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Sneak peak of what's coming from Xara
I think this forum might be interested in the next Xara X.
Well you can now get it. We have made a pre-release, pre-launch version available specifically to Forum users. This is a 15-day trial version you can download now.
This is the product that we will be formally announcing and releasing next week.
Please see Gary's preview of the features here:
http://www.xaraxone.com/webxealot/xpreview/index.htm
Some important points to note:
This product is ready for release which we hope to do next week. There are some minor updates that will appear in the final release next week:
The PDF export feature is not 100% complete.
Specifically, some clipviews are not output correctly
All layers are output into the PDF
Stain and Bleach transparency in PDF files requires some more work
This is a fully working 15-day trial. You can't yet purchase it yet, but you will be able to once we make the official launch.
There is no website, or any other supporting material. That will appear when we launch.
You can download it from here: download
It's a 21Mbyte download (sorry, but it contains some quite sizeable Live Effect and PDF plug-ins).
This product is tested and should be reliable. However if you do find *serious* problems (like it crashing) please email xtreme@xara.com with the details of how to reproduce the problem. Please do not post bug reports here in this forum.
Finally, the launch next week of this new product is only part of the story. The announcements next week are the most important in the 25-year history of Xara.
Enjoy.
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Re: Sneak peak of what's coming from Xara
This is a very exciting product!
The speed improvements in this version are mind-blowing. You can now literally paint complex drawings with brushes in real time. The new caching system allows a complexity in the drawings that was never practical even with XaraX. The rendering speed is truly impressive. Kudos.
Something more simple like right-clicking and dragging on a shape, and left clicking to drop a copy is a new feature that I dont know how I did without.
The potential of the Live Effects tool is incredible.
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Upgrade of the year for me!
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Re: Sneak peak of what's coming from Xara
Charles, Gary:
Your sneak peak overview looks great. Have you developed a complete features list for Xara Xtreme?
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Re: Sneak peak of what's coming from Xara
Hi All,
Well now you know what X2, sorry "Extreme", includes in its upgrade and what great news about PDF, what a wind up merchant that Charles Moir is with his statement last month in this forum that the upgrade would not include PDF.
The best new I think is the upgrade price what a steal at $29 dollars or the DVD at 10 dollers more. I wonder what included in the DVD version. This news is a great way to round up a good day at work and I was thinking about upgrading to Illustator CS2, I don't think now.
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Re: Sneak peak of what's coming from Xara
Well I said it would not include PDF import (it doesn't). I didn't say anything about PDF export, which it does. And the DVD version is actually 2 CDs, but in a DVD style box (instead of the card boxes we used to do). We'll post a full list of the contents of that at launch time
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Re: Sneak peak of what's coming from Xara
IMPORTANT
Charles, can I assume it can be installed side-by-side with other versions of Xara on our PCs without disrupting their functionality (so long as it is installed to a different program directory)?
As far as the PDF import goes, when/if it is available ... I'd easily shellout another $30 for that upgrade.
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Re: Sneak peak of what's coming from Xara
Slimming Regime (Diet)
I saved a 1/2 page color ad to PDF. File size 1.3MB
I opened the same PDF file in Illustrator CS (all the fonts came in perfect and as editable text--yeah!!!) and saved it as a PDF file. Size 9.02 MB.
There is a lot more to this than just file size, I'm sure, but the really great thing is now there is a way to bring Xara files into Illustrator where you can edit if necessary and save them as Illustrator files.
Gary
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Re: Sneak peak of what's coming from Xara
WOW!
So much more. Everything seems to render faster. I'm already having too much fun with the Live Effect tool.
After playing with just one of the new features for one minute, my creative jucies are flowing with interesting ideas of where I could apply them.
Thank you to everyone who had a part in putting Xtreme together.
I love it. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Eric
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Re: Sneak peak of what's coming from Xara
Yes it can be installed alongside older versions and does not interfere with them.
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Re: Sneak peak of what's coming from Xara
Personaly, as much as I'm thrilled about the new Xara Xtreme, as much I am disappointed.
The speed is so much greater, and the effects are terrific, but Xara Xtreme remains a Drawing program. I suppose such a speedy app can have some layout capabilities like multipages, a better text handling.... a unicode (?) :(
I am positive many designers would give up Indesign, Freehand, Corel Draw in favor of Xara.
