Xara Photo & Graphic Designer 19 Quirks

[handrawn]

arrange menu convert to editable shapes or it's assigned keystroke

or

using the text in one of the combine operations [add, subtract, intersect, slice, intersect all]

are the two that I am aware of, there may be others

note the above two will be the case whether you apply directly to the text, or apply to a group that includes the text, but as far as I remember this is no different than it was before

and neither of these senarios explain why you would see

"What type of text do you want to add?" Auto fit inside, fixed inside, on top. I don't want to add text,

that does indicate that somewhere in the process 'text inside' is invoked

[Egg Bramhill]

Ohioandy, could you attach a ewb/xar file showing this behaviour?

[ohioandy]

Here is a fun hobby file that I was working on. Some of the text remains editable and other text boxes were converted to shapes. Still not sure why.

The only thing I did was (1) copy the template from one photo/object and (2) paste it so that I could change the photo and text info.

I did not overtly change any of the text to shapes and did not add any "text inside" as I did not even know that feature existed (just upgraded from v.10).


I really appreciate you all helping me out with this.

[Acorn]

Here is a fun hobby file that I was working on. Some of the text remains editable and other text boxes were converted to shapes. Still not sure why.
The only thing I did was (1) copy the template from one photo/object and (2) paste it so that I could change the photo and text info.
I did not overtly change any of the text to shapes and did not add any "text inside" as I did not even know that feature existed (just upgraded from v.10).
I really appreciate you all helping me out with this.

Thank you for the design file.

At some stage, you have selected the text area(s) and pressed Ctrl+1. This converts text to shapes, grouped twice.
It is endemic so I think you did it once in error when all the text, save bottom right was selected.

If I may suggest, you need to design using layers: Card, Photo, Logo, Name.
When you have finished one layer, lock it.
Far easier to control.

You have a number of Live Effects.
It is possible you selected more than the picture when applying it.

I couldn't even describe how you built up the Rookie stamp.
It should just be a text column with a White Wall Shadow grouped with the Shape.

In itself, how you built it does not matter, it is the number of steps and possible errors that can creep in.

Sorry it is not a full analysis, just a number of guesses where i too have made similar mistakes.

Acorn

[handrawn]

At some stage, you have selected the text area(s) and pressed Ctrl+1. This converts text to shapes, grouped twice

I thought it would be something like that [well I would say that wouldn't I ]

Ctrl+1 being the shortcut for add one of the combine functions I mentioned earlier

not a full analysis, just a number of guesses where i too have made similar mistakes

we all have started projects that just grew a life of their own no matter how carefully we planned them out...

[ohioandy]

Thank you so much for your time, recommendations, insights, and careful analysis. You all have been really helpful and I appreciate it. I will try to be even more intentional with my actions in the future and hopefully have better results.

re: Acorn

A couple of P.S. Notes

1. I definitely hear you in regards to working in layers. I'm a self-taught graphic designer so I just never really used layers. Instead, I have primarily used: move to front, back, etc. I agree with your point, though, and know that it would be helpful to use the layer feature more often.

2. I created the Rookie stamp pretty much how you described. It is text, with the white walled shadow, grouped with the shape, then I added a blurred shadow to the background.

Thanks again!