simulation model or process flow.
    • Color Alpha - This slider changes the transparency of the border.
• Default Container Properties The Default Text Properties affect the style for containers such as flow chart objects. See Flow Chart Objects for more information about these objects.
  
  
  • Hide Contents at Magnification - You can specify a zoom level where when you zoom out further than that level the contents of this container will be hidden. See Flow Chart Objects for more information about magnification effects.
  • Fill - When the Fill checkbox is cleared, you will only be able to select the flow chart by clicking on its edge. This setting allows you to prevent clicking and selecting the background flow chart on accident. If you want to be able to click anywhere inside the flow chart object, check the Fill box. When the box is checked, the following properties will become available:
    • Color - Change the color of the flow chart object's background by using the color selector. Alternatively, you can use the Sampler button to select a color from any object in your simulation model or process flow.
    • Alpha - This slider changes the transparency of the flow chart object.
  • Outline If you check the Outline checkbox, the border of the Flow Chart object will be visible. There are a variety of properties you can use to change the border display:
    • Single or Double - Use these options to switch to from a solid black line or a double line (which looks like it has a white stripe running through it).
    • Width - Sets the border's width.
    • Style - Changes the line style of the border.
    • Thickness - Changes the thickness of the border.
    • Color - You can change the color of the border by using the color selector or using the Sampler button to select a color from any object in your simulation model or process flow.
    • Alpha - This slider changes the transparency of the border.
• Default Activity Properties
  • Set Activity Size - If you check this property you will be able to specify the size of activities. When this box is checked, the following properties become available:
    • X - Sets the default width of activities.
    • Y - Sets the default height of activities.
  • Activity Color - You can change the color of the activities by using the color selector or using the Sampler button to select a color from any object in your simulation model or process flow.
  • Resource Color - You can change the color of the shared assets by using the color selector or using the Sampler button to select a color from any object in your simulation model or process flow.
  • Alpha - Sets the transparency for resources.
  • Font - These properties control the text on activities and resources:
    • Font - The font menu has 13 common fonts available.
    • Size - Changes the font size.
    • Style - You can make the text bold, italicized, or underlined.
    • Color - You can change the color of the text by using the color selector or using the Sampler button to select a color from any object in your simulation model or process flow.