The randering is so much faster.... What used to crash freehand takes less than a second in Xara Xtreme... I must say I am owed by that :cool:
P.S. Why are the pantone color names are no longer in the color library? The colors seem to remain the same, but the pantone color names are no longer in the color library.
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Re: Sneak peak of what's coming from Xara
Here http://www.xaraxone.com/webxealot/xpreview/page_5.htm
it says:
"Xara X1 and Xara 3D-6 users have had the ability to copy and paste vector objects from Xara X1 into Xara 3D-6. Well now, you can go the other way. Once you have edited your image in Xara 3D-6 , you can copy and paste it back into Xara Xtreme."
I did a quick test and saw no difference. Pasting from Xara3D to XaraX resulted in a .png image being inserted. I got the same results with Xtreme. What's the difference???
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Re: Sneak peak of what's coming from Xara
Steven
Re X3D... I too thought this was going to be more useful than it is. In the Help/What's New it says "(Please note: this worked in Xara X1, but only after the release of Xara3D6)."
Still, lots of other tricks!
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It all looks superb although to be fair it is mostly over my head.
Now for my usual silly question. If I wish to create a 5cm double column advert and export it in PDF format, which incidentily is the format for our local newspapers, how do I estimate the size. I tried exporting a PDF of our latest ad and it ended up only exporting the centre portion of the ad.
Regards
AMO
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Re: Sneak peak of what's coming from Xara
Hi Gary I to was impressed by the file size and the eps exporting to AI the only thing that I had to change was a drop shadow and that included simple mix trans., and gradients. the colours transposed well in flat fills if slightly darker in AI which you would expect and with all layers intact down to the editing capabilities, I think this is great. When using the PDF and eps in PS evrything was as you would want it. fantastic.
I supose I am looking through "rose tinted glasses" but at the moment things in the print area are looking far more attractive for users of XARA, it looks like far, far fewer work arounds. The only thing that I can see on the negative at the the mommnet is the decrepecies in colour and we are use to that. A quick ajustment with your moniter when using Adobe products will sort that out.
Overall for a newbie user or a new user looking at tthe product most of the enhansements seems to be aim at the bit mapped side or Web designs side of this application however do I want to see a 3D application residing in a very fast application I am not sure. I don't think I want the 3D effects like AI I have got Xara 3D to do that. Do i want "live paint" as in AI, well I think nearly I have got that but with much easier control, do I want "live trace" yes for line drawings but not for jpeg's I can manage with a good tracer product. What more could I ask for, well before today a more reliable way to get drawings to the printer. Well I have PDF export now it must be the solution what I was asking for because all that I have to do is to flatten dropprd shadows and be careful with what transparencies that i use and keep the trans. on a separate layer I think. Well I will just need to wait to see if they are problems which there must be but evrything is looking much better and all for $29.
Snip
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Re: Sneak peak of what's coming from Xara
Quote:
If I wish to create a 5cm double column advert and export it in PDF format, which incidentily is the format for our local newspapers, how do I estimate the size. I tried exporting a PDF of our latest ad and it ended up only exporting the centre portion of the ad.
Your page size shouold be the same size or larger than your ad size.
Gary
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Re: Sneak peak of what's coming from Xara
ADO
Do you mean the measurements are in pixels? If so go to File/Page Options/Units - and set Page Units to cm. (This is the same as in X1).
I got very good pdf results - even with a photo placed in it.
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Re: Sneak peak of what's coming from Xara
personally I like the live effects... Now that is a tool you can spend hours tweaking and getting totally different things... You can even apply live effects to shapes! so bump map this.... :D
Xtreme is sooo... cool...
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I saw this announcement for the first time at work (quiet night shift), so will have to wait for tomorrow afternoon :( -- but it looks fantastic!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Charles Moir
Finally, the launch next week of this new product is only part of the story. The announcements next week are the most important in the 25-year history of Xara.
Aaargh!.... now you've really got my inquisitive juices going!!
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Live Effects work very well. Applied the Chrome effect to the text and then adjusted the kerning, smooth join between letters happened immediately. Text is still fully editable.
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Re: Sneak peak of what's coming from Xara
Any way of making the grab handles bigger?
