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Re: Custom Splash Screens
Gary.
My comments about your x10 splashscreen were meant as a very big complement.
I enjoy the splashscreen I'm using at the moment. I like what I designed and I look forward to it loading up.
For the moment of time it's there, I let it say whatever it wants to say!
Hopefully what I was trying to say about your effort was that:-
1. I like it very much.
2. I would have to work quite hard to come up with an alternative, if indeed that was the splashscreen for X10.
3. Might only have taken you about an hour to knock-up - looks like a week's worth of work for me.
And lastely, you have to come up with the idea, in the first place.
So, if yours was loading up, I would be thinking, "What on earth can I come up with?!"
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Re: Custom Splash Screens
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Rik
And lastely, you have to come up with the idea, in the first place
technique can be learned
but imagination
ye gods
thats the holy grail
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1 Attachment(s)
Re: Custom Splash Screens
Quote:
Originally Posted by
pauland
Time to hit the Rum, I think.
..well almost. Too much thinking going on.
"Too much thinking going on" strongly indicates that it's the perfect time to hit the Rum, Paul.
I'm buying.
Attachment 97916
(Oh, wait. A Good Moderator can't drink at work...)
My Best,
Gary
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Re: Custom Splash Screens
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Re: Custom Splash Screens
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Gare
I'm not a good Moderator!
Maybe not but you are a good teacher and art critic!
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1 Attachment(s)
Re: Custom Splash Screens
Here's my proper one. It continues my current favourite theme, post-apocalypse, and it was done entirely in Xara (of course), even though it is composed completely of bitmaps from my collection of grunge stock. The text is just trimmed from the original splash screen and blended.
I just love using Xara like Photoshop. The only thing that it's missing is the ability to easily clip the final image to a specific canvas size.
Attachment 98173
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Re: Custom Splash Screens
Lovely graphic, Bones.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
BONES
I just love using Xara like Photoshop. The only thing that it's missing is the ability to easily clip the final image to a specific canvas size.
Agreed, although the workaround is probably as quick as a specific function would be.
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Re: Custom Splash Screens
What workaround? The only thing I can think of is to place an object behind everything else and use it as clipping object, which I don't see as easy at all. I'd be keen for a better solution if you have one?
It would be great if you could make it a parameter for the page - just a check-box with something like "Clip output to page size". Autodesk Combuston does it really well, allowing you to see what's outside the frame by turning off "Clip to composite edges" in the View menu.
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Re: Custom Splash Screens
Quote:
Originally Posted by
BONES
It would be great if you could make it a parameter for the page - just a check-box with something like "Clip output to page size".
But you can, and always have been as far as I recall.
In your bitmap export settings>>bitmap size, select Area to save as 'page' And the export will be clipped to the page size.
Attachment 98242
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Re: Custom Splash Screens
Quote:
Originally Posted by
BONES
What workaround? The only thing I can think of is to place an object behind everything else and use it as clipping object, which I don't see as easy at all. I'd be keen for a better solution if you have one?
All I do is create a rectangle corresponding to the size of image I want to export and set it to the back. Then, with it still selected, I click export. I use it all the time and, frankly, nothing could be easier.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
BONES
It would be great if you could make it a parameter for the page - just a check-box with something like "Clip output to page size".
As Steve said, that already exists.
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Re: Custom Splash Screens
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Big Frank
All I do is create a rectangle corresponding to the size of image I want to export and set it to the back. Then, with it still selected, I click export.
You can in fact skip the 'set it to the back' step entirely. If the rectangle has no fill but has a line then (while still selected) exporting will only export the area 'covered' by the rectangle, rather like a cropping tool.
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Re: Custom Splash Screens
No, the rectangle will be exported with a border, which is sometimes not desired. That's why I send it to the back unless I want a border around my image.
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Re: Custom Splash Screens
Well, it's an option is my point.
