Circles and Arcs

[gwpriester]

Sorry Doug

When it comes to arcs, DRAW has us beat cold.

Best way to create an arc in Xara is to convert the circle or ellipse to Editable Shapes and then click on the outline and press the Break at Points icon on the Infobar at each place you want the outline to break.

Unlike DRAW, once you have done this you do not need to break the object apart. It is done automatically.

Gary

Gary Priester

Moderator Person

Bleats Trevor a Mumble

[Erik Heyninck]

This is meant for people who are new to Xara and who are used to the Canadian Pie'n'Arc tool, steak and kidneys included.

In the new Xealot Gary mentions that you can place ANY shape on the background layer and snap to it.

So, suppose you want to cut out an exact angle of 54 degrees from a circle.

1/ Draw a straight line with the Freehand tool and Alt.

2/Open UTILITIES>OPTIONS>GENERAL>EDIT ANGLE CONSTRAINT and change value to 18 degrees

3/ Click twice with the SELECTOR tool to view the rotation handles

4/ Grab one of these handles and drag. It will suddelly move 18 degrees. Then, while holding the left button down, rightclick to place a copy. Repeat this until you've done a full circle.

5/ Open the Layers Gallery and COPY the layer.
Drag one of the two down until you are under the background layers tag.

6/

[Erik Heyninck]

6/ Now click the magnet to snap to objects.

7/ Draw your circle with the ELLIPS tool and Ctrl down. Draw it from the centre (see icon in toolbar) and see the magnet down right light up when you are near the centre of your shape on the background layer. Give it the exact size you want (see toolbar, and "Enter").

8/ Now Convert to Editable shapes.

9/ Choose the Shape Editor Tool and when you are on a point that matches the underlying shape's edge, the magnet lights up. So you place it exact on the circle. Click the Break at shapes icon.

10/ Repeat 9 for your second point.

11/ Finally choose the selector tool, select the arc you cut out and delete it (or cut it for later use)


Of course you can choose ANY shape, ANY degree and ANY background shape you prefer, or need.

It might be handy to give the background shape a colour of some light hue.

[Erik Heyninck]

might fand a use for this, although I must admit I had to do some nudging and adapt sizes because Xara did not do a perfect job. [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_frown.gif[/img]

[arnold foss]

That's great, Eric:
but how do you clean all those hiliter marks off
your screen?

Arnold

[Erik Heyninck]

what you mean by hiliter marks. I suppose you mean the shapes from the background layer? Then uncheck the eye-box left of the layer.

If this is not a correct answer to your question, then please post an image, or explain what I don't understand. [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]

A possible use: buttons for navigating?

[This message was edited by Erik Heyninck on July 23, 2001 at 13:31.]

[Erik Heyninck]

To get this effect, apply the above, but with a line thickness of 24 or more. You will see the white arrow cursor when, using the Shape Editor, you approach the middle of the line.

Make your cut-outs and then apply CONVERT LINE TO SHAPE. (arrange menu)

Group your shapes, and apply a bevel or whatever. Xara bevels all in one fit. Isn't that nice (grin)?

If you don't work against time, time often works for you.

[pduggan]

Think it was just a wee joke, Erik:

Highlighter...

As in fluorescent marker pen! [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif[/img]

Peter</p>

Peat Stack or Pete's Tack?</p>

[Doug-O]

Hello,

I've just started playing with Xara and have been going through the excellent manual that Gary has been authoring in the WebXealot. As I've probably pestered Gary enough I'd thought I'd join this conference.

Does anyone have any tips on how to draw circles and arcs in Xara X? I have been using CorelDRAW and when you create a circle it has one node that can be dragged to create a portion of a circle or if you drag toward the inside of the circle a pie shape. In Xara I notice a circle has four nodes. I guess you can snap to these nodes or modify if you convert to editable shapes. Also in Corel you can enter 90 degrees for example on the property bar to get a perfect arc or use arrow keys.

Doug

[Doug-O]

Hello,

I've just started playing with Xara and have been going through the excellent manual that Gary has been authoring in the WebXealot. As I've probably pestered Gary enough I'd thought I'd join this conference.

Does anyone have any tips on how to draw circles and arcs in Xara X? I have been using CorelDRAW and when you create a circle it has one node that can be dragged to create a portion of a circle or if you drag toward the inside of the circle a pie shape. In Xara I notice a circle has four nodes. I guess you can snap to these nodes or modify if you convert to editable shapes. Also in Corel you can enter 90 degrees for example on the property bar to get a perfect arc or use arrow keys.

Doug