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2016 - 2017 new feature requests
I thought I would open up a new thread for feature requests now that V12 has arrived and we have had a chance to check it out. Because there will no longer be version numbers and new features could be released any time I've titled this as 2016 - 2017 rather than by version number and I've made it sticky :) Here are a couple to start the list.
Full support for open type glyphs
Improvements to the artbrushes
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Re: 2016 - 2017 new feature requests
And to be a bit more specific--seeing how I doubt that every OT Feature will ever make it into XDP (at least for a bazillion years)--I would like the following, not quite in a specific order but close.
(1) Stylistic Set Support
(2) Contextual Alternates
(3) Ligatures
(4) Access All Alternates
(5) Swash
(6) SALT
(7) Discretionary Ligatures
(8) Fractions
(9) Old Style Numbers
(10) Medial and Terminal Forms
Ought to be several years work there...
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Re: 2016 - 2017 new feature requests
Another feature that would be great to have would be Styles. I'm not talking the text styles but rather a more photoshop type style. Kind of like Affinity Designer has but I would like to see Xara do it better.
I'd like to be able to create a shape and give it different fills, bevels even 3d attributes but instead of pasting attributes which is cumbersome I'd like to save that shape as a style and have a gallery of them. then it would be a matter of drawing a shape, or creating text and just click or double click the style you want in the gallery and it would be applied.
I'd like to see these styles include the built in effects like the soften, sharpen, distortions etc.
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Re: 2016 - 2017 new feature requests
Reposted from V12 thread.
Why is the variable corner shape only accessible from the more shapes option and why are the rotate and quick style options only available on items inserted from the Insert > Shape menu?
I guess I would just like to see consistency in the way the quick shapes are made available and the funtionality that is applied to them. For example insert a rectangle from the left side toolbar, then insert a rectangle from the Insert > Shape menu. They are completely different yet both perform the same function. Could we not combine the two so that we can drag out the rectangle shape but on release, the handles etc from the Insert > Shape version are applied? Add the option to modify the corners individually and you have reduced three separate shape options to one? All that would be needed in addition is a toggle to lock the corners if you wanted to size and style them all the same?
Just seems to me like the current options provide a bit of duplication and uneccessary complexity in the UI?
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Re: 2016 - 2017 new feature requests
Text/Typeface/Formatting-Based Needs:
• Full OpenType support - PLEASE
• The ability to add case (upper, lower, title, etc.) formatting to paragraph and character styles - why didn't this make it in with the new case options? Seems a no-brainer.
• The ability to input tabs, margins, indents & outdents outside of using the ruler (menu-based, precise).
• Leaders (..., ---, etc.) for tabs.
• Better text on a path support, more control options for placement of text on a path.
• If we can't have master pages, the ability to display or hide text (or objects) on right or left-facing pages, specifically for page numbers but this would come in handy for other things.
• The inclusion of a baseline grid would be awesome.
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Re: 2016 - 2017 new feature requests
I wasn't going to post an answer here as I think at the moment Xara model for improvement is aimed specifically at the Web area for its development. So I think what''s the point of making requests when there not listening to the traditional users. Look what you can use our software now to do, is so large and to please what I called traditional users ranges from straight vector --- through DTP,--- then onto bitmap manipulation, --- and then to web design. Each user demands hugely different tools and has different request for improvement it is impossible to keep everyone included. So to have one programme to fit all is also getting impossible.
Here is my requests if anyone cares and it is the last one that I will do:
Clean up the programmes as they have tried to do but do more for each when marketing but none to include all. Web Designer ------ DTP ----- Vector
Have really proper vector brushes like Calligraphy, art and pen and ink that can be converted to a shape all with their own profiles.
The inclusion of full support to Open Type fonts
Have a strong look at improving the Mould Tool
Bring back an improved Pen Tool with better functionality
The introduction of Smart Guides
These are the things that I would like Xara to do and as everyone can see my wishes are focused really on the vector area. We have seen no real development in this are for years and years....years...years.
