Xara 3D - 6.0 User Manual

Welcome to Xara3D. Xara3D is designed solely to create the highest quality 3D text and graphics, such

Getting started

These pages help you when you first install Xara3D.

The basics The design types Purchasing Xara3D What's new in version 6 Resources on the CD License terms

New design types

It's not just buttons anymore. Find out how one design now has many different results.

How do I...? Use these pages if you want to find out how to do something in Xara3D.

What does this do?

Use these pages to find out more about the menu options or the dialog boxes

Other information

Using Xara3D

Learn how to get the best out of Xara3D's interface, with information on moving toolbars and docking windows. More

information

Help font size

If you find the text in this guide too small, you can alter it by holding the Ctrl key and moving your mouse wheel up and down. Please note: this will also change your Internet Explorer font sizes, so you may have to do the same thing when using IE to change the font size back to normal.

as logos, titles, headings and buttons. All images are fully anti-aliased for that smooth, professional quality, making them ideal for web pages and presentations. Xara3D can also create high quality animated GIFs, AVIs and simple Flash movie sequences in seconds, and any animation can even be saved as a screensaver!

An introduction to Xara3D

Before you read this help guide, we highly recommend viewing the Xara3D introduction movie. It is the ideal way to get to know Xara3D and get an overview of its features, allowing you to make the most of the program. Information on how to view the movie .

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Customizing Xara3D Keyboard short cuts Hidden and advanced options Technical support

xara.com

All trademarks acknowledged. Xara, Xara X, Xara Webster, Menu Maker and Xara3D are trademarks of Xara Group Ltd. Flash is a trademark of Macromedia Inc. Adobe and Photoshop are either trademarks or registered trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated Frankfurter Venetian, Geotype, Greek Diner, Haxton, Russel Write, Steppes, Whimsy, Bouton International and Huxley Titling kindly provided by Gary David Bouton, see www.theboutons.com . Other fonts are from a collection created by Fontbank Inc., which can be purchased from our web site

www.buyfonts.com

Many of the WMF symbols on the CD are letters from EFF fonts—Creatures, Chess, Symphony, Picturesque, Birdie and ArrowPi - which are some of the variety of quality fonts from the EFF range which can be purchased from our web site www.buyfonts.com Other WMF symbols are courtesy of James Parry or come from the Publish Art CD produced by Ekits. Details about this graphical resource can be found at: ekitsonline.com or from jim@ekitsonline.com Still more WMF symbols were produced from Gary David Bouton's symbolic fonts Geotype, Haxton and Sympols. GeoType and Haxton are included on this CD, Sympols can be downloaded from Gary's site www.theboutons.com Last updated February 18 2005–9.32

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What's new in version 6

Xara3D 6 is our quickest, easiest and most useful Xara3D yet. Here's why.

New design types

Xara3D 5's automatic 3D button maker proved very popular, so we've taken the same concept to offer other one-click transformations—enormously increasing the type of graphics you can create.

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Borders. Adds a customizable border around your heading, giving it instant added impact.

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Boards. Sits your heading on a solid customizable board, so the image appears to emerge from a

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solid background.

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Boards and holes. The reverse of boards—gives an impression of a cut-out image.

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There are also two new bevel types from which to choose.

New easier-to-use look and feel

The new UI brings Xara3D right up to date and makes it significantly quicker and easier to use, including:

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A new, modern look and feel.

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Convenient and time saving docking windows and toolbars

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New context sensitive menus, all fully customizable.

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More interactive tools

Current Xara3D users will know how easy it is to move objects and change shadows in Xara3D just by clicking and dragging. We've now applied the same ease of use to extrusion, bevel depth and moving text on a design—simply drag on the image, and see the result instantly! It's far more intuitive, and a real time saver—great for experimentation.

Greater control over movie export

You can now select to save a 3D animation in any AVI format. So, for example if you have the correct codec installed you can create DivX or MPEG4 movies of your favorite 3D animations, and you can control the compression and other settings for each movie type.

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Compatible with Xara X¹

Thanks to cut and paste compatibility with Xara X¹ (or later) you can now paste shapes from Xara X¹ into Xara3D 6, extrude and edit in Xara3D, then paste your 3D designs back into Xara X¹ as bitmaps.

Easier than ever to use

Xara3D has always been popular due to its ease of use. With the totally new interface, new easier to use help guide, and many other small enhancements (many requested by existing owners of Xara3D) we're confident that this is our easiest to use Xara3D yet!

