Xtreme "Pro" wishlist

Seems i am not the only one who whishes there was a Xtreme Pro version (an improved XaraX1 if you will) so i thought it would be a good idea to start a wishlist thread in case Xara Ltd finally realizes the need for such a "pro" version :)

So here are my thoughts, please feel free to add anything i might have forgotten.

Basically my dream Xtreme would be based on the Xara X1 version but including:

- Improved and up to date output/export options from the Xtreme version

- Color profile options, i.e ability to import your own color profiles like isocoated.icc, SWOP, Euroscale, eciRGB etc etc

- Additional Color palettes: Pantone, HKS and the ability to import your own

- Switch button to convert to/from RGB/CMYK instead of having to alter the actual color values to turn to CMYK

- 3D extrusion tools

- PSD export

- Stationary templates *with* crops and bleeds

Here's an option that i have'nt seen in any application so far so it's not really Xtreme specific but it would be great if Xtreme would be the first one to include it:

So far, if you're using shadows within Xara the only option you have converting-wise is "turn to shapes" which actually turns the shadows into a bitmap.

Now, how great would it be if there was an option to turn the shadow automatically into a *vector* shape ?!

Meaning, such an option would replace the drop shadow with a gradient vector shape that was automatically calculated by some Xara algorithm to match the original drop shadow as closely as technically possible.

That would help to have your artwork 100% vector and to avoid mixes of vector and bitmap when desired.

I guess there might be other wishlist items i'm just not thinking of right now, so please add your own to this thread.

:)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by beatz01

Now, how great would it be if there was an option to turn the shadow automatically into a *vector* shape ?!

Meaning, such an option would replace the drop shadow with a gradient vector shape that was automatically calculated by some Xara algorithm to match the original drop shadow as closely as technically possible.

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You can do that already. Shadow the object, and select Arrange->Convert To Editable Shapes. If you draw (say) an ellipse, you will get two objects which are your ellipse, and a feathered vector path which is represents the shadow.

Alex

Some interesting suggestions. I think Xara has given some thought to a pro level version and I would not be very surprised to see this in the near future.

The idea behind Xtreme was to offer a terrific product at a very affordable price to try to expand the installed user base. To do so, some features had to be left out such as the Pantone libraries which cost a fair amount per unit.

What we used to do to create vector shadows before we had the shadow tool, was to create a blend. It works fine, especially on solid colored backgrounds. Xtreme now treats blends as a single object so you can also apply a stained glass transparency to a blend.

Gary

For using Pantone in Xara, you might want to see ZEBtoonz postings in this thread.

Here's an idea from a non-pro, after reading Charles's points and the rebuttal rants in another thread.

Why not simply create two more dropdowns in the color picker dialog? The additional two options would be 'RGB->CMYK color map' and 'HSV->CMYK map'. They would work almost the same way as the current RGB and HSV pickers, except that they would pick the closest CMYK value to the position of the users selection. That would allow much easier selection of CMYK colors IF YOU WANT THE LIMITATIONS imposed upon you by the big packages, but allow you an ease of use way beyond them. These two additions may not be that hard to add.

For what it is worth, I think that Xara is great as it is. I played with some Adobe stuff awhile back, as well as some other graphic programs. In my not-so-humble opinion (having extensive 3d AutoCad experience), Xara kicks their butts from an ease-of-use perspective. When you also take the price into account...

David

[Edit]Thinking about my proposed approach a bit more, there is still the problem of performing blends, and maybe some other effects from CMYK colors while using an RGB engine...[/Edit]

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Originally Posted by abligh

You can do that already. Shadow the object, and select Arrange->Convert To Editable Shapes. If you draw (say) an ellipse, you will get two objects which are your ellipse, and a feathered vector path which is represents the shadow.

Alex

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Am i missing something here ?

I thought the ->Convert To Editable Shapes would turn the shadow into a bitmap, not vector path.

I know when you click on it after conversion it says "shape" but i'm 99,99% confident it's a bitmap

Hint: try to apply a outline stroke to the "shape" and you'll see it's a rectangular, transparent bitmap.

Someone clear me up please.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by beatz01

Am i missing something here ?

I thought the ->Convert To Editable Shapes would turn the shadow into a bitmap, not vector path.

I know when you click on it after conversion it says "shape" but i'm 99,99% confident it's a bitmap

Hint: try to apply a outline stroke to the "shape" and you'll see it's a rectangular, transparent bitmap.

Someone clear me up please.

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You are right. It is a shape filled with a bitmap fill. I wonder why.

Alex

It might well be possible to represent the shadow as a feathered object though there might be problems when shadowing partially transparent objects. E.g. you can fill a path with an alpha channel bitmap, give it an additional transparency attribute (e.g. a linear transparency) and then apply a shadow and the transparent parts of the object should not cast a shadow (and partially transparent bits cast less of a shadow).

Gerry

Quote:

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Originally Posted by David O'Neil

For using Pantone in Xara, you might want to see ZEBtoonz postings in this thread.

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Pretty useless if you are not a canadian or american citizen.
Membership only applies for these groups.

Here is my wishlist of a earlier thread:

• PDF-Import
• Multipage support together with an enhanced text engine (paragraph and character styles, tabulators, text wrap, text flow from one textframe to another textframe)
• Scripting (JavaScript)
• Export Images in Slices should'nt create HTML code with <table>-tags, but with <div>-tags. Creating Webpages with complex table-layouts is no longer up-to-date.
• The same point with the button tool.
• Gradient Mesh Fills
• Functions to create 3D-effects ;)

Regards,
Remi

Shadows as vector shapes? Hmmm. You do realize that before there were shadow options people made their own?
(see attach of bitmap and vector shadows) Vector shadows made by cloning the shape, black fill, reduce transparency and feathered.

