Xara Designer Pro X9 Released

[StevenWWinters]

... I can't find the sketch mode for the eraser tool or the Shape Builder tool in X9...

You can put it back by setting registry key ...\Options\ShapePainterTool\ShowSketchModeButton = 1

XaReg 2.4 added this as well.

(Standard caveat about registry edits apply.)

[Nostaw]

Hm maybe the drawing icon has been removed as drawing tools for a graphic design program are taken for granted?
However, I would have thought we would have at least some of these tools by now:

http://astutegraphics.com/products/vectorscribe - Vectorscribe

http://vimeo.com/41237505 - Spiro

[pauland]

The Vectorscribe tools alone cost a significant proportion of the cost of Xara software. So, would you pay another US$75 to get that functionality?

The bundle of vector tools that go with Vectorscribe will set you back US$175.

The illustrator market has people with more cash to splash than the Xara market and it's bigger.

I suspect Xara would need to charge more money to get the same return on their effort.

The tools do look impressive and Xara's drawing toolset is a bit stuck in the 1990's.

[mwenz]

Largely what the VectorScribe add-in does is make Illustrator more Xara (and other apps) like.

The concept of opening the architecture to plug-ins and scripting has been made in the past. That would alleviate some of the pressure on Xara for new functionality and enhancements.

Mike

[Nostaw]

Personally, I would be happy pay double the cost of Xara Pro to have toolsets like these available. I can justify this by the time I would be saving. I am subscribed to CC as well and use all tools on daily bases but somehow always have Xara included. If someone doesn't need it, there are smaller Xara versions available - or use Inkscape with spiro for free.

[pauland]

I would be happy pay double the cost of Xara Pro to have toolsets like these available.

They are available to you already - you have illustrator, so why with illustrator and Vectorscribe available would you still pay double the cost of existing Xara software to have the toolset available on the Xara platform?

I'm not sure that you're representative of the Xara userbase in general, while illustrator users, by virtue of the higher product price, are a group that are generally more likely to be able to afford expensive (compared to Xara) add-ons.

[pauland]

The concept of opening the architecture to plug-ins and scripting has been made in the past. That would alleviate some of the pressure on Xara for new functionality and enhancements.

Indeed, though it might provoke new criticism of the internals of Xara software or the API it would require. The development of an API if it doesn't already exist, might be expensive and could be a total waste of money and effort if nobody used it (better for developers to write for illustrator with a bigger user base with money for useful tools). Additionally, Xara software might be destabilised by a badly written add-on.

[mwenz]

Badly written add-ins destabilize whatever they are written for. That's a given.

Much of the scripting available for Illustrator and InDesign is freely available. It's the plug-ins that extend and or change functionality that typically cost (though there are a few free ones as well). VectorScribe/DrawScribe/WidthScribe are examples of changing Illy's functionality and they don't cost an arm and a leg...depending on one's point of view. They are examples of picking up the managers of the programmers' at Adobe lack of vision and care about changing Illy to suit its user-base.

In any case, Xara ain't gonna do it. Cannot/will not even fix the damn gallery width changing issue.

Take care, Mike

[Nostaw]

I don't use Illustrator for drawings but for putting elements exported from Xara (or other illustrator users) together. So I can't justify a Vectorscribe license. I constantly hear from co workers how I seem to like to make my life harder in some regards when using Xara, then I show them some tools that makes illustrator blush and that's the end of the discussion. But it works both ways in many other regards. Who *is* representative of the Xara userbase? What does the profile of a Xara user look like?

[Big Frank]

Who *is* representative of the Xara userbase? What does the profile of a Xara user look like?

that's a very good question
it was definitely me a decade ago
that's why one of their people came to my office for usability research
i'm pretty sure it's no longer me
i should know when i'm beat
but i prefer my cheese strong distinctive with character
i hate to see it become bland mass manufactured processed muck
cmon xara
give us back the strong stinky stuff!