Any news about next release ?

[Renaud]

Hi,

Could we have some information about the release date of the next Xara X ?
Will we have one ? When ?

I allready bought RealDraw Pro (wich is a very fine app), i also got Freehand with my Macromedia Studio MX update (but i don't use it) and i'm thinking to Deneba Canvas... i realy love Xara X, but no news isn't good news, and i start to think to really switch to somethng else now... PLEASE XARA, tell me i don't have to !

[randyrives]

Has anybody used the new version of Expression 3? I have been using it, or more like learning it for the past few weeks. I like it. Gradients are not as easy to use, and or limited compared to Xara, but overall I like it.

Just wonder if anyone else uses this app and what their opinions are of it.

[Klaus Nordby]

XaraX is - despite it uncertain future and lagging behind its times - still superior to **anything** in terms of sheer ease of use of vector illustrations tools.

Today I wrote this to Oscar, the RealDRAW developer:
-----------
Oscar, I MUST tell you this: more than ANYTHING, what stops me from using RealDraw more is the lack of basic vector import!

The reason: RD just cannot compete with XaraX when it comes to basic vector illustration and vector editing! So what I need from RD is to import vector files exported from XX as AI/EPS - so I then can go on to apply all the neat effects which RD is capable of.
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Sadly, RD cannot import any decent vector formats - so you're forced to create your stuff from scratch in it, which is painful compared to XaraX.

K
www.graphics.com (columnist)
www.xaraxone.com/FeaturedArt/kn/
www.klausnordby.com/xara

[RAMWolff44]

very well said!! [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]

Risto, you know all we want is something from Xara Ltd. saying one way or the other that XaraX is alive or dead, that's it. Well and maybe a bug fix and an upgrade and a little more this and a little bit of that, then we do the hokey pokey and all fall down laughing! [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img] [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img] [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img] [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img] Where am I?? I must be channeling again! [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]

I already said I wasn't giving up on XaraX untill the fat man sings and hopfully he won't, 'cause it won't be pretty anyway! [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]

Happy Thanksgiving to all and to all a goodnight!! [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]

Richard [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif[/img]

PS: Just got Namo Webeditor 5 today in the mail.... lots to learn! [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif[/img]

---Wolff On The Prowl---

[randyrives]

I was able to duplicate what I think you did, and it is a little crazy. If you have a object with a bitmap or gradient fill, and you use the dropper to change the fill of another object (this on has a plain color fill, lets say blue) the fill type doesn't change unless you deselect the object or change the fill type on the fill tool bar.

That is why when you changed the line size it reverted back to the blue fill. This does look like a bug. The workaround of course is to delselect the object after using the dropper or changing the fill type.

Good catch, I am working on a review for Expression 3 and need to know all of its quirks.

[RTK]

... I meant how do you make the AA work properly... [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img] I does only seem to do an ok job at 100$ zoom. Any zoom above 100%... what is that? Exporting a large bitmap with curved edges... oy!

I'm still going to buy RD3 when it comes out - at $49 it is a steal.

Risto

risto@ristoklint.com

Visit my web site!

[This message was edited by Risto Klint on November 28, 2002 at 05:47.]

[gidgit]

Hi Klaus, RD3 coming soon eh...hmmm interesting.... thanx for the heads up... wonder which direction they have taken with the new version... any news or hints to share with us? [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif[/img] [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]

[RAMWolff44]

I do not use any of the Big Brothers progs, even though I own, but do not use Corel Draw. It confused me SO much that I gave up on it within a weeks time. I was so frustrated and thought "if this is what I takes to learn vector graphics then I'll stich with PhotoPaint and not deal with that area". Then XaraX came out (I owned and played with CorelXara but was not all that happy with it) and I was happy right away with the ease of use and all the new features.

Real Draw, I believe, in version 3 will include more export/import features, but I'm not 100% sure. Klaus, when Oscar gets back to you, please post his responce. I hope that it's a thumbs up in that dept. [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]

XaraX can still beat the pants off of other programs in many areas but in all the special effects areas I think that Real Draw is tops.

Serif looks like it may be anther choice, link in the 'test forum' discussion currently running. It NEEDS another version upgrade as well. So who knows about that prog? They have upgraded all the other progs in their line up so I would think that Draw Plus is next in line!!

I know nothing of Freehand or Illustrator, I just don't have the money to try out progs like that and from what I hear they are just as confusing as Corel Draw, so untill something else wonderful drops out of the sky, it's XaraX for me.

Kate, where are you???

Richard [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif[/img]

---Wolff On The Prowl---

[RAMWolff44]

[img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]

So tell me, what's with the color fills?? As I said, I used all the color palettes provided and still seemed to apply everything half ass backwards. I'm not 'getting' that way of things.

Say I want to use that same bumpmap fill, OK that applies just fine (unless I change the line width and then the fill seems to go away, but maybe not, just need do some of those tutorials) then I want to change the color, that's when it gets strange. Say I'm useing a RGB color palette and I use the sliders to create a forest green and in the color box it's forest green, then I take the color dropper and drag the new color and drop it onto the image, BAM!! I get violet!! Ummm, that's not supposed to happen!!

So, can you please, if you can, tell me why that's happening?? I mean, honestly, that's just plain wrong!!

BTW, I hope you and everyone at TG's had a really nice celebration, if you celebrate Thanksgiving, I still very full and glad to be home!! [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]

Richard [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif[/img]

---Wolff On The Prowl---

[Renaud]

Path are drawn as vectors, but images are in fact pure bitmaps when rendered on screen, and are rendered Ã* 100% scale only, as far as i know... so zooming give some AA artifacts. But if you export using the megarender two to ten times bigger, everything is resampled and prety well antialiased.