Tip: Easily remove extra control points

[ZEBtoonz]

You learn something new every day!

Recently, I needed to draw some lightning. So I went to XaraXone and found Gary's tutorial at http://www.xaraxone.com/webxealot/workbook05/page_4.htm. It was just what I was looking for.

After I created my lines I converted them to shapes and sure enough just as Gary said, "I'm afraid Xara does not do a very clean job of this. If you select the line then select the Shape Editor Tool, you will notice Xara has added a lot of extra control points. I edited my shapes and removed all but the main control points. This is not necessary but it will make the more compulsive of us feel better."

It took me awhile to select all those extra control points and delete them. So, was I surprised today when I was browsing Xara.com and watched the Xara 3D demo movie at http://www.xara.com/stream.asp?width...s/xtreme3d.wmv. It shows an arrow that is loaded with control points.

It shows how you can simply use the Shape Editor Tool, select all the control points and then adjust the little slider on the menu bar and--presto!--it eliminates most of the control points!

So I just had to post it here as this is something I never knew you could do and thought it was a helpful tip. I've been using XaraX and Xtreme now for over five years and, like I said, you learn something new every day!

[joto]

You're not the only one. I also learned about this feature recently, I red about it in another thread about Xara's clipart that contained a lot of unnecessary points. This is why I love this forum so much, no matter how long you use XaraX there's always something more to learn!

[The Alien]

You're not the only one. I also learned about this feature recently, I red about it in another thread about Xara's clipart that contained a lot of unnecessary points.

Yeah, when I read this thread, I knew I had learnt of this feature recently too, but not which thread I got it from. Now I remember
I used to draw with the freehand tool and adjust its smoothness with the freehand slider. And then I'd use the shape editor and move some points, but when returning to the freehand mode, the slider didn't work anymore and I was stuck.
Ironic that I didn't notice the other slider right there in the shape editor's toolbar