Is there a way to export non rasterized bitmaps but rather same scale fill + feather?

[KIR23]

I like Xara quick composing toolset very much. My problem I need to work with 16 bit grayscale depth images and more advanced blending math.

So I wonder is there a way to export bitmaps from Xara keeping just same "fill" schema so I could replace the bitmap sources with 16 bit originals in 3d party soft?. As a "smart objects" in Photoshop or maybe just as bitmap layers with blurred vector masks in Aphinity PHoto/Designer, maybe as placeholders in Photoline, any other soft ?.

Ideally I would prefer to export into Affinity Designer since it has all necessary blending math and 16 bit support. I hoped I could do it with svg but looks like the feathering makes it impossible. Any workaround?

[mwenz]

No idea what you are trying to accomplish, nor why Xara products need involved in the process. Why not use either AD or PL from the start?

But, if you have a mix of vector drawn or manipulated in your Xara application along with some bitmap, would not exporting as a PDF maintaining layers work for you to then import into whatever? And if it is all bitmap, then cannot a PSD export work for you?

[gwpriester]

Export as SVG? I think that would maintain vectors and text and then you can edit and convert to bitmap in your editor of choice.

[KIR23]

No idea what you are trying to accomplish, nor why Xara products need involved in the process. Why not use either AD or PL from the start?

But, if you have a mix of vector drawn or manipulated in your Xara application along with some bitmap, would not exporting as a PDF maintaining layers work for you to then import into whatever? And if it is all bitmap, then cannot a PSD export work for you?

I just like Xara. Simplicity and elegance of its core design makes it best image composing/editing tool imo. Every time I open Photoshop I miss Xara. Too bad it's too archaic for modern use. I am not a big fan of Affinity and just trying to find a workaround that would allow my to use Xara instead of Affinity Designer. In a way I could compose bitmap objects ( I use vectors only as confining shapes for bitmaps) in Xara , then export final document into Affinity Designer and replace bitmap fill to whatever bit depth I want, keeping the scale and transform intact. Like replacing textures in 3d soft.

Both pdf and Photoshop export just rasterizes any bitmap object into separate image so it doesn't work really. Could Xara export bitmaps as pattern fill or smart object with feathered mask in Photoshop it would suite me too but it doesn't.

[KIR23]

Export as SVG? I think that would maintain vectors and text and then you can edit and convert to bitmap in your editor of choice.

I need it to maintain bitmap fill but see bitmap objects coming rasterized.

[gwpriester]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rasterisation

SVG maintains bitmaps, text and vectors.

[KIR23]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rasterisation

SVG maintains bitmaps, text and vectors.

Are you sure? Svg export gives a few choices, maybe I choose a wrong one? But from what I see Xara just rasterize each bitmap object into a screen resolution images.

[gwpriester]

I did this test last night and just looked at it again in Xara, and the resolution of the exported bitmap is the same.

[KIR23]

I did this test last night and just looked at it again in Xara, and the resolution of the exported bitmap is the same.

It's probably because you didn't feather bitmap edges or doing any levels editing. Those things perhaps are not supported within svg format and Xara rasterizes bitmap objects. Too bad Xara doesn't support 16 bit depth and a few basic blending arithmetics. Looks like Affinity Designer is only soft that can do it

[mwenz]

...bitmap objects coming rasterized...

Bitmaps are raster objects.

There is no means of a receiving application to utilize a pattern fill from any other file format but its own. At least I've never seen it even if the fill in a PDF object utilizes the pattern fill property (Corel and Adobe products can do this).

As regards Xara products supporting 16-bit depth...I would be happy if XDP would simply support grayscale at 8-bits! I doubt 16-bit depth is coming any day soon.