What are Shapes in Vani and How to Use Them

Shapes

Shapes in Vani help you visually organize content and structure ideas within a Space. You can use them to build diagrams, workflows, and frameworks. Add text directly inside any shape, making them useful not just for visuals but also for labeling sections, highlighting key points, or adding context to your diagrams.   



How to add shapes  

You can add shapes in the following ways:

Using the keyboard shortcut  

Press S to open the Elements panel. Shapes will appear at the top.

Using the toolbar  

Click Elements in the left toolbar. In the Elements panel, go to Shapes and pick a shape.

Resizing shapes

Once a shape has been added to your Space, you can resize it to better fit your layout. Resizing allows you to scale shapes freely while maintaining precision and visual balance in your diagram or framework.

To resize a shape:

  1. Select the shape you want to modify.

  2. Click and drag any edge or corner handle to adjust its size.

To retain the original proportions of the shape, hold the Shift key while dragging. This ensures the shape’s dimensions scale uniformly without distortion.

This allows you to resize shapes smoothly while keeping their structure and proportions intact.

Adding Text Inside Shapes  

Every shape in Vani supports text. To add text, simply double-click inside the shape and start typing. This makes shapes more than just visual markers—they can also serve as labels, titles, or containers for important notes, allowing you to combine visuals and context in one place.


How to format shapes

Once a shape has been added, you can adjust its appearance to better fit your visual layout or highlight specific elements within your Space. Formatting helps maintain consistency, emphasize key areas, and make your diagrams or frameworks more engaging.

To edit a shape:

  1. Select the shape you want to modify.

  2. Click the Format tab in the right side toolbar.

  3. Go to the Shape section within the Format tab.

  4. Apply your preferred changes using the available tools.

Available formatting options:

  • Fill - Control whether the shape appears opaque or transparent. When enabled, the shape is filled with color; when disabled, it becomes transparent. You can choose from solid, gradient, or pattern fills.

  • Color - Set a custom color for the shape using the color picker or a hex code.

  • Stroke - Enable or disable the border, change its color, adjust the width, and select an outline style such as solid or dashed.

  • Outline - Choose the line style for the shape’s border. Options include solid, dashed, or dotted, which help highlight or differentiate shapes in your diagrams.

  • Width - Change the width of the outline by incrementing or decrementing the values.

  • Change shape - Switch the current shape to another type (for example, rectangle to oval) without losing your existing content or formatting.

  • Set as default style - After customizing the shape’s fill, stroke, outline, or other properties, click Set as default style to apply the same formatting to all new shapes you create in the Space. This ensures a consistent visual style throughout your workspace.

These options give you full control over the appearance and consistency of your shapes, whether you’re creating simple diagrams or complex visual structures within your Space.

Advanced shapes  

For more specialized needs, you can access additional options by clicking Explore advanced shapes within the Shapes menu. This opens a broader library of shapes that support more complex visualizations, including:

  • Basic shapes
  • Block arrows
  • Flowchart shapes
  • Equation shapes
  • Stars
  • Callouts
  • Action buttons
  • Connectors (lines)

These advanced options allow you to go beyond simple shapes and build structured diagrams, workflows, organizational charts, or visual stories.



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