Please help: how to draw polygons efficiently?

[timgclark]

Hello

In Xara Xtreme it was very easy to draw multiline polygons (closed or open), because the line tool used a single click to add a new segment to the already-drawn segments. Now, using Xara Photo & Graphic Designer 7 (which supposedly is the successor to Xtreme) the tool for drawing lines works completely differently and does NOT automatically join line segments to each other. Sacre Bleu! And, the procedure described for joining the ends is incredibly tedious!
Am I missing something?

Regards, Tim

[handrawn]

the old pen tool is still there to use, just not on the toolbar by default any more - see this thread:

http://www.talkgraphics.com/showthre...n+tool+missing

edit: this post onwards in the thread specifically:

http://www.talkgraphics.com/showthre...984#post403984

[GerryI]

Which tool are you actually using? There are 4 tools for drawing lines/shapes (though as Steve said the pen tool is no longer included on the toolbar by default).

The "freehand and brush tool" (looks like a pen drawing a curve) creates a smoothed curve that follows the movements of the mouse. It also provides access to variable width and brushes. You can use this to draw straight lines if you hold down the Alt key, and to add a new line to the end of the previously draw one you just drag starting from the blob on the end of the last line (the mouse pointer shows a plus to indicate it will add to the existing line).

The "straight line tool" only allows the creation of single segment straight lines and gives quick access to the arrowhead controls.

The "shape tool" (used to be called the shape editor tool) allows the creation of multiple segment lines and closed shapes where each segment can be straight or curved. This is the best tool to create "multiline polygons". Just select the straight lines button on the info bar and click to place each new point and new segments will be added. It also allows you to bend you straight line segments after drawing them by just dragging them to the required shape (very useful for tracing around things in photos). To close the shape simply hit enter and the last point will be joined to the first with a straight line segment.

The "pen tool" is probably not worth bothering with unless you are familiar with how this tool works in other programs though it was useful for creating polygons as clicking adds straight line segments and click/dragging adds curve segments. You will need to change a registry setting to put this tool back in the path tools flyout bar or the button for it can be added back to the top level of the tool bar from the button palette.

Gerry

[gwpriester]

Tim

This is a very old article but it explains how to draw with the different tools http://www.xaraxone.com/webxealot/workbook34/page_3.htm

Gerry - Are you referring to the Straight Line Tool as one of the four? It might take a long time to draw anything with that one.

[GerryI]

Gerry - Are you referring to the Straight Line Tool as one of the four? It might take a long time to draw anything with that one.

Yes, I agree. I understood this bit:

Now, using Xara Photo & Graphic Designer 7 (which supposedly is the successor to Xtreme) the tool for drawing lines works completely differently and does NOT automatically join line segments to each other.

...as Tim using the straight line tool to draw segments and then joining them up afterwards...

Gerry