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Ooer! Now this is exciting - downloading now. Thank you Charles for making a pre-launch version available to us.
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Re: Sneak peak of what's coming from Xara
Hi Squeaky,
I think there is a registry hack for the "grab handles". If I am not mistaken, either Dimtry or John have that as part of there programs. Do not remember which at the top of my head tho. Maybe somebody who uses that part of the app will remember more. :)
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Re: Sneak peak of what's coming from Xara
Quote:
If I am not mistaken, either Dimtry or John have that as part of there programs
Doesn't it mean 'their' instead of 'there'? :D
Those tools work only with X1, not with xtreme. To modify the handle size in xtreme, open regedit (if you don't know what you are doing please leave the registry untouched! - I am NOT responsible if you will mess it up) and modify the values in this key:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Xara\XaraXtreme\Options \Selection Blob Sizes
Increasing the numbers increases the handle sizes. After modifying the values, you have to restart xtreme, otherwise you won't see any changes.
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Re: Sneak peak of what's coming from Xara
Wow, I just came to this forum and read these threads. It all sounds fantastic! :cool:
I've downloaded Xtreme. Dunno when I'll try it (too busy atm)
I can imagine it's a great upgrade for many artists here. For me, only the increased rendering speed is what makes it worth buying :)
Unlike others, I never export to pdf - I'm not a publisher or so - and I don't have/need PS and have none of its plugins.
(This all is mostly because I'm a strict vector freak)
But of course other minor improvements (blend transparency, dockable bars, new feather slider) count too =)
I'm looking forward to trying Xtreme sometime :D
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Re: Sneak peak of what's coming from Xara
So far ... great! but I found one quirk I hope gets resolved soon... I customized the toolbars (moved/added icons) and everytime I start Xtreme, they move around and have to be put back. Anyone else see this?
thanks, XARA
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Re: Sneak peak of what's coming from Xara
Nope, didn't happen here.
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Hi Glen...
Yep... if you throw any toolbar at the top of the screen besides the default, they postion is goofed up on the save. Yesterday, Jens threw a screen shot up in the forums and he has his personalization on the right hand side, so he will not see this bug. I think Charles and Crew know about this one, but email them to be sure. :rolleyes: :)
Hey Jens,
okay.. I have a typo occasionally... :rolleyes: :)
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Re: Sneak peak of what's coming from Xara
Ok...
I created 2 personal toolbars and loaded them up with my preferences and put them at the top right (2 rows worth) and they stay put after restarts. If I move pre-built (arrange, feather, galleries) to the top right and save the template, they move around with each restart. This doesn't happen with X1. Still love the program though, and if that's the only thing wrong, I can live with it, especially since you can create duplicate bars which do stay put.
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Have you emailed them this info? The more info they have for a bug, the easier it is to duplicate and find the cause. Thus it becomes an easy bug to fix. Do not wait to send it either... They are at the crush now, and if you do not let them know soon they will fix other bugs that you never run into but will dump the program. :)
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Re: Sneak peak of what's coming from Xara
Hello
Perhaps it is early days, but the bump map option is somewhat weak. The effect is visible sort of, with no image
merged, but once the image is merged, the effect is almost lost and the result looks washed out. There needs to be a transparency and also merge options. The other thing that is missing is that there is no option to apply a different image as the bump source.
It might be that there is something that I am missing.
It would be really good if the light could be dragged about, rather than using the dialogue (very unXara). The XY co- ords give no sense of the position of the light.
Mike Engles
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Re: Sneak peak of what's coming from Xara
Just love it! Plastic at the ready, to upgrade my work and home copies. Can anyone point me to specifications for writing my own plugins?
Edited to add: I mean Xara native, not PS, if that wasn't obvious.
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Re: Sneak peak of what's coming from Xara
Well there are some new features here but nothing that I am very excited about. Some poeple say that it is quicker and It was already very fast. Unless I want to use plugins or PDF export, I don't see much difference from X1. Hmm, well I will probably upgrade but this is pretty much like the last upgrade from X to X1. For What I do in Xara not much has changed. Seems like a bunch of fluff! That is why it is only a 29 dollar upgrade. Now I'll go back to my drawing!
