How to create a line with a gradient fill

Rik posted a feature request in the Dear Xara Forum for the ability to create to give a line a gradient fill. While Xara can not do this the way other programs do there are ways to do this in Xara software.

Feel free to share your methods here! :)

The long way round is to use a gradient fill on a number of thin lined-up rectangles and turn these into an Art Brush.

Acorn

I think acorn has the best idea except I would make the rectangle fairly large because the brush will render as raster not vector. I'll put a mini tut together tonight.

Similar with Art Brushes in Xara:

Attachment 114392

Acorn

Depending on the line and the length you could apply a blend.

Like this? Although probably still classed as a work around, it may simplify what you need to achieve, Rik.

All the original properties of the line ... adjust with shape editor, and even edit its width with set line width ...

Great solution Keith. You can get some sweet editable effects using this.

a very interesting approach Keith. A bit more work to set up than an artbrush when you want to apply it to a filled shape though.

Here is a mini tut showing how I did with an artbrush. you could set up a collection of these gradient brushes and very quickly apply through the line gallery!

I think there are a lot of ways to code the feature, at least "approaches" seeing as I know zip about code (zip code, that was a play on words), but if you do not want to eschew workarounds at the moment:

1. Create the outline of your dreams and then convert the line to a shape, and do your gradient thing.

2. A different approach is to create a one-step Contour, simplify it so it detaches from your main shape, and then fill it. The advantage to this is you can determine the size of the "line", and adjust it to your liking until you decide to detach it.

-g