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What are you hoping to see in the next version of Designer Pro?
Now that we've all had a chance to check out the new web design features in WD9/P anticipation is beginning to grow about the next release of Designer Pro. What are you hoping for in the next release?
Here are a few things I am hoping for (in no particular order)
A choice of nib shapes for the shapebuilder tool
info bar transparency settings for the shapebuilder and eraser tool
Auto hyphenation
export to ebook format
brush strokes that stretch along the path
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Re: What are you hoping to see in the next version of Designer Pro?
Support for spot color in bitmaps. I have been hoping to see this for many releases and I am not holding my breath.
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Re: What are you hoping to see in the next version of Designer Pro?
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Re: What are you hoping to see in the next version of Designer Pro?
A fix to the delay in opening the Utilities/Options window. If I have several large photos loaded this delay can be an eternity.
A fix to the "open with" default program. For example I have jpg's & png's etc set to open by default with Xara. Unfortunately it opens them with Designer Pro 6 regardless of if I set it to XDPX. Long overdue a solution.
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Re: What are you hoping to see in the next version of Designer Pro?
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Re: What are you hoping to see in the next version of Designer Pro?
There is improved HTML5/CSS3 usage in WD version 9, Frank. This will of course make it to DP9.
Quote:
Web Designer 9 automatically makes use of HTML5 whenever it can, so you get a state of the art website without having to do anything or understand anything about HTML! In v9 we ensure that your graphics are exported in the best format for current browsers (shapes such as rectangles, rounded rectangles with grad fills and transparency, shadows, text with shadows and page backgrounds, are displayed using native HTML not memory hungry PNGs) . It’s more efficient, and that means your site will be faster.
Your site will of course still work with older browsers.
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Re: What are you hoping to see in the next version of Designer Pro?
To be able to set the default number of steps in the Contour tool, or at least for the default to be set to 1. I use it a lot yet I don't think I've ever needed 4 steps!
Select By Colour would be handy. For example, to right click on a colour on the colour bar and have an option to lock or hide objects of all other colours for easy selection.
The option to select which page of a PDF to import.
More keyboard shortcuts, especially for object alignment.
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1 Attachment(s)
Re: What are you hoping to see in the next version of Designer Pro?
Quote:
Select By Colour would be handy. For example, to right click on a colour on the colour bar and have an option to lock or hide objects of all other colours for easy selection.
Web Designer 9 Premium now has a new colour replace feature to the colour editor.
One can only assume that the Designer Pro version will be enhanced to list the colours in the colour gallery.
Attachment 95625
This is an imported EPS file, not Xara clipart.
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Re: What are you hoping to see in the next version of Designer Pro?
Excellent, that will save a lot of multi-selections.
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Re: What are you hoping to see in the next version of Designer Pro?
- a button which if set on, allows only whole pixels jumping at resizing an object in X-Y coordinates together
- FTPS support
- general info bar - with selecting any object the program writes down that whether that object is Text, Quickshape, Opacity mask etc., plus what can be done with it by mouse. I would prefer there to see rather the main parameters, for example at Fills (type, start - end color, maybe number of control points), Transparency (type, start - end percentages). That could save the tool selection and check the parameters there
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Re: What are you hoping to see in the next version of Designer Pro?
Font handling was improved in Xara Web Designer 9 (support for multi-weight otf fonts). I would like to see this expanded with full support for open-type font features. This seems particularly appropriate for the PRO version now that the OTF fonts are the standard, higher quality fonts are becoming available trough Google Fonts and single font weights available for free from commercial font foundries. This will give us access to features like:
Small Caps
All Small Caps
Case Sensitve Glyphs
Ligatures
Old Style Numerals
Old Style Tabular Numerals
Lining Numerals
Tabular Lining Numerals
Small Cap Numerals
Small Cap Tabular Numerals
Pre-Built Fractions
Stylistic Alternates
etc.
Hyphenation would be a good addition too.
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Re: What are you hoping to see in the next version of Designer Pro?
My Personal hope is Xara focuses on its core strengths as a graphic design and illustration tool, and any new improvements are to the existing tool set and interface, rather than adding too many new 'bells and whistles' (for the marketing dept!).
Some things I would like to see:
- option to customise guides and grids, particularly to help with the construction of perspective drawings
- an option to reduce the complexity/simplify (reduce number of nodes) of curved lines that have been converted into shapes
- any improvements to do with using text - hyphenation, a new text control panel? etc
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Re: What are you hoping to see in the next version of Designer Pro?
On my wishlist:
- Classic UI (no dark grey, for Pete's sake. And I put it on the shortlist just to signal that there are people who love the original interface)
- editable dash patterns and line endings/arrowhead. (more or less like Illustrator's dash feature.)