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Re: 2016 - 2017 new feature requests
One thing I'd like to see is a small but really useful addition to the fills and transparencies a button that would reverse the default values for the fill handles. So very very often the first thing I wind up doing when applying a transparency or a fill is to reverse the start and end values.
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1 Attachment(s)
Re: 2016 - 2017 new feature requests
As Peter said above, I wasn't going to post here, because so little advancement has been made to the vector/text side of the program in many years. Dear Xara seems to be a sop to the consumer, whose wishes seem to be at odds with those who decide the path that Xara takes. It's a huge shame, because if Xara could set to one side its apparent fixation with widgets and push-button results and just concentrate on dealing with full Open Type capabilities, we could all think twice before looking in the direction of Affinity Designer and Illustrator.
Attached is a simple graphic using a fairly ordinary font, Salamander Script. It does, however have optional ligatures that transform it into a thing of beauty.
Xara users cannot access these ligatures without using Character Map in Windows, which is a royal pain to use. For all of Illustrator's faults, it is an easy operation to get the result I've attached here.
I did use Xara's Contour Tool which is one of their better vector tools, (much better than any of the competition).
Come on Xara, for Pete's sake (and mine) sort it out for the next upgrade for goodness sake!
Bob.
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Re: 2016 - 2017 new feature requests
I agree with you Bob, Magix is making a huge mistake by not putting vector development at the forefront. So I'm glad that you and Peter have posted here. Support for all the extras that can come with open type fonts is a must.
Also the brushes still need work
- ability to set heads and tails on repeating brushes
- ability to set corner pieceson repeating brushes (the deformation in sharp corners on repeating brushes is awful!!)
- ability to set transparency on art brushes
- unified controls on all brushes
Another much needed tool is a vector mesh fill some capabilities it should have are:
- the ability to easily subdivide the mesh
- the ability to set both colour and transparency to any node on the mesh
Also Development time on the dark UI is desperately needed, it needs to be user adjustable.
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3 Attachment(s)
Re: 2016 - 2017 new feature requests
I'm asking for the same things I've been asking for since 2008.
Attachment 113759
A conversion from a typeface glyph to simple curves that doesn't go Control-Point Happy in the process. CorelDRAW produces a shape that's easy to work with. In contrast, Xara produces too many unnecessary control points, and even if using the Node Reduction feature was an adequate excuse, smoothing a curve to auto-reduce changes the shape slightly.
Attachment 113760
A calligraphy tool that has a core you can edit with the Shape tool later. The Stroke Shapes hasn't been improved since it first was introduced and both Illustrator and CorelDRAW have leapt ahead in versatility for a calligraphy brush. Why can't we create our own pressure profiles?
Attachment 113761
A Polygon tool that allows a polygon shape to be edited! Add control points, make curves into line segments and vice-versa, and let the artist add or subtract sides all along the process as I've pathetically illustrated here.
TIA,
Gary
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Re: 2016 - 2017 new feature requests
Quote:
Originally Posted by
angelize
Also Development time on the dark UI is desperately needed, it needs to be user adjustable.
+10
Support for the Classic UI is so stillborn, several features I've discovered crash the program when in Classic UI mode.
I'd be happy to leave it if the DARK UI could be tuned. But I understand with Xara's code base, it's not possible and we actually have tow UIs in every version, is this right?
-g
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1 Attachment(s)
Re: 2016 - 2017 new feature requests
Gary on #10 you mentioned the Calligraphy Brush well you've got a nearly there brush already it's called the Shape Painter Tool. You can change the roundness, the angle, the smoothing before you start and the softness which I don't touch. I have been banging on about the usefulness of this brush since I got updated to vers. 11 for drawing cartoons and it is a vector shape. When I draw cartoons I always like to emphasise the outside lines to give the cartoon depth and this works and it's controllable.
Here 2 that I did directly from the mouse. I would normally use a Wacom when using the brush but too lazy this morning. The only thing wrong with this is that it is a shape not a line so it doesn't have end/start line profiles but a quick F4 editing sorts that out.
