10.1

Maintaining picture attributes
When you import a picture into a picture box — whether or not the picture box already
contains a picture — you can retain all picture attributes. For example, if an empty picture
box in a template specifies that the picture should be scaled 50% and rotated 90 degrees,
you can import a new picture and those attributes are automatically applied.
To import a picture and retain the attributes specified for the box and/or the existing
picture, check Maintain Picture Attributes in the Import dialog box (File menu).
Working with clipping paths
A clipping path is a closed Bézier shape that indicates which parts of a picture should be
displayed and which parts should be treated as transparent. Clipping paths are especially
useful when you are attempting to isolate the picture's subject from its surrounding
background in the original picture file.
You can create clipping paths from scratch in QuarkXPress or QuarkCopyDesk, or you can
use embedded path or alpha channel information to create clipping paths. Clipping paths
created by QuarkXPress or QuarkCopyDesk are based on the picture file, and are stored
with the layout.
A clipping path lets you control which parts of a picture show and which parts are hidden.
Creating clipping paths
To create or assign a clipping path, choose Item > Clipping on Windows, and then choose
an option from the Type drop-down menu, or use the Clipping tab on the Measurements
palette on Mac OS X:
• Choose Item to crop an image to the box boundaries. Choosing Item does not create a
clipping path; it simply crops the picture to its box.
• Choose Embedded Path to clip a picture around a path already embedded in the picture
file. Choose a path from the Path drop-down menu if the picture file contains more than
one embedded path.
• Choose Alpha Channel to clip a picture around an alpha channel already embedded in
a picture file. Choose an alpha channel from the Alpha drop-down menu if the picture
200 | A GUIDE TO QUARKXPRESS 10.1
PICTURES