Typography : 2 questions/problemes with Xara X11

[stephane_fr]

Hello to all enthusiastic Xara users here


It is possible I will use in 2 monthes the Xara Designer X11 for the design 3 books arts (between 100 and 200 pages for each one).
For the moment it is just an idea (I own Indesign CS5 too), but I make a few tries to see the results in Xara, and I will possibly choose it if positive tests.

Anyway I've got 2 problems for now.

1. Hyphenation :

The first one (I think it is just a bad manipulation somewhere, but where ?) : the hyphenation tool doesn't work on my texts.

I used the default settings (hyphenation settings... button), and I followed this simple tutorial for help : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BL2L9YazDPM
I even wrote the same text of the tutorial, to see if it is not just a problem of words ! (test n°3, file 113130)
I dowloaded the "Content installer and Pan Studio" and I get some new languages options (as I am french, I needed these), but with the same result.

The first file (file 113130) shows the 3 texts I have for this text, with an hyphenation setting on "on". But with no change/cut in the texts.


2. Drop Caps :

My second problem (see picture 2) is when creating manually a space for a drop cap.

I followed this good tutorial : http://www.xaraxone.com/webxealot/wo...workbook_4.htm

The idea of the tuto is good. Anyway there is a problem when working with a fully justified text (the tutorial doesn't do this) :
the fact that the soft analyses the first 3 lines as a complete paragraph create a space at the end of the third line ! (because
of the justified option : the last line of a paragraph is always "unjustified" !)

That's a bit annoying... You can see this space after the word "praepotens" (file 113131)

Would there be an issue ? Or another way to create this space for drop cap, without "cutting" the paragraph into 2 parts ?


Thank you for your help

[stygg2003]

I don't know if this will be of any use to you but have a look and see . Posted the xara.file so you can pull a part.

Stygg

[stephane_fr]

Hello Stygg

I was coming back to say I have founded a solution : using the "repelling and anchoring" tool, and I see you proposed the same solution
Anyway I did a bit differently : I converted my letter into a bitmap copy (at 300 dpi) and I put it over a white - or transparent ! - rectangle (as you did)
I didn't realised I could do simplier : just a rectangle under the letter (without the "bitmap copy" step !)

Thank for your solution

I will keep an eye for the other problem (the hyphenation), as it is really important : if no hyphenation, unfortunatly no book using Xara


Regards,
Stephane

[haakoo]

In DesignerPro11 go to (help)F1>text handling>hyphenation
There are settings for hyphenation explained

Hans

[stephane_fr]

If I take any of the paragraphs of the Stygg's text, the hyphenation works.
But with mine (texts/paragraphs), it doesn't at all.

Is there something wrong or missing in my texts ? They are just all fully justified

[stephane_fr]

The "ABC" button must be assigned on "English UK". If not (assigned on another country : US, France, Germany,...) it doesn't work at all.
That's strange... But that was the problem....

[gwpriester]

The "ABC" button must be assigned on "English UK". If not (assigned on another country : US, France, Germany,...) it doesn't work at all.
That's strange... But that was the problem....

That's bizare!

[stephane_fr]

Oui, tout-à-fait !

[stygg2003]

Glad you solved your problem stephane, strange about the hyphenation though. Hope you enjoyed where dubious sayings originated from

Stygg

[haakoo]

Glad you got it sorted

Hans