If I can emphasize to all members here if you want a calligraphy brush use the Shape Builder tool shift+B
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Re: 2016 - 2017 new feature requests
Thank you for your advice, Peter.
Thumbs up, man.
My Best,
Gary
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Re: 2016 - 2017 new feature requests
Great piece of advice, Peter. I spent a long time playing with the Shape Painter Tool the other day.
Your results with the mouse are much better than mine with the mouse.
Bob.
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Re: 2016 - 2017 new feature requests
Oh, I forgot to mention:
The Shape Painter is fine for what it does, but I still request a paint-style brush that lays down an inner path you can modify at any time later.
As in Illustrator.
As in InkScape.
As in in Affinity Designer.
As in CorelDRAW.
There's a pattern here! :)
-g
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Re: 2016 - 2017 new feature requests
Hi,
Better mould tool.
Editable pressure profile.
Join Tool.
Levels and hue adjustments that remains vector.
Flood fill.
Thanks
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Re: 2016 - 2017 new feature requests
Quote:
Originally Posted by
MarcT
Hi,
Better mould tool.
Editable pressure profile.
Join Tool.
Levels and hue adjustments that remains vector.
Flood fill.
Thanks
Better mould tool. +10
Editable pressure profile. +10
Join Tool. We already have that capability if I understand your request. Select two open paths, drag one end to the other, they become one path. No?
Levels and hue adjustments that remains vector. Don't understand, sorry!
Flood fill. For bitmap imports?
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Re: 2016 - 2017 new feature requests
This thread might not be the place, but here goes:
I had a clipped shape with a dop shadow. Did that, filed it for months. Whwn I came back to it, I wanted to remove the clip...but it wouldn't because it had a dropshadow that needed to be removed first.
This is version 365.
Shouldn't I get an explanation onscreen as a hint for why the action wasn't possible?
Thanks!
-g
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Re: 2016 - 2017 new feature requests
Yes Gare that's what I was asking for in post #6. As well as a Calligraphy I would like both Pen & Ink as well as Art brushes all with their start & end profiles.
In post #10 I stated that we nearly had this but it was a shape not a Line so I 100% agree with your request there.
Yes I really like Illustrator brushes in operation but the palette for editing the shape is poor, then when you comes to borders/frames it gets very 90's. I think Xara's is no better, maybe poorer as corners are a dreadful areas.
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Re: 2016 - 2017 new feature requests
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Albacore
Yes I really like Illustrator brushes in operation but the palette for editing the shape is poor, then when you comes to borders/frames it gets very 90's. I think Xara's is no better, maybe poorer as corners are a dreadful areas.
If you were ever to try CorelDRAW versions 10 and higher, the brush tool produces a stroke at the speed of light, unlike some of the other functions. Excessive nodes don't exist when you use a mouse to paint a clligraphic stroke.
Comparting Illustrator 5.5 (that's where I stopped upgrading, don't like checking into a cloud to use my software) to CorelDRAW X8, DRAW wins for responsiveness and finished product using a standard issue Logitech optical cordless.
My Best,
Gary
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Re: 2016 - 2017 new feature requests
Hi Gary,
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Gare
Join Tool. We already have that capability if I understand your request. Select two open paths, drag one end to the other, they become one path. No?
[/COLOR]
I am aware of the current way, it just seems cumbersome for such a common operation.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Gare
Levels and hue adjustments that remains vector. Don't understand, sorry!
Like adjustments in Photoshop, you can do that via plugins but the adjustments are static, you cannot edit the color of objects after.
Concerning flood fills I meant for vector lines. For example I often import flattened 3d images in vector curves.
I use Illustrator's live paint bucket to do this but would rather do it in Xara.
Marc
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Re: 2016 - 2017 new feature requests
Master pages for both print, and web. Discretionary numbering. For example starting to number pages 17 pages into a document with the front matter table of contents, introductory or preface, not numbered or numbered in lowercase roman numberals.
