Strange phenomenon: Alignment to objects no longer works - Compress text objects also

Hello,

I have some strange problem :-( as the headline says: The function "Alignment to objects" no longer works in Designer Pro X. So for example if you layout text objects or forms you do not see the blue lines for (possible) alignements anymore. Of course the function is switched to "on". Even as a long time Xara user (from Extreme Pro on) I never did have had such issue. I have 2 installations since longer times on my machine. On the older version Xara Designer Pro X 12.8.1.50843 DL x64 Jul 17 2017 I did keep all works still well, on the some newer Xara Designer Pro X 15.1.1.54376 CD x64 Aug 17 2018 it is gone. Also I did realize I can no more longer compress text objects means make text height higher or lower (compressing) without maintaining proportion.

I did not change anything in the settings or update the program also nothing on the PC. The only thing what happened was that one XAR file did did become corrupt because of some error with one font set, so the program closed. I startet all new several time nothing changes. Any ideas? Thanks for any help.

TomTom66

Tom, it is possible your linkage to required code libraries has been corrupted.

Run you application once with admin privileges. (Right-click, pick Run as administrator).

Acorn

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Originally Posted by Acorn

Tom, it is possible your linkage to required code libraries has been corrupted.

Run you application once with admin privileges. (Right-click, pick Run as administrator).

Acorn

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Hello Acorn,

thanks, but did just try this and did not help. Same like before. I have ofcs several backups (different months) so the question is, may it help to write some specific, selected directories or files for XARA from them back what is easy possible for me? And if yes which?

TomTom66

Do you have snap to object turned on? The horse shoe icon at the top of your tool bar.

With this on I have the blue lines.

Ray

It may be related to this:
https://www.talkgraphics.com/showthr...871#post630871

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Originally Posted by RKissane

Do you have snap to object turned on? The horse shoe icon at the top of your tool bar.

With this on I have the blue lines.

Ray

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Hello, thanks for helping so far. Was very busy could not answer more early. My problem is different from what is shown in that YT clip. To make it more clear I did make a video how the text is behaviour in my 2 XARA versions.

Link: https://screencast-o-matic.com/watch/cYX2l4MNBf

From about 01:50 you can see how these is not working on the somewhat newer version of XARA. No blue lines also. Align to objects is activated as you may see. The scaled text always "jumps" back again.

I know, these are somewhat older version as I did not have for my needs continue update services. All worked fine whole time. Only another strange thing I could never explain was on the newer version that within manipulations on objects or text objects sometime a green line shaped border of objects or texts appeared what was not possible to remove. This green line shaped border was also present during export and printing.

TomTom66

Here the 2 versions. The older one workes. Problem is with newer one. No updates or other was applied.

Older: Xara Designer Pro X 12.8.1.50843 DL x64 Jul 17 2017

Newer: Xara Designer Pro X15.1.1.54376 CD x64 Aug 17 2018 (with problem)

at the bottom of your xara screen on the right of the status bar you shoulkd see a button with an arrow on a blue rectangle outline, live drag, double click this.. it looks to me like you have it off in version 15.1

the green outline maybe because you have created a text inside object, by clicking on the object when in text tool [this behaviour is not in version 12] - I never use this, can't remember how to switch it off, maybe somone else can; if I do it by accident I swear and hit ctrl+z :banghead:

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Originally Posted by TomTom66

Here the 2 versions. The older one workes. Problem is with newer one. No updates or other was applied.

Older: Xara Designer Pro X 12.8.1.50843 DL x64 Jul 17 2017

Newer: Xara Designer Pro X15.1.1.54376 CD x64 Aug 17 2018 (with problem)

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OMG! Thanks a lot that it was. Clicking on it did make rectangle full blue and the blue lines work again :-) Never seen before that this is there possible to switch on/off.
But I still have the problem that I can not scale text objects non-proportional (even I deactivate the "lock" icon in top bar).

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Originally Posted by handrawn

the green outline maybe because you have created a text inside object, by clicking on the object when in text tool [this behaviour is not in version 12] - I never use this, can't remember how to switch it off, maybe somone else can; if I do it by accident I swear and hit ctrl+z :banghead:

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Yes, indeed, it is very annoying when that happens.

right click on the lock and untick smart transform should fix that in ver 15.1

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Originally Posted by TomTom66

OMG! Thanks a lot that it was. Clicking on it did make rectangle full blue and the blue lines work again :-) Never seen before that this is there possible to switch on/off.
But I still have the problem that I can not scale text objects non-proportional (even I deactivate the "lock" icon in top bar).