- cheap update from very early versions (I will update from Xara ??, but I don't want to break the bank. There's a crisis, you know...)
- connectors and CAD-like labels which show the dimensions of a line, arc, circle or area (like CADtools in Illustrator)
- Fill tool (like Inkscape)
- Prezi-exporter
- a Killer feature (but which....?)
Producing this list I started Illustrator and Inkscape. And working in them to find the missing parts of Xara I couldn't resist the feeling that, though Xara misses some features, it absolutely has one feature that can't be beaten: a fluid and intuitive interface that responds very friendly. Xara will stay my first program of choice but sometimes I need to produce in other programs for compatibility reasons. I'd love to stay with Xara for it's the best vector art program for people who love to draw!
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Re: What are you hoping to see in the next version of Designer Pro?
Something as simple as actually telling us the name of the file that has the problem?
Considering the programme allows multiple files to be open, remain open when closing, and be open when restarting - then surely, the name of the file would be helpful.
Attachment 95649
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Re: What are you hoping to see in the next version of Designer Pro?
Doesn't that error only occur when a file is newly opened? Doesn't that narrow it down a bit?
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Re: What are you hoping to see in the next version of Designer Pro?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
pauland
Doesn't that error only occur when a file is newly opened? Doesn't that narrow it down a bit?
No.
The error will come up every time you close DPX and start it again.
You will need to go to each and every open file and find the problem and fix it.
For me, it's not about narrowing it down. The name of the file should be in with the message. You can then quickly go to it, and fix the problem.
In my opinion, it's half a message when it should be a complete message.
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Re: What are you hoping to see in the next version of Designer Pro?
The other way to think about it is if you don't know what file you're working on, you have a problem.
DPX seems no different in this respect to other software that I have.
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Re: What are you hoping to see in the next version of Designer Pro?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
pauland
The other way to think about it is if you don't know what file you're working on, you have a problem.
DPX seems no different in this respect to other software that I have.
It has nothing to do with knowing which file you're working on, or not.
I have a number of files open, doing this that and the other.
We all have different ways of working.
Being able to have multiple files to be open at the same time is a very good feature, for me.
There are many times I will have a number of pdf files that I have opened in DPX, to be able to use parts of those files to produce a new file.
As well as other drawing files I am working on.
So you see...
But, the point I am trying to make is that the message is an incomplete message.
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Re: What are you hoping to see in the next version of Designer Pro?
We're just having an interesting discussion - you're opportunity to try and convince me that the filename is necessary.
If I open an Adobe product and have missing fonts, the software tells me fonts are missing and allows me to see what they are (and do something about it). I don't need to know the filename because this error can only happen when I open a file and I should know that because it's the filename I just typed in or selected. If I have four files open, the error can only be caused by the file I just opened, so I don't see the need to be reminded what it is once again. It's the file I am working on now.
It's exactly the same with Xara software isn't it?
I can't quite grasp where the possible confusion is.
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Re: What are you hoping to see in the next version of Designer Pro?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
pauland
It's exactly the same with Xara software isn't it?
.
Not quite.
If you have 8 documents open (therefore 8 tabs) when you close DPX, then all 8 will reopen next time you launch DPX (unless you have this feature disabled in Options). If one of those documents has a missing font, the error dialogue will popup without any indication as to which document it is referring to.
In order to discover which document is using a font (or fonts) which are no longer installed, you must open the Names gallery then click each document's Tab until the one with the missing fonts is revealed.
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Re: What are you hoping to see in the next version of Designer Pro?
OK, or you could close and reopen each document until the error pops up again.
I can see the issue, but it's easily resolved, isn't it?
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Re: What are you hoping to see in the next version of Designer Pro?
I think Riks request is reasonable, I've had the same problem the odd time and it should be pretty minor for the devs to just add the document name to the warning dialog. It's not a major problem but if you like to leave a lot of docs open when you close an re-open the program it would effect your workflow more.
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Re: What are you hoping to see in the next version of Designer Pro?
Riks request is entirely reasonable, but it seems to be for a use-case that shouldn't really occur, or at least occur rarely.
I find that my encounters with missing fonts only happens when a client sends me a file and I open it for the first time. The only other problem is when moving to another computer where not all the same fonts are present.
I don't really have a workflow of keeping open lots of files all of the time - sounds like an opportunity to make big mistakes.
It should be a trivial enhancement for Xara to do, though it seems pretty unnecessary to me, even with the explanation.
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Re: What are you hoping to see in the next version of Designer Pro?
I've thought of another feature I'd like to see. I'd love to be able to add my own nested folders to the designs and fills galleries. This would enable users to organize files in a much better way. A main folder by document type with subfolders for each client would be the first use that springs to mind.
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Re: What are you hoping to see in the next version of Designer Pro?
