Xara X1 fill help

[psyghotic]

hello,

I am new to Xara X1. Normally i use Flash MX. I have drawn a vector image and now like to fill it with the fill tool (the bucket). This won't work. In flash you can trace or draw you're image and then fill up between the lines with the fill tool. What am I doing wrong???

[psyghotic]

hello,

I am new to Xara X1. Normally i use Flash MX. I have drawn a vector image and now like to fill it with the fill tool (the bucket). This won't work. In flash you can trace or draw you're image and then fill up between the lines with the fill tool. What am I doing wrong???

[Christine Farrelly]

You can only fill closed shapes. If the shape is closed select it and just click on the colour you want to fill it with. The fill tool only affects the type of fill - linear,circular etc.

Christine

[psyghotic]

Thanx Christine,

With select you mean select it with the white arrow tool thing or with the fill tool.

I know it's a stupid question but i don't have time to search it out, i'm on a deadline with my vector.

[gwpriester]

Yes, Christine means the Selector Tool, the arrow pointer.

And to add to her point. A shape created with any of the drawing tools must have the last control point connected to the first control point.

The Fill Tool only works with closed shapes.

One quick way to close a shape is to select it with the Selector Tool,, switch to the Shape Editor Tool (the tool that is the third one from the top), click on either of the open end points to select it, the press Enter.

Now you can apply any of the fills listed in the Fill Type drop down list.

For a more indepth look at drawing shapes see WebXealot #7.

Hope this helps.

Gary

[psyghotic]

thnx,

If a line is on another line i mean when an 4 different open lines form a shape can i fill it then because my end points aren't on the begin point. But i have created closed shapes where the lines overlap eachother. Can this be filled.

[psyghotic]

sorry for all the stupid questions but i think my question is solved thanks to the link you gave me. When i draw a line i make sure there is always a plus sign next to my tool . according to that manual this means my shape is closed. but if you have got any more tips or so you're welcome to tell them. I was used to flash. But i've discovered that Xara is greater to work with , but have to learn it all again. So you guys are gonna get a lot of questions from me. But i have to say thanks to everybody and complement the site because it's the only forum where i get answers so quickly http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/smile.gif.

[amoore]

With the white arrow tool thing (aka Selector tool).

If your vector is very complex and you haven't closed the shapes, it's going to take some effort to work that out. There are several ways to close shapes, and you may want to use more than one technique, depending on what you've drawn. So do a search in this forum on "close shape", and you should get to the info quickly.

You may also want to use layers to separate shapes you've filled from shapes you haven't. That way you can lock down parts you've finished or hide them while you work on something below.

Note that if you group elements from different layers, they will all move onto one layer.

If you have a very large base area that is one color, you might save time by drawing an outline around the whole shape (preferably on a separate layer) and filling that shape. It's fairly easy to do the outline by clicking major points with the Pen tool (icon is a pen with a straight line), then refining the shape with the Shape Editor tool (just above Pen tool).

[raynerj]

Egg Is the one to grab, for the down and dirty translating flash tasks to xara x1 tasks. He uses both quiet extensively and is a regular poster around these here parts.

He does his vector work in xara and imports it into flash for the animation. Does some really nice work too...