TIP for that Other Product I know that many of you work both in Xara and the Corel product. And I've overheard several of you asking how you can get another palette to be your DRAW default palette. Peter Rihtaric has the answer. Load your palette (Window > Color Palettes...) Hold down the right mouse button over one of the colors for a few seconds. When you release the right mouse button (you'll know it's the right mouse button if this works) a pop up menu appears with the option to Set as Default Palette. It works. I've tried it!

FLASH 4 TIP: I'm not sure what all the fuss about Flash 4 SWF export filters is all about. To import a Xara object into Flash 4, export it either as an Adobe Illustrator AI file or a WMF Windows Meta File. Of the two, WMF is more bullet proof but Illustrator AI loads faster.

Also, don't try to export fancy transparencies to Flash. It's a waste of time. Export the shape solid and apply transparency in Flash. You can achieve a gradient transparency effect in Flash by applying a black and white gradient fill, then applying Alpha transparency.

MORE FLASH THAN SUBSTANCE: Use Xara to create your shapes but apply your fills and transparency in Flash. It's easier and it works. Convert the Xara shapes to Symbols after you have imported them.

XARA's ANSWER to FLASH The Xara Browser Plug In that you need to open Xara XAR files in Xara 3D 4 also lets you view real live Xara web images on the Web. On the surface it doesn't look that different from other images. But if you have the Xara plug in installed, zoom in on the cross on the left lens to reveal a hidden message.

The Web Sight Clinic is a new area of Efuse.com where your editor will be providing monthly content.

HOW'D I GET THAT COOL TRANSPARENT LIGHT UNDER THE LENSES? I thought you'd never ask. I made a bitmap copy of the glasses, and used Ladislav Seridi's SL-Blur to apply a maximum blur. I placed the blurred bitmap under the lens and added 30% Flat Mix Transparency .

I'M GETTING DESPARATE FOR TIPS, TIP: You can check Xara's Help menu for keyboard shortcuts. But here's another way. When you make a selection from a pull down menu, see if there is a keyboard shortcut opposite on the menu. For example Edit > Select All is Ctrl A.

MORE WAYS THAN ONE TO SKIN A CAT TIP?: To select an object that is hidden under another object you can do one of these three things.

• 1. press the Tab key repeatedly until the bounding box for the missing item appears.
• 2. Hold down the Alt key and click where you think the item is. Each click "digs" down another layer.
• 3. Switch to Outline view (Window > Quality > Outline or slide the View Quality slider all the way to the left)
• Ctrl F fill bring the object to the top layer.

SO HOW DO I CREATE A WEB IMAGE? It's as easy as saving a file except you Export your file as a Xara WEB file. There is a check box that places the necessary HTML text in the clipboard which you can copy into your HTML document.

In order for the WEB files to work, you need to add some MIME file type information to your server or your ISPs server. Look under Web files, configuring a web server for Xara files in the Xara Help menu when you export your file.

RUNNING OUT OF TIPS TIP: If you have ever noticed the Tip of the Day that says something about finding Xara's Christmas Pictures, here's what I discovered.

• Searching a gallery
  The Font, Clipper, and Fill Galleries contain many items. You can easily search for the items you want.
  To search a gallery
  
  1. Click the Options button in the gallery.
• 2. Choose Find from the menu to open the Gallery Find dialog box.
• 3. Type in the text to search for.
• 4. Choose whether you wish to search just the names and keywords.
• 5. Click the Find First button to find the first match.
   
• 6. Click the Find Next button to continue searching.

The preceding assumes you have the Xara CD in your CD drive and that you have the folders Cached.

Got TIPs? If you have a Xara Tip, or a non-Xara everyday Tip, help your editor out and send it along. CLICK HERE to go to the TIPs HotLine.
 

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