Béziercurves & Find

**André** · 13 April 2015, 09:17 AM

I find the editing of shapes a bit difficult. I assume that some of the Xaraprogrammers once were RISC PC or RISC OS users, (the RISC PC -for the younger readers amongst us) was produced by Acorn Computers. Supplied were some -free- very powerful apps, !Draw was one of them. I must admit that I still use this computer to edit (Bézier)curves in the userfriendliest manner I ever experienced.... (also on board, !Artworks, designed by Computer Concepts). Maybe the current programmers could have a look at !Draw (the RISC OS foundation can help 'em out I think..)
Another suggestion: when in textmode, using ctr-f the caret/cursor does not jump into straight into the find box (as it does with many other programmes, would be nice, to see that happening, saving ''mouse-mileage''..
I always wondered why Apple and Microsoft (even with W10) still don't have GUI's that are as clever end nice as once designed by Acorn Computers in Cambridge (now ARM -Acorn RISC Machines- Ltd)....

**handrawn** · 13 April 2015, 09:30 AM

in case you don't know, Computer Concepts [if it still exists as a separate entity], is part of the Xara company group, and Artworks was the forerunner of the Xara drawing applications

**Albacore** · 13 April 2015, 09:47 AM

Gosh André you're as old as me! and also have the same old likes. Yes the old Artworks was ported over to the PC by C.C. and called it Xara even the headquarters they are in is still the same.

**handrawn** · 13 April 2015, 10:01 AM

bit of history:

http://www.cconcepts.co.uk/

**Acorn** · 13 April 2015, 05:11 PM

I still use !Draw and !Artworks as I have both an Acorn RISC PC and an emulator of RISC OS4.
!Artworks is the father of Xara applications and Computer Concepts abandoned the RISC PC due to lack of ANSI C compiler support (memory lapse here).

RISC OS was so sensible as it used a 3-button mouse properly.

Acorn (I wonder why).

**André** · 15 April 2015, 08:06 AM

Yes, I know about CC (not to forget iconic Gordon Taylor) I was a dealer/distributor of Acorn products from 1981 (Acorn Atom) up to 1999 (Acorn RISC PC). Guilty pleasure: I edit Béziercurves in !Draw and drag/drop 'em into Artworks for further editing (D&D, something not really implemented yet in W10 and Macs, always ctrl-C/ctrl-V :-(

**André** · 15 April 2015, 08:11 AM

Anyway, I hope that the Xara developers are able or find it interersting to implement my suggestions into Xar... (a more comfortable ''find'' option and Béziercurves like !Draw).
Thanks for the reactions (take in mind that I sold Acorn and CC materials in Delft, Holland....)

**theinonen** · 15 April 2015, 09:38 AM

For the actual drawing on RISC OS nothing comes close to ProCAD+.

Almost everything I draw starts there and then gets exported as draw or pdf, continued on Artworks 2 and finished with Compo if some additional bitmap effects are needed.

**pauland** · 15 April 2015, 10:20 AM

Originally Posted by handrawn

bit of history:

http://www.cconcepts.co.uk/

Gosh. It's like time travel on the internet!

Thanks for the link.

**browj2** · 17 April 2015, 07:42 PM

Hi,

On the original question about Bézier curves, aren't those handles on each side of a node on editable shapes Bézier handles? I know that Xara doesn't call them that, but I think that they are handles to draw Bézier curves. This is available by changing the shape to an editable shape and using the Shape editor.

John