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Purchasing Xara3D

This page applies if you are running the time-limited trial version of Xara3D. This version of the software displays a background message, which you cannot change. (With the full version you can use any color or bitmap as a background.) When you start up Xara3D a screen will appear reminding you that you are running the trial version—click Buy Xara3D now on that dialog box. This lets you purchase Xara3D using a fully secure transaction process, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We also have resellers around the world who offer local sales and support - for a current list see

xara.com/ordering/world.asp

As soon as you purchase Xara3D, you can download and install a full (unlocked) version. We also automatically mail you a CD, which contains a full version of the program. Please make sure you enter your correct address when purchasing Xara3D. You should receive the CD within 28 days.

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Resources on the CD version

If you ordered Xara3D from Xara a CD will be mailed to you . The CD contains a copy of Xara3D and extra examples, textures, and fonts.

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Example 3D graphics

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Example 2D graphics

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Textures

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Fonts: over 60 in total.

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Support

We highly recommend viewing the Xara3D introduction movie. It is the ideal way to get to know Xara3D and get an overview of its features, allowing you to make the most of the program. Information

on how to view the movie

. Our support site which offers comprehensive FAQs, constantly updated and available 24 hours, is often the best source for instant answers. You can also contact our technical support staff from here. The site can be found at xara.com/support/xara3D There is also a Xara3D forum at TalkGraphics.com , allowing you to discuss the program with other users.

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License terms

IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Xara3D software ("Software") is the copyright of Xara Group Limited ("Xara") whose principal place of business is at Gaddesden Place, Hemel Hempstead, Herts, HP2 6EX, United Kingdom and may not be stored on any computer or copied without the license of Xara. You are offered a license on the terms of the End User License Agreement ("EULA") set out below. If you accept the terms of the License Agreement, select "Yes". Selecting I ACCEPT and installing the Software constitutes acceptance of the terms of the EULA. Please read carefully and accept the terms and conditions of the EULA before installing the Software. Do not install the Software if you do not agree to the terms and conditions of the EULA. If you do not accept these terms and you have purchased the Software you may within 14 days of purchase return the CD-ROM containing the Software, unused and intact or in the case of a download a Letter of Destruction to your supplier together with proof of purchase for a full refund. XARA3D END USER LICENSE AGREEMENT ("EULA") You are permitted to: (1) load or download the Software and use it only on a single client computer which is under your personal control; (2) transfer the Software from one computer to another provided it is used on only one computer at any one time; (3) make one copy of the Software for back-up purposes only in support of the permitted use. The copies must reproduce and include Xara’s copyright notices; (4) transfer the Software (complete with all its associated documentation) and this license to another person provided he has agreed to accept the terms of this Agreement and you contemporaneously transfer all copies of the Software you have made to that person or destroy all copies not transferred. If any transferee does not accept such terms then this license shall automatically terminate. The transferor does not retain any rights under this Agreement in respect of the transferred Software or license. You are not permitted: (a) to use the Software on any computer or system which permits electronic access to it by more than one user; (b) to rent, lease, sub-license, loan, copy (except as expressly provided in this Agreement), modify adapt, merge, translate, reverse engineer, decompile, disassemble or create derivative works based on the whole or any part of the Software or its associated documentation except as permitted by law; (c) except as expressly provided in this Agreement, to use, reproduce or deal in the Software in any way. TERM The license is effective until you terminate it by destroying the Software and its documentation together with all copies. It will also terminate if you fail to abide by this Agreement. Upon termination you agree to destroy all copies of the Software and its documentation including any Software stored on the hard disk of any computer under your control. If you are using the trial version of the Software then any rights to use the Software or images created with it terminates with the expiration of the trial period. OWNERSHIP You own only any CD-ROM (or authorized replacement) upon which the Software was supplied where it was not downloaded. You may retain such CD-ROM on termination provided the Software has been erased. Xara shall at all times retain ownership of the Software as recorded on the original CD-ROM and all subsequent copies thereof regardless of form. This Agreement applies to the grant of the license only and not to the contract of sale of the CD-ROM. RESTRICTIONS This license gives you the right to use images created with this Software with the following limitations:

1. The textures and fonts cannot be redistributed, sold or published in any form, commercial or

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otherwise.

2. Some fonts are provided by third parties who retain the copyright. In all cases copyright is reserved by Xara or its licensors and is protected by international copyright law.

