My first day. First five minutes in fact. Is there a....

[Doctor Why]

Hello. Happy to meet you.

I'm new here. I have been struggling with Corel for some time and this Xara looks kind of nice.

But I do have to learn it, and I am not a 10-hours a day art pro. I am a guy who has occasional jobs to do and has to sit down and figure out how to do them.

It looks like most of the "help" entries are about drawing things, which I'm never going to do. I'm going to be making things like catalogs and CD graphics and web pages, which are going to be photos (or someone else's art) and text. Mostly text.

Is there a manual of some sort somewhere? What I need is something that'l just tell me what the buttons on the screen do; and something else that just tells me how to do whatever I'm trying to do. Filed under titles that would accurately describe the issues that they address. Ideally, I'll print them, and look at them.

There are videos but videos don't work for me. You have to sit and watch and sit and watch and maybe it tells you what you need and maybe it doesn't. Heck, even the pictures in the help files kind of annoy me.

Obviously you guys have different preferences, since the videos and pictures are there, but good, concise paper is still the most immediate and accessible form of information when you're up close.

Are there online references or a book that you could recommend?

Insults are anticipated and welcome.
Thank you for your kind attention.

W

[ankhor]

Okay, first, welcome here ofcourse.

Second, I have to warn you, this program becomes addictive.
And don`t think I am joking, before you know it you spend
hours more then you anticipated, not in agony but in happy bliss.
It is really easy to get used to, and with the video's you learn
in no time, I did, and I am a humble plumber.
So they actually should have placed a warnig on the package.

I am here for years now and use the programs from xara
almost exclusively on my computer (even games have become
situated on the backburner) The only one still competing is
paltalk, a speechchat program, also very addictive.

And besides all that, the community of users is friendly
and very helpfull, so if I was you I would go for it. I did
and I don`t regret it one day. (If I was married, my wife
probably would)

Well I have to add some, I have two monitors so I can immediately do
what happens in the video, maybe an idea?

[Soquili]

Hello W,

Welcome to Talkgraphics.

The XaraXone Workbook 68 (April 1 2008) explains new features of the Text Tool, and introduces web page creation.

Workbook 69 (April 15 2008) goes more into details about web page creation.

The index of workbooks in numerical order is http://www.xaraxone.com/html/workbook.html

An alphabetical index is
http://www.xaraxone.com/html/workbook_index.html

[akubbeng]

I'm going to be making things like catalogs and CD graphics and web pages...

Hello Doctor Why,

welcome.

When you'll be making more than just an occasional web page you might want to consider one of Xara's other products called Web Designer.

But whatever it's gonna be: I'm sure you'll love the software!

[Doctor Why]

Actually I am loving it. My experience with Corel, no offense intended, was unpleasant every minute. Xara is cleaner (I love clean) and things seem to have good names. Hasn't crashed yet either....

I an re-doing a web page graphic now, and while Corel had me saying "(deleted)", Xara has me saying "Hey, that's nice".

Sooner or later I'll hit something that I can't figure out but right now I'm pretty happy.

D

[ss-kalm]

If you want a manual, sit and read the help files. They are very well written, easy to understand and most importantly, don't get boring like some I've read ....

... It looks like most of the "help" entries are about drawing things, which I'm never going to do. I'm going to be making things like catalogs and CD graphics and web pages, which are going to be photos (or someone else's art) and text. Mostly text ...

Not true ... everything you do in Xara is drawing ... even using the text ... I have to stress ... read the help files. Once you do, (even if just the bits you're interested in at the time) the programme will come together nicely. There are lots of features that aren't immediately apparent.

[Doctor Why]

Is anyone from Xara in the room?
So I'm supposed to use the help files to learn how to use this thing....

There's a button on the screen that says "Create Brush".
I search the index for "Create Brush" and there's nothing.

There's a flyout over the thing you call "Color Picker" that says "Color Picker".
I search the index for "Color Picker" and there's nothing.

May I humbly suggest that every designation on the screen MUST BE represented by a help index entry. Doing that makes Help good. Not doing that makes Help not so good.

Thank you for your kind attention.

D

[kinetica]

Hello DoctorWhy

If you search for "picker" and "brush" I think you will find all the information you need. Yes, there may well be some inconsistencies in the Help Files, but I hope you can find your way past them once you start to use the application and realise its potential to make your graphic design life so much easier. As always with all graphic design software, there is a learning curve. If you have any problems understand the software or any of its features, please do ask any questions. That's why the forum exists

In the short time I have been here, I have found the help and patience of experienced users invaluable. Far more helpful than any Help File, however well written, could ever have been.

[Doctor Why]

....which is not to say that things should never be improved.

Nothin' personal, but people really do fear ideas.

I do have a more legit question, for which I'll just open a new title.

Thanks to all !!

D

[kinetica]

....which is not to say that things should never be improved.

Agreed