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Re: Custom Splash Screens
It also adds to the dimensions of the exported image. If you create a 600 x 400 transparent rectangle, then add a 1px border so you can actually see it in order to position it over your drawing, when you export that rectangle it will export as 601 x 401 px, which kind of defeats the object of the exercise. If you have Scale Line width unchecked (and let's face it, most newcomers to the program don't know this) the rectangle still shows as 600 x 400 in Xara.
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Re: Custom Splash Screens
Quote:
Originally Posted by
sledger
But you can, and always have been as far as I recall.
In your bitmap export settings>>bitmap size, select Area to save as 'page' And the export will be clipped to the page size.
PERFECT! I never noticed that but, as you say, it has probably always been there. OK, this should allow me to use Xara at work. Steve, if you watch Today on Channel 9 next weekend, all the on-air graphics (still frames, anyway) you see will be made in Xara, barring some huge news story that forces me to work on the stupid MacPros. (I can't put my laptop on the network so I will have to transfer everything via USB Flash drive.) Just for shits and giggles I might try to incorporate the Xara "X" into the background of as many as possible.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Big Frank
All I do is create a rectangle corresponding to the size of image I want to export and set it to the back. Then, with it still selected, I click export. I use it all the time and, frankly, nothing could be easier.
I don't see how that is easy at all, in that you still need to frame everything so just plonking down a rectangle is not ideal. Using the export dialogue is definitely the way to go.
P.S. My boss just changed my shift so I'm on tonight. I think I will give it a go for tomorrow's show. I'll start a new thread tomorrow and post a few things, it should be fun.
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Re: Custom Splash Screens
Quote:
Originally Posted by
BONES
Steve, if you watch Today on Channel 9 next weekend, all the on-air graphics (still frames, anyway) you see will be made in Xara, barring some huge news story that forces me to work on the stupid MacPros.
Congrats! Unfortunately I won't see it owning to not watching any broadcast TV for well over a decade now (a choice I made).
Maybe you can post some screen shots?
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Re: Custom Splash Screens
Quote:
Originally Posted by
BONES
I don't see how that is easy at all.
Oh well. Whatever. One man's really simple is another man's really insurmountable, gut-busting problem. Go figure.
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Re: Custom Splash Screens
Quote:
Originally Posted by
sledger
Congrats! Unfortunately I won't see it owning to not watching any broadcast TV for well over a decade now (a choice I made).
Maybe you can post some screen shots?
Bugger! I was going to use it the other night. I made some templates and took everything into the office, only to discover that the 64 bit edition doesn't support plugins. Oh well, my CD arrived a couple of weeks ago so I will uninstall the 64 bit version, put the 32 bit on when I get a chance and try again. You can't make TV graphics without blurred backgrounds!
Why on Earth don't you watch TV? It's one of my favourite things, more important to me than going to the movies or watching DVDs. I think if I had to choose, I'd take it over the internet.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Big Frank
Oh well. Whatever. One man's really simple is another man's really insurmountable, gut-busting problem. Go figure.
It's broadcast TV, if I'm lucky I sometimes have 10 minutes to produce a nice still graphic. In 20 minutes I can make you an animated satellite map of a whole country, zooming in to the location of a fire or a plane crash or an earthquake or a shooting spree or whatever. I use your method quite a lot when I'm doing other stuff but fiddly little things like that will always trip you up when you're under the pump at 3am and you have a director's assistant screaming down the intercom, waiting for the file to appear on her server.
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Re: Custom Splash Screens
Quote:
Originally Posted by
BONES
I will uninstall the 64 bit version, put the 32 bit on when I get a chance and try again.
Don't uninstall the 64 bit version. You can have both installed side by side - you just can't run them both at the same time.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
BONES
Why on Earth don't you watch TV? It's one of my favourite things, more important to me than going to the movies or watching DVDs. I think if I had to choose, I'd take it over the internet.
