SVG filters in Xara

**atreides08** · 11 December 2012, 02:16 PM

Is there a way to get Xara Designer to import an SVG file containing an fediffuselighting filter effect?

The SVG was created in Inkscape but I'd love to be able to edit it in Xara...

Thanks in advance for any advice!

**wizard509** · 11 December 2012, 03:29 PM

I wish I could answer that but sadly I cannot.
I didn't even know what that was so I did a google search and finally turned up this.
Is this what you are referring to?

http://www.svgopen.org/2002/papers/h...selighting.htm

I think Inkscape can save in some format that Xara can use, but using and editing an svg filter in Xara. I don't think so.
Now watch, someone might come along and show you how.

**angelize** · 11 December 2012, 04:25 PM

The only way is to upgrade to the latest version. I know that Designer Pro X, web designer MX Premium both have SVG import I'm not sure about Photo & Graphics Designer 2013.

Inkscape can save as a PDF which any Xara program can open

**Michael** · 11 December 2012, 06:06 PM

So sorry, but Xara Designer Pro 8.1.3 does not support diffuse lightning. Inkscape makes it easy for a user to accomplish this effect, which renders beautiful in Firefox but upon import Xara doesn't show the same result. It does ad some kind of line around the object (the corners of the text is rounded) it doesn't show the same result. Alas...

**mwenz** · 11 December 2012, 06:11 PM

Looks like the filter as shown above simply produces an outer glow. Dunno.

Boils down to not every application can create, and or import, the effects and or capabilities of every other application. Which is why I use more than one design application...

Take care, Mike

**angelize** · 12 December 2012, 03:17 AM

@Michael: The soft diffuse effect can be easily recreated in Xara with a gaussian blur live effect.

**Michael** · 12 December 2012, 11:48 AM

@Angelize: I know, and one could even use the glow-function (Ctrl-F2), but the question was: "Is there a way to get Xara Designer to import an SVG file containing an fediffuselighting filter effect?". So, thank you for your attention and splendid remark but it was not very helpful.

I'll state my case The SVG-import filter doesn't support the full svg 1.1 specifications. There's a lot of work for Xarans to be done. Frankly I'd prefer to work with Xara (because the UI, ease and speed) than with Inkscape but the latter delivers excellent SVG files...

For more info look at : http://www.w3.org/TR/SVG/filters.html#feDiffuseLighting

**mwenz** · 12 December 2012, 02:26 PM

Michael,

While XDP does not support the full specification, nor is it open source and thereby allow the free creation of filters, I don't think anything else supports the current full spec of SVG either.

AI comes the closest. But it does not support certain SVG filters and those it can it does not support them without issues. One can import SVG filters as developed into AI. But again, its implementation is fairly haphazard and one most often cannot get the effect as desired compared to InkScape.

I do support the idea of XDP supporting the addition and use of SVG filters. InkScape is a slow application. It is so slow and funky to use that I can hardly bear to use it except when absolutely necessary--which is not very often.

Take care, Mike