Can text be stretched vertically by few pixels? I do not want to turn it into bitmap. I am talking about a font.
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Can text be stretched vertically by few pixels? I do not want to turn it into bitmap. I am talking about a font.
Uncheck the 'Lock Aspect Ration Box' and stretch away! Remains editable font.Quote:
Originally Posted by behzad
Attachment 123768
Cool, but sadly it will not work.
In XDPX16, it should.Quote:
Originally Posted by behzad
You can also use the Text tool > Advanced text bat and change the Aspect Ratio there.
In XWDP12, you can group text with itself and there stretch using the Select tool middle controls.
Acorn
Right click on the small lock icon, and uncheck [ ] Smart Transform
Then disable [ ] Aspect Ratio Lock.
@gwpriester, man, this answer of yours makes me wonder how many of these 'hidden' features are buried inside the user interface.
I'm pretty sure this specific popup is not mentioned in the user manual, am I wrong?
Never knew about that right click popup either. Handy to know.
It is not a case of "handy to know"; Xara has fudged the UI with the Smart Transform hidden on a right-click of an icon (Aspect Ratio).
It is no wonder people don't know of it or are able to discover it by chance as it is the only such control in the whole of the UI.
Yes, you can find it in the Help or PDF Manual if you realised there was a thing called Smart Transform.
The history of all this is in TG Thread on squishy/squashy: https://www.talkgraphics.com/showthr...ing-megathread.
I instinctively use the Alt key when dragging even when I know Smart Transform is off.
Acorn
Agree Acorn.
Thank you everyone. I am sure that right click method will be forgotten by myself very soon, not easy to remember.
The handy thing though, is once you've turned Smart transform OFF, it does seem to stay OFF.
Xara used to be renowned for its easy-to-use software. Today, nobody knows for sure what they are buying and how much it will cost because of the convoluted licencing.
But worst of all is that the program itself has become unwieldy to use with semi-hidden arcane 'features' (work-a-rounds) that actually get in the way of productivity.
I could go on, but I am likely to rant if I do so, causing me high blood pressure and the likelihood of sanctions from the forum management.
I asked myself a question a few releases of the product ago, which was; 'Are you looking forward to the next release?' I replied,'Not so much, these days' Given the lack of new vector features over recent years I think it is highly unlikely I will ever upgrade again.
@iamtheblues software companies have their acceleration and then they slow down, that is why you should have other tools in your tool box. Serif is one that may compliment xara. All the best.
Until they encounter a black hole then they speed up but time drags.
Relatively,
Acorn
While I agree that there ARE some annoyances and frustrations with the XARA software... and respect that you're one of the battle-scared veterans here at TG iamtheblues, I have a question. I have been sitting in front of computers since the Atari 512, Commodore Vic-20 and some model of an IBM Personal Computer... (imagine, and I refused to learn to code :-O what a dope!)Quote:
Originally Posted by iamtheblues
If a gun nozzle were pressed against my temple... and I was told to name one, just one piece of software from my beginnings to now that did it all for me... no problems with either the software or it's creators or else. I'd be toast because I just wouldn't be able to come up with an answer... I've been down the Adobe CC route... (the list of horror stories way too long) I've been down the CorelDraw Graphics Sweet road... and quite a few others that just don't need to be named... you get the point. Every one of those scenarios has the same user frustrations. Some sounding so similar to what occasionally goes on here.
And ONE category common amongst all is the new subscription model that has become the standard in the industry. So far, only Serif has not jumped on board... but I'd be willing to bet anyone here $1, that that will happen too, oh... I guess over the next 12 to 18 months.... any takers? So...
Now, I'm not debating, contradicting or challenging you. I'm just curious. You've be around... you're experienced... What piece of software were/are YOU totally happy with...? Who's done it right for your needs? (serious question - really)
Thanks
Cliff
Well, Cliff, I cut my teeth (in terms of vector software) using Xara Xtreme 5 and I still use it as my weapon of choice to this day. I was dragged kicking and screaming to Adobe Illustrator, because it was the Industry Standard, and found it very grown-up by comparison. It has a wider range of tools, but isn't even close to Xara in terms of its ease of use.
