I Should Listen To Myself More (Wasted $99 On An Upgrade)

[BONES]

Or I should have at least tried the trial before I paid my money. I've just reverted my Xara back to the previous version as changes in Pro X have made it measurably worse to work with than it used to be. The main culprit is the new Styles functionality within the text tool, which now sees important functions relegated into a fly-out at the very edge of the toolbar. That might be something I could live with if the edge of the toolbar was visible in the layout I've been using for the past 12 or 13 years but it is not, so I was forced to eat into my precious workspace by having two rows of tools.

I can see the Styles being somewhat useful at work, where each of the shows I do graphics for have their own fonts and styles, although even there I have to adjust kerning/tracking and line spacing and those tools are now hidden away in favour of something that I can't see benefiting too many artists at all. The other issue at work, of course, is that we don't use Xara but styles are even less useful in the work I actually do with it. It is something I thought was an anachronism in other applications, a feature nobody had used for years. I think the last time I saw it was in Adobe PageMill, which was discontinued in about 1998.

Anyway, it has just made working harder than it used to be so, after about 6 weeks I've spent trying to get used to it, I'm back on Pro 7. I suppose Xara have earned their $99 over the years but this time I feel that supporting them has cost me more than I had bargained for. It's a shame that the last few upgrades have, for me at least, been one step forward and at least half-a-step back.

[steve.ledger]

► http://support.xara.com/index.php?_m...articleid=2989

[mwenz]

Same ol', same ol'. As noted, there is a fix for the fly out. Use it, don't use it. Who really cares but you?

Mike

[Big Frank]

Umm...

Option 1 - XaraDPX with styles and more advanced text handing plus the other goodies
Option 2 - XaraDP7

Well, it wasn't a difficult choice for me. I'm sorry you're not happy, but looking at the feedback I'd say you're in a minority.

Anyway, there's a registry fix for the text flyout bar (which was a huge annoyance to me until I added the registry fix)



However, since the world's about to go poop on us at the end of December it's all kinda academic isn't it?

[Rik]

I'm with the OP on this one.

It certainly annoys me that most of what I want to use (when using the Text tool) is in the flyout and I cannot customise that part, as you can with most of the other tools.
But, as the registry fix, fixes it, it doesn't annoy me too much, any more.

However, Xara should provide the ability to customise this part.
Then, I for one, would be a very happy camper!

Yes. I find it very annoying, but, none of this has stopped me using Designer Pro X.

[Big Frank]

Yes. I find it very annoying, but, none of this has stopped me using Designer Pro X.

I think that's the point. Their new design went down like a lead brick with the community so they provided a fix. So where's the problem?

(I just shot myself in the foot because I'm always whining about how Xara never listen - well in this case they did and they acted on it )

[handrawn]

As I read Bones Post, the registry fix may not be 100% effective for him as it extends the length of the infobar - this meant I had to adjust my workspace layout too, but in my case it was not a problem

[BONES]

Ah, I see one person here can read. Well done. The registry hack does not fix my problem - either way the toolbar will be too long to fit on screen. It looks like Pro X will just have to wait until I get new hardware. What would probably be the ultimate fix here would be totally customisable toolbars so I could remove the Styles feature altogether.

Umm... Option 1 - XaraDPX with styles and more advanced text handing plus the other goodies

Umm... What "more advanced text handling"? It seems the same to me except for the useless styles thing that is eating up toolbar space for no good purpose. And what "other goodies". In 6 weeks I don't think there was a single new or improved feature that I came across. All I found was that the things I do every day got harder.

[Rik]

I too wish I could remove the 'Styles' option and gain back some valuable space. I have never used it and wish I could move it to the 'Button Pallet'.
I am not suggesting that no-one uses it and that it's not extremely useful. I'm saying that it's no good for me.

I am, however, pleased with the registry fix that at least give me back the buttons I use most often.

I am not trying to 'stoke the fire' with this post.
It's annoying to have stuff like this in a programme that I love so much and use on a daily basis.

Why not simply allow ALL buttons to be customizable?
Changes were made to the web tools - that were perfect for me in DP7.
If you're going to do that, then please make things more customizable.
Is it really that difficult?

[Big Frank]

Buy a bigger monitor.