Version 10 programs - What do you think might be next?

Now that Web designer 10 is out of the gate let's speculate on what might be coming next, What are you hoping to see improved or new in the rest of the version 10 programs?

Going on past releases DP will likely have all the new web design features and any new features added to Page and Layout Designer and Photo and Graphic designer.

Page and Layout designer was released next last year I hope this years release continues to build on the DTP features with things such as auto hyphenation and booklet creation tools. I also hope that the columns feature is improved. I'd like to see them add the ability to independently set column and gap width.
The new smart shapes in WD10 intrigue me I hope that DP10 will be capable of creating custom smart shapes
a spiral quick shape would be nice and will the brushes finally get some much needed improvements? (I'm not holding my breath on this one)

So lets hear your thoughts and wishes

I'm just hoping that Xara partnered with the US office supply company Staples and included an "Easy Button" for all my design challenges.

Beyond that? I'm not holding my breath for anything that is worthwhile to me, whether simply existing oddities being fixed or added.

For me.
The shadow tool could be improved.

Better still, graduated feathering would be a great addition in my opinion.

Mesh tool? Bigger outputs now that 64 bit capability has been achieved? Another of the vector tools that has been asked for? Better pens?

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Originally Posted by Rik

...graduated feathering would be a great addition in my opinion.

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Like the following? Or do you mean something else? (If so, that is a bit painful to achieve.)

Attachment 102013

Well, if I recall properly, the outcry during the last release was "VECTOR TOOLS, VECTOR TOOLS." I have an extensive and more thorough image editor so all the photo tools, for me, are never used. I got Xara before they added the web editing so my intent was to get a good vector drawing program. So far I like what I have seen with the new web editing tools. I would like to see some templates that FINALLY get out of the square box format, improved or new vector tools and a coupon for free sneakers.;))

Bigger output (or pdf's that somewhat ressemble my images ;) ). And vector fills as an addition to bitmap fills.

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Originally Posted by David O'Neil

Mesh tool? Bigger outputs now that 64 bit capability has been achieved? Another of the vector tools that has been asked for? Better pens?



Like the following? Or do you mean something else? (If so, that is a bit painful to achieve.)

Attachment 102013

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Hi David.

What you've shown is what I am talking about.

If (what I call Graduated Feathering) was available, then doing shadows would be a lot easier and more realistic.
And we would be able to do what I've shown in my drawing.

To get the effect in area 1, I had to do what is shown in area 2.
There are times I need to use quite a few bits that I have to put together to get the right effect.

So, for me, it would be a lot easier if Graduated feathering available.

Yeah Fred, that would be good but it would need to be a Pattern Tool. Of all the vector tools introduced by Adobe for Illustrator from the start of CS right through to CC this of the new tools the one I have used the most. It could be good also for the web development area as a background wizard and could stay vector through html.

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Originally Posted by Rik

To get the effect in area 1, I had to do what is shown in area 2...

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An FYI on my process, in case you hadn't thought of it: I blended from a background object given almost 100% transparency, to the top object. You can even duplicate the fills on both, to achieve a graduated fill throughout if you wish, but for best results both objects should have the same number of nodes, and those nodes should be of the same general geometry. Graduated feathering would be a big improvement, and I think your own process is easier than mine even though it doesn't give true graduated feathering. It looks great, though!

David

Suggeted tools and additions:

- simple dynamical CAD-like tools like: distances, area's and angles. We know Xara calculates them on the fly (look at the toolbar ...) but it would be very nice to have the opportunity to insert them in a drawing and have them updated on the fly.
- Real vector brushes. Xara improved tremendously with the pressure sensitive brushes but it needs more if it wants to compete with CorelDraw or Illustrator.
-One addition which would be welcomed very much is the possibility to make ones own line starts and endings. These arrows offered by Xara are not really up to date.
- editable dashes
- Layers within layers

1. Colour management. Could you please make the choosing/assigning of colour profiles possible - after all, this software is made for the actual printing of layouts, logos, business cards, flyers etc.
2. Simulate print colours. What printer/profile is this feature simulating? The colours don't look anything like the same files in CorelCraw which are very accurate....
3. Rotatable guide lines for aligning object/text that are at an angle.

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Originally Posted by letsgofishing

...3. Rotatable guide lines for aligning object/text that are at an angle.

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Yes to #1...#2 is then taken care of.

#3. You can draw any shape on the guideline layer, be it a line or a shape, have it at any angle, and it is a guide. No need for rotating Xara's guidelines.

