Panorama tool

[Craig1128]

I played with the new version of Xara just a bit tonight... I compared the panarama feature to the one in Photoshop Elements 5. The pictures I used were screenshots from a game, Crysis. During the game, I stood in one place, and took screenshots while looking from one side to the other of the game scenery. Obviously I didn't have to worry about exposure and etc. but the results were very impressive for an automatic run of the panaramic feature. I noticed the hud graphics from the game were repeated in the Elements picture, but not in the Xara version. Rather, it looked very smooth. I'm impressed!

[Craig1128]

These were the shots used...

[jclements]

MY QUESTION AND SUMMARY FOR THE XARA TEAM:

>Will the CD version be able to handle Vertical overlaps?

My feelings are that photostich has some real advantages. HOWEVER, there are somethings that detract from using it:
1) when inserting a photo, you can't select more than one photo at a time.
2) the natural tendency when doing this is to use thumnails rather than filenames, but each time you open the "Insert" browsing window, you have to reselect the Thumbnail mode
3) Drag and Drop from within Xara's open and insert windows begs to be implimented for tasks like this.

I realize you can get around these things by using Windows Explorer, but it seems like a disconnect for such an innovation program like Xara not to be able to do this.

Regards, John

[steve.ledger]

>Will the CD version be able to handle Vertical overlaps?

I've not known Xara CD's to include a different version of the software to that which you are able to download. The CD traditionally has included movies, clipart, fonts and so on which would otherwise be too wieldy to download. Perhaps Charles, Phil or Neil could comment on this?

You could try rotating your images 90 degrees, optimise then stitch. When done, rotate them back..?

[steve.ledger]

OK - not optimise after rotating, 'make bitmap copy'

You can then stitch them and rotate them back (spot the new Rotate Buttons on the Photo Tool Info bar?)

[Daniel]

I've not known Xara CD's to include a different version of the software to that which you are able to download.

I am pretty sure that 3.2 Pro was able to import PDFs only from the CD installation. 3.2 Pro also included the Magix Xtreme Photo Editor application only from the CD installation.

Anyway, we know that the Xtreme Pro 4 CD will contain a different Panorama tool, so we can sit tight for that one: the window which opens when stitching links to http://www.magix.com/uk/accessories/panorama-studio/ and displays the message below.

Hopefully in time the Magix bits that get added to Xara Xtreme become more tightly integrated (eg the photos that are enhanced with Xtreme's photo tool can be used by Magix's stitching pixies instead of the original JPEGs being used)

[steve.ledger]

I am pretty sure that 3.2 Pro was able to import PDFs only from the CD installation. 3.2 Pro also included the Magix Xtreme Photo Editor application only from the CD installation.

Hmm that's not in my recollection at all. PDF import is a feature I use a lot, I'd have noticed that one

Anyway, we know that the Xtreme Pro 4 CD will contain a different Panorama tool, so we can sit tight for that one: the window which opens when stitching links to http://www.magix.com/uk/accessories/panorama-studio/ and displays the message below.

Hopefully in time the Magix bits that get added to Xara Xtreme become more tightly integrated (eg the photos that are enhanced with Xtreme's photo tool can be used by Magix's stitching pixies instead of the original JPEGs being used)

Which version of Xtreme4 is showing that dialogue when stitching?
My 8 April XXP4 version doesn't (or previous X4Pro DL versions).

If you follow on from the Magix page, you'll see that the software is infact Panorama Studio by THSoft
It would appear there's been some deal struck with THSoft

[Daniel]

Hmm that's not in my recollection at all. PDF import is a feature I use a lot, I'd have noticed that one

Dec 2006 copy of the Xtreme 'buy' page: The PDF import filter is only included on the CD version

[jclements]

Sledger:

I'm not on a PC with X4. Have you tried using photos that have been cropped prior to stitching? I am assuming that would screw up stitcher's ability to extract the FOV, etc.

[Charles Moir]

I don't believe even the enhanced version included with Pro can do vertical stitching, but that's a clever trick Sledger to get around that.

And yes this enhanced stitcher software is on the CD, only for Pro customers only, and yes we did do the same before now for PDF Import. Part of the reason we do this is to keep the download size down (yes it is larger than we'd like) and secondly to encourage users to install the CD version when they get it - it does contain a lot more useful stuff, not just the fonts, clipart etc.