I'm with Steve on this. I can't prevent my family from watching TV although I'd like to, and they can't prevent me from not watching. I found it to be an infectious, insidious marketing machine whose programming has been consistently dumbed down to the lowest common denominator, that being ego-manic, reality-TV stupidity. I stress that it's only my opinion and I don't intend to defend or justify it and I accept that it's horses for courses, but I can barely stand it. There are a few wonderful natural history programmes and documentaries that I miss but can download, and as for the rest, I get what I need on the net, in the manner of my choosing, without advertising (or extremely little). I always thought it would be great if a television manufacturer could invent a TV that would automatically blank out the adverts or temporarily switch to another channel of your choiosing while the adverts are on. I'm sure it would be technically possible. But that wouldn't, of course, increase the quality of programming.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
BONES
I use your method quite a lot when I'm doing other stuff but fiddly little things like that will always trip you up when you're under the pump at 3am and you have a director's assistant screaming down the intercom, waiting for the file to appear on her server.
I appreciate deadlines (not to your extend though) but I can't see how any other method would be quicker. But I've probably missed something. Are you thinking of having something like the crop tool in the export dialog? That would certainly not be a bad feature and would obviate my workaround.
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Re: Custom Splash Screens
[QUOTE=Big Frank;487437]Don't uninstall the 64 bit version. You can have both installed side by side - you just can't run them both at the same time.[QUOTE]
Why bother? I only have a 128Gb SSD so every Mb is precious and, TBH, I've not found the 64 bit version noticeably faster at any point.
Quote:
I found it [TV] to be an infectious, insidious marketing machine whose programming has been consistently dumbed down to the lowest common denominator, that being ego-manic, reality-TV stupidity.
That's like saying you don't drive because Daewoo make terrible cars. It is completely true that far too much TV these days is hideous but that's why there is an off switch. You switch it on when there is something worth watching and switch it off when it's over. But the best TV is like the best of any artform, transcendent. What I like best about it is that the writers have a lot more opportunity to develop characters than in film so you get to a point where you knwo the characters as well as you know the people you work with or your neighbours, which allows you to anticipate their reactions. Law & Order was on for so long I felt like I knew Lenny Briscoe and Jack McCoy better than I know many of my friends.
Quote:
I appreciate deadlines (not to your extend though) but I can't see how any other method would be quicker. But I've probably missed something. Are you thinking of having something like the crop tool in the export dialog? That would certainly not be a bad feature and would obviate my workaround.
I thought Steve's solution would be the best but, unlike most export dialogue settings, you do have to remember to set it to "page size" every time, so it's not really much of an improvement. It might work in the long run but I've gone cold on the idea of giving it a bash at work, there is enough time pressure without adding more.
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Re: Custom Splash Screens
As there's now a new version of XDP I thought I'd update my splashscreen from last year. I'm still happy with it, but since I have now perfected my shiny gold bling I thought I'd update the splashscreen to include it, in place of the matt effect of last year.
Also because V10 64 bit can use 32 bit plug ins I can report this was done in V10 using the Eye Candy Chrome plug in from the older versions of the program
Attachment 103024
Attachment 103025
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Re: Custom Splash Screens
I like that, I like that a lot.
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Re: Custom Splash Screens
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Re: Custom Splash Screens
Quote:
Originally Posted by
BONES
Law & Order was on for so long I felt like I knew Lenny Briscoe and Jack McCoy better than I know many of my friends.
that is so sad
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1 Attachment(s)
Re: Custom Splash Screens
updated my splashscreen.bmp for X10x64
Attachment 103403
shame the forum software shrinks it
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Re: Custom Splash Screens
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1 Attachment(s)
Re: Custom Splash Screens
If you're going to sell a graphics program, it would be good to show the possibilities at first glance when you load the freaking thing.:)
This is all vector, except for the bitmap background:
Attachment 103418
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1 Attachment(s)
Re: Custom Splash Screens
I've been shooting blanks for years!
