-
2 Attachment(s)
Xtreme 4 - another update
There's another update available for download that has a few more fixes / small improvements.
Align to Object
Following requests from forum users to be able to align to a specific object, we've now implemented a new option in the Align dialog which aligns the selection of objects to the back-most object in the selection. So this makes it pretty easy to control the exact position of any alignment.
A subtle feature of the Align option is that the Scale Line Widths button on the Selector Infobar controls whether the alignment is to the center line or the outer edge of the object including the line thickness. With the Scale Line Width option selected, (the normal case) then the align option will use the center-line outline of the shape, (the same as you see in outline mode) ignoring line thickness. If un-selected then the alignment will be calculated to the edges including any line thickness.
Disable photo editors
Another common request, to disable all external photo editors being launched when you double-click a photo has also been added. On the Options dialog, Effects & Plug-ins tab, select the ‘Edit bitmaps with this program’ and just leave the program name field empty. Double-clicking a photo or choosing Utilities-> Bitmap editor, will now do nothing.
Other bugs fixed:
- The reported dpi values of JPEG images used for HTML export is now not affected by a previous Optimize operation
- The incorrect initial rectangle shown when Ctrl-resizing a text area is now fixed.
- The occasional Access Violation after opening a file from Internet Explorer that contains Live Effects is now solved.
- The bug reported here, with zoom hanging http://www.talkgraphics.com/showpost...&postcount=147 has been fixed
- Multi-threaded rendering on multi-core AMD processors was not enabled correctly. Now fixed.
- Flash export ignores 'Target frame for URL' option. Fixed.
- PDF export was cropping printer's marks with large bleed values. Fixed.
- Printing Live Effects did not print sometimes (back to v2). Fixed.
- Optimizing a transparent PNG to be a JPEG, had a black background, now puts white background in place.
This version is number 4.0.4966. It is recommended that everyone update to this version.
You can download and re-install this from the normal download link:
http://www.xara.com/uk/downloads/xtreme/
Just select to re-install option. If you have purchased the product you will be asked to re-enter you Activation Number.
-
Re: Xtreme 4 - another update
-
Re: Xtreme 4 - another update
-
Re: Xtreme 4 - another update
Yaaayyyy! Align to selected object!!! :):):)
And the tweak with Scale Line Width is a -very- nice bonus.
I'm going to be singing for the rest of the day. Wish I had a smilie for skipping and dancing in joy. :D
-
Re: Xtreme 4 - another update
Many thanks for the new align feature. That makes my working life just that little bit nicer
-
Re: Xtreme 4 - another update
I just purchased XaraXtreme Pro and downloaded it. I got the activation code from Xaraonline.com. BUT when I enter it I am told that it is an invalid activation code. :mad: I couldn't have made an error typing it in because I used "copy and paste."
Can someone help me?
-
Re: Xtreme 4 - another update
Thank you so much, Charles!
-
Re: Xtreme 4 - another update
Charlie, are you sure you used the code for the Download Trial and not for the CD version? Your Xara account shows both of them (the trial one is at the top) and the unlock code for the CD won't work with the downloaded trial.
Or the problem might be that the unlock server is being swamped again as everyone unlocks the new download trial, in which case if you wait a while and try again it should work dandy.
-
Re: Xtreme 4 - another update
I just received an email from Xaraonline, and it gives me a different code. It worked fine, so now I'm happy.:)
-
Re: Xtreme 4 - another update
Many thanks, Charles!
.joroho.
-
Re: Xtreme 4 - another update
-
Re: Xtreme 4 - another update
I don't wish to appear ungrateful, and much as I'm pleased to see the "Bounds of back object" option, I would rather see a "Bounds of last selected object" option.
-
Re: Xtreme 4 - another update
Hey guys I just installed the update, and the 4.0.0.4966
version is the pro version of Xtreme 4
might want to fix that, I had to uninstall the pro trial,
and re-downloaded the Xtreme 4, since i did not purchase the pro 4 version.
-
Thanks and a Question for Charles
Alignment enhancements .... thank you, thank you, thank you.
Clipview, and now alignment, queue off of the BACK-MOST object. I always found this awkward v.s. using the front most (usually the easiest to select and is awkward especially for ClipView where you'd like to draw a shape over top of a view then clip to it).
Any reasons why the FRONT-MOST object couldn't be used instead?
Not sure how other xara users feel about it.
Regards, John
P.S. to Tim Hines, this has been requested before and that is my preference as well, but I've a feeling that would require a whole new block of code which would act as an "observer" (running in the background) in order to determine what objects are selected and when those objects are selected and that might be very difficult to integrate with the existing overall code and possibly cause a performance hit. I am guessing the new functionality is able to use the stacking and layer order which has been in Xara since day one.
-
Re: Thanks and a Question for Charles
Quote:
Originally Posted by
jclements
Any reasons why the FRONT-MOST object couldn't be used instead?
Not sure how other xara users feel about it.
Sorry, John. Front-most would not work for me at all. Sometimes the shape I need to align to may be in the middle of the stack, as it were, but Back-most is far more likely.
