How do I set a "FILL" to none?

[PaulB]

Hello everybody,
I'm following one of the tutorials, and one instruction has me wondering:

Create a circle, colour the outline-line in red, and set fill to none.

Is this the same as applying a 100% transparancy??
Not likely, because then there is no purpose to the shape.

How do I set a fill to "none"?

Thanks
-Paul-

[diniel]

The hatched square to the left of the colour bar is "no fill". With your shape selected, left click the hatched square to set the fill to none.

(for no line colour, do the same but right click)

http://diniel.com/forums/nofill.png

[wW]

The purpose would be the line itself. If the inside of a shape is clear then the the line/outline would be the object that's needed. I use this function many times, everyday.

Ya kinda lost me on this one. Perhaps your asking how to remove a fill from a shape? If that's your question then Left click on the No color fill box on the bottom left of the screen.
Third box from the left, the one with the crosshatch.

When printing Seperations from Xara, Outlines are removed from fills. Then outlines are converted to editable shapes. Outlines duped & subtracted from the shape so as not to have overprint issues. Specifically Tapered outlines (which are RGB BTW) as these cause the most problems with cmyk seps from xara.

Lot's of reasons for the no fill usage.

[amoore]

In addition to what Daniel and wW said:

- An object with no fill is not the same as 100% transparency. For one thing, using transparency will also make the outline transparent, if there is one.

- Since you asked about removing the fill, I assume you have uses for objects with an outline but no fill and objects with a fill but no outline. In Xara, an object with neither fill nor outline is also useful, but you'll want to turn off both characteristics only when you're about to use the object. (Otherwise, it's hard to know where the little sucker is. http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/smile.gif) Use a no/no object in a combine function, such as slicing, to minimize the gap between slices.

[gwpriester]

Adding to what has been said, left click on the cross hatched box to set the fill to none, right click to set the outline to none.

Left click on any color on the screen palette to apply a fill color and right click on any color to apply an outline color.

Gary

[wW]

Somthing else, when tracing a bitmap. It's easier to trace it with your default settings to line only & no fill. That way the fill doesn't obscure what your tracing.

Building on what Gary said. If nothiing on the screen is selected. By left clicking on the crosshatch box (bottom left). Everything you draw will have no fill color applied.
The same applies to fills. If nothing is selected & you left click on a color. That will become your default fill color. Works with lines, & from the line gallery you can change end caps, line weights & or line types as a new default. Font's apply, you can change your default font this way as well. Probably many other things can be set. Just remember - NOTHING SELECTED while clicking for your defaults.

Note: This is a per drawing default & will change back to normal defaults once a new drawing is opened.

Also check out the options dialong box, & under the "general tab" there are some option variations on how defaults will react.

[tad]

Guess I've been gone too long.

I have no idea what you mean by:
"when tracing a bitmap. It's easier to trace it with your default settings to line only & no fill. That way the fill doesn't obscure what your tracing."

You would think that by now I'd have a good handle on tracing.

Can you give a screen shot of those settings ?

Rgds,
tad

[RTK]

Tad,

Waldo is talking about tracing/re-drawing a picture by hand - not using the bitmap tracer.

Good to 'see' you again - and yes, you have been gone way to long! http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/smile.gif

[tad]

What A Concept !!! Tracing by hand.
I was hoping someone had discovered a way to bitmap trace creating outlines rather than only fills.

Thanks Risto.
While you are here, perhaps you can clarify something you said back in 2001:
When you do the "convert line to shape," the shapes no longer overlap and it makes it easier to manipulate them.

When I try this my shapes still overlap.
Perhaps we should start a "Tracer Tricks" thread.

Rgds,
tad
http://www.bridenthal.net/

[wW]

Tad, On a somewhat related note; Tapered Lines are RGB effects & if you try to print them in CMYK mode from Xara they will print on every plate. Converting the tapered lines to editable shapes resolves the problem 98% of the time.

Regarding your question. If you covert a squiggly line that intersects itself, you will understand why it helps to covert it to a shape. The fill often get's lost in the process & the lines themselves become the filled objects. Most the time, Combine & Intersect are major tools when working with lines & tracings. Sometimes you'll have to go in & delete individual nodes that are inside a combined shape or an intersecting line that's been converted.

I quess it all depends on what your trying to do & the complexity of the art. When I work with Photo Tracers (Corel Photo Trace & Xara's Trace). Much of the time is spend subtracting shapes, combining them & erasing un-necessary nodes.
Your almost better off using the tracer programs for solid shaped artwork & hand tracing a scan for the rest. The least amount of gradient & complexity, the better the result for auto tracing. I've found it most useful for quick vectorizing of hi-rez sponsor logo's & such. In the end, what ever works best for what your trying to accomplish.

Experimentation is key for determining if it'll help or not.