Xara Webster Movies - The Basics

AVI Format (3900K) EXE Format (1800K)

Selector Tool Handles (48 seconds)
AVI Format (435K) EXE Format (155K)
The handles around selected objects can be used to either scale or rotate/skew. This movie shows:

1. Scaling the selected object (the yellow rectangle) in one direction using the center handles
2. Scaling in two directions using a side handle
3. After selecting "Lock Aspect Ratio") scaling in two directions but retaining the same proportions
4. Clicking the "Show Rotation Handles" button to change to rotate/skew handles
5. Rotating the yellow rectangle by dragging a corner (Rotate) handle
6. Skewing vertically and horizontally by dragging the side (Skew) handles

Selector Tool Infobar (45 seconds)
AVI Format (195K) EXE Format (105K)
This movie shows the controls on the Selector Tool Infobar.

1. Moving the selected object (the yellow rectangle) using the X-Y nudge buttons and text boxes,
2. scaling using the width and height and scaling text boxes,
3. (after deselecting "Lock Aspect Ratio") scaling the width and height independently,
4. skewing (shown in more detail in the skewing movie),
5. rotating (shown in more detail in the rotating movie).

Sliding the Drawing (8 seconds)
AVI Format (195K) EXE Format (110K)
This movie shows the Push Tool being used to drag the drawing around in the window.

Zooming In and Out (28 seconds)
AVI Format (185K) EXE Format (110K)
This movie shows options on the Zoom Tool Infobar. The drawing contains two objects. One object (the red text) is selected; the blue text is not. The movie shows:

1. Dragging the mouse to create a selection marquee. Releasing the mouse zooms in on objects within the marquee.
2. Clicking the Previous Zoom button returns to the previous view.
3. Zoom to Drawing lets you see all the objects.
4. Zoom to Page lets you see the entire work area.
5. Zoom to selection zooms in on the selected object or objects.

Scaling Objects (40 seconds)
AVI Format (230K) EXE Format (100K)
This movie shows:

1. Selecting Lock Aspect Ratio; this ensure that scaling doesn't change the width:height ratio.
2. Scaling the yellow rectangle by dragging a corner handle. Notice the pointer shape.
3. Scaling by typing into one of the text boxes. With Lock Aspect Ratio selected you can type into either text box.
4. Deselecting Lock Aspect Ratio. You can now scale the width and height independently.
5. Scaling by dragging a corner handle. Notice the different shape of the pointer.
6. Changing the height of the rectangle by typing into the Height edit box.

Rotating Objects (14 seconds)
AVI Format (100K) EXE Format (85K)
This movie shows rotating an object by firstly typing into the text box on the Selector Tool Infobar. Secondly it shows dragging the Rotate handles at the corners of the object. Notice that a dotted outline of the object follows the mouse during the drag. You can quickly see when you have the required rotation. Objects rotate around the Transformation Center. This is shown in a separate movie. The handles.exe movie shows the types and uses of the different handles around selected objects.

For more details, see Rotating Objects

Skewing Objects (26 seconds)
AVI Format (180K) EXE Format (105K)
This movie shows using the text box on the Text Tool Infobar to skew by 80° then -80° to return to the original shape. Secondly it shows using the side handles to skew the object vertically and horizontally. Objects skew around the Transformation Center. This is shown in a separate movie. The handles.exe movie shows the types and uses of the different handles around the selected objects.

For more details, see Skewing Objects

Flipping Objects (15 seconds)
AVI Format (125K) EXE Format (85K)
The flip buttons on the Selector Tool Infobar provide a quick way of mirroring objects. The movie first shows vertically flipping the two selected objects then horizontally flipping. Objects flip around the Transformation Center. This is shown in a separate movie.

Dropping Copies of Objects with the Mouse (26 seconds with soundtrack)
AVI Format (1400K) EXE Format (620K)
This movie shows you how to drop copies of objects as you move, rotate, skew and scale them

Duplicating and Cloning Objects (20 seconds with soundtrack)
AVI Format (1000K)
This movie shows you how to duplicate and clone objects.

The Transformation Center (27 seconds)
AVI Format (265K) EXE Format (135K)
Objects rotate, flip or skew around the Transformation Center. This movie shows how to move the Transformation Center. The movie shows rotating an object; skewing and flipping are similar. The movie shows:

1. rotating around the usual position of the Transformation Center which is the center of the selection,
2. then clicking on the "Set Origin Position" buttons to move the Transformation Center to the bottom center,
3. rotating the object to show the effect of moving the Transformation Center,
4. the effect of moving the Transformation Center to the bottom left corner,
5. the effect of moving it to the top center.

Aligning Objects (33 seconds with soundtrack)
AVI Format (1100K) EXE Format (600K)
This movie shows how to use the Alignment dialog box to align and distribute objects.

Grouping & Ungrouping Objects (30 seconds with soundtrack)
AVI Format (1250K) EXE Format (660K)
This movie shows how to use the Group and Ungroup options on the Arrange menu.

Quality Settings (22 seconds)
AVI Format (295K) EXE Format (140K)
The Quality options let you view the drawing in more or less detail. This movie shows the effect of selecting different options on (top) a five-stage blend, (center) some text, (bottom left) a rectangle with a thick outline and a four-color fill, (bottom right) a rectangle with a fractal bitmap fill:

1. Initially the movie shows the highest quality (anti-aliased).
2. You can select the main quality settings from a menu - the movie shows selecting outline mode.
3. For greater control you can use the "Set View Quality" slider - the movie shows the effect of selecting several different steps.

For more details, see Display Quality

Changing Line Thickness (19 seconds)
AVI Format (130K) EXE Format (95K)
This movie shows changing the width of lines (including the line around the outside of objects). You can either select from the drop-down list or type into the text box. The second part of the movie shows that scaling objects also scales line widths. Scaling the objects to 65% reduces the line widths from 8pt to 5.18pt. The lines appear slightly ragged - this is caused by the movie-making program. In both Xara Webster and CorelXARA lines are anti-aliased and smooth.

Moving Objects Forwards & Backwards (26 seconds)
AVI Format (490K) EXE Format (140K)
This movie shows how to alter the stacking order of objects. The pale blue rectangle is the selected object.

1. Bring to Front moves the light blue rectangle in front of the red rectangles
2. Put to Back moves it behind the red rectangles
3. Move Forwards moves it forwards step-by-step through the stack of red rectangles
4. Similarly Move backwards moves it towards the back of the stack

Assigning Web Addresses (25 seconds)
AVI Format (490K) EXE Format (140K)
This movie shows using Web Address on the Utilities menu. Ireland (colored yellow) already has a web address associated with it and this is displayed in the dialog box. Britain (colored red) is then selected. This doesn't have a web address assigned and so the dialog box is empty. Typing in an address and clicking Apply assigns a web address to Britain.

For more details, see Web Addresses

Grid Snapping (24 seconds)
AVI Format (345K) EXE Format (120K)
This movie shows you how grid snapping works in Xara Webster. To make the grid points more obvious, the movie shows a red circle around each point. Grid display and Grid snapping are controlled by menu options on the Window menu shown at the start of the movie. As the rectangle is moved to right, the leading (right-hand) edge of the rectangle snaps to the nearest grid point. Similarly when going to the left, the left-hand edge snaps. Lastly the movie shows that grid snapping also applies when scaling the rectangle.