What's up with the un-used Wizard Icon?
How about some connectivity between Xara & x3d. Two great programs like this should be able to transfer back & forth more readily. 3d vectors? Need I say more...
Line profiles with a slider tool for changing the frequency of the Intestine Line in the info bar.
A NAME GALLERY that is actually functional. I frequently have to change RGB effect to CMYK. Being able to select any specific tapered lines of a certain type & or color is a good example. OR I want all green items that are outlines of a certain type. The reason I ask. Often, Exported items to CorelDraw have to be changed in order for them to make it across the pond(so to speak). The main reason is for creating print layers. I can quickly grab, change, items on active layers. Converting screen colors to CMYK & spot is a great example of this. So, In the NAME GALLERY-more category's for; Outlines Used(tapered-solid-brush) or Outline Type, Drop Shadows(type). Better connectivity between groups.
Try this - Select a line of text with a font other than the default. The USED FONTS will hi-light but the default black in the color section will not.
Most Xara projects cannot be printed or separated from the program that created them. Xara's inability to do so, to have to send these jobs to PhotoShop for separating is shameful & un-necessary most the time. Especially when the work is designed within the learned guidelines of successful printing/separation from within Xara. Working Xara's strengths, working around it's weakness. **
An Icon for CONVERTING LINE TO SHAPES. If I had a penny for every time I've had to that, I'd be a hundredaire.... http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/wink.gif
A FONT GALLERY upgrade. An open box (at the top of the gallery) to change the default letters from AaBbCc to the selected text or letters that will help one match a font easier. Ex- If text & word that has to be matched does not have an ABC in them. It's tuff finding the match.
A font gallery that will allow better organizing or font gallery's - NEW FONT GALLERY FOLDERS. ex- If un-installed fonts are on the HD, a way to put these in a new gallery. Managing fonts would be super easy then. This could be a major selling point. I've got too many fonts installed now (900+) & it takes forever scrolling through them looking for matches.
ENVELOPES - More than 4 nodes! NODES THAT CAN BE NUDGED would be a major improvement. Xara has the best nudge options of any program out here. Why isn't this a part of the envelope tool? Was it forgotten?
I know if Xara put some focus on the print dialog or functions. This program could shake up the Screen Print industry which at this time is dominated by CorelDraw, secondly by Illustrator. We've been showing folks what Xara can do & it's starting to raise eyebrows. I can only imagine if Xara started looking into print a preview for CMYK or spot color printing. Ex-viewing of an individual plate. 1-step further would be overprinting that can be turned off. In other words, subtracting of printed layers. I think the RGB effects hinders or conflicts with this aspect of CMYK print. Often times I can't figure out why projects don't print/Sep from Xara. Often there is No logical explanation why. **
- Let me explain. Often I'll use outlined text.
If you stack text of various color & line thickness. When you try to print them, Xara does not subtract the visible upper items from the invisible lower items. I can send examples of all of the above if needed.
I'm not so sure that Xara should try to be a bitmap editor. Plugin's are a great asset in Xara but if I need a photo edited in a major way. I'll open PSP or PS.
One last thing I'm going to throw out there. If I create a new layer & want this layer to be my print layer. Is there a way that an Icon can be added to the Layer Gallery that will allow everthing on the active layer to be converted to curves/editable shapes - perhaps convert to cmyk? Text, Lines, RGB effects, quick shapes & powerclips included. Bitmaps?
SUMMATION - The new open architecture in Xara will open the doors for all of us to many new things in the years to come. More than perhaps Xara is willing or able to tackle. It's a great thing for this to be happening in Xara. An open door for plugin development.
Whew, this was a long winded. Reminds me of a John Disdale post... I miss that guy!
----------- _~o
----------- '\<,, "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep
><>____(_)/ (_) - in order to gain that which he cannot loose." JE
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