Dumb sugestions

[rpc9943]

hmmm how about popping gimp in there

RonC

[Grafixman]

No one mentioned Flash. It has a paintbucket tool, lasso selection and eraser. All vectors. The paintbucket can even fill shapes with gaps. It's definitely doable. Strange that Xara hasn't implemented something like these already. Sooner or later, perhaps?

[Mukkinese]

Well it's nice to know such things can be done (and are being done) in a vector art program.

I just checked out Macromedia Flash, I'm very disappointed to find another ludicrously over-priced piece of software. I don't mind paying for useful graphics software, but these kind of prices are just showing utter contempt for their customers. I won't pay it on principle, I've decided that I will no longer buy Photoshop either, I refuse to be ripped off anymore.

When you see such an exceptionaly high quality program like Xtreme being sold at less than $80.00, then the profiteering of others leaves a sour taste.

I will be telling everyone who will listen just what a fantastic program this is and what amazing value for money they will get.

[gradinDotCom]

Xara has the option you're looking for, it just goes by another name (and yes, it's slightly more complex). You would use one of the "Combine Objects" functions - Ctrl+1-4. I'll admit, it doesn't always work the way I expect it to, but I usually get the results I intend within a couple of tries.

For example, say you have some big bubble letters that you want to fill with a solid pattern (non-fill); problem is, the letters aren't connected. In a raster tool, you'd magic wand each letter and paste your fill that way. With Xara, you can simply place your fill under the disparate letters - select the letters and the pattern - then combine them using "Intersect Shapes."

There are some very particular consequences to the "Combine" functions, but using a solid "fill" beneath another object will use your object as a cookie cutter against the fill and produce the desired results.

Here's an example of what I just spoke on:
http://www.gradin.com/images/title.jpg

[handrawn]

Hi welcome

yep - that's basically what John was talking about at post #11

whilst I'm here in this old thread interesting to re-read this:

Well it's always been the plan that all XPE tools can be used direct on the page on and with vector artwork. Xara X1, had XPE as a separate tool. In Xara Xtreme we're half way there. You can now do very un-vector things like sharpen and blur on vector artwork just as you can bitmaps, using the same tool for both and it's direct, real-time, interactive operation (not in a separate window). The next step is that all XPE tools, even painting and masking tools work on any object, direct on your page. So yes that includes painting, masking, erase brushes, and just about anything else you can think of - you could even use an airbrush tool to erase objects / colours with nice soft edges. Ask the questions, and then you start finding some of these things are even easy.

erase brush in xara - I wish....

[handrawn]

I have started a new thread on the topic - thanks for drawing my attention to Charles' remarks [indirectly]