Drawing an box with a 2 pt line no fill

[bwood]

After years of looking after a number of websites I’ve finally had time to delve into the drawing portion of Xara. It’s why I love the program so much. With some spare time you can work on another layer.

Question. Is there a fast way to draw an unfilled square, with a 2 point line. I’ve been drawing a filled square with a 2 point line, then checking unfilled. Also using the straight line tool drawing 4 sides, then grouping.

Thanks all. Enjoy your weekend.
-Bill

[Boy]

It just requires a setting:

[Acorn]

Prep up one such shape off-page.
Copy it then select the current shape and Paste Attributes (Shift+Ctrl+A).
Repeat and re-use.

Acorn

[Boy]

That's doing things twice, Acorn.

[handrawn]

true, but then setting the program to gnomra can cause extra work too if you don't want attributes reset on the hoof

[Boy]

One click.

[Acorn]

One click.

Pedant speaking...

Boy, your approach requires a setting reached by two keypresses, Utilities + Options, then a third to set the attribute choice and finally one to apply it.
Oh, you've also got to create the box (as Bill indicated).
So what you did was nugatory as the box has already been created.

It is fine for new boxes thereafter.
This requires a click, drag and a release.

Mine creates the same Bill box.
I then have two clicks for a Copy, same three for a new box, and a further three for Paste Attributes.
Selecting existing boxes is one click and three to Paste Attributes.

You have no solution for existing boxes or for a change of Fill or Line width other than creating a new box and making changes.

I therefore argue that you could set up a small collection of box Fills and Line widths and use these interchangeably in a more fluid manner.

Bill's original method is fine box by box but you are mousing top to bottom to achieve it.

I personally use previous attributes set as my default and paste attributes from existing shapes or set up a colllection.
It depends how organised you are.

Acorn

[handrawn]

One click.

to be honest I don't give a hoot about an extra click in itself - what I care about is a workflow that I do not have to stop and think about

in this way the tortoise beats the hare

[gwpriester]

1. Draw a hexagon with the Quick Shape Tool
2. Using the Shape Tool, add a line bottom left (shown in magenta)
   Click twice on the line to enter Rotate Skew mode. Drag the rotation point to the bottom. Rotate to perpendicular.
3. Click twice on the new line, make a duplicate, drag the center of rotation point to the top of the line, rotate to top right.
4. Duplicate and flop new line to the left.

[Acorn]

1. Draw a hexagon with the Quick Shape Tool
2. Using the Shape Tool, add a line bottom left (shown in magenta)
   Click twice on the line to enter Rotate Skew mode. Drag the rotation point to the bottom. Rotate to perpendicular.
3. Click twice on the new line, make a duplicate, drag the center of rotation point to the top of the line, rotate to top right.
4. Duplicate and flop new line to the left.

Gary, Bill described his ask as a square not a cube.

I have always built my cubes with three sides.
I create a QuickShape triangle (equilateral), clone, but together and join shapes.
Another two clones and rotating 60degs and setting them in place.

The advantage is the three sides can be independently coloured.

Acorn