Xara fantastic ~ other stuff rubbish!

[ogden-quin]

Hi, firstly let me say I love xara I use it all the time for my toon work...fantastic line libary and it has become a second limb when working....

I have just upgraded to 3.2 bla bla bla..
But what with the bitmap / photo editors, thier crap!

How do I get them off my computer?

Why the hell do they include them?

Please please just make a lightwieght, solid, stand alone vector app!!!

I'l buy the bitmap editor I choose.

Please just stick to what your good at...
Making a world better of a vector app..

Oh yes I have CorelDraw and Illy but I use Xara as my main vector app!

Don't turn it into a dtp app or a half witted bitmap app...
be proud of being who you are!!!

Nuff said..end off rant

How do I get them off my system?
I run a MS Vista ride!

Many thanks

[Charles Moir]

We know the photo editors included are not high-end, fully capable photo editors. That's why in v3.2 we made it so that Xtreme integrates with any external photo editor you want.

Having said that there are some benefits in using XPE - namely that it does non-destructive, zero-memory overhead, photo editing. You can't do that using any external photo editor.

As to the multi-page (DTP) support, this was a common customer-requested feature, going back years. And other vector apps, such as the much respected, now defunct Freehand had the feature.

The big picture, is that most if not all graphics gets published in a document in some way (web page, PDF, brochure, poster or whatever), and our goal is that you should not have to use external programs to produce such documents. Yes there will always be a place for high-end pixel editing (e.g. Photoshop) and we'll not ever replace that, but if you just want to do basic things like crop, adjust levels, etc why should you be forced to use some extenal photo editing tool for that? Ditto, it's been one of the most requested areas that we enhance the text tool, so that's what we're doing.

We could remove the text tool completely and suggest that to do any page layout stuff that we recommend an external DTP product such as Quark. But that would be equally silly. So we will continue to improve the text and page layout capabilities in future releases.

But Xtreme remains first and foremost a vector app and that's why we continue to improve the usability and productivity of the tool for that side of things as well.

[masque]

You can get rid of the majik editor by clicking the uninstall command thats hidden in the Xara program folder. I would like an explanation as to why its hidden away like that as well.
XPE you can't uninstall but you can choose an alternative editor in the effects and plugins tab under OPTIONS, which you may already know.
Personally I like XPE for quick fixes but since upgrading to 3.2 it’s become less effective and interminably slow with many files for some reason.
Derek

[MarkMyWords]

My main problem when working with bitmaps in vector applications is that, well they are bitmaps LOL!

I mean I use vector software for a resolution free solution to some jobs, for large print output for instance, and often feel the need to use patterns or even textures in some pieces. As you may know these things are far easier to find or make as bitmaps and so including them gets complicated.

I'm a big fan of vector graphics for many reasons and made the effort to learn how to get the best out of them (I'm a bitmap wallah), but still find many vector jobs would benefit from patterns and textures.

I thought a bitmap tracer would be the solution, but Xara's isn't upto the job I'm afraid, Corels is pretty damn good, about the best in my opinion, and so I'm using that (bear in mind most patterns are fairly low res).

Are there any plans to upgrade Xara's bitmap tracer?

In the meantime does anyone know of a good souce for vector patterns and textures?

[StevenWWinters]

I use and appreciate the enhanced DTP/text features so by all means please don't stop improving in that direction.

W.r.t installed support apps (XPE / Magix, etc), most modern installation scripts give users a "custom" option that lets them choose which pieces to install. This seems like a reasonable solution for those who don't want them.

[ogden-quin]

Having read your return posts, I believe the opt out at instalation would be the best all round solution! Then we would all be happy.

By the way thanx for the very fast postback.....

It's easy for us to moan, and I realise you have to make a quid to make it worth your while, But surly an opt in or out of applications at instalation would make a good deal of sence!

PS I realy love Xara, I mean it ! It's just a lovely, un complicated vector app which allows the user to be creative!
Nice work guys....sorry for the moan earlier!

[steve.ledger]

I vote for opt-out choice at installation

[Tao jones]

I was under the impression if you just want to stick to a fast vector program use Xara X and if you want the pro with the added stuff buy that. I personally use the DTP and external editor all the time. I had give up on Xara when it was just vector but now with pro I use it for nearly everything I do along with photoshop, which is just an extension of xara now. I hope the DTP keeps improving and surely speed isn't an issue these days with all the grunt computers have. I find xara pro is the best program for the price and job it does, keep up the good work Charles....regards tao