MX strokeTab wont stay on top, & not showing line Wght ?

[envirographics webforumsuser@macromedia.com]

In FH7,8,9 10 one could select the stroke tab and click on objects to see their stroke attributes, however I am new to MX and experience the following:-

Should the pencil tab stay on top, why does it jump to fill tab each time ? Every click on pencil tab adds a stroke default to the window, getting cluttered with spurious entries !
Also if I select the box with 3.0mm stroke, it shows it as 0.352 in the weight entry window. I have no means of finding out what weight it is.
What am I doing wrong here please as this is so fundamental I cannot use Mx for anything yet !

Lets go back to basics !...new page, I draw a box and create a colour with mixer, dragDrop it to Colour List (now swatches), then click fill button atop the swatches panel and click on the colour, box takes on colour. (also this way selecting box in future shows its colour fill highlighted in swatches.)
Draw another box and repeat the exercise with a new colour again. make a few more this way.

Go back to first box deciding I need a stroke of 3mm, select box, click on pencil icon tab and it shows me two strokes, a 1pt stroke and another 1pt stroke, I enter a value of 3 in the line weight window and hit enter, I get a 3mm edge, last stroke alters now saying 8.504pt. I click on another box to give it a stroke weight and view changes to FILL again, so I need to click stroke tab and see the simple act of doing so applies a stroke 1pt, so now this object has two strokes in what appears to be a 'history of clicking on the stroke tab window' ! I decide I wish to change stroke attributes and click on previous box, view jumps to fill again, click on stroke and immediatley get another stroke 1pt, this box now has three strokes indicated for it, the last showing it is now 1pt though I know its not from memory. I can see this history window getting cluttered with stroke 1pt entries as each time I wish to view the stroke attributes it means clicking on the pencil tab.

Is there a good tutorial site taking us back to basics, explaining about all the changes in Mx, movie type even better ? I feel like a raw recruit yet 12 yrs on Freehand ! I need to know if its my install or PC being wrong or Mx design.

Steve

[Judy Arndt]

envirographics wrote:

> In FH7,8,9 10 one could select the stroke tab and click on objects to see
> their stroke attributes, however I am new to MX and experience the following:-
>
> Should the pencil tab stay on top, why does it jump to fill tab each time ?
> Every click on pencil tab adds a stroke default to the window, getting
> cluttered with spurious entries !

The pencil icon in the object inspector is not a tab, it's an 'Add Stroke'
icon. Clicking on it adds a default 1pt black stroke which you can edit.

> Also if I select the box with 3.0mm stroke, it shows it as 0.352 in the weight
> entry window. I have no means of finding out what weight it is.

0.352 mm equals 1 point. You have selected the 1-point stroke, not the 3mm
stroke.

Because an object can have many strokes of different weights you must, in
the Object inspector, select the stroke you want to examine.

Beware of adding strokes at both the group level and the path level (as in
text converted to paths). I find it much easier to control strokes and fills
if I Subselect down to path level before applying them.

Set up a keyboard shortcut for Subselect. You'll be using it constantly in
FHMX. It in Keyboard Shortcuts > Edit > Select > Subselect.

Yes, it takes some getting used to ... no argument there.

Judy Arndt

[envirographics webforumsuser@macromedia.com]

Judy,
Thanks for replying,
I see now that the way to look at an objects attributes is to click on the stroke or fill in the white window and read off the details below.

I can't quite see why one object needs more than one fill effect or stroke, but I am sure it will all become clear once I find a manual or training site. Perhaps it's to save cloning it and applying a second stroke weight ; to enable drop shadows etc ?

Clicking on Learning Freehand or Help launches Internet connection, but the PC that Mx is on is not connected at present as I am evaluating the progs I may move up to, with the freedom that no IT support and restrictions can give here !

Are there any internet tutorial sites aimed at converting the fh10 user to MX do you know ?

Does the purchased CD have onboard tutorials, perhaps as movies ?

Judy,
....anyone ?
Cheers
Envirographics