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Originally Posted by mwenz

Yes to #1...#2 is then taken care of.

#3. You can draw any shape on the guideline layer, be it a line or a shape, have it at any angle, and it is a guide. No need for rotating Xara's guidelines.

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Just tried tat - don't understand.
Say I have a rotated rectangle on layer 1 - I the create some text and rotate that to the same angle - how do I line up the baseline of the text with base of the rectangle?

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Originally Posted by letsgofishing

[/COLOR]

Just tried tat - don't understand.
Say I have a rotated rectangle on layer 1 - I the create some text and rotate that to the same angle - how do I line up the baseline of the text with base of the rectangle?

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If I wanted to align a bit of text to a rectangle that has been rotated, I probably wouldn't put the rectangle on the guideline layer.

Instead, I would move the text as in this screen shot:

Attachment 102033

Then I would move the rotation center as in this screen shot:

Attachment 102034

And rotate the text.

Attachment 102035

Would love to see some additional blend modes, specifically the burn and dodge layer modes that Photoshop supports for the creation of things that have a high contrast glow of sorts.

An example of this is here, which I've asked a lot of times if there is a way to create this effect in Xara and the answer has typically been something like either "you can't do this directly...use photoshop" or "try these 73 steps".

Also, while it looks like there are some neat things in the new web designer version (like the responsive-like stuff), I will be very disappointed if the primary makeup of XDP this time around is just the stuff from the other applications. I am really hoping for some core update stuff that isn't in the other versions, vector tool improvements, new tools, better pen controls, and just some general improvements.

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Originally Posted by angelize

What are you hoping to see improved or new in the rest of the version 10 programs?

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Fixed SVG export, ideally also SVG animations.

Xara is very 90s concerning its web features. What they added in recent years is useless for me as an HTML5 web developer.

Adjustable pressure profiles after you draw a line. Example: I need a line with a pointed tip, 1/3 of the line length. So, I draw a line and add a pressure profile from thick to thin. Now the whole line is influenced and not the last 1/3. My current workaround is: I cut the line in two parts. This would be a lot easier.

BTW I use the pressure profiles with a graphic tablet but switch the pressure influence off in Xara.

Hello

My top 3 features would be :
Correct the "show selection bound handle" bug (this one should be easy to correct).
add an option "no handle at all not event a little black square" when I select objet would be my 2e wish.
An option to avoid windows to move when I put objets near the border of the windows would be greatly appreciated.

Designer is the best vector drawing program, just a little effort and it will be perfect for me.

Regards

PS : a way to create profil pressure would also be welcome.

A small request, previously made in "Dear Xara".

I spend my life repositioning arrows with the straight line and arrow tool.

Dragging an end point shows an outline only, so repositioning an arrow head is guesswork.

Please let me see the fully rendered arrow with its arrow head during a drag.

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Originally Posted by DD

Please let me see the fully rendered arrow with its arrow head during a drag.

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I 100% agree.

Also I wich I could create my own arrow... :D

Regards

I DREAM TO ADD SOME THINGS LIKE THIS TO XARA
AND SOME ADDS TO MAKE XARA WORK SYMMETRICAL LIKE WARPING OBJECT IN TWO DIRECTION OR FOUR IN THE SAME TIME
Attachment 102064
PRO THE CLIPART GALLERY TO VIEW THUMPS FOR ANY KIND OF GRAPHICS FORMAT DIPINDING ON SYSTEM ADDS DIRECTLY , ADDS LIKE sagethumbs FROM https://code.google.com/p/sagethumbs/
AND GHOST SCRIPT
http://sourceforge.net/projects/ghostscript/
WITHOUT BUILDING XARA THUMPS FOLDER
BEST WISHES

Hi
I want to add some needs
Add slicer tool with ability to draw a custom line to slicing with .
In star tool had great style working symmetrical i hope it can be in some other Xara tools
Add magnet tool or sculpting like tools with something like soft selection like in 3D software
Add lathe tool or add to extrude tool as option
Add some 3d material feeling you can borrow them from Photo Impact or RealDraw
Add Arc tool
BEST WISHES

I agree with the line start - ends updated and I would add merged into one tool. As in add symbol to selected end. Ie add arrow head to both ends of line :-)

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...Add slicer tool with ability to draw a custom line to slicing with...

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If I understand you right, draw the line extending beyond the boundaries of the object/image, select both and press ctrl+4

Thanks zaphodeist I remember that but I ask for a direct tool :)
In all of my suggestion I know many ways to do any thing in Xara but I ask for easy and direct tools
in clipart gallery i can't see thumps for EPS files and other vector files WMF EMF CDR and i ask to use the system to view files that will save time .

