Making your own stretchable buttons

[Xhris]

Hi, I've finally got a video about stretch buttons done. Stretchy buttons are slightly cryptic, but once you know how, are super simple.

[cursor]

Muchas gracias, Xhris.

[jclements]

Thanks, Chris!

I am using XPro5 now rather that XWD.

I can't remember if these were posted elsewhere or not; if not, then here is my contribution to "The Cause".

This is very easy to use, I hope (with 3 basic styles).

- The text, the boxes, and the flow "connectors" each are on their own layer.
- Text and boxes are soft grouped.
- The arrow connectors are lines with arrowheads. Because of this you can use the Selector Tool and rescale them (scale linewidths turned off) and they will maintain their proportions enabling very quick alignment to the boxes and maintain their perpendicularity. You can use the Shape Editor Tool if you like (use it if you need to change the angle of a connector).
- The connectors are on the rear most layer so you can pass them through (behind) a box, eliminating the need to use two connectors. Change the layer order if this does not meet your needs.
- The line and fill colors are based upon One Named Color so, in a flash, the hue of all Fill and line colors can be changed across the board.
- If, with the two-colored boxes, the text reflow causes the color separation to be misaligned, simply click on the box, choose the Fill Tool, position the cursor over the linear fill "arrow" until it turnes into a Hand Icon and move the fill up or down. You're done!

I've put my copy in my templates directory.

Enjoy.

Thank you Xara Ltd. for soft groups and stretchy objects. I just wish rounded rectangles didn't have to be converted to editable objects. This would allow easier and faster reshaping of the orchart boxes. HINT! HINT! Request for a future Xara release.


Regards, John

[Scotty]

Hi,
sorry if this hijacks the thread,but it is concerning stretchy buttons. If you have four buttons side by side does the adjacent buttons move to accommodate the stretchy? or do you have to manually realign them after
Jim

[steve.ledger]

No Jim - you need to move the next button along

[Scotty]

Ok thanks I kinda thought you would.
Jim