The Official Guide (XX5)

I remember their being a sub-thread for this book once upon a time. Anyways I am trying to go through the book and learn Xara but right from the first start I am having problems. On pg68 working with joining paths and using the bevel tool it shows 2 different objects. Once with insets cut out and one without insets cut out. The file uses the one with cut outs but in the instructions is says nothing about how to get the cut outs to show. It just becomes a solid fill even though you draw it out with the selector tool. Then in the end it shows a half completed shape that tells you flip and copy it. Ok, but because of the included line in the drawing the bevel doesn't give the results shown in the book either. Then at the end, off on the side in the picture caption it talks about using the Join Shapes command that is never included in the step-by-step instructions anywhere. I decided to go on in the book but it talks about using the Join Shapes command "like we did before." I need a little newbie help here. :-O

I would post this thread in the Xara Xone topic part of this forum board as Gare who wrote the book replies to nearly all of the threads there. Maybe Handrawn the mod around here might transfer it across if he sees this reply.

It is quite difficult without the book to give you a hand but I will try. If it was me that was doing it I would take the Bevel away from the objects, select the two objects by holding down the Shift key and clicking on them. Once the two of them are selected go to the bevel tool (Ctrl+F3) then on the top menu and normally on the lower line in the first menu box select None. The two shapes should be still selected hold down Ctrl +2 and that should subtract the 2 shapes into 1. Then go back and put the Bevel back on. Can't make any comments on the 2nd part of your question, sorry!

I'm glad you answered this Albacore. I wanted to answer it yesterday but I like you didn't have enough information, so I didn't. And yes Gare would be the one to answer correctly.

Hi infoCentral—

Perhaps it's the fact that there are two things being covered that is delaying your learning this thing.

First, when you have two open paths, like the embellishment example I provided, and you want to make a single closed path out of it,you select both paths, and then with either the Selector tool, or the Shape Editor tool, you drag the start point of one open path to the start point of the other, and your cursor gives you a visual indicator—a tiny + symbol, that your cursor is in position to make these two start points into one path segment.

Now the path is still open, so you need to drag the endpoints together. And when I mention start and end points, I'm simply referring to one end or the other of an open path—as I mention in the book, Xara could care less about PostScript fill rules—so you just need to be fairly zoomed into two points on the two paths, and then drag 'em together.

The second question is about joining shapes, not path. Me, I don't have the head space to remember all the Boolean operations on the Arrange>Combine Shapes menu. Do this to make your learning a little easier:

Go to Window>Control Bars, put a check in the Arrange checkbox, and the Arrange button bar will dock itself (or it should up near the Standard Bar. Hover for the ToolTips and find the Subtract Shapes command button.

A word of caution here: Don't go doing path subtraction or intersections with a shape that has a bevel on it. I only put a bevel on the shape in the book for the sake of cosmetics: IOW, the publisher told me to make fancy screen captures because it was a color book.

If you subtract a shape from a shape that has a bevel on it, the bevel shape becomes a low-resolution bitmap and the result shape can't be easily edited for its bevel properties anymore.

If this doesn't solve your problem, please post it on the Xara Xone forum. I'd appreciate it, I live there now.

My Best,

Gary

Gary do you want me to move this thread to the xaraxone forum?

Yes, if you would, please, handrawn.

The book area was permanently deleted (for our safety and convenience) more than a year ago, I'm back to moderating, might as well keep Bouton-specific questions in one place, thanks.

-g-

no problem - done :)

Thanks for the quick reply and I really like the YouTube channel. Doing a great job! Busy at the present showing my son how to build his own computer but should be complete very soon and will get back to Xara myself and post some pics so it will be easily understood where I am coming from. Thanks again...

Well, InfoCentral, I support every book I've ever written, so if something's not clear in the Xara 5 Official Guide, you know where to find me.

My Best,

—Gary

Yep, it sure makes tracking you down a lot easier...