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Re: 2016 - 2017 new feature requests
An effects panel that would be separate from the 3rd party plug ins. These effects should be built into the program and include the bevel tool, 3d, shadow tool a blur and sharpen tool that can be applied to vector shapes, feathering etc
Styles: a way to save combinations of the aforementioned effects as well as fill, stroke as a style, that could be saved and used in another document or even shared with other users.
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1 Attachment(s)
Re: 2016 - 2017 new feature requests
I wish editable colour and transparency gradient - as Mesh-tool in Illustrator
Attachment 113765
Igor
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Re: 2016 - 2017 new feature requests
Little Color Management System (LCMS) integration. It's an OpenSource color management system in wide use. Constantly maintained and very good/stable. I requested this at least once in the past. Fastest/best way to get color management integration.
Mike
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Re: 2016 - 2017 new feature requests
Had to do a google on that one Mike. Looked at the FAQ's I understood that and then went to the tutorial and got lost there. Can't see how that would integrate in Xara as it's more than libraries its colour management has to be programmed when doing conversions. When I started reading the tutorial I got to about the 8th page when my mind hazed over. Does it work like the import/export PDF filter which is bolted into xara's actual structure and all that a user has to do is to select a pre-programmed library to run?
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Re: 2016 - 2017 new feature requests
Yes, it needs programmed into Xara products, likely not useful in the web products. It isn't just something one can reference and would work.
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Options by Template
I suspect I am pointing out an oversight rather than requesting a 'new' feature, but I don't know where else to mention it. So...
Whenever I double-click on a group or Live Copy to edit it in another view, the Option settings revert to global defaults. Could they please inherit the file's defaults? These seem to be inherited correctly from the template, so why is a subset of the file presented with Option settings the file has never seen?
My particular issue is this. I like to work in pixels rather than centimetres. All the templates I've created produce new documents using pixels for rulers, scaling, infobar entries and so on. Except, that is, for when I'm editing a group or Live Copy. Every time I open an edit window I have to go through every Option panel changing 'cm' to 'px' before making even simple edits. And, of course, these Option changes are lost when the edit is saved. Having to re-make these changes every time I want to edit a group is annoying. But when re-editing the same group several times just to see the impact of various changes, it gets REALLY ANNOYING... Can you imagine?
Surely this is not what was intended? But if it was, can it be changed? PLEASE? :):rolleyes::confused:
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Text InfoBar
I work on a laptop a lot. To maximise drawing area I only have one horizontal toolbar line, where the InfoBar goes. To its left is a short toolbar with line-width, feathering and zoom drop-downs. Like this...
Attachment 113880 (1600 pixels long, so you'll have to click to see it)
The rest of the width is plenty for every InfoBar except the Text one. Notice the Text InfoBar is partly off-screen? I have to float it each time I wish to access the right hand options, include the Advanced Text bar.
As you have found a way to split the Text InfoBar into two, could it be split into three? I would suggest everything up to Fully Justify on the main InfoBar, followed by two buttons like Super- and Subscript that toggle the other two bars. The second one would be the Advanced Text bar we have, but the first one could toggle a Format Text toolbar holding the rest.
By default the Format Text InfoBar would appear after the Text InfoBar. For most people the only difference would be that the Advanced Text button would be more central. This would give a Text Infobar more similar in length to the others, making better use of precious screen space. The two additional text bars could float or be docked on a separate line (which would only appear when needed).
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Re: 2016 - 2017 new feature requests
Quote:
Originally Posted by
angelize
An effects panel that would be separate from the 3rd party plug ins. These effects should be built into the program and include the bevel tool, 3d, shadow tool a blur and sharpen tool that can be applied to vector shapes, feathering etc
Styles: a way to save combinations of the aforementioned effects as well as fill, stroke as a style, that could be saved and used in another document or even shared with other users.
+1 on the Gallery paradigm rather than the drop-down list.
On the subject of Text features, I'd love to be able to highlight a character in a word and move it. I misspell, I own up to it, and Word and several other programs allow you to move characters around that are highlighted. IMO, this is yet another step towards a full-featured DTP-mode for Designer.
TIA,
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Re: 2016 - 2017 new feature requests
Show the degree of rotation of the current object besides the location and size... Plenty of space.
