How to change text color in Xara Web Designer (Premium) 9

[phillipgarding]

I feel like an idiot, but I can't figure out how to change the text color in Xara Web Designer 9. Every other HTML/text editor in the world has a color button on the text toolbar, but not Xara. I have searched the help file, but I don't see it. This should be trivial to do. I don't want any special effects, I just want red text instead of black text. Am I missing something obvious? Can someone explain the trick to changing font color?



Thanks,
Phil.

[Acorn]

With the Select tool, click on the text line or block.
Click a colour on the colour line or open the Colour editor and play around with the Local fill colour.

It is the same for text or any shape, so the method is consistent.

Acorn

[Acorn]

In text mode, highlight a section or text and do the same as my #2 post.
Acorn

[gwpriester]

Welcome to TalkGraphics Phillip

Web Designer 9 is not an HTML Text Editor.

[handrawn]

it is a bit depressing sometimes how many assume that it is... and then come unstuck....

[phillipgarding]

Thanks for the explanation.

I understand that Web Designer is not an HTML editor, however, it provides text editing controls like Bold, Italic, Font, Size, etc. just like every word processor and HTML editor on the planet -- except for changing color. That is different, hidden, and undocumented.

I appreciate your help!

Phil.

[handrawn]

forgive us

for myself [who does not do website building] I look on the main designer pro program as a drawing program that happens to have an annoying HTML export filter - annoying because of the changes to workflow that were necessitated in order to implement these changes those features

and whilst I see what you are saying, web designer is just a subset of Designer pro and therefore it shares the same UI... if you know where it comes from you will understand why it is so.. also many of these word processor features are latecomers, they were never originally there in said UI... and it is not a actual word processor any more than it is an HTML editor...

let yourself get used to it and you will find it is just as quick and easy - the colours are just at the bottom, not the top

edit:

That is different, hidden, and undocumented.

nothing wrong with being different especially as it's not hidden it's in plain view [at the bottom] - and it is documented in the help [inc movies] - text is just another vector object at the end of the day...

[gwpriester]

Phil - All kidding aside, Xara products began life as vector drawing applications and over the years added features to enable photo editing, text editing, and website design.

The original user interface, including the much copied interactive Infobar, have remained more or less the same over the years. Early users have always known that you apply a fill color by clicking a color with the left mouse button and apply a line color by right clicking on a color (or as Steve pointed out, using the Color Editor Ctrl + e).

Every graphics application has its own way of accomplishing things which is and often is not the same way that a similar application works. It is a matter of becoming conversant in a new application and getting into the flow and rhythm that is important. And once you do this, things seem a lot more logical.

[phillipgarding]

I didn't know the history of the app; that's helpful. I fully expected (and continue to expect) to do some learning when starting with a new program. Overall, I've been pretty happy with the app. This was one case, though, of a feature that seemed fundamental but I couldn't find. The real failing for Xara here is that the help file doesn't say anything about how to change color. I have noticed that the help file tends to be a description of their UI without treating scenarios. There is a whole chapter on Text Handling, but there is nothing in there at all about text color because it isn't on their text toolbar. I tried dragging colors from the color bar and dropping on text (as the tip of the day suggested for objects), and that didn't work at all...

Thanks again!

[handrawn]

dragging colour on to text should work for the fill, I have a feeling it may not for outlines [the cursor will change to a square for fill]

well the help suffers from the same history as the UI - yes it has been updated to new features, but it still tends to assume the reader approaches the basics from the point of view of a vector graphics designer, and a vector graphics designer is likely to see text as just another vector object

it is a vector design app that exports HTML - not an HTML app that has drawing tools - but we've been there already

good luck with the learning, you'll soon wonder what all the fuss was for....