I new to Xara products and need a hand please.

[Egg Bramhill]

Hi Deb and Welcome.
The short answer to your question is NO.
As Bill points out above, Xara3D needs to have shapes imported to create a 3d effect. Photographs are just rectangles and will not benefit from Xara3D.
HOWEVER, you can create the shapes you require XaraX or Webster, import them into Xara3D, and apply the photograph (or part of the photograph) as a texture to that shape.
Xara3D is basically a very easy program for producing 3D Text effects. Using it for anything else is pushing the boundries of the program beyond what it was designed for, but the results can be excellent.
Egg

[fencepost]

Hi, Deb. Welcome to the forum. I'll add a couple of plug nickels to this post (even though you've hit the motherload of intelligence already with these responses).

I've made a basic gemstone graphic using the "Button" feature within X3D alone.

<UL TYPE=SQUARE>
<LI>Open the Button tool and select the check box.
<LI> Select Octagon from the dropdown
<LI> Set Stretch to 100% and corners to 0
<LI> I set the Extrusion to 57 and used a 45 degree bevel with a depth of 390
<LI> You could add a texture to it, but I love green, so I just made it green.[/list]

This will give you something to play with until the little retarded brother of Xara X(Webster, according to John http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/wink.gif) comes in the mail.

Art

BTW...try using fonts with multiple angles.

[Egg Bramhill]

Hi Deb
Yes you can do it. Conditional.
What you can't do (or expect) is to import a photograph of, say, a bear, and create a 3D bear out of it. No program can or will ever be able to do that.
Main Point: You can't just import a photograph and create a 3D version of it. (To the computer a photograph is just a meaningless matrix of different coloured dots. It has no conception of wether it's a picture of a dog or a moutain. Only you, the viewer has this perception)

Maybe the best way to approach this is for you to let us know what your trying to achieve. Just sketch an example, as rough as you want, and scan it, then post it.

Then we will be able to say if it can be reproduced in Xara3D. Not everything can, but as you can see from Mikes example a lot is possible.

On the point re Webster: I believe a trial version is included on the Xara3D CD, so we should be able to work a way through this.

Egg

[Soquili]

Hi Deb,

You can use Webster to create a shape and a texture. Here's a small tutorial show a simple example.

[temptingtaylor81@hotmail.com]

Thank you, thank you, thank you.
I will play with it today http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif
Will let you know how I go.

Regards,
Deb.

[simsmj]

Egg.
Excellent example. After I saw yours, I tried more facets and differently angled bevels on mine, but I think it needs a proper gemcutter's eye. It certainly doesn't look like any gem I ever saw!

Mike

[temptingtaylor81@hotmail.com]

Oh boy, what have I started here? http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/wink.gif
I would just like to thank you guys for your persistance with me. You have all been extremely helpful and I am learning so much from you.
I can't get started on any drawing as I have to wait for the Webster program to arrive here (Austraila). I can't wait. http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/tongue.gif
Thanks again and I will stick around if that's ok. Some much to learn from here.
Regards,
Deb.
P.s. Mike, if you do play around with that diamond please be sure to share ok? http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

[Soquili]

John, thanks for the xar. I think when I saw the one Steve posted is when I gave up http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

This is the last diamond drawing I did. The .xar file is dated 5/8/2001 on the CD I saved it to.

[temptingtaylor81@hotmail.com]

Ok guys I guess I should show you what I have done. Thanks to the help of all of you I can do some basic stuff on my own http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/smile.gif