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I'm trying to simply "stretch" an image, a jpeg or other image, increase it's size either vertically or horizontally WITHOUT changing the size on the other dimension. I understand to do this I have to hold alt and stretch but that doesn't work. I used to do this ALL the time but with a recent update, it's no longer possible. I have to do this ALL THE TIME and I don't understand why it's so difficult. How do I make this happen?Attachment 129094
Everybody else seems to suggest turning all sorts of things off, but I simply hold the ALT key whilst dragging. There must be several reasons why I'm wrong, and I'll be the first to say I don't need to do this on a regular basis, but what can I say? It works for me and it's simple.
The boundary/frame in your example is part of the image; it will stretch/ distort as part of the image. Crop the boundary from the image and apply a line colour (width to match).
You can now apply the standard Alt +drag handle and the boundary/ frame remains proportionally the same whatever stretch you apply. Works v17.0.
Attachment 129095
Gary
in selector tool, if you right click on the lock aspect ratio padlock and untick 'smart transform' it should go back to what yoou are used to [mostly]
holding the alt key down as chris mentioned will make it behave 'the other way' up to a point
There are quite a few things that are discussed here on TG that never really sink in for me. The squishy squashy is one of them. Using a bleach transparency to colour things that won't accept a fill is another.
Xara is capable of doing things that I'll never use enough to fully grasp...or forget 2 sleeps after a moment of clarity.
To add to this also uptick smart transform.Quote:
Originally Posted by handrawn
Xara help says to hold the Alt key but holding or pressing it using left or right click and dragging doesn't work for me. Perhaps I don't understand cropping the border, but when I tried this it also didn't help. I unselected the smart transform option under the padlock and that doesn't work either. I really don't understand why this change was made, but it's very frustrating for me. I need to fit a jpeg into a particular space very often and stretching it along one dimension is the easiest way for me to do this. The images are abstract stuff so changing the aspect ratios isn't a problem but I'd like to retain the entire image anyway. There must be a way to accomplish this. Any other ideas?
in selector tool make sure the [far left] button 'show selection bounds handle' is on
also just in case, make sure you do not have 'show fill edit handles' button enabled
The image has a black border which is integral to the image; therefore any disproportionate stretch will change that border:
Attachment 129105
The fact that it has a black border means you need to remove it to make any sense of disproportionally stretching that image.
I have attached a XAR which may help. The on/off smart handles can be counter-intuitive at first, but to achieve what you are looking to do generally, then they and lock, need to be off.
Hopefully, this works?
Gary
Thanks, but even with the “show selection bounds handle” on and the “show fill edit handles” button not enabled and the “smart Transform” option not selected, I still can’t get the image to stretch properly. I wonder if there isn’t something wrong with my software, although I have downloaded the program recently to replace one I lost in a computer crash and I get the same result. I have Xara on two computers and I get the same result on both.
I understand that the black border (either a black rectangle under the other image or a line around it, I forget which) will expand proportionally, that’s not a problem for me. Besides, I’ve tried to stretch the image both with the black and without. Just to be clear, the problem isn't just with this particular image, I can't get the stretch I'm looking for with any jpeg image. Vector images I've created will stretch "properly." I attached this image merely as an example.
When you guys try stretching my image in the .xar file I attached, do you get the same result I get? Or, does the image stretch in just the desired direction?
As always, I really appreciate the help I've always gotten, including with this problem, with the folks on TalkGraphics. This is a GREAT community!
I can stretch an image anyway you want. I took your example and used a combination of the handles and lock buttons. Maybe take a look at the attached XAR in post #9. Forget the crop part (that was just to highlight what needed to be done for that specific image).
You have two buttons, handles and lock, and (at least) three possible outcomes which (I think) I have explained. Just try turning the buttons on/off and you will see the effect on an image.
Chris M. - I don't understand why it seems to work for you and not for me. Just so I understand, you simply hold down the Alt button and drag one of the handles in the middle of a side and the image stretches in that direction only, without loosing parts of the image on the edges of the other direction. Does the image in my attachment do that properly on your computer? That must mean that there's something wrong with my software, but if that's the case, why didn't the problem resolve when I downloaded a fresh iteration of the program?
Here's all I did: Pressed ALT and dragged the centre handle upwards.
Like I said, I don't do this very often, but happy to check any settings you want me to.
Attachment 129106
I apologize Initiostar, I apparently didn't read your post accurately. When I had the aspect ratio button (padlock) unpressed and dragged without the Alt key it worked the way I want it to. I thought I'd tried every possible combination of buttons and keys but I must have missed this one. But, now I'm able to do it the way I want.
Many thanks, all!!
thats good :)
anyone reading this, if you update to the current pro+ ver21 the show boundary handles button is no longer there :rolleyes:
I believe Shift+ctrl+1 is still toggling this.Quote:
Originally Posted by handrawn
Acorn
see my reply here:
https://www.talkgraphics.com/showthr...734#post634734
yes thanks this does work, it keeps the static ants boundary box [gurrr] but it does enable stretch and in that respect may well be easier than ver 17Quote:
Originally Posted by Acorn
Works for me Charliescoffee I wondered about other things suggested but no matter what it worked for me.
I am using XDP17.
here's a thing - in my registry for pro+ there are two sets of keys for HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Xara\XtremeProSub x64 - one for 17 and one for 18 - it appears that I was modifying in the wrong set, so apologies all is well... but it begs the question why no entries for 21... or 20 for that matter... and do I need both ?Quote:
Originally Posted by handrawn
:think:
You're not alone. XDP has a few clever abilities that I've used fairly often, but apart from those few I just can't get my head around the cool stuff it offers. For me, the flow or sequence of doing cool things is not easily deduced, so I just don't bother trying to do them any more. The constant aggressive nagging from Magix is very close to causing a total deal-breaker for me.Quote:
Originally Posted by Chris M
I wish that Serif would add a web designer to their well-priced, professional, nag-free suite. Did you know: With Affinity Publisher installed you can easily access Affinity Photo and Affinity Designer as personas if you have them installed.