Illustrator's Unite and Minus Front capabilities in Xara?

[SmartWeb]

Hello and please apologize for the n00b comment - I am just now researching if Xara might be a good replacement for Adobe Illustrator (now that Adobe has decided to up my annual tax from $800 to over $1500 with their new cloud-based-only offerings)... I have several people who use Photoshop and Illustrator.

Here are some specific functions that I am unsure if Xara can do, they are absolutely critical for some of the things we do - does Xara have versions of these?

Unite:
Often we need to take an object and combine it with another object to make more complex objects (which then share the same edge/line that can be adjusted). Adobe calls it "Unite"

Minus Front:
But, harder is that we often need to cut away from objects. So say a square on a lower layer we want to carve out a section using another object as the map. Adobe calls it "Minus Front". For example, often we will set an object to a 20% opacity then hand draw another object and minus-front it on the other object to have artwork blend with other artwork or photos.

[mwenz]

I would recommend downloading the trial if you have not already done so.

I use both (and another), but Xara is my primary tool even if I need to return an AI file in the end. I do as much as possible, finish off in Illy for any Illy-specific details (like meshes, etc). Otherwise I just port the thing and resave in Illy as an AI file.

Unite = Add Shapes:



Results in:



Minus Front = Subtract Shapes



Results in:



I have been rather vocal about the switch to CC in the PS, AI and ID forums. It sucks, but is what it is.

Take care, Mike

[mwenz]

Oh, I just read the Minus Front operation you describe a bit better. In Xara, if I am understanding you better now, I am thinking you would be using an opacity mask. But a sample AI file showing what you are beginning with and the final result would be best, screen shots second best.

Take care, Mike

[SmartWeb]

Most excellent, thank you Mike! I will proceed with our testing then, as the core features are there.

[mwenz]

BTW, depending upon what your users are doing in PS, you may find the bitmap functions in XDP are more than adequate. Also, XDP's new version is due out very soon. We all have yet to see what the new features will be.

Should XDP's bitmap features not be adequate for your needs, download the trial version of PhotoLine. That is my bitmap editor of choice. The application has been around for many years. It is updated with some frequency for both bug fixes and some new features during a major number release. It does have a rather dated looking interface but the two brothers who program it concentrate on function and features. Available for both PC and Mac. Cost effective to purchase and more so for future major releases.

Take care, Mike