XD7 - Why no pen tool?

**MarcT** · 27 May 2011, 09:48 PM

Yes, total tool confusion here!!

**Soquili** · 27 May 2011, 10:02 PM

Flyout toolbars only serve to cause confusion about where tools are located, IMHO. Fortunately Xara's toolbars (controlbars) are easily changed to fit your needs.

**handrawn** · 27 May 2011, 10:06 PM

I'm frequently confused

no fan of the flyouts either - if buttons are needed it just slows things down... what ever happened to 'the fewer the clicks the better'

**Soquili** · 27 May 2011, 10:13 PM

Steve I believe I permanently live in the State of confusion but the post service is not very good.

Maybe I should apply for a postal code.

**Squeaky** · 28 May 2011, 11:21 AM

I know I can replace the icon (I dislike the flyouts for the most part). What I would like to know is the Xara Thinking behind this. This is obviously not an oversight or omission. Is the shape editor tool supposed to be superior and if so how? In the Xara Xone First look of 7 Gary said:
By the way, the Pen Tool is history. Gone. Vanished and banished! Three cheers!
Just what am I missing here????

**handrawn** · 28 May 2011, 11:30 AM

never mind Gary

he is on record as saying that the pen tool is only there for those who are used to the illustrator pen tool and decline to change to the shape editor tool, which he apparently sees as the programs mainstay advantage [along with super fast rendering] - perhaps xara are of similar mind?

the shape editor tool can 'do more' than the pen tool in terms of its options and the way it works... but that's the operation of the tool it's not to say you can't do everything you need to do with the pen tool if you prefer to work that way

anyhow I am 'neutral' as I almost always use the freehand tool...

best way to appreciate the actual differences is to try them out for real I guess

**GerryI** · 28 May 2011, 01:26 PM

The pen tool certainly does have its uses (which is why it wasn't removed completely) but unless you are either very familiar with how bezier paths work or have used a similar tool in another application then it takes quite a lot of getting used to before you can use it well. The shape editor and freehand tool seem to be much easier for new users to get to grips with so the decision was taken to remove the pen tool from the standard toolbar setup to avoid confusion.

Gerry

**ad1066** · 28 May 2011, 01:29 PM

I've never been able to wrap my head around using the Pen tool, the Shape Editor accounts for about 80% of my work in XDP.

-- Ben

**davecammack** · 19 June 2011, 02:34 PM

This why I love joining the forums of the software apps I use the most. I too am usually in the state of confusion, I pay taxes to the same. Anyways, I see that the flyout doesn't have the pen tool any longer. AND the Control Bar feature is a great way to Customize XDP7 to your liking. But, (always a but) I tried to Alt+Drag the pen tool to the flyout ... that didn't work. I was able to place it on the Tool Palette as one of the main buttons. And it stays there on the Tools Palette when you exit and reopen the App. BUT (there it is again) when I select it, there is NO properties on the info bar (it is simply blank). I tried to Alt+drag it to the flyout but no luck. Then from the Tool Bar I tried to Alt+drag it to the flyout, and WOW there it is. Nope, when the flyout closes, then you open it again the pen tool has disappeared again. And I tried shift+F5 and that never worked.

I guess the users of older versions are going to have to learn more about the Shape Editing Tool.