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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?Quote:
Originally Posted by Rocko
Xara has the most efficient, comprehensive line control tools available today.
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
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...?Quote:
Originally Posted by Rocko
Tony
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?
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.Quote:
Originally Posted by Rocko
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.
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
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...Quote:
Originally Posted by Rocko
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
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.
Hello,
I beg your pardon for mixing design and marketing, specially when this forum appears to be out of the eyes of decision makers and professionals in the field, but I could not stay still after years without a feature included in all Xara competitors, having the Open Xara's motives letter and the same answers for other features (slide tool, dynamic bitmaps effects) in mind.
The final thing I want to add related to marketing follows the comment made by Tony
The fact is users should work with Xara for every thing and drop Corel, Illustrator and Fireworks , this is the goal for most products where the loyalty is achieved not for the price or how easy to use can be (Adobe paradigm is truly complex), but by the sensation that it is the solution for the user needs. If you allow him to work with Photoshop, he will learn how to try Illustrator and he will drop Xara, the same about Fireworks and Flash.Quote:
Originally Posted by tonylondon
I truly believe that Xara is not made to be a second class /cheap product. For me, its low price is for inviting prospects to try it, instead of raising its price and invest in big money/risk campaigns with a pop star making such invitation, then I refuse the concept of “forgiveness” because it is not “expensive”, specially being a British product.
Neither is valid to support a marketing decision only with surveys within the current users, they are already believers. The opinions needed for increasing the marked share are between those that may know Xara and are not using it.
Intbel,
Using the Web design as example, when you make a Web page layout, you have to use pixels for borders, images, tables, window sizes, etc. if you want to easily codify/deploy it (Except in fonts where points are better for browser portability). Neither HTML or CSS handles the stroke trace in the middle of the stroke with.
Other example is when you are making a picture that must be 10 X 10 pixels, I prefer to set the guide lines to 10 X 10 and the stroke width “inside”, than any other option where I have to be aware of what parts of the lines are out.
Charles,
Please add to the wish list those features, pixels as units and stroke width positioning and by the way, the bitmap editor improvement (Currently it looks like a Java made patch/plug in).
Greetings
Talking of wish lists, I long for a button whereby with a single click I can reverse the order of animation frames.Quote:
Originally Posted by Charles Moir
As usual, Xara already has something to take care of you. There is a 'Scale line widths' button that can be used for exactly that purpose.Quote:
Originally Posted by Rocko
Create a rectangle that you want to be 10pix X 10pix, for example. Give it a 3 pt line width. Make sure that the 'Scale line widths' button is pressed. Enter your desired dimensions in the resizing boxes. (You might have to make certain that the 'lock aspect ratio' button is disabled. It is the small 'lock' button that is enabled below. As I had it enabled, it does not appear that you need to disable it, but I thought I'd mention it.)
(In the following pic, box B is 10x10 without the line widths being taken into account.)
David
They don't? That's summat else I didn't know.Quote:
Originally Posted by Rocko
>shrug< not a problem for me.
So long as things appear how and where I want them to appear - no worries.
Intbel, forget it. It seems to me, he is just a trouble maker who loves to say such things like that "this forum appears to be out of the eyes of decision makers and professionals in the field".
Normally, I would discuss with him, but he isn't willing to learn something about Xara Xtreme and the same with HTML/CSS too (with "fonts where points are better for browser portability..." :eek: lol).
So, who cares?
Not I.Quote:
Originally Posted by remi
I have no problem with browser portability - I gotta laptop.http://www.intbel.com/images/smileys/Mine/rfb012.gif
Whoaa there a minute. I want in on this one. If Intbel get his wish list button then I want a button too. I want a button that will give me imagination, talent and lots and lots of money. Now there's a challange for the designers, html or no. And if they want to throw in a third button (one for Intbel, one for me) that gives a guy lots and lots of women throwing themself at him, well, I think my wife will take my xara toy away from me so better to forget the last button Mr. designer guys. And good luck and may God help you trying to give me talent; you guys have got a long, hard road ahead of you, long nights and lots and lots of coffee. If you want, just forget the talent idea and give me money instead:D.......frank the forever untalented but hopefully soon richQuote:
Talking of wish lists, I long for a button whereby with a single click I can reverse the order of animation frames.
Don't worry about money ... talent and imagination will provide that.Quote:
Originally Posted by Seagull
Imagination and talent can be acquired ... no problem there.
Just takes time and perseverence. (So I am told)
That just leaves the women thingo - no thanks.
I've had my fair share of women over the years and they've had more than their fair share o' me.
And my wallet. Grrr.
So, your point is what? I can't have a button too. At my age it's getting too late to aquire anything that requires time. I want a button too:D.....frank
.
Hey, what a bloody rip off. I'm pushing it and pushing it and pushing and I'm still poor and still don't have any talent or imagination. Insult to injury, I'm not any younger either!!! and I'm still ugly!!! I want my money back:D.........frank
I see you are "pushing" buttons again,Quote:
Originally Posted by Intbel
seagulls buttons actually, not a wise thing to do.
(Be carefull what you post, it will most likely sink.)
Okies ... no more button-pushing.Quote:
Originally Posted by ankhor
Back to chain yanking then ...
[QUOTE=Charles Moir]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.
QUOTE]
Charles,
are you saying that whatever unit you enter the stroke width in it will Xtreme will remember this internally, irrespective of the value being displayed in points? If so that is good news.
Tony
I think my previous quote (having Illustrator but using Xtreme for most things) demonstrates that this is not the case. No way would I drop Xtreme (provided later versions are reasonably bug free). Personally I support what I perceive to be Xara's strategy, not that it makes any difference.Quote:
Originally Posted by Rocko
Tony
[QUOTE=tonylondon]Xtreme internally records everything in millipoints (72000ths of an inch). So whatever you put in, in whatever unit, it is remembered at high precision, no matter how it is subsequently displayed.Quote:
Originally Posted by Charles Moir
Alex
[QUOTE=abligh;167675]Thank you Alex, that’s useful to know. I should have read the help pages!Quote:
Originally Posted by tonylondon
It would appear, from the help pages, that by pixel, Xara means 1/96 of 1 inch, and therefore it will always be equivalent to 750 millipoints.
Tony
[QUOTE=tonylondon;168614]Corrrect.Quote:
Originally Posted by abligh
Alex