3. You may not use the images for any purpose which is prohibited by law. WARRANTIES AND REMEDIES 1 Xara warrants that the storage media on which the Software may have been supplied will be free from defects in materials and workmanship under normal use for a period of 90 days after the date of original purchase. If a defect in any CD occurs during such period you may return it with proof of purchase to your supplier who will replace it free of charge. 2 Xara warrants that the Software will perform substantially in accordance with its accompanying documentation (provided that the Software is properly used on the computer and with the operating system for which it was designed) and that the documentation correctly describes the operation of the Software in all material respects. If Xara is notified of any significant error in the Software during the period of 90 days after the date of original purchase it will correct any such error within a reasonable time (by replacement if it chooses) or, at its option, refund the price of the Software (against return of the Software and its documentation). 3 The warranties set out in paragraphs 1 and 2 above are your sole warranties and are in place of all warranties conditions or other terms expressed or implied by statute or otherwise, all of which are hereby excluded to the fullest extent permitted by law. Paragraphs 1 and 2 also set out your sole remedies for any breach of Xara’s warranties 4 In particular Xara does not warrant that the Software will meet your requirements or that the operation of the Software will be uninterrupted or error free or that all errors in the Software can be corrected. You load and use the Software at your own risk and in no event will Xara be liable to you for any loss or damage of any kind (except personal injury or death resulting from Xara’s negligence) including lost profits or any indirect or consequential loss arising from the use of or inability to use the Software or from errors or deficiencies in it whether caused by negligence or otherwise, except as expressly provided in this Agreement. CONSUMERS Nothing in this Agreement shall affect your statutory rights as a consumer . LAW This Agreement shall be governed by English law. If you have any questions concerning this Agreement please write to Xara Group Limited, Gaddesden Place, Hemel Hempstead, Herts, HP2 6EX, United Kingdom. The bundled fonts and textures cannot be redistributed, sold or published in any form, commercial or otherwise. Haxton Logos, Geotype, Greek Diner, Russel Write, Bouton International, Huxley Titling and Whimsy fonts are provided by kind permission of Gary Bouton and remain © Gary Bouton, see

www.theboutons.com/

. In all cases copyright is reserved by Xara or its licensors and is protected by international copyright law.

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Getting started

We highly recommend viewing the Xara3D introduction movie. It is the ideal way to get to know Xara3D and get an overview of its features, allowing you to make the most of the program. Information

on how to view the movie

. To create a 3D heading is easy:

Start typing to enter the text you want. You can delete existing text using backspace.

Select the font for the heading.

Change the bevel and extrude

if you wish.

Drag the text to get the angle you want.

Change the color

of the text or background.

Resize the Xara3D window to set the size of the text.

Select

export bitmap on the file menu to save the heading as a BMP, PNG, GIF, JPEG, Flash SWF,

ICO (icon) or CUR (cursor).

Want an animated heading? Simple. After step 4 change the animation options. You can preview the animation by clicking the start animation button. Then in step 7, select export animation on the file menu to save as an AVI movie or Animated GIF, Flash SWF or ANI cursor.

Want to change the lighting angles or colors? Simple. Click the light bulb button. This displays the three lights that color the text (and a special striped light that creates the shadow). Drag the lights to change the angles or double-click on a light to display the color picker.

Want to copy styles from an existing Xara3D heading? You can import the settings (lighting, colors, and so on) from any existing X3D file by using import style on the file menu. Or you can import animation settings from an X3D file by using import animation, also on the file menu.

Want to import your own 2D graphic? You can import Windows metafiles (EMF or WMF) or Xara XAR/WEB files. Then you can convert them to extruded 3D graphics. More details .

Detailed information on using Xara3D

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How do I...?

Use these pages if you want to find out how to do something in Xara3D.

The basics

Text & 2D objects

positioning & rotating changing the size changing the wording changing text spacing changing the font changing the color changing the bevel (edges) changing the 3D extrude (depth) changing the effects applied to selected characters changing the lighting creating hollow text shiny & matt surfaces selecting text typing international (accented) characters importing styles from an existing heading importing animation settings from an existing heading importing 2D objects creating 3D buttons, boards and border designs

Colors

changing the text color changing the background color changing the colors of the lights changing the shadow color changing the texture color (tint)

Shadows

moving the shadow creating and deleting shadows changing the shadow color changing the shadow style/type changing the shadow transparency changing the shadow blur shadows and backgrounds