I am glad I made the choice to learn Illy as it taught me to accept and love Xara's idiosyncracies and to appreciate its worth. I also used CorelDraw from way back when and I like pretty much everything about it. If I were on the software version of Desert Island Discs, then Xara Xtreme 5 would be my sole companion on the island. I like its old-fashioned interface with friendly icons on the toolbar. I certainly wouldn't pine for the latest version as I assume there would be no internet coverage there, so I probably would miss the opportunity to see the wonderful pop-up messages from Nanny Xara.
These days, Affinity Designer is a serious option (but no Spiral Tool). I probably do not know the software well enough, but is is very professional and has no interest in bleeding its users dry by adopting a subscription model as far as one knows. The faux subscription model that MagiXara uses is enough to make me settle for an alternative and thinking long and hard about the choices and assuming no mythical shipwreck, I would say that CorelDraw 2018 wins by a short head over Affinity, with Xtreme 5 in 3rd. place. And what is the deal-breaker that wins the race for CD 2018? It is the text handling, which causes Xtreme to fall at the last hurdle. Illustrator CS6 comes in second. None of these invove subscription models and will happily function without the need for upgrades and deep pockets.
Well I guess the answer is obvious... There IS no ONE piece of software that can possibly satisfy all a users needs. Someone back in this thread (I think) said that you have to have a variety of software for various tasks... but XARA comes really close to teasing us. Would you believe that actually keep CorelDraw 2018 installed on my puter JUST for it's tracing abilities.Quote:
Originally Posted by iamtheblues
Anyway... thanks for the reply!
Cliff
There isn't another graphics program that can do this - quickly.
We love you, Xara. (in spite of your faults) :star
ooo... subtext intentional Bob? :D
I don't expect to get everything I want in one store
ditto software; and unless what you do is 'on a diet' so to speak, it never will ....
Intentional? Moi?!
Weird. Doesn't work for me in Xara Pro 365
Can you explain what doesn't work?Quote:
Originally Posted by properez5
Acorn
When I right click or hover over the lock, I do not get the option they were speaking about. In addition, text isnt stretchable on my version of Xara.
I always have to convert it to shapes to be able to stretch my text.
Software used: Xara Pro X. I've had this version for 4 years.
I do not have XDPX (version 8, I assume) at hand, but in XDPX9 it works perfectly. I mean, when I unlock the aspect ratio (by simply un-checking the lock icon), text can be stretched using resize controls. Other method, not involving constant aspect ratio -lock and -unlock, is to press Ctrl+G (group) on the text object alone, resize vertically, and press Ctrl+U (ungroup).Quote:
Originally Posted by properez5
One more thing - do you have a "text line" object, or rather a "text area" object? Because the latter does not stretch letters when resized - unless, of course, you use the grouping "hack".
Then you are trapped in a Xara-created space vortex where text stretching was considered too risky for web designers.Quote:
Originally Posted by properez5
You will have to fight your corner to get a free upgrade as it worked before and works now with the Smart Transform 'fix' so it has to be a bug down to Xara. Right?
The sorry saga is documented in the Squishy/Squashy Thread.
Acorn
Wow, what an interesting thread.
Thanks for the how-to stretch text, I must have done this accidentally as it seemed to work, but don't know what I did :-) (Story of my life).
PS: the right-click on the lock doesn't do anything.
I use XPD 11 (did buy 12, but didn't like it, so have gone back to good ol' 11 :-)
Joëlle
This was added with the most recent versions to opt out of the "better" way of doing things.Quote:
PS: the right-click on the lock doesn't do anything.
If it weren't so comical, it would be very sad.
Yesterday I matched two fonts for someone on another forum.
The sample image used by the OP was an OK image and I figured out the fonts. When I overlaid them onto the sample image it was obvious that the person who designed the image distorted the type, both horizontally and vertically. This is something designers often enough do even if it is very subtle.
Without being able to stretch and squish the type it would have been a pita...and all I was attempting was to help someone. In a real job I would have been frustrated.
Attachment 123864
Which is the position Xara has left some of its Customers in.Quote:
Originally Posted by mwenz
Acorn
Acron this makes me cry :rolleyes: