L.5.2 Shape Element
The Shape element is the basic building block of VML. A shape can exist on its own or within a Group element. Shape defines many attributes and sub-elements that control the look and behavior of the shape. A shape must define at least a Path and size (Width, Height). VML also uses properties of the CSS2 style attribute to specify positioning and sizing.
Note that this subclause also applies to the set of pre-defined shape primitives provided by the VML elements Arc, Curve, Image, Line, Oval, Polyline, Rect, and RoundRect.
The following attributes are used to define a minimal shape:
Attribute
Description
Brush color that fills the closed path of a shape.
Type of positioning used to place an element.
Position of the shape relative to the element above it in the flow of the page.
Position of the shape relative to the element left of it in the document flow.
Width of the shape.
Height of the shape.
Line that makes up the edges of a shape.
The following example creates a minimal shape:
<v:shape fillcolor="green"
style="position:relative;top:1;left:1;width:50;
height:50" path="m 1,1 l 1,50, 50,50, 50,1 x e">
</v:shape>Although there is no official categorization of the Shape element’s attributes or sub-elements, it is useful to think of them in groups. The following sections broadly describe the characteristics of the