Resizing images

[Acorn]

I've tried many times unchecking "Smart Transformations" and/or holding down the Alt key and neither can be depended on working reliably or at all. In my opinion, and I've been using Xara since Corel, this has to be the stupidest thing Xara designers have done. I've NEVER had to resize the way the program is now defaulting. When I want to resize, I want to change a dimension one way or another, NEVER to include unwanted stuff that existed in whatever original that I very purposely cut out of the figure I'm using. I apologize to those users for whom this change works, but I think it's junk!

How can I get rid of this stupid change? (And don't suggest unclicking "Smart Transformations" or holding down the Alt key, as neither works.)

I think your frustrations are arising as you have not realised the results change whether you are using the Selector Tool or the Photo Tool and the Smart transform setting does have a part in this.

Smart transform was a numpty decision by Xara! Pure and simple. It assumed the user of its products never wanted to stretch or shrink text or images and that keeping the aspect ratio was paramount.
Dragging any control about simply ensures the image is contained within the boundaries of the box. When you went large the image scaled up and at all times the centre of the image aligns with the centre of it resized box.
Now I assume that you realise what you have is a Clipped Photo and as such you can Unclip it to recover the full image and even switch to the Fill tool and rotate, scale and translate it as you choose. To change the axes alignment, you hold down the Shift key.

First thing you need to do is use the Selector Tool and drag a middle handle. If the image scales or crops and keeps its aspect ration then you have Smart transform enabled.
You bypass this by holding down the Alt key first then selecting a handle.
As you are not one of Xara's miscalculated demographic, I strongly suggest you untick Smart transform and forget about it hereafter.

The second point to accept is when you switch to the Photo Tool, your dragging of a middle control will act as if Smart transform is selected.
So you are back with a cover or contain action.

Your need is effectively a fill action so use the Selector Tool.
If using the Photo Tool, you will need to Alt hold and then drag.

Acorn

[charliescoffee]

. . . I strongly suggest you untick Smart transform and forget about it hereafter.

The second point to accept is when you switch to the Photo Tool, your dragging of a middle control will act as if Smart transform is selected.
So you are back with a cover or contain action.

Your need is effectively a fill action so use the Selector Tool.
If using the Photo Tool, you will need to Alt hold and then drag.

Acorn

Acorn, perhaps you missed part of my messages - I unclicked SM and held the Alt key and used the selector tool; and/or I unclicked SM, saved and held the Alt key using selector tool; and/or I unclicked SM, saved as a template and held the Alt key again using the selector tool - it doesn't make any difference, when I try to resize by pulling on a handle the image opens up, it doesn't stretch. Believe me, I've spent hours trying to make this work, trying every option I could come up with, still the only way I can reliably get the image to simply stretch is to resize the targeted dimension by entering the new dimension numerically in the selector tool. The problem with this is not only does it require several more steps but I frequently don't know what my desired dimension will be, I'm just trying to fill the space. Perhaps my Xara is just broken, but if you look at the attachment you'll see that SM is unclicked, I did this, saved as a template, reopened a blank document, added the image, checked to be sure SM was unclicked, held the Alt key and pulled on a handle and you can see that the image didn't stretch, it uncovered part of the image from which I'd previously clipped the image I'm trying to work with. BTW, I've also tried various combinations with the aspect ratio also unclicked, still the image doesn't stretch the way I want it to. I also don't understand why folks keep offering that I should simply unclick SM and hold the Alt key and it will work because it doesn't! Whether I saved the document, saved it as a template, saved it as a template closed and reopened, etc. etc. Believe me, I'm not trying to be difficult or be a pest, I'm just trying to get an image to do no more than stretch in a dimension to fill a space without adding whatever might be in the original image from which I've clipped the one I'm working with.

[handrawn]

ok

I think you need :

smart transform off, and dont use alt key

OR

smart transform on, and use alt key

AND do this in the select tool only

forget about templates and also aspect ratio which is not involved in stretching, only in resizing when dragging from the corners

[Acorn]

I didn't miss what you said, I was trying to offer a complete answer and the point I was making it is easy to think you've held down the Alt key before dragging but I still get out of sequence.

Selector Tool:

• (ST Off &) middle drag --> Stretch a.k.a. Fill
• (ST On &) LeftAlt down + middle drag --> Stretch

• (ST On &) middle drag --> Grow a.k.a. Cover or Contain
• (ST Off &) LeftAlt down + middle drag --> Grow

My personal preference in bold.

I tried these on you XAR file and all work as I offer here.

Acorn

[Daniel]

In case everyone is talking at cross purposes, I recorded a video with the bitmap being stretched without ALT being held down with and then without Smart Transform being on, then with ALT being held down with Smart Transform off, and then finally without it.

See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvsAbKcOuQg - charliescoffee are you not seeing the same thing?

Are you sure that the ALT key on your keyboard works? (you can test it on a site like this one)

This is on a fresh install of Xara Designer Pro+ on a brand new PC, with the "new style" blob handles still enabled. I'd normally turn them off (but even with them off, the behaviour is the same)

[charliescoffee]

I'm sorry, I'm not trying to be difficult but it seems that one of us isn't understanding the other, and believe me, I'm not trying to be difficult or disrespectful. TalkGraphics contributors keep suggesting that I unclick SM but that doesn't work. I've revised the attachment to better explain what I'm looking for vs. what I'm getting.

[handrawn]

did you read my last post ?