Setting Borders for Paragraphs

You can add borders around a paragraph. Borders can be added on any side of a paragraph (left, right, top, bottom), or all around it. This can be done through styles or by using local formatting. Using styles is usually recommended because the setting is automatically applied to any content using that style throughout the project, whereas local formatting affects only the particular content that you are working on.

How to Use a Style to Add a Border to a Paragraph

  1. From the Content Explorer, open the stylesheet that you want to modify.

  2. Complete one of the following sets of steps, depending on whether you want to use the Simplified view or Advanced view in the Stylesheet Editor.

    • Simplified The Simplified view displays styles in a grid view and is often best for brand new users.

      This view provides an easy way to apply properties to styles, with format options available from a toolbar and dialogs (similar to the way one would use an interface such as Microsoft Word). In some cases, only the most common property options are available in the Simplified view (e.g., font, letter/word spacing, paragraph alignment/indentation, autonumbering format, borders, background). One advantage of the Simplified view is that you can apply a property to multiple styles at the same time. You can also click a check box to hide the properties in the editor, allowing you to see only the styles.

    • Advanced The Advanced view displays styles in a tree structure, and despite the name, is user friendly for authors of all levels.

      For the properties, you can toggle between a grouped display and an alphabetical display. The Advanced view of the Stylesheet Editor lets you edit more settings than are available in the Simplified view. In addition, the Advanced view lets you see and apply settings to multiple mediums and media queries at the same time.

    Warning Mediums can be used if you want to use one group of settings for online output types and another group of settings for print-based output types. For example, you might use the default medium for your online outputs and the print medium for your print outputs.  From the Medium drop-down in the Stylesheet Editor, make sure the proper medium is selected before you begin. In the Advanced view, you can open multiple mediums at once; you just need to look at the title at the top of the medium pane and make sure you are working in the correct one. If you are not using stylesheet mediums for your different outputs or if you want all mediums to have the same settings, just leave the medium set to default and continue. Please note that Flare remembers the last medium that you used when working in the stylesheet, so it may or may not be the one that you want to use the next time around. See Mediums and Media Queries.

    If Using Simplified View

    1. In the local toolbar, make sure the first button displays The button to change the stylesheet to the simplified view. (which means that the Simplified view is currently shown in the editor). If the button displays The button to change the stylesheet to the advanced view. instead, then click it.
    2. In the upper-left corner of the Stylesheet Editor, click in the drop-down field and select The paragraph style category selected in the types of styles drop-down list..
    3. Select the appropriate paragraph style. For example, you can select the parent p tag, or you can select a class that you may have created for that tag (e.g., p.Tip, p.Note).
    4. In the local toolbar of the editor, click Display properties for the selected item.. The Properties dialog opens.
    5. Select the Borders tab.
    6. Set the options in the Borders section.

      1. Click in any of the individual fields (Left, Right, Top, Bottom) to specify the settings for the border. If you click the down arrow to the right of all the fields, the settings will be applied to all of the border fields.When you click that down arrow or in one of the individual fields, a small popup displays.

      2. Use the lower-left area of the popup to enter a number for the border thickness.
      3. Use the lower-middle area to select a unit of measurement (e.g., point, pixel, centimeter) for the number you entered. See Units of Measurement.
      4. Use the upper-right area to select a color for the border.
      5. Use the lower-right area to select a line type (e.g., solid, double, dashed) for the border.
      6. Click OK.
    7. In the Properties dialog, click OK.

    If Using Advanced View

    1. In the local toolbar, make sure the first button displays The button to change the stylesheet to the advanced view.. If the button displays The button to change the stylesheet to the simplified view. instead, then click it.
    2. In the upper-left corner of the Stylesheet Editor, click in the drop-down field and select The paragraph style category selected in the types of styles drop-down list..
    3. Select the appropriate paragraph style. For example, you can select the parent p tag, or you can select a class that you may have created for that tag (e.g., p.Tip, p.Note).
    4. From the Show drop-down list on the upper-right side of the editor, select Show drop-down set to display all properties in styles..
    5. (Optional) You can use the toggle button in the local toolbar to show properties below in a group view Stylesheet local toolbar button to show properties in a group view. or an alphabetical view Stylesheet local toolbar button to show properties in an alphabetical view..
    6. If you are using the grouped view, expand the Border group. 

    7. Locate and select the border property you want to change. Each side (bottom, left, right, top) has separate properties that you can set for the color, style, and width (e.g., border-bottom-style). You can set these properties individually, or you can set the primary property for each side (e.g., border-bottom), which lets you specify the color, style, and width in one place. If you plan to have the same settings for all sides, you can use the main border property to set the color, style, and width the same. The border-radius properties let you create curved edges on the border by providing horizontal and vertical values. 

      When you click Display more options. next to a border property, a popup appears. Use the fields in the popup to define additional properties such as color, width, style, and thickness, then click OK.

  3. Click Save the active file. to save your work.

How to Use Local Formatting to Add a Border to a Paragraph

  1. Open the content file.
  2. Click on the paragraph that you want to modify.
  1. Do one of the following, depending on the part of the user interface you are using:

    • Ribbon Select Home > Opens more options. (at the bottom of the Paragraph section).

    • Keyboard Shortcut Press CTRL+ALT+B.
    • Right-Click Right-click on the paragraph and from the context menu choose Paragraph.

    The Paragraph Properties dialog opens.

  2. Select the Borders tab.
  3. Set the options in the Borders section.

    1. Click in any of the individual fields (Left, Right, Top, Bottom) to specify the settings for the border. If you click the down arrow to the right of all the fields, the settings will be applied to all of the border fields.

      When you click that down arrow or in one of the individual fields, a small popup displays.

    2. Use the lower-left area of the popup to enter a number for the border thickness.
    3. Use the lower-middle area to select a unit of measurement (e.g., point, pixel, centimeter) for the number you entered. See Units of Measurement.
    4. Use the upper-right area to select a color for the border.
    5. Use the lower-right area to select a line type (e.g., solid, double, dashed) for the border.
    6. Click OK.
  4. In the Paragraph Properties dialog, click OK.
  5. Click Save the active file. to save your work.

What’s Noteworthy?

Note You can also create rounded borders on block elements, such as paragraphs and blockquotes. See Creating Rounded Borders on Paragraphs and Tables.

What’s Next?

After editing a style, you can apply it to content in a topic or snippet. See Applying Styles to Content.