Suggestions for Xara X+

[jclements]

A. FILLS, FRACTAL FILLS, and TRANSPARENCIES

In recent threads, the use of Fractal Fills and Transpancies have demonstrated how to create some neat special effects (rippling water, fire, snow, etc.) Many of these require overlapping of two or more objects so that the patterns are less symetrical and more natural looking.

My request would be to add 2 options (profiles) to the Info Bar (if it mathematically possible to do this with fractals):

1. One would be for Random Spacing of the fractal "blobs" or for repeating fills (so for example, the rings of a repeating elliptical fill would not be evenly spaced).

2. The other would for Pattern Randomizing: such as waves, zigzags, and pokadots (for repeating fills). Make sense?

Perhaps some fractals other than clouds or plasma could be added.

B. FILLS and TRANSPARENCIES along a path

Again, not sure if this programmable or not. If a linear fill or transparency could follow the path of a curve (similar to the way a brush or blend does). There could be two handles to the path, one would control the % of transparency or color value along the path. The other handle would control the transparency or color value perpendicular to the path.

This would really simplify, for example, trying to make shadows or highlights on non-symetrical objects or doing the skin tones of a face.

[jclements]

A. FILLS, FRACTAL FILLS, and TRANSPARENCIES

In recent threads, the use of Fractal Fills and Transpancies have demonstrated how to create some neat special effects (rippling water, fire, snow, etc.) Many of these require overlapping of two or more objects so that the patterns are less symetrical and more natural looking.

My request would be to add 2 options (profiles) to the Info Bar (if it mathematically possible to do this with fractals):

1. One would be for Random Spacing of the fractal "blobs" or for repeating fills (so for example, the rings of a repeating elliptical fill would not be evenly spaced).

2. The other would for Pattern Randomizing: such as waves, zigzags, and pokadots (for repeating fills). Make sense?

Perhaps some fractals other than clouds or plasma could be added.

B. FILLS and TRANSPARENCIES along a path

Again, not sure if this programmable or not. If a linear fill or transparency could follow the path of a curve (similar to the way a brush or blend does). There could be two handles to the path, one would control the % of transparency or color value along the path. The other handle would control the transparency or color value perpendicular to the path.

This would really simplify, for example, trying to make shadows or highlights on non-symetrical objects or doing the skin tones of a face.

[a4hire]

Is there a new version in the works ?
My suggestion is more and better beveling effects and maybe better tools for slicing graphics and making rollover effects and nav bars. I have found the existing navbar tool difficult to use and I still use Image ready or another program to make the slicing and java script. The shadow tool could be improved also. It is not very user friendly and limited in the way that you can move and adjust the shadow.

[Sheff]

I don't use brushes that often, but wouldn't it be cool to be able to connect to Xara and download them? Just like we can download fonts and clipart now.

I'm sure most people would be willing to share their brushes. The time consuming hassle is creating a cool brush and forgetting to save it and having to recreate it again.

I think that a lot of people on this forum have devoted a lot of time to exploring the possiblites and if they're willing to share the results of that, I would be willing as well.

I think Xara just needs to tighted up their brush implementation a bit because an extremely complex brush with a lot of shapes can slow things down to a crawl.

Everything else I want Xara to have and be I've posted before in other threads. No need to clog up this one with my old requests.

Sheffield Abella
sheff@sheff.com
www.sheff.com

[mckinney]

Here are a few more ideas for a next generation of Xara X:

1. Allow the wheel on a wheel-mouse to be used for zooming in and out.

2. Allow snapping to an object or guide to work even when the mouse button is not depressed (i.e. show the magnet any time you are near a snap point)

3. An arc quickshape tool that lets you place part of an ellipse or circle.

4. Dimension quickshapes - I know asking for this is a stretch, but I sometimes use Xara for technical drawings and I have to draw in dimensions to do so. An active set of quickshapes that placed a scalable number on a dimension line could help.

- Pete

[heimo]

Some ideas too..

a general improvment of the interface to make me happy as an old CAD-User:

I ma uset to draw not only wiht the mouse. I would like to draw! - not to alter drawn objects
with numbers in the directions i want to like
x, y -axes, also radius and angle fom an selected point. This is much! better than Xaras now existing interface - more control once You are used to it, more exact drawings!

You pick a point with the Mouse, then press the "x", "y", "r", or the "a" -Key and give the numeral input into an dialog - area, then the second one needet angd by enter - its drawn exactly

Also main needet - a kind of osnap - catch end-middle, nearest, perpent ... - points of existing objects in a now happening drawing-session.

You draw something and You want to draw exactly perpent to an other existing object - You schould have the ability to point at it and draw it while You draw without breaking the running command.

then something else.
You mad a shape. Then You want to make it bigger not the Xara - CorelDraw - way with the %. You want only the existing shape to be parallel bigger - like the bevel-Tool does it , but with the existing shape. This is main different to only make the shape bigger!

Then there should be a simple way to push a single side of a shape parallel.

There schould be an imprvoment in the mould-tool:
To lay a Grid over an drawing - and alter the knots of the grid. what should work with bitmaps too...

[heimo]

To maky you understand my wirry ideas look at this:
web page

[heimo]

http://www.salzburg.co.at/hmooslechner/xara/xara11.htm

other Interfaces

[jens g.r. benthien]

Heimo,

sorry, but I recommend a good 2D CAD software for your purposes, like Ashlar DrawingBoard (www.mcesoft.com).
XARA X is for illustrations !

Try to ask Autodesk to integrate the XARA X features into AutoCAD - they'll die on laughing out loud rolling on the floor.

jens

jens g.r. benthien
designer
http://jens.highspeedweb.net

[jens g.r. benthien]

Peter,

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR> Here are a few more ideas for a next generation of Xara X:

1. Allow the wheel on a wheel-mouse to be used for zooming in and out.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

It's already integrated:
01. press the CTRL key when you turn the wheel to zoom in and out
02. press the SHIFT key when you turn the wheel to move left & right
03. press the ALT key when you turn the wheel to move up & down

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>2. Allow snapping to an object or guide to work even when the mouse button is not depressed (i.e. show the magnet any time you are near a snap point)<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Doesn't make sense. However, if you move the cursor over a guide, it changes to a double headed arrow!

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>
3. An arc quickshape tool that lets you place part of an ellipse or circle.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Well, XARA is a vector illustration & drawing app, not a CAD app. But using the slice command you will be able to achieve this effect as well.

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>
4. Dimension quickshapes - I know asking for this is a stretch, but I sometimes use Xara for technical drawings and I have to draw in dimensions to do so. An active set of quickshapes that placed a scalable number on a dimension line could help.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

It's not a dimension line, but if you select your object you can read the values in the top tool bar

jens

jens g.r. benthien
designer
http://jens.highspeedweb.net