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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
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    Northwest USA
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    Default Layers in Xara-Pro 4 versus XaraPro 7

    I've been using Xara Pro 4 for years, and when my computer died, I decided to give Xara Designer Pro 7 a try. I bought it and downloaded it. My main use for it is graphics, not website design.

    I must confess that the difference in the layers gallery between the 2 versions has flummoxed me. I liked the intuitive way layers worked in Ver 4. It was easy to see what layer I was working on, easy to lock all layers except the one I was working on, even easy for me to open the layers gallery.

    In Ver 7, the layers gallery seems fiddly to me. I am unable to lock a layer by clicking on the lock half or more of the time. I'd like to have all layers visible, or at least some layers visible, but locked, while I have others unlocked and visible.

    Another thing I've noticed is that if I put an object on a layer (A), create a second layer (B) and move it below layer (A), and place an object on layer (B), that object seems to obscure the object on the upper layer (A) where the objects overlap.

    To me that seems just plain counter-intuitive. I'd expect objects on layers further up in the stack to obscure objects lower down in the stack where they overlap.

    I've concluded that the layers gallery in Ver 7 must be so radically different than Ver 4 that I need a good tutorial or explanation. I've searched around for one but am unable to find one.

    If any of you could suggest something, I'd be quite grateful.

    Regards,

    Alan
    Regards,

    Alan
    The unexamined life is not worth living--Socrates

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Nov 2000
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    Red Boiling Springs TN USA
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    19,208

    Default Re: Layers in Xara-Pro 4 versus XaraPro 7

    Hi Alan,

    It sounds as though you may have a Web template as your default.

    To return Designer Pro 7's page & layer gallery to the more familiar arrangement of Xtreme Pro 4 use a US Letter template or one of the other standard paper sizes or custom size templates.
    Soquili
    a.k.a. Bill Taylor
    Bill is no longer with us. He died on 10 Dec 2012. We remember him always.
    My TG Album
    Last XaReg update

  3. #3
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    Northwest USA
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    Default Re: Layers in Xara-Pro 4 versus XaraPro 7

    Quote Originally Posted by Soquili View Post
    Hi Alan,

    It sounds as though you may have a Web template as your default.

    To return Designer Pro 7's page & layer gallery to the more familiar arrangement of Xtreme Pro 4 use a US Letter template or one of the other standard paper sizes or custom size templates.
    Thanks Bill,

    That may be the case, although I was pretty sure I had opened up a non-web based template. I opened a US Letter template, experimented a bit, and it seemed a bit more intuitive.

    Given that I may have opened a web-based template instead, how can I turn that into the type of template I want?

    I also have other questions.

    Click image for larger version. 

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    The names of the layers seem obscured. Just the first letter shows. How do I fix that?

    Click image for larger version. 

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    I am unable to toggle the locks, the visibility switches, and so on. What gives? Why is that? How do I fix that?

    Click image for larger version. 

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    Those little triange goodies: what are they?

    Regards,

    Alan
    Regards,

    Alan
    The unexamined life is not worth living--Socrates

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Location
    Maghull UK
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    Default Re: Layers in Xara-Pro 4 versus XaraPro 7

    The little triangles, when clicked on and in context, expand the display to show everything in that group or layer or page
    JOHN -XaReg (FB) XaReg (DB - ignore prompt to register)
    Windows 10 [Anniversary] pro Intel Pentium CPU G630 @ 2.70Ghz RAM: 4 GB; 64-bit x64

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Location
    North Tawton, UK
    Posts
    1,152

    Default Re: Layers in Xara-Pro 4 versus XaraPro 7

    If you make the layer gallery (now called "Page & Layer Gallery") wider it will have room to show more of the layer names.

    Make sure that you've got the "All layers editable" and "All layers visible" switches turned off if you want to control the visibility and editablity of individual layers. (This is exactly the same as V4.)

    Phil

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Sunshine Coast BC, Canada. In a beautiful part of BC's temperate rainforest
    Posts
    9,864

    Default Re: Layers in Xara-Pro 4 versus XaraPro 7

    To make a US letter size page your default simply open a US letter size page and chose save template and in the dialogue that comes up be sure to check save as default template on the right.
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
    My current Xara software: Designer Pro 365 12.6

    Good Morning Sunshine.ca | Good Morning Sunshine Online(a weekly humorous publication created with XDP and exported as a web document) | Angelize Online resource shop | My Video Tutorials | My DropBox |
    Autocorrect: It can be your worst enema.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
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    Northwest USA
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    Default Re: Layers in Xara-Pro 4 versus XaraPro 7

    Thanks to all for the help. It's a pretty new interface and I'm an old dog trying to learn new tricks.

    And Frances, I looked at a bit of your YouTube videos. What software did you use?

    Regards,

    Alan
    Regards,

    Alan
    The unexamined life is not worth living--Socrates

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Sunshine Coast BC, Canada. In a beautiful part of BC's temperate rainforest
    Posts
    9,864

    Default Re: Layers in Xara-Pro 4 versus XaraPro 7

    as this is off topic for this thread I've started a new thread here where I've given a bit of detail about how I created the videos.
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
    My current Xara software: Designer Pro 365 12.6

    Good Morning Sunshine.ca | Good Morning Sunshine Online(a weekly humorous publication created with XDP and exported as a web document) | Angelize Online resource shop | My Video Tutorials | My DropBox |
    Autocorrect: It can be your worst enema.

 

 

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