Gradient fill with image object, but with borders

[sisom]

Hi everybody, I've been trying to create a simple round cornered rectangle, with a two pixel border and drop shadow, and I wanted to fill it with a gradient fill. But Photoimpact makes me change the object from text/path to 'image', but when I then fill it, the fill goes over the border around the box.
I'm sure there's a way around this, but I've looked all over the internet for an answer but can't find one.
I tried making a hollow rectangle and putting it over the top of the original one (thereby creating the old borders again) but had difficulty making the rounded corners the same, and I expect there's an easy fix to this which I'm missing!

[njdowding]

There are a couple of ways around doing what you want. Firstly if you apply a gradient fill from the EP then it will convert the path to an image thus losing the border. What you can do then though is select the paintbrush tool to the colour brder you want and to two pixel wide (make sure soft edge and transparancy are set to zero) and with the image still selected goto effects/creative/paint on edges. This will then place a border of two pixels on it.

The other way is not to use the EP gradient fill. With the path tool still selected right click on the little colour swatch in the top left hand corner and select gradient colour. You will find here you have a much larger choice than in the EP any way and it will stay a path with border.

Nick

[sisom]

Thanks! The second method is exactly what I was looking for - I thought it was in there somewhere, I must try right clicking more, there's often 'secret' functions under there.
I've now got it exactly how I want, and you've saved me a ton of wasted time, thanks!!!