Drawing Feature Request

I would like to see an option within Xara that would greatly assist in my using the tool for traditional pen and ink techniques.

Presently, you must press [Esc] to deselect an object drawn. Instead, I would like to have an easily reachable menu option (with keyboard mapping) to automatically deselect an object when the mouse button (or pen tip) is released. This option could be global, though I am most interested in it being used for the freehand drawing tool. I use Xara almost exclusively with a Wacom tablet and could greatly benefit from this feature. To compliment this, I would also like a hotkey assignment for a function that will select the most recently deselected object. That way, even when using the auto-deselect option in freehand drawing mode, I could still quickly access my most recent object without changing my tool type(as easy as that actually is).

Hi

being able to draw freehand without the line being automatically selected is on the wish list

last time Xara commented though they did not appear keen

you may wish to read this thread:

http://www.talkgraphics.com/showthread.php?t=32193

Thanks for the link - I've cross-posted this entry there to ensure Xara is seeing this need expressed.

This is something that I have been wishing for as well. Until Xara realizes that there is a need for this, there is a workaround. I have a small rock that I use to weight down the Esc key while drawing with the freehand tool.

It shouldn't be difficult to implement. However, (as Frances stated) I'm not sure that Xara have realised that there is a need for this ..... It drives me insane ......

I don't use the freehand tool much to draw with (shape editor is my prime choice), but couldn't you use define one of the buttons on the wacom pen to be the escape key and just press it whenever it is needed? I haven't tried it so I have no idea. Has anybody tried? I know my wacom buttons can be redefined but can't remember what they can be remapped to.

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Originally Posted by raynerj1

and just press it whenever it is needed?

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John the point is here - the escape key needs to be down all the time

Frances uses a rock - I use a stapler :D

buttons on my pen are disabled - they are a curse in themselves when sketching - always getting pressed at the wrong time and I could not hold a button all the time any more than I could hold the pen still, not only is it unnatural, for a pencil artist at least, but I'd get serious cramp

bear in mind that if the smoothing is taken right out and the escape key is not pressed you cannot see the line you are drawing/have drawn most of the time - just the damn nodes :eek:

To make the message get through to Xara, there should be a Esc-weight gallery thread where you post you Esc-weights (rocks, stamples etc) in action! Hey, it could even be trendy to have a rock with a painted face on laying on the keyboard!

Steve is right about the buttons on the pen. This feature would go together quite nicely with real pressure sensitivity and improved brushes, but I suppose that is straying off topic. :D

Edit: My rock is painted, My youngest daughter painted it when she was about 10

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Originally Posted by angelize

Edit: My rock is painted, My youngest daughter painted it when she was about 10

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We want pics, we want pics! :)

go for it :D

One keyboard weight!:D:

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Originally Posted by gnurf

We want pics, we want pics! :)

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Sure! I'm very curious to see your keyboards with the stapler and rock )))
As for me, it would attract more Xara's team attention to this problem and even could be a very nice creative base for making posters ))) I can see that! )))

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Originally Posted by angelize

One keyboard weight!:D:

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That was probably the worst photo I've seen in ages... are you still using one of those old Kodak digi-cams with a floppy disk for storage?!? :D

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Originally Posted by angelize

...This feature would go together quite nicely with real pressure sensitivity and improved brushes, but I suppose that is straying off topic. :D

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Frances have you enabled Pen Support Pressure Mode using XaReg?

I kept telling Frances that the rock was too heavy :rolleyes:

I'm so glad I saw this thread...I didn't even realise one could hold the escape key down all the time while drawing!! And here I'd been laboriously tapping the escape key after each line! D'OH! :o

Makes a huge difference drawing with my tablet now. Glad this topic was brought up. Though an auto-deselect option in freehand drawing mode would get my vote too!

Manoj