Features you most want in XaraX

[Sheff]

One of the things I really, really need is the ability to link to an external bitmap rather than importing it and having be part of the Xara file. When working with a lot of bitmaps, file sizes can get ungodly.

Also, when you have a buttload of bitmaps within your Xara file, it would be nice to be able to sort them within the bitmap gallery, by name, type, size, etc. I would also like the option of viewing the bitmap icons in list, detail, thumbnail, thumbnail + detail, large icon, small icon, etc.

Organizing a lot of images within Xara is a major hassle. I want some collapsible folders within the galleries. I would also like the ability to create my own folders and move icons in and out of them.

I want to be able to create folders within the Font gallery so I can organize my fonts by my favorites, my own styles/preferences or by job.

I'd also like some buttons to move bitmaps within the gallery up or down. The same goes for layers within the layer gallery.

Sheffield Abella
sheff@sheff.com
www.sheff.com

[This message was edited by Sheffield Abella on June 11, 2002 at 09:30.]

[Sheff]

I'd like to have some way of targeting export file size.

Say I have several images that need to be exported at about 40k. It requires sliding the JPEG quality bar up and down several times while waiting for previews. I'd like to be able to input that 40k in a dialogue box and let Xara adjust quality automatically for me. This may seem frivolous, but if you have more than 50 objects to export, it gets tedious the current way.

Also If there was a way to batch export objects on layers or objects within a given area on all layers, that would be great.

Sheffield Abella
sheff@sheff.com
www.sheff.com

[roman]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Sheffield Abella:
I'd like to have some way of targeting export file size.

Say I have several images that need to be exported at about 40k. It requires sliding the JPEG quality bar up and down several times while waiting for previews. I'd like to be able to input that 40k in a dialogue box and let Xara adjust quality automatically for me. This may seem frivolous, but if you have more than 50 objects to export, it gets tedious the current way.

Also If there was a way to batch export objects on layers or objects within a given area on all layers, that would be great.

Sheffield Abella
sheff@sheff.com
www.sheff.com<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Cool idea.

Roman

[amoore]

There are some pretty neat suggestions on the board right now, but my top issues are all basic user-interface items:

3) ability to set the default font

2) ability to set the default origin for ruler and objects to the upper left corner

1) and my A-number one plea: the option to align to a selected object rather than to directional extremes, and the ability to make that the default mode

Allison

[Clements]

Your "A" number 1 want is one of mine too.

There is not a day that goes by that I don't have a situation where I wish the align functions could operate per your request.

[Sheff]

Wouldn't it be nice to be able to create buttons for repetitive tasks? Kind of like Photoshop's actions?

I'm often doing a lot of repetitive things, that other programs have a Control-R as repeat function.

I'd like to take that a step further and be able to create a small gallery of buttons for functions that I use over and over again.

And I'd like that gallery along with the way I set up my interface to remain that way even AFTER I reinstall Xara.

Sheffield Abella
sheff@sheff.com
www.sheff.com

[RAMWolff44]

One of the things I asked for was an auto backup of all files with a timer (every 10 minutes, ect...) and the brushes fixed for ALL users!! Then reading all the threads all over XaraX forums I finally have another one.

Instead of depending on the icons, which I just don't tend to use very often (they are too small and I don't pay too much attention to them except for the side bar on the left where the main tools are located) or having to access the Galleries from the pulldown menus:

I would like a side bar put in that would stack the galleries with side tabs but they are docked on either side of the work space, not floating around in the way all the time.

So if you wanted the Fill Gallery you click on that tab and Wha La' you have all the fill folders ready at a glance, the same with all of them. Color Palettes could be brought in as well and the one on the bottom could have an off and on option giving more room at the bottom of the work area. I tend to work 'deep' not 'long' with my images.

I know it's reminecent of PhotoPaint but that was one of the features that I liked very much from version 9 on up. They are a called "dockers" and you can turn on and off as many as you want. It's a handy tool.

I need my tools in front of me, big as life and with the dockers in PhotoPaint they are right there and I make better use of them.

Like the layers gallery. I read how helpful they are and yet I don't use them because they aren't there in front of me, and those little floating panels are too much in the way. I can't stand those floaters!!!

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

http://www.imira.com/Album/photo.asp...2209&ImgType=0

[This message was edited by RAMWolff on June 17, 2002 at 10:23.]

[masque]

Dockers, but more like with Deneba Canvas where they sit across the top of the work space when you want them there rather than constricting the size of the space on either side, just open use and close. With CorelDraw open a docker on either side of the screen and there's no work space left.
The other thing is better text handling. Text boxes you can format and copy text into, which you can link to flow the text where you want it.
Take the D canvas way and specify what sort of document you wish to work on at the beginning...Illustration, and you get what we have now.....Page layout, and you get extra text features open up etc.
Only with Xara better than C draw or D canvas both with performance and intuitive use.

derek

[jclements]

1. I wish Xara would allow clip views to be made of objects on other layers WITHOUT GROUPING THEM, otherwise, when the objects are unclipped and ungrouped they loose their layer designations.

*** perhaps there could be a clipview layer where all objects in layers below it are framed by the objects (non-open curves) in the ClipView layer. They would act like min-windows. It also make editing the objects within the clipview easier and provide a way to have multiple clip views.

2. And I repeat again. Allow the top most object to be the clipping object rather than the bottom most object (which easily get hidden).

[This message was edited by John Clements on July 18, 2002 at 22:59.]

[jclements]

Allow text to expand or stretch an object it is "associated" with. Basically use the Button Bar technology BUT WITHOUT adding or forceing the bubbel or label text onto a "mouse-over" layer.
Merely associate text with object so they are "grouped" as a single object, similar to how an interactive drop shadow is tied to its parent object. That way, unlike button bars, the could be text could easily be selected and moved without the its background object being "left behind".