INSTALLATION IS STILL A NIGHTMARE

Every new version of Xara is a royal PITA to install and set up. Today, for example, I downloaded and installed the new version and once I verified it was all good I uninstalled the previous version. Now nothings works. It can't even find the default template to create a new document. So I must now uninstall it and reinstall. At least I didn't bother to spend my usual 15 minutes getting all the setting the way I like, as I now expect Xara to screw me over as much as possible.

Why can't we just install the new version over the old one and pick up all the settings? Every other application on the planet manages it, why can't Xara? I moan about this every year and nothing ever gets done about it. Even Microsoft is more responsive to user feedback.

You can have as many versions installed at the same time, not really necessary to uninstall one unless you want or need to. I could be wrong but I don't think uninstalling one should effect the installation of a newer version. Even though you checked your download it could still have some error. If I were you I would uninstall it and clear any trace of the old one then download it again and try again. I know you purchased it but you may have to download the trial and plugin your serial number and register it and you should be golden.

I have had the same thing happen in the past. One should not have to keep an old version on a drive to have a new version work. Nor should a person have a problem getting a new version to work right after deleting an older version.

Totally agree with Bones--why must I redo all my settings? Why, every couple of years, do I have to remember where I wrote down the hotkeys to go from dark to light UI? Why do I have to scratch my head to remember the name of that program that fixes things Xara should have fixed ages ago--oh, yeah, xareg. And most of all why, oh why must I wait a MONTH to switch my second copy of Xara from one computer to another? I installed x11 on a one-month old computer. Two days later it died, taking Xara with it. Newer computer up and running in a day--Xara, way off in the distance. Loooong time to wait for something I own.

Other than that, all's good. Windows 10 working well, btw, with the 30-day Xara trial (which dis-includes several key features--grrrr.)

contact sales - they will rest it for you if your computer died within the 30 day period see here: http://www.talkgraphics.com/showthre...404#post535404

with a working computer you do not need to wait 30 days, you can deactivate from the program help menu

as for the settings - well at least since it's a known problem you can make notes for next time, at least that is what I do

uninstalling a previous version has never upset the current version for me; that said, if some of the defaults, eg file type associations, were with the previous version, maybe it would

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by handrawn

contact sales - they will rest it for you if your computer died within the 30 day period see here: http://www.talkgraphics.com/showthre...404#post535404

with a working computer you do not need to wait 30 days, you can deactivate from the program help menu



as for the settings - well at least since it's a known problem you can make notes for next time, at least that is what I do

uninstalling a previous version has never upset the current version for me; that said, if some of the defaults, eg file type associations, were with the previous version, maybe it would

---

Agree.

Thanks guys. I know Support would do this for me, but I plead laziness--and I have the first computer working fine, it's the mission-critical one. My main complaint there is that 30 days seems overkill. My real complaint is like Bones' second paragraph--why not keep the (control bar, etc.) settings from a previous version? I am a fan of Bones from an unrelated forum; I probably wouldn't have commented here if that weren't the case. Uninstalling previous versions have never caused a problem for me either. In any case all is well and I'm stoked on v11.

possibly - but since you can deactivate form within the program anytime you like, as often as you like, it is surely only an issue if your computer dies or gets lost/stolen or you leave it behind and have to use another one; none of these situations [it is to be hoped] are common

the bars have never been portable across versions - it is not done out of cussedness, it's the way the program was written way way back, and currently I am guessing, there are greater priorities than this which would take some rewriting of core code

When things go seriously wrong 'due to' an uninstall it is often the way in which the program was uninstalled, and possibly the use of registry utilities and cleaners that can do as much harm as good

to be honest - with some screen-shots and a few concise notes I've never worried much about having to reset them, and it gives me a chance to review the set up in the light of new features

and i have never

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by handrawn

as for the settings - well at least since it's a known problem you can make notes for next time, at least that is what I do

---

I don't need to make notes. I have had to do it so many times over the last 20 years that I can practically do it blindfolded. That's what makes it so infuriating.

I just export the appropriate key from the registry and edit the resultant text file to indicate the new version and then merge the registry key back. One needs to run the new version first, though. Then exit and do the reg merge. In the case of v11, it will add a couple icons that took a second to remove.

Which is all to say it should be pretty simple for Xara to write the process into the first start of the new version.

I have had to do it so many times over the last 20 years that I can practically do it blindfolded. That's what makes it so infuriating.

Once a year. It's nothing.

If a small amount of hassle that comes once a year is infuriating, you are a very lucky person.

thanks for that mike - I am sure it will help the infuriated [if they don't mind editing the registry :)] - I always thought it was more complicated, so I hope it does not come round to bite you

if it is a simple 'fix' it will be a question of priorities, so as there is a thread open for suggestions for version 12, perhaps it could be mentioned there...

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by pauland

I have had to do it so many times over the last 20 years that I can practically do it blindfolded. That's what makes it so infuriating.

Once a year. It's nothing.

If a small amount of hassle that comes once a year is infuriating, you are a very lucky person.

---

or not, depending how you look at it.. but seriously, should go over to the ver12 thread and make the request:

http://www.talkgraphics.com/showthre...h-List-for-V12

the more that do the more likely it is to happen

I understand what you guys are saying but it dousn't bother me much. I have come to expect it. But then we are all different.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by pauland

Once a year. It's nothing.

---

If only it was once a year. It's not, it's twice already because when I uninstalled the old version it screwed the new one, so I had to uninstall that and reinstall it. I buy a new PC every year, so that's another one. Oh, and I have it on my tablet, which I also update very regularly, so that's two more times. That's what, five times a year?

Bones, you should have it down pat by now.. ;-)

Oh, I definitely do but that doesn't make it any less annoying, when every other installation I do is so much easier.