Where is the stroke width control?

**Rocko** · 03 August 2006, 06:11 PM

Hello,

Where are the controls to set the stroke width units to pixels and to make it appear up, down or in the middle of its trace line?

Recently I took a look the Xara Xtreme and I tried to make the simpliest task for digital design and I could not.

Please let me know what must be done.

Greetings

**Intbel** · 03 August 2006, 06:22 PM

Originally Posted by Rocko

Hello,
Where are the controls to set the stroke width units to pixels and to make it appear up, down or in the middle of its trace line?
Recently I took a look the Xara Xtreme and I tried to make the simpliest task for digital design and I could not.
Please let me know what must be done.
Greetings

Your question may be more easily understood if you were to state what was your unsuccessful task?

Xara has the most efficient, comprehensive line control tools available today.

**remi** · 03 August 2006, 07:44 PM

Hello Rocko and welcome!

To start working with Xara Xtreme, it is a good idea to look into the Video tutorials delivered with Xara Xtreme:

Menu "Help" -> "Movies"
Section "Absolute Beginners", movie "Part 1" and "Part 2"
and for your question Section "Lines and shapes", movie "Editing line widths, ends and joins" and "Line strokes"

Regards,
Remi

**tonylondon** · 04 August 2006, 02:54 PM

Originally Posted by Rocko

Hello,

Where are the controls to set the stroke width units to pixels?

Greetings

Even if you set the page units to pixels, the line width remains in points. If you enter the value you want in pixels (e.g. 5pix) , the program will convert it to the equivalent number of points. I don't think you can display the line width in pixels, but I may be wrong...?

Tony

**Rocko** · 04 August 2006, 11:05 PM

Thank you Tony,

Apparently only you understood my question.

It has been a long time since I had suggested to implement pixels as units because:

1. It is the standard for multimedia design (Fireworks had it since it was born, Canvas implemented it a few years ago).

2. Multimedia design is where Xara has a good market opportunity. Admit it, DTP follows the Apple/Adobe religion, indeed the Xara's Linux version is made and used by multimedia professionals (I mean truly technology and art developers, Where are they within the apple users?).

Is someone in the room capable to explain me why Xara is not taking its last chance to survive adjusting the tool for multimedia design? Specially now that Canvas bureaucracy took the hard route of technical design and Fireworks future is not sure with Adobe.

Am I wrong?

**Rocko** · 04 August 2006, 11:07 PM

Intbel,

When a stroke is made it is composed by its “trace” and its “width”.

I need to control that the width appears up or down of the trace, something I had not found in Xara, where the trace is always in the middle of the width.

I hope to be clear enough this time.

Please let me know...

**Intbel** · 05 August 2006, 12:13 AM

Originally Posted by Rocko

Intbel,
When a stroke is made it is composed by its “trace” and its “width”.
I need to control that the width appears up or down of the trace, something I had not found in Xara, where the trace is always in the middle of the width.
I hope to be clear enough this time.
Please let me know...

I didn't understand what you meant.
Now that I do, I find the trace always being in the middle of the line (I never knew it was called a trace) I find to be an advantage... that is, it is an advantage having it. Not knowing anything different from this I guess my ignorance is bliss >grin<

I am unable to imagine how it would work any other way.
That it can and does, is obvious (though not in Xara) just I am unable to imagine it so - or to see how it being anywhere else other than central could be advantageous.

Always happy to learn summat new so please explain when you have a moment or two? Thnx.

**remi** · 05 August 2006, 12:39 AM

Sorry Rocko, but you're not serious, when you say you aren't able to make the "simpliest task for digital design" with Xara Xtreme.

I've read your last posts in this forum when you said Xara "does not solve some basic requirements for web design" and such things.

Let me say you, that's really not so important if the line width is in pixel in other software packages. And in Xara Xtreme the trace is in the middle of the line, and that's okay as it is.

Furthermore you asked, if you are wrong if this is the "last chance" to reach a very very (in your eyes) important goal. Excuse me Rocko, but the answer for your question is: Yes, you are wrong.

Regards,
Remi

**tonylondon** · 05 August 2006, 09:31 AM

Originally Posted by Rocko

It has been a long time since I had suggested to implement pixels as units because:

1. It is the standard for multimedia design (Fireworks had it since it was born, Canvas implemented it a few years ago).

2. Multimedia design is where Xara has a good market opportunity. Admit it, DTP follows the Apple/Adobe religion, indeed the Xara's Linux version is made and used by multimedia professionals (I mean truly technology and art developers, Where are they within the apple users?).

Is someone in the room capable to explain me why Xara is not taking its last chance to survive adjusting the tool for multimedia design? Specially now that Canvas bureaucracy took the hard route of technical design and Fireworks future is not sure with Adobe.

Am I wrong?

To be honest, Rocko, I never noticed the fact that the line/stroke width (unlike anything else) could not be displayed in pixels until you pointed it out. I would be interested to know from Xara whether, when you set the stroke/line width in pixels and it converts the displayed value to points, whether the stroke remains in pixels or not...

I do a fair degree of web work and haven't found it a problem.
However, I have been doing some work with small size pixel fonts (following the excellent tutorial in the Outsider) and would have appreciated the facility. When you consider the price and speed of Xara Xtreme there have to be some things left out.
Despite having Fireworks, Illustrator and CorelDraw I still use Xara Xtreme for most things because it is quicker and simpler
All the best,
Tony

**Charles Moir** · 05 August 2006, 12:51 PM

You can enter line stroke widths in any unit you like. And yes if you enter say 3pix, it will show this as 2.25pt, but that's exactly the same as 3pix. IN fact you can enter any values for any field in any unit you like.

I guess we've always shown line widths in points, because that's been the traditional measure unit. I recall there was a discussion at the time and people asked that lines always be shown in points. But I can certainly add it to the wish-list for future versions that line widths be displayable in any units. It is a bit weird that they can't.