feature request: live bitmap preview

[pixel]

while creating small images such as icons every pixel matters
so there are tons of exports until the effect is perfect

now the procedure is like this:
1. draw an icon
2. select bkg rectangle to have proper dimesions
3. choose export tool
4. choose path and filename (if this is next export of the same bitmap click replace)
5. click eye drop tool
6. select color to be transparent
7. make color tansparent
(see the effect)
8. if the effect is not good enough go to #1
(sometimes i repeat it... many many times)

so here is my idea

would be nice to have a window floating as same as color editor
where there will be an on-the-fly bitmap preview
let's say the functionality would be more or less the same as on export window but it would consider just a special selected area

let me explain
on the live bitmap preview window there could be a button 'select area'
then user can select a drawing area which will be processed by our new tool
once area is spoted tool is generating bitmap preview everytime the drawing inside selected area changes or everytime user clicks preview-on-demand button

if there will be a 'browse' button (to select path and filename)
and 'export' button
it could be very fast way to generate exports

with this tool export procedure could look like this:
1. mark area to live preview
2. choose path and filename
3. click eye drop tool
4. select color to be transparent
5. make color tansparent
6. draw an icon
(see the effect)
7. if the effect is not good enough go to #6
8. click export button

so there will be no no stupid actions repeated all the time

what do you think

[MEB]

Hi pixel,
Real time rasterization was already sugested and is on the wish list for a future version.

Meanwhile it´s still possible to force the rasterization in the Xtreme v3.2.
First you need to set up an option:
1- Go to Utilities -> Options -> View Tab and check Never Smooth on the bitmap area.
2- Then select the object (or group of objects) you want to rasterize, go to
Live effects tool -> New -> Enhance -> change one of the values of the enhance dialog that appears.

You should now have a rasterized version of your object or group.

TIPS: If you want, you can select several objects at the same time (without grouping them) and then apply the live effect procedure. This way you can keep editing diferent objects while they are rasterized on screen. You can set up the grid and enable snap to grid so it works at whole pixels values level (helps to control anti-aliasing while editing in "rasterized mode").

[pixel]

Hi pixel,
Real time rasterization was already sugested and is on the wish list for a future version.

Meanwhile it´s still possible to force the rasterization in the Xtreme v3.2.

no
as far as i know what i suggest is not possible in any version of xara
i don't want to have 'never smooth'
as i wrote 'every pixel matters' so never smooth is the worst possible what i can switch on

additionaly export tool has an internal zoom
so i can see these 'every pixel'

i heard i can create new view - it's also crappy solution for exports
any suggestions how to make it in xara is wrong because it's not possible right now

[BobInce]

as i wrote 'every pixel matters' so never smooth is the worst possible what i can switch on

Never smooth doesn't do what you think it does; all your vectors remain anti-aliased as usual. It only affects viewing bitmaps zoomed up.

* - well, it also changes bitmaps-zoomed-down, but since they look bad** regardless of whether you have 'never smooth' ticked or not, that's not much of an issue.

** - up until Xtreme4's new 'very high quality' view mode, that is...

i heard i can create new view

Yes, this is how I do it. Window->New view, get both views on-screen at once, and then use a screen magnifier to give a pixellated zoom into the 1:1 icon.

[MEB]

I think you guys missed my point.
You can have a rasterized version of a shape or group of shapes on screen, so you can see how your icon will export. Even better you can edit the shapes while they remain rasterized on screen. There´s no need to export your icons to check if they look good (or create new views etc etc).
But for this work you have to change the option i explained in my first point of my previous post.

[pixel]

Miguel B.
it crashes sometimes but i's usefull

thanx a lot

but still it's not so simple
for example if you want to add new object you have to repeat setting effect
second
it's impossible to select small object when they are rasterized

so such tool could still fill a gap and simlify creating icons and exports