Panel Category

The panel style displays in edit mode if it is a user created panel style or in view mode if it was shipped with the software.

Note: Panel styles shipped with the software cannot be edited. To be able to edit such a panel style, you should save it as a user created one (see Create New Panel Style). The description of the Panel category parameters below refers to user created panel styles.

Panel Information Section

Displays the name of the current panel style, the units which the software uses to match the drawing's units, and the M.U.T.C.D. Edition.

Type

Allows you to set the panel type to determine which categories of text will appear under the Text Category. Guide sign types will display a number of different text categories, while the other sign types and exit panel types display only one or two text categories.

For exit panel styles, the panel type also determines the location of the exit panel relative to the sign and the way it moves or redraws when a sign is updated.
For both sign panel styles and exit panel styles the options for panel type are as follows:

Style Type	Panel Type	Use for...
Signs	Guide	Guide signs
	Regulatory	Regulatory signs
	Warning	Warning signs
	Street Name	Street name signs
Exit Panels	Tab	Exit Number Panels
	Floating	Exit Only/Left Exit panels
	Top Left	Exit Only/Left Exit panels
	Top	Exit Only/Left Exit panels
	Top Right	Exit Only/Left Exit panels
	Bottom Left	Exit Only/Left Exit panels
	Bottom	Exit Only/Left Exit panels
	Bottom Right	Exit Only/Left Exit panels
	Left	Exit Only/Left Exit panels
	Right	Exit Only/Left Exit panels

Shape

Allows you to choose a panel shape from the following: RECTANGLE, DIAMOND, ANGLELEFT, ANGLERIGHT, CHEVRONLEFT, CHEVRONRIGHT, or CHEVRONBOTH.

Note: When a Panel Style is created with a Shape set to CHEVRONLEFT, CHEVRONRIGHT, or CHEVRONBOTH there will be an additional Chevron tab (see Panel Styles -> Chevron Category) available to configure the chevron.

Default Panel Dimensions Section

Allows you to set the default panel dimensions when the Place New Panel dialog box displays.

For all panel shapes except diamond panels, type the default width and height values in the Width and Height boxes respectively.
For diamond panels, type the diagonal dimension value in the L box.
For the pointed corners of chevron and angled panels, type the inside angle value (in degrees) in the A box.

Round

Determines the increment that is used to round up panel dimensions. For example, if a Round value in imperial units is set to '6', the corresponding panel dimension is rounded up to the nearest 6 inches.

Lock

Makes the panel width and/or height to be forced to the specified values. To create panel styles with either or both dimensions fixed, select the Lock check boxes. When a new sign panel is created, the Lock settings can be overridden.

Border Radius/Sides Section

These settings affect rectangular panels only. To apply radii to each corner independently, select the corner check boxes. If the check boxes are cleared, the corners will be squared-off. Exit panels that extend across the top or bottom of a sign or attach to either of the four corners, for example, have only the corners radiused that coincide with the sign corners.

To turn off the border on any of the sides, select the Left, Right, Top, or Bottom check boxes. This is sometimes used to turn off the border on the bottom of an exit number panel.

Note:

Both opposite sides cannot be turned off.
Turning off a side will also turn off both of the radii on that side.

Panel Preview Section

Displays the preview of the selected panel style.

The list below the panel preview allows you to select the number of horizontal/vertical dividers to display.

Colors Section

Allows you to specify the colors for the legend (i.e. all text and symbols) and the border. The color settings do not apply to route shields which retain their original colors.

Panel colors 1 to 4 allow colors to be defined for up to four sub-panels of a divided sign (see Place New Panel). Panel Color 1 defines the color for the leftmost or bottommost panel for subdivided panels and for signs with no dividers.

Information

Allows you to add a description for the panel style (i.e. suggested use, the reference source, and the sizes and fonts (letter series) for the major text).