Page 423 - Xara Designer Pro X17

Eraser tool 423

Shape editing

Set the softness setting to 0 (the default) to erase with a hard edge. This cuts shapes
and photos, permanently changing their outlines. It’s a fast and direct way of adjusting
the vector outline of a shape inwards. If you stroke around the edge of a shape with your
mouse, it just moves the outline inwards.

First select the shape you want to erase by clicking on it, then hold the left mouse button
down and stroke over the shape to erase. Clicking on the backdrop will clear the
selection.

If you erase a shape so as to fragment it into separate pieces, it will still remain as a
single selectable shape.
If you click and hold (i.e. not perform a stroke), it will simply cut a hole in the object in the
shape of the nib.

Non-destructive editing

It’s important to understand that, as with most features in Designer Pro, the soft erase
feature is not destructive, that is it doesn’t change the underlying erased shape or photo
at all.It’s also important to realise the soft erase feature is resolution independent. The
‘softness’ value is a mathematical vector value, and the nib strokes are fully editable
vector paths. You can select, adjust or remove any earlier stroke, and for advanced
users the full vector structure can be seen in the Page & Layer Gallery (on page 178).