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Update: Just found out that when using "ALT" hold during text manipulation I can scale it non-proportional (like before). But without holding ALT key down not. THis effect I can not remeber before in X 15.1. Is there still someting switched "wrong" on or off? I think this all happened from this recently crash with the one corrupted file. Bcs. I did not switch there anything.

a lot of changes between ver 12 and ver 15.1 - did unticking smart transform make it more like ver 12 ?

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Originally Posted by handrawn

a lot of changes between ver 12 and ver 15.1 - did unticking smart transform make it more like ver 12 ?

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If I deactivate the blue rectangle at the bottom right and try not to scale the text proportionally, it will appear as a new scaled "outline" ("preview") but will return to its original shape after releasing the mouse. Pressing the ALT-key at the same time makes it work.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by TomTom66

Update: Just found out that when using "ALT" hold during text manipulation I can scale it non-proportional (like before). But without holding ALT key down not. THis effect I can not remeber before in X 15.1. Is there still someting switched "wrong" on or off? I think this all happened from this recently crash with the one corrupted file. Bcs. I did not switch there anything.

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You have discovered and fallen foul to the Squishy Squashy Saga: https://www.talkgraphics.com/showthr...form-option-do.
There aree reams of moans about this one change,

Acorn

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Originally Posted by TomTom66

If I deactivate the blue rectangle at the bottom right and try not to scale the text proportionally, it will appear as a new scaled "outline" ("preview") but will return to its original shape after releasing the mouse. Pressing the ALT-key at the same time makes it work.

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But there must be something that can be switched on/off that causes this "new" effect that it only works together with the ALT key. Because I have already done a lot of documents, graphics and websites with the v 15.1. Already over these 2 years I have made at least more than 1.000 files and often enough text not scaled proportionally - and without pressing the ALT-key at the same time. Strange somehow.

you are confusintg the live drag and the 'lock' on the infobar

leave the live drag on - it has nothing to do with the resizing, just the blue lines

right click the aspect ratio lock on the selct tool infobar to untick smart transform

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Originally Posted by Acorn

You have discovered and fallen foul to the Squishy Squashy Saga: https://www.talkgraphics.com/showthr...form-option-do.
There aree reams of moans about this one change,

Acorn

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OMG! Thanks a lot Acorn and handrawn! Who could have known this :-) Again another abstract, somewhere "hidden" function and even after 15 years of XARA (since Extreme Pro) learned something
new ... right click on the lock icon in topbar and deactivate "smart transform" brought back the "old" well known behaviour.

TomTom66

it appears that the pointy-heads at xara do not belive in fexlibility of design, they prefer a 'take-it-or-leave-it-from-our-range-of-options' approach - sure some options also have options, but if you want to go beyond that you are often on your own... that was the squishy-squashy affair ina nutshell

glad you are now back to how you want it

Quote:

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Originally Posted by TomTom66

OMG! Thanks a lot Acorn and handrawn! Who could have known this :-) Again another abstract, somewhere "hidden" function and even after 15 years of XARA (since Extreme Pro) learned something
new ... right click on the lock icon in topbar and deactivate "smart transform" brought back the "old" well known behaviour.
TomTom66

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Tom, it truly is amongst the greatest foot shooting exercises any software company could have made - hiding the option as a right-click of an icon , where it has never used one before. I lie. You can also right-click on a document tab.

Acorn

Yes, but after all it is a fantastic piece of software and I always love it!

mad sums it up :D

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Originally Posted by handrawn

mad sums it up :D

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I have altered my gaffe!

Acorn

as befits a well respected old gaffer

edit - now I'm with the typo's - fixed , I hope :)

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Originally Posted by handrawn

as befits a well respected old gaffer
edit - now I'm with the typo's - fixed , I hope :)

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Beat me to it:
Attachment 128311

...but then we have the apostrophe.

Acorn

put that down to the dispepsialexia :p

I trust your pectoralis' are in good shape, major and minor... ;)