Need guidance on changing Countrywide Navbar

[Contours]

I'm attempting to implement the Countrywide Horizontal Navbar with these changes:

Font: Trebuchet >> Arial 16
Font color: white for both layers
Navbar width: 600 pixels
No gradient on Mouse Off buttons
Button width according to text (so they're spread out across the 600 pixels

I have now failed so many times that I've lost count. I've been following "Ungrouping, editing and regrouping" ... and, indeed, I can Ungroup for Editing, change something like the font, and then immediately regroup as a NavBar (Create Navbar). But, invariably, one of my edits—or some combination—derails the whole process and Xara refuses to save my result as a Navbar (with a fairly non-descript message).

Can someone please list the steps in carrying out the above changes, with the points at which the Apply Soft Group and the Create Navigation Bar operations should be used? The attachment shows my starting point, immediately after the first Ungroup for Editing. I'm running Pro X9 on Win7 Pro.

Thanks in advance for any help.

[Acorn]

I'm attempting to implement the Countrywide Horizontal Navbar with these changes:

Font: Trebuchet >> Arial 16
Font color: white for both layers
Navbar width: 600 pixels
No gradient on Mouse Off buttons
Button width according to text (so they're spread out across the 600 pixels

I have now failed so many times that I've lost count. I've been following "Ungrouping, editing and regrouping" ... and, indeed, I can Ungroup for Editing, change something like the font, and then immediately regroup as a NavBar (Create Navbar). But, invariably, one of my edits—or some combination—derails the whole process and Xara refuses to save my result as a Navbar (with a fairly non-descript message).

Can someone please list the steps in carrying out the above changes, with the points at which the Apply Soft Group and the Create Navigation Bar operations should be used? The attachment shows my starting point, immediately after the first Ungroup for Editing. I'm running Pro X9 on Win7 Pro.

Thanks in advance for any help.

There doesn't seem to be a "countrywide" or countryside website template in v15. "country" just returns Landscapes or Matrice.

You need to be editing a Web document.

Hit the "ungroup to edit graphics" button.

Unless you have different end buttons, delete them all but one.

Generally, to edit Navbars, you must have the MouseOff and MouseOver layers visible (and MouseDown, if used).

I used the Page & Layer gallery and Solo mode with Ctrl+Select to isolate the object or text I want to change.
You need to select text on both layers.

You need to ensure you use the Colour Editor for themed colour changes.

The rest should be straightforward.
No need to remove soft-groups, just select the entire button and NavBar it.

If you understand the above, you will then see that making your own NavBar is easier and quicker than changing Xara's.

To have rounded corners, clone what you have made before NavBarring it, make the change and butt together then Navbar the set, picking First, Last or both different.

Acorn

[Contours]

Thank you for the detailed response. Yes, the Navbar is Countryside ... one of the several included in Pro X9. I selected it because of the rectangular button.

I followed your suggested steps, but the following fails when I try to form a Navbar from the single, edited button:

just select the entire button and NavBar it.

I'm testing on a 960-wide web page with nothing else on it ... just the navbar I dragged from the Gallery. I deleted the rightmost two buttons and then used Ctrl to select the text on both layers and edit it. All that worked as I would expect. But there is no Navbar option when I lasso the remaining elements.

I've worked with navbars on a couple of websites that I started from templates, but have only edited the text in the Navbar definition panel. This is the first time I've tried to disassemble one.

[Acorn]

As I don't have that template theme, can you upload the NavBar form the them on a page as as a XAR / WEB fie and I will try and deconstruct and reassemble it with steps for you.

Acorn

[gwpriester]

Both layers need to be visible, and your button states need to be individually grouped and on two layers. You can marquee select and Arrange > Apply Soft Group but I don't think this effects the ability to create a nav bar. But if the button shape and text and not grouped this will cause problems. Or if you have more than one button on the same layer.

[Contours]

@Acorn: I've attached an xar with an unedited copy of the navbar ... plus a summary of things I've been able to do.

As I explained, above, I'd like to be able to open the bar for editing and make all the changes in one series of steps.

Thanks for taking a look.

Countryside.xar

[gwpriester]

OK I know I am not Acorn, but it is Christmas and all.

You do not need to ungroup for what you are trying to do.

Ctrl click on the Home button. Click the Nav Bar Properties button.

In the Nav Bar Properties menu uncheck Adjust Button Widths.

Ctrl + click on the Home button and make your changes. Isolate both MouseOff then isolate MouseOver layers (the S icon) and make your changes to both Home button states.

Double click on the Nav Bar again and check Adjust Button Widths and if you want All Buttons Same Width.

[Contours]

@gwpriester: sorry ... no slight intended by my @acorn response.

Indeed, the method you spelled out does work ... although I did feel like I was in a house-of-mirrors fun house at a couple of points. I've attached a mid-point result and my final result in case anyone wants to follow along. The fun part is when you've isolated the left button, any change magically isolates the other buttons, but only for that layer ... so the two layers have to be edited separately ... but not every button. (It's too bad Xara couldn't have an option for propagating the edits to the other layer, since everything is linked.)

These technicalities, aside, thanks for the Christmas present. It resolves the issues I've been struggling with. And, BTW, setting the total bar length is done by calculating what one button width should be ... in my case, 200 pixels.

[gwpriester]

*<|:-)>

[Acorn]

Crimble got in the way.

Anyhow, this is how I manipulate Xara NavBars, if I ever want to use them; they are so clunky, I use CSS3 instead almost every time.

NavBar Manipulations.xar

Enjoy,
Acorn