Allison
-
Re: Xtreme 4 - another update
For you Allison, I'm willing to let you have your way :}
-
Re: Xtreme 4 - another update
Oh, thank you, John. That is so generous of you. ;) :D
-
Re: Xtreme 4 - another update
Thank you, Charles. I must say this - In 3.02 when clicking on LE there was quite a delay while it "loaded" but now there is almost no delay at all.
-
Re: Thanks and a Question for Charles
Quote:
Originally Posted by
jclements
P.S. to Tim Hines, this has been requested before and that is my preference as well, but I've a feeling that would require a whole new block of code which would act as an "observer"
I would have thought it just needs a single flag to keep a track of the ID of the last selected object.
-
Re: Thanks and a Question for Charles
It's better to make the align operation use the state of the document that the user can see and manipulate directly rather than use a hidden state which would have to be remembered both by the program and by the user in perfect synchronisation.
This is a general principle in Xtreme's UI design and is one of the reasons that Xtreme is easier to use than other programs.
Phil
-
Re: Thanks and a Question for Charles
The last item selected is user controlled and I wouldn't consider hidden. The first item selected would also do. Visio uses that, although I prefer the Corel style last item selected as you can do all the selections first before picking the key object. Doing it first means that sometimes you end up having to restart the selection. Another choice would be to let the user pick from the screen after the dialog is opened, but I think that is awkward.
The trouble with using the "back" object, is that you have to push the item to the back first (which may well hide it), and then do the align. Whatever method is used, the user should be able to select the key object irrespective of its z-order - or colour, size, shape or anything else ... ;)
The currently typically difficult alignment is trying to centre large objects on small objects, e.g. a ring around a circle. A workaround is to clone the small object, shift-stretch it to keep it centred and make it overlarge, put the other objects within its bounds then centre to selection and delete the dummy object.
-
Re: Thanks and a Question for Charles
Quote:
Originally Posted by
timhines
The last item selected is user controlled and I wouldn't consider hidden.
By 'hidden' they don't mean 'not user controlled', they mean 'not visible if you walk up to the computer and look at the screen'.
-
Re: Xtreme 4 - another update
Ah, I see what you mean. Now I come to look at it, CorelDraw 11 (which is the latest I have) doesn't differentiate between the last selected and other selected items, which is not quite so bad with last selected as you tend to remember that, but is indeed a hidden property. I'm not sure if later versions do.
However, Visio uses different coloured markers around the items (green for the first selected, cyan for the others).
Xara puts a single little black square top left on selected items, so I would suggest that the last selected item have a coloured little square instead to indicate that it is the key item.
-
Re: Xtreme 4 - another update
Just a question:
I bought and downloaded XXP4 as soon as it was out, installed and activated it.
Everything works fine.
Just today, I installed the latest update and I had to activate it again?
Is this intentional and did this happen to anybody ??
I find it rather strange, since I never hat to re-activate before, not with Xara, nor with other Software.
Wolfgang
-
Re: Xtreme 4 - another update
Every version 4 update I have installed has required reactivation, it's not new to the most recent.
Re installing 3.2 CD always asked for re registration after a number of uses, and continues to nag you until you do..
-
Re: Xtreme 4 - another update
Thanks Steve,
so at least it's not just me ;-)
I only hope, that I can reactivate without problems until the CD-Version ships.
Wolfgang
-
Re: Xtreme 4 - another update
Hey Guys why did you only enable multi-core support for the pro version
of Xara 4, and not Xtreme 4, this doesn't seem fair,
I own all the Xara Versions, but I bought the Pro Version 3.2 i believe late in 2007
as loyal as most Xara Fans have been up till now,
I would think you could offer a patch for Xtreme 4.0
to offer multi-core support.
-
Re: Xtreme 4 - another update
Did you not upgrade from 3.2 Pro to 4 Pro @ $49??
-
Re: Xtreme 4 - another update
No I didn't I bought the upgrade from Xtreme 3.2
but it was purchased before 2008
so I wasn't eligible, i did not want to have to pay $159.00
for the upgrade,at least those were the options given to me.
I purchased a lot of Xara versions and upgrades through the years
this just doesn't seem fair.
-
Re: Xtreme 4 - another update
Apologies, I think I misunderstood you as you stated you had version 3.2 Pro
Quote:
I own all the Xara Versions, but I bought the Pro Version 3.2 i believe late in 2007
I guess there's good reason it costs more to purchase the Pro versions. All part of those extra goodies that come with it ;)
-
Re: Xtreme 4 - another update
Quote:
..but I bought the Pro Version 3.2 i believe late in 2007
Doesn't matter when you bought Pro 3.2 - the upgrade to Pro 4.0 is only $49 (for the period of the introductory offer).
-
Re: Xtreme 4 - another update
Hello Charles ,
Can you please tell when do you plan the next update for 4.0 and will there be minor fixes only?
I don't know about the new functionality for I personally don't use it, but a lot of simple basic features are broken.
My work slowed down considerably for I have to find workarounds for simple things, create support tickets every couple of days, and Xtreme 4.0 destroyed three of my projects while saving, so now I have to backup every step.