Why PSD? Why not add Corel and PSP as well. :)

3D extrusion can already be done with Xara3D6 and pasted into Xara Xtreme.

I don't do any printing for comercial businesses, so have no opinion on pantones, color bleeds and crops. Why not just program a software spectrographometer (like physical chemistry labs use) for use with graphic software and scanners to get any color you want analyzed in thousands of permutations. (joking of course.)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jamesmc

Shadows as vector shapes? Hmmm. You do realize that before there were shadow options people made their own?
(see attach of bitmap and vector shadows) Vector shadows made by cloning the shape, black fill, reduce transparency and feathered.

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Yes, you're right. It's really simple to create a vector shadow. So it's simple to pack this function in the "shadow tool" as a new option called "vector shadow". I think, that would be a reasonable extension for Xara Xtreme.

Remi

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jamesmc

3D extrusion can already be done with Xara3D6 and pasted into Xara Xtreme.

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I've looked at Xara3D. It seems, it's a nice tool, but the Output is a bitmap graphic, not a vector object. :(

Quote:

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Shadows as vector shapes? Hmmm. You do realize that before there were shadow options people made their own?
(see attach of bitmap and vector shadows) Vector shadows made by cloning the shape, black fill, reduce transparency and feathered.

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Yes, but you see feathering is esentially a bitmap. The difference is effects such as feathering, bevel and shadow act like vector objects, e.g. you can edit them to your heart's content, but in the end they are a bitmap.

The request was for a vector shadow and the only ways I can think to do that is with a blend or a contour effect.

Gary

Quote:

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Originally Posted by gwpriester

Yes, but you see feathering is esentially a bitmap. The difference is effects such as feathering, bevel and shadow act like vector objects, e.g. you can edit them to your heart's content, but in the end they are a bitmap.

The request was for a vector shadow and the only ways I can think to do that is with a blend or a contour effect.

Gary

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You should also be able to do something like duplicate, make editable shapes, add shapes, shear as appropriate, set to grey flat fill, then feather.

Alex

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Originally Posted by abligh

You should also be able to do something like duplicate, make editable shapes, add shapes, shear as appropriate, set to grey flat fill, then feather.

Alex

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Alex, it is a difference, whether I'm able to do something or whether I wish, there would be a integrated function for that. Perhaps, I'm able to create a .XAR-File within a HEX-editor, but why should I do this, if there are tools in Xara Xtreme to draw with? And if it's possible to create a short function, which makes drawing with Xara Xtreme easier, why not?

Remi

Hi all,
I mostly agree with Remi's statements:

PDF - imports and exports with layers intact. Makes it easier to put text in front of a transparent area.
Improved Text Engine
Better Java Script - for people who don't use CSS to its best advantage
Transparencies - A few more options on the drop down menu or the ability to add nodes like linear fills.
Import and Export Modules - Brought up to date

I do not agree with adding:
Multi Pages - Use the layer pallette or use a DTP programme if it for a booklet.
Mesh Tool - very seldom use mesh tool in AI and I work with it everyday.
3D Extrusion - Same as above, how many expamples have you see being done using AI?

Like most folk who use Xara I don't want it to take ages to load and also use most of my memory like the Adobe programmes do. Even though I use a dual processor and the max memory things can slow down when I am in ID producing a booklet and have AI and X1 running producing the graphics.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Albacore

Multi Pages - Use the layer pallette or use a DTP programme if it for a booklet.

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Yes, you're right: different pages are nothing else, as Layers, but in a another presentation form (with icons/functions to create/delete a page and browse to the next/previous page).

If the layers palette were hierarchical organized, together with text flow from one textframe to another textframe, then simulating multiple pages would be possible. But if there were such functions, then it would be logical to create some icons and menu entries to presentate these functions as "multipage support".

In principle, Xara Xtreme has these potentialities - the only question is, if there are time/manpower enough to bring Xara Xtreme to the next level.

Remi

On my wishlist is one point without further explanation:

• Scripting (JavaScript)

I mean the following: Xara Xtreme should be programmable with User-Scripts/Macros like Corel Draw or Gimp.

Programmable means to choose a free programming language (JavaScript, PHP, Python, ...), include it in Xara Xtreme and create a well designed API with methods like this:

• New/Open/Save/Export drawings.
• Methods to browse through the object tree of a current drawing.
• Methods to create new objects (Lines, Splines, Rectangles, Text, ...).
• Methods to manipulate objects (Transparency, Shadow, Bevel, Contour, Blend, Mould, assign a Live effect to object, ...)

My first Script would be a function to draw bar charts or pie charts on the fly on a Webserver under Linux:

1. canvasXara.load(filename) - Opens a .XAR-File which already exists (perhaps with a nice background to position the bar charts)
2. canvasXara.addObject('rectangle', x, y, width, height, fillcolor, ...) - creates bar #1 (the macro is also created on the fly - from a Web application which loads the current values/length of the bar chart from a sql database)
3. canvasXara.addObject('rectangle', x, y, width, height, fillcolor, ...) - creates bar #2
4. canvasXara.addObject('rectangle', x, y, width, height, fillcolor, ...) - creates bar #3
5. canvasXara.export(filetype, filename, mode) - exports the generated images as PNG/JPG/GIF/...
6. canvasXara.kill() - closes Xara Xtreme without saving in a .XAR-File

I've tried to automate the current version of Xara Xtreme under Windows together with the powerful automation tool "AutoHotkey", but it's a pain to create a mouse macro, which drags the handles of a spline or something else with dragging...

Regards,
Remi