The Rectangle with indvidually editable corners - Yes!

[angelize]

This is a workaround and it can be a bit fiddly but if you have a version of Xara capable of opacity masks then yes you can create a rectangle and edit the corners indvidually! I was also able to copy an editable rectangle group from DP7 and paste it into WD7Premium.

note: in the video when I show moving the fills I held shift and marquee selected the fill handles with the fill tools active and was able to move them together,after releasing shift.

[wizard509]

Frances that's pretty clever. Good job.
One thing though, is it just me or did the corners change sides. I can't be sure but I get that impression. Regardless job well done!

[angelize]

No the corners didn't change sides If you are referring to the point in the video where I adjusted nodes in one corner but another corner changed I selected a photo and in my hurry to keep the video from getting too long I didn't check to make sure that the photo I clicked went with the corner I was editing. I figured though that it got the point across. Like I said it is a bit fiddly.

[xtom]

Great tutorial Frances. It gave me the idea to try it using clipview instead and you can acheive a similar result...

1: Create 4 rounded rectangles and position/overlap them so each rectangle represents only one outer corner.

2: Group the rectangles as one object so it can be used as a clipping shape

3: Put a photo over the grouped object and apply a clipview

4: Now you can control each corner individually by adjusting each rectangle that makes up the clipping shape

Still fiddly though. Xara should really make it possible to control the corners individually. It's a very common task that should be made as easy as possible to do.

[A Wrigley]

Great work around angelize. Cool vid

[pauland]

Isn't it just easier by converting to an editable shape and dragging and deleting the nodes?

[xtom]

I find editing rounded corners using the rectangle tool much quicker and easier than editing individual nodes. As far as I can see you have to edit 2 nodes per corner instead of just grabbing and moving one, maybe I'm doing it wrong but it takes me ages and seems just as fiddly.

[pauland]

If I want a rounded rectangle and two sharp corners:

Draw rectangle with four rounded corners.
Convert to editable shape.
Shape tool - delete one node from each of the corners to be made sharp. Drag the two nodes for the sharp corners to the correct place. Two minutes, tops.
If required add bitmap and clipview.

It is clunky and should be built into the tool.

[xtom]

Yeah but once you comit to converting to editable shape you can't go back and I find it a nightmare to adjust those curved corners again using nodes. The other method takes no longer but you can more easily go back and edit the curved corners using the rectangle tool, of course there are scenarios where converting to a shape would be needed. If only Xara listened and improved the tool it would be possible to do what should be a simple task in about 5 seconds, and save us even more time posting and learning workarounds! But I guess it's all part of the fun

[angelize]

One thing my method does is provide a way to still be able to have outlines on the rectangle, and you can be very exact by using the rectangle setting on the infobar when the rectangle tool is active! If you want 2 rounded and 2 sharp corners select the 2 rectangles that control the corners you want sharp and either click the round corners toggle button or set the radius to 0