Textures

and text and the background changing the texture color (tint)

The lights

changing their color changing their position

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Buttons, boards and borders

creating buttons, boards and border designs moving the text on a design making the designs wider or narrower changing the curvature of the corners changing the size of buttons

Animation

creating an animation/movie creating a multipage animation step animation previewing an AVI movie importing animation settings from an existing heading the Time Line

Saving

saving for reloading later saving a graphic saving screensavers creating an animation/movie previewing an AVI movie

Correcting mistakes

Undo & Redo

Customizing Xara3D

changing the default document displaying Toolbars docking dialog boxes

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Other Xara products

There are trial versions and demo movies for many of these products on the Xara3D product CD. If you have the Xara3D CD, just put it into your CD-ROM drive and the Xara3D splash screen should appear. From there, you can choose the program in which you are interested.

Xara X is a fully featured illustration package that lets you create original artwork. The perfect complement to Xara Webstyle when you need to create still and animated graphics from scratch and require more advanced print and illustration features. For full details xara.com/xarax .

Whether you're a time-pressed designer or a complete novice, you can create professional-quality graphics and photos for the web with just the click of a button. Webstyle's customizable professionally-designed templates give you almost limitless possibilities, from button bars and banner ads to photo albums and complete page layouts. For full details

xara.com/webstyle

Menu Maker lets you create DHTML NavBars and Menus. You do not need Menu Maker as this feature is already available in Webstyle's NavBar options. But if you wish to, you can find full details if you visit xara.com/menumaker .

A 3D screensaver maker that's fast, fun and easy to use. Create animated 3D text message screensavers with your own personalized message. Or put any images of your choice onto the sides of a 3D, tumbling cubes screensaver—ScreenMaker 3D accepts a wide variety of image formats, even AVI movies. For more information, and to download example screensavers, visit

xara.com/screenmaker3d

Webstyle includes a selection of fonts from the BuyFonts.com range of over 1000 fonts. With prices starting at $2, BuyFonts.com meets all your font needs. For full details see our BuyFonts.com website

Xara Online offers a range of online Web Services from animated photo and text effects to complete email, form and database management solutions. Add just a single line of HTML to your page, all the

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hard work is done on Xara Online's servers. For full details visit xaraonline.com

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Text options

Ways to display text options Click the text options button on the toolbar (see the icon above left). Click the options menu, then select text. Press Alt-T. If you have some text selected , any changes you make apply only to the selection. Otherwise changes apply to all text. Bold - make the text bold. This button duplicates the Bold button on the Text Toolbar. Has no effect on

2D objects

. Italic - make the text italic. This button duplicates the Italic button on the Text Toolbar. Also slants any 2D objects. Outline - select for outline text . This button duplicates the Outline button on the Text Toolbar. Size - this lets you make 3D objects larger or smaller. Its main use is to change the size of selected characters. Size is relative so if you change Font Size (on the Text Toolbar) the characters scale in proportion. Aspect Ratio - change the width relative to the height. This duplicates Aspect Ratio on the Text Toolbar. Alignment - change the alignment (justification) of two or more lines of text. Has no effect for a single line of text. Duplicates the Alignment button on the Text Toolbar. Line Spacing - changes the vertical space between lines of text (more details ). This duplicates Line Spacing on the Text Toolbar. Tracking - changes the horizontal space between characters (more details ). This duplicates Tracking on the Text Toolbar. Baseline Shift - move the selected text vertically. Keyboard short cuts: F7 shift up; F8 shift down. Kerning - change the horizontal space between two characters. Dimmed if there is selected text. Keyboard short cuts: F5 reduce spacing; F6 increase spacing. Note the difference between Kerning (which affects a pair of characters) and Tracking (which affects several characters). Page break (CTRL+ENTER) - create a new page in a Multipage animation . Font list - this lets you select the font (typeface). If you click on a font name, you can then scroll up and down the list using the arrow keys on the keyboard. The preview (on the right) then shows you how the text looks in the current font. Preview window - shows you the text. You can select text in this preview (by dragging or using the arrow keys) and then apply any of the options in this dialog box to just the selection. More - this displays the Character Map, which lets you select any character in the selected font. For more information see Typing international characters .

Right-click menu

Right-click on the text preview to display a menu. Zoom to fit - display all the text in the preview window. Zoom in - enlarge your view onto the text. Zoom out - display more of the text in the preview window.

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These options just change your view onto the text. They have no effect on the actual size of the text.

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