Elongating and squashing text using the side handles

[Dilaco]

In previous versions of Xara I could select text with the selector tool and elongate or squash the text using the side handles. Now I can’t do that anymore in the latest version, unless I unlock the ‘Lock Aspect Button’. I am wondering if there is an option to return this function back to how it was, or is there a key you can hold down whilst dragging the side handles to make them behave as they used to?

(Sorry if this has already been covered, I tried a search for it but didn’t come up with anything.)

[dutchim]

You can group the text and then it will work. When selected CTRL G

Now you can stretch and squash as before!

[hseiken]

Also, uncheck the LOCK ICON near the size information when the select tool, this locks the scale to be uniform instead of free. Be warned as it's a universal option and must be rechecked when used on other objects unless you hold the CTRL key.

[Egg Bramhill]

I don't think that's correct hseiken. Xara stopped text elongation soon after introducing the web building features. It was no use allowing users to stretch text if it wasn't being reflected on web publishing. So there's only two ways to achieve this now (as far as I know). Either via dutchim's solution (where the text remains editable) or via convert to shapes (whereby the text is no longer editable). In either case it is published as a bitmap.

[hseiken]

I don't think that's correct hseiken. Xara stopped text elongation soon after introducing the web building features. It was no use allowing users to stretch text if it wasn't being reflected on web publishing. So there's only two ways to achieve this now (as far as I know). Either via dutchim's solution (where the text remains editable) or via convert to shapes (whereby the text is no longer editable). In either case it is published as a bitmap.

I didn't realize it was removed from the Web Design. I'm PD+G. I noticed it defaulted to 1:1 scale, but I didn't notice that I couldn't warp it anymore. Hmmm...I hope the different products aren't splitting into different operating paradigms...how would this affect DP??

[hseiken]

Still works for me in P+GD If it's removed from the web version, it's probably due to HTML5 issues, but I don't think even HTML5 doesn't allow warping, so I'm not sure what's going on.

[Egg Bramhill]

Looked further and what I stated appears to be correct APART from a Text Line (were you just click on the page with the text tool and type). This can still be deformed as you described earlier. But if you're using Text Column (click on page and extend a text line) or Text areas (click on page and drag a text box), you can't deform these in the same way.

One other thing I was wrong about, a deformed Text line will still publish to text.

[hseiken]

Looked further and what I stated appears to be correct APART from a Text Line (were you just click on the page with the text tool and type). This can still be deformed as you described earlier. But if you're using Text Column (click on page and extend a text line) or Text areas (click on page and drag a text box), you can't deform these in the same way.

One other thing I was wrong about, a deformed Text line will still publish to text.

Thanks for the clarification. You are correct. I think it's weird trade-off. I personally haven't run into reason to use it on blocks as they tend to need for matting, but I definitely can see where it would be useful. Very weird to have this limitation. I guess grouping it is still the way to go, but if it's not published this way, then...I guess new feature request to have it 'operate as expected' because this seems very expected and doesn't deliver!

[Dilaco]

Thanks for responses.

Hseiken, I did mention in my original post that I was looking for a solution other than unlocking the aspect ratio button, because, as you said: 'be warned it is a universal option', which is why I don't like using it. Thanks anyway.

I am always disappointed when a change is introduced that requires an extra step to achieve the same result. It happens when programs evolve to become more complex. I have an audio program which has gone the same way: everything requires an extra click or two to get to where you used to get directly. Then the program gets clunky. I've been using Xara for some years now: I bought it as a drawing program, and that's how I still see it. The web tools are great, but when web design takes priority over the drawing program aspect it is an unwanted intrusion - at least for me.

[hseiken]

Thanks for responses.

Hseiken, I did mention in my original post that I was looking for a solution other than unlocking the aspect ratio button, because, as you said: 'be warned it is a universal option', which is why I don't like using it. Thanks anyway.

I am always disappointed when a change is introduced that requires an extra step to achieve the same result. It happens when programs evolve to become more complex. I have an audio program which has gone the same way: everything requires an extra click or two to get to where you used to get directly. Then the program gets clunky. I've been using Xara for some years now: I bought it as a drawing program, and that's how I still see it. The web tools are great, but when web design takes priority over the drawing program aspect it is an unwanted intrusion - at least for me.

This is something I too agree with. Again, a lot of it, imo, stems from many people with differing work flows and so 'tools' and 'features' start cropping up which just rearrange what's already in there and clutter interface. My music program of choice is ReNoise and it's just so ridiculously complex now. Luckily I can still download/use the older versions. It's currently on 3.1 I think, but in my opinion, it was nearly perfect back at 1.8. All of the new 'requested features' have only bloated the program and morphed into something else.

I'm half tempted to see if they sell old versions of xara. I feel like version 9 is really what I want. One of the things that I think people have a hard time dealing with is that once something works, adding more stuff to it breaks the program in many ways....