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Re: Sneak peak of what's coming from Xara
Quote:
Originally Posted by a4hire
Well there are some new features here but nothing that I am very excited about. Some poeple say that it is quicker and It was already very fast. Unless I want to use plugins or PDF export, I don't see much difference from X1. Hmm, well I will probably upgrade but this is pretty much like the last upgrade from X to X1. For What I do in Xara not much has changed. Seems like a bunch of fluff! That is why it is only a 29 dollar upgrade. Now I'll go back to my drawing!
Thatīs what i thought! PDF support is a great feature for exchange/export to other applications but for the rest thereīs nothing really exciting besides some pontual improvements to some of the tools and the speed improvement.
Now i understand Charlesīs post about broadening Xara audience.
The new live effects is the type of feature that will please a lot of users and will allow for a quick way to get interesting effects. But, those are bitmaped based effects (so you canīt zoom on them without blurring them) besides that if you rescale the object that has the effect applied it will change itīs "appearence" (i mean it donīt stay as it was when you first applied the effect). It is interesting for those working with bitmap images/compositing but itīs not that usefull for "true" vector work.
I was expecting a lot more in the "vector side" of the application, considering the past history of Xara LTD and that this is a 2.0 version, like some improvements on the text tool (like text filling a shape) some new transprency types and a gradient mesh tool or similar for more control over colors in a shape, something that could make an illustrator or freehand user think twice/droll for. After all Xara X/Corel Xara was known for their innovative/friendly vector tools since the begining...
Overall and considering the upgrade price itīs ok but i would prefer a lot more to pay 80 dollars or more (for an upgrade) for (really) new improvements in the vector/text tools than the actual offer because this is more like a 1.5 version than a 2.0 version in terms of "core" vector tools.
Anyway itīs still a solid program for vector drawing...
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Re: Sneak peak of what's coming from Xara
I'm sure that there's more to an upgrade than just adding new features. Things done that we don't necessarily see, but make it a better overall program.
I'm just wondering what's happening next week, with the launch of the new product only being part of the story? The announcements (plural) being the most important in the 25-year history of Xara?
Hummmm.
-Bob.
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Re: Sneak peak of what's coming from Xara
Quote:
Originally Posted by Miguel B.
Now i understand Charlesīs post about broadening Xara audience.
The new live effects is the type of feature that will please a lot of users and will allow for a quick way to get interesting effects. But, those are bitmaped based effects (so you canīt zoom on them without blurring them) besides that if you rescale the object that has the effect applied it will change itīs "appearence" (i mean it donīt stay as it was when you first applied the effect). It is interesting for those working with bitmap images/compositing but itīs not that usefull for "true" vector work.
I was expecting a lot more in the "vector side" of the application
Yeah, those are my feelings too. I'm more into vector drawing and hoped for new features for it.
I also hope Xtreme will have less bugs so one can draw in peace :)
Still, considering the difference between X - X1 vs. X1 - Xtreme, I think Xtreme will get relatively better reviews than X1 did. The way I read it in the reviews, X1 was considered merely X, but with nice interface icons and XPE.
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Re: Sneak peak of what's coming from Xara
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bob Hahn
I'm just wondering what's happening next week, with the launch of the new product only being part of the story? The announcements (plural) being the most important in the 25-year history of Xara?
Hummmm.
-Bob.
Yes, iīve been thinking about it too. What could it be?
A bigger company has adquired Xara LTD maybe?...or some type of fusion with another software house or ...a completely new product... ahhh canīt wait to know... :D
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Re: Sneak peak of what's coming from Xara
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xara - more important than any of that?
Bigger than September 1995's signing of the Corel agreement?
This will get bums on seats!
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Re: Sneak peak of what's coming from Xara
Miguel said:
"The new live effects is the type of feature that will please a lot of users and will allow for a quick way to get interesting effects. But, those are bitmaped based effects (so you canīt zoom on them without blurring them) besides that if you rescale the object that has the effect applied it will change itīs "appearence" (i mean it donīt stay as it was when you first applied the effect). It is interesting for those working with bitmap images/compositing but itīs not that usefull for "true" vector work."
The effects are applied at a range of resolutions - Automatic, 96dpi, 150, 200 etc. As with most Xara settings you can over-type to get eg 600dpi - which slows your PC but may be what you need when ready to print. If you zoom at 600 you will see it is much more crisp - for example with the Mosaic effect.