Thanks
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1 Attachment(s)
Re: 2016 - 2017 new feature requests
Quote:
Originally Posted by
dutchim
Show the degree of rotation of the current object besides the location and size... Plenty of space.
Thanks
+1
Add to this: I don't always want the most recently used attributes applied to a new object...most of the time, but not all of the time.
Rather than wasting time going to Options to turn it on then off, then on, is there a place on the Standard bar for a small, vertical toggle?
Attachment 113884
I seem to get a Transparency attribute on outline widths all the time, and can't get this gum off my shoe, at least not quickly, without opening a new document>Copy>Paste.
TIA,
Gary
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Re: 2016 - 2017 new feature requests
+1 or if it was possible for DP users to assign a custom shortcut for it.
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Re: 2016 - 2017 new feature requests
Quote:
Originally Posted by
angelize
+1 or if it was possible for DP users to assign a custom shortcut for it.
Oh, perish the thought, Frances!
I have far too many shortcuts stored away in my pinhead. Often, I try to push a zoomed-in page in Photoshop by wheel-dragging the mouse, and Ctrl+F doesn't do a lot in CorelDRAW or Adobe products!
I guess I'll just have to stop using all those foreign programs.
-g
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Re: Text InfoBar
The Photo tool infobar is also too long. I feel it should just be from Enhance to Compare, with the rest on an auxillary infobar.
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Re: Text InfoBar
I would like that developers completed the "art brush" feature. Brushes look good. But the conversion of brushes in the shapes turns into a nightmare. Only straight lines are converted more or less correctly. Even shapes created from lines have problems when exporting. Recently, I created several characters based on art brushes(pure solid vector, no groups). Then I converted a lines to shape and exported as PDF,AI files. When I opened it with CD, I saw only great spot. Bad!
More Brushes control would not be bad.
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Re: Text InfoBar
I think the whole brushes thing needs real development. I hate also, as you found out, when exported to other vector app the sudden effect of a tight curve leading to a large spot on the page. It only happens if you draw a curve with large brush size at a tight angle. We should have the ability to make Calligraphy/Grunge type brushes. We should not have to put up with bitmap brushes with low res. output. I know that I can change that by going into the Registry and increasing the res. but this should be done through a drop down or right clicking the line.
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Re: Text InfoBar
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Albacore
...We should not have to put up with bitmap brushes with low res. output. I know that I can change that by going into the Registry and increasing the res. but this should be done through a drop down or right clicking the line....
Although I never use bitmap brushes. Despite, please share the experience. Or link. It is interesting.
Thank you.
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Re: Text InfoBar
By the way. Art brushes are incredibly loaded processor. Combining pieces of brush in one shape 100% leads to the freezing of the program. My machine with 64Gb memory can not cope with this. Unfortunately.
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2 Attachment(s)
2016-2017 NFR
Quote:
Originally Posted by
digitalphaser
By the way. Art brushes are incredibly loaded processor. Combining pieces of brush in one shape 100% leads to the freezing of the program. My machine with 64Gb memory can not cope with this. Unfortunately.
I think all of this is a result of having to work with 30 year old code that the programmers are sort of locked into and need to create kludges.
Compare calligraphic or "nozzle-type" brushes in Xara to Illustrator or CorelDRAW. I'm don't know about DRAW, but Adobe re-factored Illustrator years ago to get over programming hurdles that are legacy.
It almost literally broke my heart the other day while I was trying to trace off a piece of an Art Nouveau sculpture in Xara, only at a certain point being forced to work in Creature House Expression, because it let me define the stroke as a vector, and I could customize the width of the stroke on the fly. When the stroke is simplified and it was a vector shape to begin with, it remains a vector, you can smooth it in Expression, and then export as an AI file to Xara.
Attachment 113959
This is 2003 technology, and Microsoft basically gives it away, after partially wrecking the program, and then scratching their corporate pinheads over why no one bought the program.
How about Xara makes everyone happy and puts advanced drawing tools into a Web creation program?
Attachment 113960
-g