patched???

[Erik Heyninck]

In my marble experiments, I encountered the following gumtion trap: (there may well be another way around it, but after too many ways around, you don't get turned on, but going round in circles): (I run Win 98SE, and don't start about another OS as it should work just fine in this one too.)

1/ Install the new patch if you didn't (the former version crashed even earlier)
2/create a rectangle with for example a red fill and no outline
3/ create a second one with no outline and a black and white fractal clouds fill
4/snap to objects on, grab the centre of the second one and drag to near the center of the first one to align centrally.
5/the fractalclouds one is on top. select it
6/give it a flat transparancy, set to 0%
7/ stained glass will make the white invisible, and bleach the black (thanks, Gary). This opens vistas of possibilities for me...
8/ feather the edges of the top one
9/ decide to change the format of the fractal clouds, and: [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_mad.gif[/img]

[Erik Heyninck]

In my marble experiments, I encountered the following gumtion trap: (there may well be another way around it, but after too many ways around, you don't get turned on, but going round in circles): (I run Win 98SE, and don't start about another OS as it should work just fine in this one too.)

1/ Install the new patch if you didn't (the former version crashed even earlier)
2/create a rectangle with for example a red fill and no outline
3/ create a second one with no outline and a black and white fractal clouds fill
4/snap to objects on, grab the centre of the second one and drag to near the center of the first one to align centrally.
5/the fractalclouds one is on top. select it
6/give it a flat transparancy, set to 0%
7/ stained glass will make the white invisible, and bleach the black (thanks, Gary). This opens vistas of possibilities for me...
8/ feather the edges of the top one
9/ decide to change the format of the fractal clouds, and: [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_mad.gif[/img]

[Penny O'Rorke]

.........and exactly the same thing happened - I have Windows ME - Penny

[jamesc]

It works OK for me (I have winnt4). i agree it shouldn't matter what your OS is but the fact that it works in NT may help the Xara folks fix it.

Good luck



<font face="dom casual, verdana>James</font>

[alkolka]

Running Win NT SP5 I have no problems--same as jamesc.

[Soquili]

Hello Erik,

I get the same error when I try to feather the fractal cloud filled rectangle. This happens on my PC at work, it is running the original Win98.

I made some more tests. If you apply the feathering before applying the fractal could transparency, everything works fine. You can change the fill and/or the feathering without any error. If you apply a fractal cloud or fractal plasma stained glass transparency before feathering, you will get the error.

We have a workaround, and maybe the info above will help Xara track down the bug.


Soquili [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]

[This message was edited by Soquili on May 30, 2001 at 09:10.]

[Soquili]

Today when I try to recreate the error, I can't. Very Odd! Yesterday I could recreate the error everytime I followed Erik's instructions. Today, No Error. Nothing has been changed on the PC, no new software or hardware. It hasn't even been turned off, rebooted, or kicked.

Soquili [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_confused.gif[/img]

[John F Dye]

Erik,
I have found that the Feather tool is broken. almost any time I have tried to use it I have had one sort of crash or another. Xara says they cannot duplicate the problem so to them it is a non issue. I have sent them examples of drawings that have had the problem but no luck.
My only suggestion is to avoid the feather tool [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_frown.gif[/img]
John

[Erik Heyninck]

Thanks for this encouraging news. All in all it's just another brick in the Wall. (Chinese, Jerusalem or Ego?) I get the impression that Xara couldn't really separate from Corel completely as this reminds me of DRAW's patches. Sad, very sad.
Or perhaps it is a commercial trick: If X were perfect, who would upgrade to XI???

Still I don't really care as I do not depend on this piece of software to pay the bills. [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_cool.gif[/img]

Every piece of software has its limits and its strong points, and if you have an open mind, you take advantage of the latter and limit its use to just these. The other companies have to make some money too, don't they? [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif[/img]

Like Oscar Wilde said (and he spoke a lot):

"Ambition is the last refuge of failure."

Better make good shareware like ITex than try to become a dinosaur.

[This message was edited by Erik Heyninck on May 31, 2001 at 13:54.]

[Erik Heyninck]

One feathered rectangle, fractal clouds fill, black
A second feathered rectangle, fractal plasma fill, red

Put number two on number one and try to apply a flat transparancy set at 0%. Choose Stained Glass, and Xara sings with Led Zeppelin: I should've quit you, baby, a long time ago..."

This cruel behaviour is reason enough to get separated.
Xara, is there anybody in there? Try this out, or come and play on my PC if ya don't believe me.