How do I stretch a photo? Driving me crazy

**ss-kalm** · 23 May 2018, 12:22 PM

Except ... It doesn't appear to work. Using ALT resizes the frame, but doesn't stretch the photograph. Unless I'm really missing something. I don't consider myself stupid, but whatever they have done is COMPLETELY unintuitive, and the as far as I'm concerned XARA has always been reasonably intuitive.

And since there are no release notes that say what's been done or changed, it's hard to work out.

HORRIBLE ...

Why can't it revert to it's previous behaviour.

Please someone, tell me I'm missing something!

**browj2** · 23 May 2018, 05:35 PM

Hi Keith,

You and everyone else, myself included, who has complained about not being able to squash a photo will be pleased to know that the Alt key now works. Thanks for putting in the link. I couldn't remember what the trick was supposed to be, and I didn't notice anything obvious about how to find this out.

There was a message containing more information on what was supposed to be in this new release. Can someone please point me there?

Thanks,

**ss-kalm** · 23 May 2018, 06:16 PM

Ahh ... The trick was to switch to the NORMAL handles. Obviously ... Didn't think about changing the handles.

**webmaster** · 23 May 2018, 06:40 PM

Originally Posted by browj2

Hi Keith,

You and everyone else, myself included, who has complained about not being able to squash a photo will be pleased to know that the Alt key now works. Thanks for putting in the link. I couldn't remember what the trick was supposed to be, and I didn't notice anything obvious about how to find this out.

There was a message containing more information on what was supposed to be in this new release. Can someone please point me there?

Thanks,

John I've just made a post with more info, including links to the Release Notes, here.

**Promidi** · 24 May 2018, 12:47 AM

Originally Posted by ss-kalm

Why can't it revert to it's previous behaviour.

On my system, with the Xara 15.1 update, I do not have to hold ALT to stretch a photo in one direction. However, If I hold ALT then I get the version 15.0 behaviour of changing the crop size.

**gwpriester** · 24 May 2018, 12:54 AM

There is a way to turn all this stretching confusion off. Right click on the Lock Aspect Ratio (the lock icon) and uncheck [ ] Smart Transform.

You can always turn it back on.

Very old time user that I am, I prefer this feature OFF.

**Egg Bramhill** · 24 May 2018, 01:33 AM

Ditto here and from your poll 98% of other users.

**ss-kalm** · 24 May 2018, 02:06 AM

Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you.

Gary you are a GOD ... I am a very happy camper!

Now the $64,000 question ... Could we have done that all along? That's all I really wanted. But ONCE AGAIN, very unintuitive ... I would never have thought of right clicking that lock ... Am I alone in that?

**Neptune** · 24 May 2018, 04:03 AM

Thank you, thank you, thank you! I was in a panic! Every time I upgrade Xara, I suddenly can't do some function or other that I always need to do. It's still there - it's just hidden somewhere unexpected. As usual, Gary Priester saves the day. Thank you, thank you, thank you!