Can't get Contour tool to work??

[Emma austin]

Hi, Am following a PDF which explains (with pics etc..) how to convert text with a contour so that there are lines filling the text.
I have followed every step exactly, and my screen looks like that of the instructions... but it is not happening! When I select 'Apply', the outline FILLS with the colour. no lines?
I have attached screen shots to show what I have done, have set to 'to centre' and the outline and the fill and the same colour like in the instructions.

Any ideas?? Thanks

[Greg Bednar]

In reading the .PDF your offsets should be .008 through .015 depending on lens size. Yours is set to .025. Use "NO FILL" - I set the offset at .008 and mine looks like this:
Ta.jpg

[Emma austin]

Thanks Greg, mine is in mm, so that is 0.008
maybe it is the no fill thing. So on the tab of the contour tabs where it has colours, are both the outline and fill got the colour, as in the PDF? But the you have selected no fill?
Cheers..

[Emma austin]

Actually just checked, .008 is .020 mm, but I can't select that, there is a drop down box and .025mm is the lowest it goes?

[Greg Bednar]

In this example, I set my "no fill color" by left clicking on the "X" at the top of the color tab - I set my Hairline color by Right clicking on the color red in the color tab. Be sure you have RGB and not CYMK as your default color palette.

I am using CorelDraw X5 and there is not drop down box per se, there is a white box that I can directly enter the value for the offset or use the up down arrow in the box to raise or lower the value of the offset.

Ring me up on Skype when you see me online and I will walk you through it.

[Scott Shepherd]

You might just need to zoom in too. You're lines are so close, it might just look like they are filled. Zoom in and confirm. Or do it again and try a much large offset, like .5mm just to see if it's working.

[Emma austin]

ahhhh solved it! 0.08 is actually 0.20, not 0.02!! So now it works Thanks so much everyone. (Ps these problems wouldn't exist if the USA world conform to good ol' metric.... )

[Vicki Rivrud]

Hi Greg,
Thanks for sharing this pdf. When I followed the steps I could not get the contour tool to allow me to apply. Perhaps this is a basic known but I could only apply after converting my text to "artistic text" then the contour lines filled in.

I do alot of bricks a different way using pattern fill, converting to a bmp & tracing and overlay. I am testing this way to see if it will cut down my prep time & actual laser time and give me more glass or cuts for color-filling concrete pavers.

So I guess my question should be - is this a known or do I have a setting off in Corel X4?

Thanks for your time,
Vicki

[Mike Null]

Vicki

The tool works in both paragraph and artistic text. You'll find it under the effects drop down. You must set it properly but it'll only take a minute for you to understand it.

[Vicki Rivrud]

Thanks Mike, I'm just learning the more advanced tools in Corel X4 & its the first time I used the contour tool. I was following the ULS pdf - it didn't mention converting the text to artistic so I sat here for a few minutes wondering why the apply box would not highlight - so I took a guess and converted the txt to artistic and the apply box was then active.

Prep time was a lot easier this way - so I'm off to the laser to cut a concrete paver to see if it saves time there too. No I do not sand blast - I laser & color fill.

Thanks
Vicki

[Greg Bednar]

What Mike said.