transparency tool question

[Ned Addie]

I've been using xara x1.1, and I'm trying out 3.2 xp.

I want to be able to draw with transparent shapes. In x1.1 I was able to simply set the transparency percentage, then all the shapes I drew retained that transparency. In 3.2, the transparency setting jumps back to zero. I don't want to apply transparency after I draw a shape but before. How do I set this?

Ned

[Albacore]

Hi Ned,
Tried it myself and got the same results. What I think has happened is that there is or was a problem when setting current attributes like feathering, line thickness's and the one that happened to you transparencies see this thread ;http://talkgraphics.com/showthread.php?t=25952

If you have downloaded Pro 3.2 and not Pro 3.2.1 go to Xara's and re-download the newer version which I think will resolve the problem I can't be sure because I have not downloaded it yet. If that does not resolve the problem put a ticket into Xara.

[handrawn]

Hi Ned

Sadly the ability to set the transparency percentage as a graphic attribute - the way you describe - does not appear to work in xara xtreme.
And that includes the latest update download.
It's a pita. I have kept my old version of X1 because of this and one or two other changes that I understand were made to accommodate the xtreme live effects tool.
One day hopefully xara will get it sorted out.
Meanwhile installing both xara x1 and xara xtreme is my work-around.
Anyone else out there know a way round it. I be grateful to hear.

[Ned Addie]

Thanks for the suggestion Albacore. I overwrote xp3.20 with xp3.21, but the behavior is unfortunately the same.

I've used several versions before x1.1 and I believe they all worked the way I want. I think I also tested two newer versions since x1.1, but decided not to update because I couldn't figure out how to draw with transparent shapes. I would like to update; but since I probably spend more xara time composing with transparent shapes than anything else -- I need that ability.

Is there really no way to do this -- or is x1.1 the end of the line for me? Is it possible to install x1.1 and xp3.21 on the same machine? I might consider that...

Another thing I just noticed, if I reset the line width, the line color reverts to black. This is another negative behavior change -- and I've only used 3.2 for five minutes.

[PhilM]

This was a deliberate change for a particular version of the program that probably should have been "unchanged" for Xtreme 3.2 because it's not what experienced users like yourselves expect.

However, there is a registry setting you can use to allow transparency to be set as a current attribute again.

For Xtreme 3.2 set this value to 1:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Xara\XaraXtreme\Options \Attributes\TransparencyBecomesCurrent

For Xtreme Pro 3.2 set this value to 1:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Xara\XaraXtremePro\Opti ons\Attributes\TransparencyBecomesCurrent

Usual disclaimer: Only fiddle with registry settings if you know what you're doing.

Phil

[PhilM]

Ned,

I've seen this report about line width resetting line colour to black before but I've never been able to reproduce the problem until just now when I figured out how you are using the program.

Turns out it's already in the bug database and seems to exist as far back as X1 - at least in the way that I have been able to reproduce it.

Could you post a description of what you do to show this bug so I can tell whether it really is an old bug or a new one?

Thanks,

Phil

[handrawn]

This was a deliberate change for a particular version of the program that probably should have been "unchanged" for Xtreme 3.2 because it's not what experienced users like yourselves expect.

However, there is a registry setting you can use to allow transparency to be set as a current attribute again.

For Xtreme 3.2 set this value to 1:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Xara\XaraXtreme\Options \Attributes\TransparencyBecomesCurrent

For Xtreme Pro 3.2 set this value to 1:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Xara\XaraXtremePro\Opti ons\Attributes\TransparencyBecomesCurrent

Usual disclaimer: Only fiddle with registry settings if you know what you're doing.

Phil

Phil

With the registry change made transparency can indeed be set as a graphic attribute.
Xtreme still does not appear to allow typing in a percentage in the info bar to set transparency amount, with no objects selected, which is a shame.
But with 'give new objects most recent attributes' option set I can now get it to remember what the previous transparency setting applied to an object was.
This is useful if slightly more 'clumsy' - thanks.
)

[Ned Addie]

For Xtreme Pro 3.2 set this value to 1:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Xara\XaraXtremePro\Opti ons\Attributes\TransparencyBecomesCurrent

Thanks Phil, that makes a world of difference.

It should probably be noted that the option "Give new objects most recent attributes" also needs to be checked.

And it still doesn't work like x1.1 where I could alter the transparency in advance of drawing anything and without any object selected -- which I prefer. But I can keep a small shape somewhere to change transparency percentages which will transfer to succeeding shapes.

Ned

[Ned Addie]

Ned,

I've seen this report about line width resetting line colour to black before but I've never been able to reproduce the problem until just now when I figured out how you are using the program.

Turns out it's already in the bug database and seems to exist as far back as X1 - at least in the way that I have been able to reproduce it.

Could you post a description of what you do to show this bug so I can tell whether it really is an old bug or a new one?

Thanks,

Phil

Using the freehand tool, I draw, for example, some blue shapes with a 4 pixel red line. I deselect all objects then change the line width to, say, 8 pixels. The line width changes correctly, and the fill remains blue; but the line changes to black. However, if I leave a shape selected, the line color remains red as it should.

As you likely discovered, my practice of deselecting all objects to alter the transparency percentage as a "current graphic attribute" -- in advance of drawing -- reveals the bug.

I also just tested this scenario on x1.1, and the colored line also reverts to black. I hadn't really noticed, because I usually draw with zero line width when using transparent shapes.

Ned

[handrawn]

Thanks Phil, that makes a world of difference.

It should probably be noted that the option "Give new objects most recent attributes" also needs to be checked.

And it still doesn't work like x1.1 where I could alter the transparency in advance of drawing anything and without any object selected -- which I prefer. But I can keep a small shape somewhere to change transparency percentages which will transfer to succeeding shapes.

Ned

Yep - its a good fix - should keep us both happy