Attachment 103420
-g
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Re: Custom Splash Screens
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Gare
If you're going to sell a graphics program, it would be good to show the possibilities at first glance when you
load the freaking thing.:)
This is all vector, except for the bitmap background:
Attachment 103418
I like this one a lot Gare. It pretty much says it all, and certainly much better than I could do, at least design wise.
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1 Attachment(s)
Re: Custom Splash Screens
some final tweaks and im happy and ive put it in the program folder
Attachment 103423
gary i love yr images but youve not allowed for the position of the xara-gnerated blurb
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Re: Custom Splash Screens
Oh, I like the line, Big Frank!. More importantly, Charles likes it. ;)
-g
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Re: Custom Splash Screens
Quote:
Originally Posted by
wizard509
I like this one a lot Gare.
Thanks, and by the way, I can't seem to get the 64x version to take my splashscreen.bmp screen when I put it in the bitmaps folder, rewriting the original.
Have they changed this procedure?
TIA,
Gary
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Re: Custom Splash Screens
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Gare
I can't seem to get the 64x version to take my splashscreen.bmp screen when I put it in the bitmaps folder, rewriting the original
you need to take control of %SYSTEMROOT%\Xara\Xara Designer Pro X10\bitmaps but that's always been the case since vista so i don't know why it's not working for you
what happens when you try to rename splashscreen.bmp to splashscreen.bmp.old
which line does charles like :confused:
:OT
last night i fell asleep in front of the tv and woke up with a start (don't know why) and poked myself in the eye (also don't know why)
a bit sore but thought nothing more of it and went to bed
this morning i wake up with a whopping shiner and now everybody thinks i'm a battered husband :banghead:
:OT
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1 Attachment(s)
Re: Custom Splash Screens
[QUOTE=Big Frank;511492]you need to take control of %SYSTEMROOT%\Xara\Xara Designer Pro X10\bitmaps[/FONT][/COLOR]
I admit I don't know what you mean by taking control of the SYSTEMROOT, Big Frank. Historically, I've just climbed into the bitmaps folder, renamed the current splashscreen, and named mine spashscreen.bmp, like this here.
Attachment 103455
...and I still get that stupid, corporate, geometric shades of blue guy for the splash, even though I deleted the sucker.
Every other versions 5,6,7, 8, and so on happily take my replacement BMP, but not 10. I've even replaced them in both the 64x and 32x folder.
I'm going to see whether Photoshop queered the deal by writing something Xara doesn't recognize as a valid BMP.
Then I will give up.
No joy,
Gary
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Re: Custom Splash Screens
I just tried this and I can't get it to work with ver 8 or 10 - can't try ver 10 anymore as my trial has just died - not sure i have actually tried this before under win8.1.. I think it worked under win7....
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Re: Custom Splash Screens
8 works for me, handrawn, as does 9. I'm still running Windows 7, 64x, and version 10 is the only version you can't replace the splash screen by just substituting your own bitmap. Now I've nuke that piece of uninspired art, it's not in the Bitmaps folder, so I'd assume it's hard coded into the executable.
Any one else have this experience? I'd appreciate any input because every time I open 10, I shudder :)
-g
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Re: Custom Splash Screens
yes now I try it again it works in 8 - not sure what I did wrong, maybe the dimensions were off if that matters or something...
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Re: Custom Splash Screens
ok being pig-headed I just tried it on a new install on windows 7 64bit and I got it to work with XDPX10 64bit - I copied the original splash into xara and replaced fill and re-exported it as a new splashscreen.bmp - that worked.... go figure
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Re: Custom Splash Screens
Xara DP x64 here - put splashscreen.bmp image in the c:\program files\Xara\Xara Designer Pro X10\bitmaps folder and it showed up on next launch (not 64bit subfolder or anything) I tried at both the original image dimensions and a much larger version and both worked without issue.
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Re: Custom Splash Screens
I finally got it to work, and have absolutely no idea what the hold-up was.
Funny, it's on a much shorter time than the default splashscreen. Only happy to get the ugly out of the way. :)
-g