Crazy feature suggestion

[accessD]

One idea visit me for long time.

What if add more advanced feature in Xara to produce bitmap effects.

I suggest following:

1) Add new TRANSPARENCY TYPE and call it "PhotoShop Filter"
2) Then if we have VECTOR image in Xara and add VECTOR shape (big black one on pic. 1)
3) then we set for this black shape "PhotoShop Filter" transparancy type,
4) select (probably from dropdown list) one of the PS-compatible filters...
5) setting up parameters...
6) and all what layed under black shape is filtered by selected PhotoShop filter on the fly
(for example HUE/SATURATION on pic. 2,
WAVE on pic. 3,
GAUSSIAN BLUR on pic. 4)
The filtred area could be changed with simple shape editing, and also shape feather could
produce smooth filtered regions.

I know that this feature is extremelly far from PostScript philosophy (which Xara follows),
that not all filters could work "on the fly",
that it is problem with filter transfer from one machine to other,
but anyway it could be cool feature http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/smile.gif

[accessD]

One idea visit me for long time.

What if add more advanced feature in Xara to produce bitmap effects.

I suggest following:

1) Add new TRANSPARENCY TYPE and call it "PhotoShop Filter"
2) Then if we have VECTOR image in Xara and add VECTOR shape (big black one on pic. 1)
3) then we set for this black shape "PhotoShop Filter" transparancy type,
4) select (probably from dropdown list) one of the PS-compatible filters...
5) setting up parameters...
6) and all what layed under black shape is filtered by selected PhotoShop filter on the fly
(for example HUE/SATURATION on pic. 2,
WAVE on pic. 3,
GAUSSIAN BLUR on pic. 4)
The filtred area could be changed with simple shape editing, and also shape feather could
produce smooth filtered regions.

I know that this feature is extremelly far from PostScript philosophy (which Xara follows),
that not all filters could work "on the fly",
that it is problem with filter transfer from one machine to other,
but anyway it could be cool feature http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/smile.gif

[covoxer]

Nothing new!
This feature is present in Deneba Canvas and is named SpriteEffects.
You may even apply multiple plug-ins for a single object, so that they work together.
It's really cool technology!
You shuold try Canvas.

But there is one drawback. It is slow. It slows down onscreen rendering wery much. To make it acceptable in Canvas, they decreased resolution of preview rendering. As a result - not very nice picture and it is still slow.
It is even slower when using not a native plug-ins. http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/frown.gif

[jens g.r. benthien]

Dmitry,
excellent idea! However, until the Xara team will offer this option, you can use the clipview feature:
Place your shape (mask) behind all objects you want to modify -> select all -> apply clipview. Then create a bitmap copy and apply your PS filter.
Advantage: faster display rendering than in Canvas.
See sample below.

[accessD]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>
Advantage: faster display rendering than in Canvas.
See sample below. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

But not interactive http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/smile.gif

[jclements]

Access,

Reminds me of some of CDraw's Lens features.

[gwpriester]

Jens

You keep getting better and better with your gold fill.

Gary

[John Rayner]

Hi Dimtry,

Nice idea, but not nice enough to warrant slowing down xara. it would be too much like a brush effect and you know what they can do to your speed.

[BobInce]

It's not as if adding a feature like this would slow down any other existing functionality. You're not forced to use brushes, after all.

This would be an extremely useful feature for me; slow or not, it would be a big productivity win over exporting to another application, applying and effect, re-importing and clipping *every time* one made a change to the effect or any object rendered below it.

Xara's effects are already pretty interactive; interactive bitmap effects would be just another step along the way. I'd love to see it happen, but I'm know it's not at all easy.

(FWIW a fill type would make more sense to me than a transparency type.)

[RAMWolff44]

I too support Dmitry's request. Not so crazy at all!! http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/smile.gif

Hey John (Covoxor) perhaps it's something you might be able to incorporate in your plugin somehow?? Allow for shapes to be used as the filter applier?? Just a thought....