I would like to see a Bone/Joint system or... something similar to PhotoShop's Puppet Warp.

Don't know if its possible, but I'd like to see gradients/fades on a curve. The existing gradients by linear, elliptical, rectangular fit many concepts but does not fit variated needs. I'd like something that works like text on a curve, but gradients on a curve instead to gradients of color or transparency.

Photoshop and GIMP (yes, I know they are image editors, which is a different animal than vector) both have a "bump map" feature (although something currently in Xara is defined as "bump map", what I'm speaking of is something different). A bump map is a layer of grayscale colors and shapes painted, or placed shapes if vector that affect the layer beneath it. White is high elevation, while black is low elevation and grays varied between. Applying a bump map onto another layer imposes visual indicators of depth in a dramatic and obvious way. For my existing fantasy cartography needs - a bump map feature is the only thing I am missing to be able to do all of my maps primarily using XPD only.

If those two features ever appeared, I'd be completely happy.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Gamerprinter

Don't know if its possible, but I'd like to see gradients/fades on a curve. The existing gradients by linear, elliptical, rectangular fit many concepts but does not fit variated needs. I'd like something that works like text on a curve, but gradients on a curve instead to gradients of color or transparency.

Photoshop and GIMP (yes, I know they are image editors, which is a different animal than vector) both have a "bump map" feature (although something currently in Xara is defined as "bump map", what I'm speaking of is something different). A bump map is a layer of grayscale colors and shapes painted, or placed shapes if vector that affect the layer beneath it. White is high elevation, while black is low elevation and grays varied between. Applying a bump map onto another layer imposes visual indicators of depth in a dramatic and obvious way. For my existing fantasy cartography needs - a bump map feature is the only thing I am missing to be able to do all of my maps primarily using XPD only.

If those two features ever appeared, I'd be completely happy.

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+1

@ gamerprinter: In the 32 bit version of DP there is a live effect called emboss that is very good. It has settings for things like elevation, light intensity, light angle, angle of incidence, shine, reflection, and more.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by angelize

@ gamerprinter: In the 32 bit version of DP there is a live effect called emboss that is very good. It has settings for things like elevation, light intensity, light angle, angle of incidence, shine, reflection, and more.

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Ah, that means I need to load both versions. I have the 64 bit version currently loaded and using, and had relegated the live effects as no longer accessable. Though I knew I could load both versions to access those. I'll give it a try.

I'll still suggest gradients on a curve (freehand drawn line) is something I really need.

I have a huge investment in professional filters. Wish XDP 64 could allow their use again.

Also would love to be able to set to full pixels. Exhausting constantly correcting sizes.


Seems churlish to criticise such a great program, but would really appreciate these.

WD10 64bit allows plug-ins to be used ... should be the same in DP10 as it is the everything Xara program :)

hopefully they will work, some teething problems with WD10 as i understand..

the title of this thread is 'what do you expect' not 'what do you want/wish'...

what do I expect? - well what is in WD10, of course, ..... and to be honest I have no idea beyond that .. maybe some minor tweaks to the drawing tools [version 9 had colour replacement in groups and background erase enhancements, useful but no reason to upgrade]

Well I responded to what I wish, because, as you say, I have no idea what to expect. Many of the new things since XXP4 (the last version I had before XDP9) are great tools, but nothing I would have expected nor specifically needed, though I can certainly use them. I can only relay, what I want or wish. I don't have an inside ear to Xara's development team, so I cannot even guess what they're up to.

hey ...it is so

what I really wish is for new layers to be above the current layer and not on top of the damn stack [as an option] - and shape builder tool to have absolute pixels and not just screen pixels, same as serif drawplus... nested layers too... new vector tools, don't really need them, though bucket fill would undoubtedly save time especially if it had a gap tolerance feature that works

I'd like to see/I wish for the new Xara Designer:

- mash-gardient-fill-tool like in Illu or Corel
- vector fills
- editibel brushes like in Illu that follows path
- brush-management like in Expression, Gary had required it many times
- TrueType support
- dictionary support for hyphenation
- more DTP specific futers
- true Color Managment
- bigger workspace like in Corel
- PDF-X4
- path modifying tools like in Illu or Inkscape
- better stability and performance on multi processor engines
- GPU performance assistence

I'll sop here. The list will be to long when i would wright all my wishes for future Xara Designer's. But some things we posted here, I think, are indispensable.

Servus from Germany/Bavaria

Ernie