I didn't have such experience neither with 2.0 nor with 3.2 versions.
So after three weeks of testing I finally gave up and had to switch back to 3.2.
I just don't know whether to continue to wait for a stable version or just relax and go on with 3.2... and maybe check 5.0 one day.
-
Re: Xtreme 4 - another update
Sorry you're having bad luck, after following your previous thread and then reading your post #24 here, I was assuming you were all happy again :(
How many 'different' issues are you having with version 4 ?
If you can post any sample files here, there's a chance someone can help :)
-
Re: Xtreme 4 - another update
Yes I was all happy, and many thanks to Suvek for that, but that was only one file, and I spent several days trying to restore it while my customers were waiting.
I have lots of issues, the most irritating are:
- Paste in place is broken. Objects are inserted far away from drawing edges
- Gradient fill on the group is broken (only one object changes the color when you modify the gradient fill on the group)
- Colot picker works wrong, when you try to pick color from lines and strokes (i doesn't feel the line widths)
- gradient fills are very unstable now. For some reason 'start' and 'end' colors were introduced and in the case of multuple-point gradient fills you never know which handle is active if you select one (it's mostly about intermediate handles)
- Undo sometimes "jumps" my drawing in some direction especially if it was zoomed in and I have to find where I was working. It's not a big deal but when it's happening over and over again...
- Undo sometimes just doesn't work
- When you change the object or line color with Color Picker, sometimes (pretty often) it doesn't work. To reactivate it you have to deselect object then select it again, change it's color randomly by picking some color in Color editor (to ensure it's ok now) and only after that you can use Color Picker again.
- I tried 3D extrude tool and among some strange behaviour with rotating angles and light sources display, it successfully crashed the appication. So I refused to test it further for I don't need it actually.
- applying Live Effects often leads to program crash. Ok that issue is from 3.2 version but 4.0 seems to corrupt every file that was saved with "Continue and save" feature. I had three such crashes during the testing period and three files are ruined. One was happily recovered with Suvek's utility.
That's only things I've remembered without looking to my notes. Of course I'm not moaning only, I create tickets to support team, with test files to reproduce the bugs and the support team tells some of the bugs are fixed in the next release. That's why I ask when the next update is planned, just to look if things go right now.
Some bugs are not easy to reproduce on simple test files for they appear accidentally, maybe depending on drawing size, maybe on work session duration, maybe on something else, I just don't know.
I myself love Xtreme and popularize it on my site and among my friends, and the last month's feedback I got was "that's rather buggy". Of course people who stick to Illustrator or CorelDraw tend to critisize something they are not used to... but these days I have to say "it's buggy" myself though I consider Xtreme one of the best graphic software.
-
Re: Xtreme 4 - another update
Centaurus, it sounds to me that all of these problems might be related to a computer memory problem or even overheating.
-
Re: Xtreme 4 - another update
Bob, I don't think so. I don't see any strange behaviour that is common for all the application. Computer hardware problems would affect not only Xtreme 4.0.
I have several version of Xtreme installed on this computer, from 2.0 to 4.0.
And those problems are only with Xtreme 4.0. Previous versions has some bugs but I got used to them, there are not so many.
Moreover, after one of my colleagues installed 4.0 and worked with it for a couple of hours, he immediately reported some of this problems (color picker, undo behaviour, gradients).
And I did not even tell him there were some.
-
Re: Xtreme 4 - another update
Quote:
Originally Posted by
-=Drifter=-
Centaurus, it sounds to me that all of these problems might be related to a computer memory problem or even overheating.
Agreed, I haven't seen anyone else report any of these issues!
-
Re: Xtreme 4 - another update
Hi Centaurus,
I'm interested in your - Paste in place is broken. and two Undo problems, I'm not seeing any bad behaviour here and I use those two functions a lot.
Can you give me any insight to your typical workflow where these issues seem to cause you problems?
-
Re: Xtreme 4 - another update
Hello Steve,
"Paste in place is broken" bug is confirmed by the support team, so they're able to reproduce it.
It usually happens when I copy an object (a complex object normally, a group with LiveEffects maybe) and paste it into another drawing, expecting it to appear at the same place, but it appears far far away from boundaries. If I zoom-zoom-zoom out my drawing, I'm able to see it. Drawings are of the same dimensions.
Concerning Undo problem: I don't know when it happens for I press Undo rather often and can't keep a track on which steps I have performed by the moment.
But I noticed it happens sometimes when I select an object and try to change it's color with Color editor. Often I don't check if the fill color or line color is selected in Color dialog, so the wrong color type is changed (I want a fill color, but a line color is modified). That I press Undo and nothing happens. I have to change the color back manually.
Concerning Undo "jumping" - I just don't know. I usually open 2 views of a document, one is of actual size and other one is zoomed in. And sometimes when I press Undo working in zoomed-in view, the zoomed document jumps to some direction so I have to scroll it back to the place. In fact I don't even know if Undo works correctly in this case, for it jumps away and I can't see if something has changed actually.
-
1 Attachment(s)
Re: Xtreme 4 - another update
Have you looked at the settings on your Options page and also the Document Info to see your undo size?