Bitmaps getting resized (optimised) automatically in XDP X9 - why?

[Yellosub]

Hi, I'm working on a print document and do not understand the behaviour of Designer Pro X9 concerning image optimising. When I drag an image from explorer onto my document, I'm being prompted (as expected) to decide, whether I want to import the original size image or a resized version. Choosing the high resolution version gives me the full size bitmap to work with on my page.

But as soon as I drag the same image from the bitmap gallery onto my page, I get a downsized version of 1920 x 1280 pixels, which also immediately appears as a copy in the bitmap gallery.
Does anybody know, why this happens and if and where I can prevent X9 from doing this?

Thanks,
Hubert

[Acorn]

Hubert, here's Xara's Help information:

Optimization on import

When importing high resolution photos (anything above 1920 pixels either wide or high) into a web document, Xara Designer Pro X9 automatically resizes the photo down to HD screen size without asking you if you want to import a lower resolution version. For a web document, even at the reduced size, there should be more than enough resolution in your photos for high quality results on your website, so it's rarely necessary to import digital camera images at full resolution for web use.
However, if you are importing a large photo into a print or animation document, Xara Designer Pro X9 asks you if you want to import a lower resolution version of your photos. If your document is to include many photos, you may want to choose this reduced resolution option. Otherwise with large photos you may find that your saved design file is much bigger than it needs to be (because it contains a copy of each of your photos) and you may not have enough memory in your computer to load, edit and export your documents.

Perhaps you can save a higher resolution photo in a separate folder and use the Web Properties... > Link > Link to file approach to ensure the size is maintained.

Acorn

[Yellosub]

Thank you for your explanation, Acorn. I understand automatic optimisation is a good idea for web documents, but not for print. This feature does not make any sense here. I don't want to suddenly have a bitmap at i.e. 80 dpi in my print document without being asked or even being warned. So could this be a bug in X9, as it worked the way it should in X7, from which I upgraded recently?

[Boy]

I have DPX9 and do not see this behavior, as the hi-res image -- after the 'full/reduced size' dialog -- gets imported at full resolution. As a matter of fact I am even able to insert it into a web document at full resolution when using the bitmap gallery.

Have you tried using the File/Import option, rather than drag & drop from Explorer? Did you inadvertently convert your print document into a web document? Just trying to find a possible solution to the problem....

[Yellosub]

No, I did not convert my document to a web document. What I found out meanwhile is that the resizing takes place as soon as I drag the fullsize image from the bitmap gallery onto my page or onto an object on my page. The only way to get the fullsize pic out of the gallery is by selecting an object on the page and then double clicking the image in the gallery.
Once you know it it's not much of a problem of course, but still I don't see a reason why it should be like that.

[Boy]

The only way to get the fullsize pic out of the gallery is by selecting an object on the page and then double clicking the image in the gallery.

Yes, I see the same here. When you drag & drop a hi-res image from the bitmap gallery the resolution is reduced to 1920 but when you click "Insert" on the bitmap menu (which is what I did before my last post), the full-size picture is used. No need to select an object or double click the image.

Anyway, glad you got the issue sorted.

[Yellosub]

I hope they are going to fix that bug. Thank you Boy for your help.

[Boy]

My pleasure.