Total newbie--where to begin?

[wildbill001]

Total newbie to Xara Photo & Designer 7. Bought a copy for a ridiculously low-price last year and am just now getting to looking at it.

I'm planning on using it to create slides, titles, backdrops/backgrounds for my powerpoint presentations for computer software training. So, some of the main things I'm interested in being able to do are(in no order of importance):

• Fitting photos or diagrams (png mainly) into a specific size box
• Adding some "punch" to text such as curving it around or having it fade out into the distance like a train track
• Removing backgrounds completely and/or replacing backgrounds
• "Fading" photos so they can be used for backgrounds in a slide

My problem is I don't know where to even start. (Yea, I know, the beginning....) or to put it another way where do I start? what site or sites are best for learning how to do the above list? Is there a site that can give me a list of the jargon so I can know what to even search for?

AND, If Photo & Designer 7 cannot do the above, does the new version? I can't see spending the extra money on the Pro version unless that will be my only option for this.

Thanks and take pity on a newbie. OH, and if this is not the right forum for this, please let me know and I will repost.

Bill W

[pauland]

Welcome.

Check out www.xaraxone.com

Fitting photos or diagrams (png mainly) into a specific size box - you can just resize them, or crop them to a given size, or..

Adding some "punch" to text such as curving it around or having it fade out into the distance like a train track - you can make text follow a path(line)

Removing backgrounds completely and/or replacing backgrounds - bit trickier, but a few ways to do it.

"Fading" photos so they can be used for backgrounds in a slide - you can apply transparency to fade an image

Paul

[angelize]

Hi Bill Welcome to Talkgraphics

Another great resource for learning is the tutorials and videos section at Xara.com There is lots of stuff there.

Here is a quick and easy way to crop/resize photos. http://www.talkgraphics.com/showthre...-the-fill-tool

You can also click the youtube link in my signature and have a look at some of my Xara videos, I use the pro version of DPX but you should be able to follow a lot of the stuff I have there. (Things like the shape builder and eraser tool aren't available in P&GD7)

And one thing about the pro version if you did want to consider upgrading, it can do presentations it's self.

I hope you enjoy learning the software and if you get stuck on anything there are lots of helpful members here who will be glad to answer your questions

[jon404]

There should be a PDF user manual with the software -- I'd go print it out and stick it in a binder, easy to read when you need to.

There are also a LOT of help videos that are very useful... and the Xara forums.

You do ANYTHING you want with Photo & Graphic Designer -- I used it at work for many years -- a great program. Enjoy!

[handrawn]

you cannot do 'ANYTHING' you want with Photo and Graphic Designer.. but you can do a lot

[Sammy]

Yes, starting at the beginning is the best place Just play around with the different tools of the software and get used to them. There are excellent how-to movies which come with Xara. Just click Help and Movies. Spend some time watching them and then try out the projects. Good luck. You'll enjoy the software.

Sammy

[Choctaw]

Wild_B....I have been watching videos posted by Allen Smith on youtube.com there are over 100 of them. Check things out at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8muN...EC04CD&index=1

Choctaw

[wildbill001]

Thank you all for the pointers.

Read the Manual, eh?! Why didn't I see that before???? DOH! Slowly printing it out as I type this.

Angelize: I would love to check out your Youtube vids but I don't see a signature or a link.

Again, thanks!

Bill W

[angelize]

Hello Bill, below my name at the bottom of my posts you will see some links in purple the one that says "My Youtube Channel" will take to the videos

[handrawn]

[FYI] they blue not purple on my screen Frances... is it not browser setting dependent