And to go with that, an option to backup these folders so that they can be easily ported to a new version of Designer.
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Re: What are you hoping to see in the next version of Designer Pro?
+1 on nested folders in the Designs Gallery. I also want to be able to hide the default folders or nest them under a single, collapsible heading so I can access them when I want to, but I don't have to deal with them otherwise.
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Re: What are you hoping to see in the next version of Designer Pro?
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Re: What are you hoping to see in the next version of Designer Pro?
A Windows 8 fix for Blob size since our dear old Bill has passed away. Before anyone starts I know it can be done in the Reg Edit but surely it can be done in Page Options or User preferences. Also if they aren't going to improve the brushes how about improving "stroke shape pressure profiles" too little has been done in this area for too long.
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Re: What are you hoping to see in the next version of Designer Pro?
I would like a better paste function. When you paste a word text and choose from the paste special menu you can choose three types, RTF, HTML and EMF. But once you have chosen you can't paste again and choose another type.
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Re: What are you hoping to see in the next version of Designer Pro?
1. Grid fill with a way to add/remove color nodes --I know it was avoided as a pest :)
2. No dark gray UI, just the regular UI theme from OS --CTRL-SHIFT-ALT-S should be to put the dark gray back
3. In-canvas image bitmap editor --pixel mode editing tools including layers and layer effects, a sort of mini PhotoShop --see how Fireworks does it.
4. Easier way to make and control master pages
5. More options for corners --"inverse" rounds, slanted, etc --like SerifDraw
6. More group transparency levels --let each subgroup have a different transparency
7. Multi-columns for single text boxes, and a way to specify the space between columns
8. Type transformation --all caps, all lowcase, title cases, etc
9. Easier format copy/paste in a single UI button --like Word: select original object, click button, select destination object, done
10. Mood transformation :) get a drawing and select "moods", like drawingwide plugins to change the drawing to pencil drawn, brush drawn, oil paint, etc, in a "simple" way.
11. Inspired by #10: canvas textures to mimic art mediums like canvas, sand, stone, etc
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Re: What are you hoping to see in the next version of Designer Pro?
Lots of good suggestions here.
I will add one more. A liquify equivalent tool, that could edit multiple selected object at once.
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Re: What are you hoping to see in the next version of Designer Pro?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Rik
Something as simple as actually telling us
the name of the file that has the problem?
Attachment 95649
Go to File --> Document info. It will say which font isn't installed.
Edit: My bad, I thought I read the name of the font.
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Re: What are you hoping to see in the next version of Designer Pro?
+! to the font-name error message being corrected.
For anyone who doesn't experience this, congratulations, but I get it pretty regularly, either because there is a variant being used that isn't really there (like a bold on a non-bold-able font) or because there is a whole font that needs to be substituted. I work with other people in my office, so we often have to look at each others' designs and/or edit them collaboratively. Since we almost exclusively design for the web, making templates for WordPress or Joomla or even sometimes just a standard html mockup, we need to use fonts from the Google library, especially lately. It is often that a font won't be installed, but the file will still load and look right with the partial.
So a common example is that I have 4 projects open at once, each with more than one version and then my partner asks me to look at 2 of her designs. I open them and get the error and dismiss, because I'm just reviewing them. I close Xara and leave for the day and come back tomorrow, open Xara and conveniently, all of my previously-in-use-files open up, and each one that has this error pops up this (pretty useless at that point) dialog. So I might get the error 2 or 3 times in a row. Maybe I want to fix the issue, maybe I don't! But I should be able to hone in on the 3 or 4 files with the issue and not have to look at all 10+ open files to determine which ones are a problem, especially if I would only actually care about 1 of them anyway.
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Re: What are you hoping to see in the next version of Designer Pro?
I'd like to see colour management capabilities. In particular the ability to drive the printer directly using an ICC profile in the same way that is possible with the Adobe products. Anything to get the printed output closer to the colours on screen!
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Re: What are you hoping to see in the next version of Designer Pro?
I'd like to see the Simulate Print Colors option stick on a per-document basis. If I'm designing something for print, I'd like it to default to that mode whenever I open that particular file.
-- Ben
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Re: What are you hoping to see in the next version of Designer Pro?
A way to lock the tool bars.
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Re: What are you hoping to see in the next version of Designer Pro?
I know Xara since CorelXara, which I used for signmaking. Alltought Xara support scaling, it does not support surfaces larger than 2.75 meter. I would love to see that, since it would make Xara the all in one tool for webdesign, printing and signmaking and allows for interchanging shapes, text and graphics between webdesign, printing and signmaking.
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Re: What are you hoping to see in the next version of Designer Pro?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
teonieuwlande
I know Xara since CorelXara, which I used for signmaking. Alltought Xara support scaling, it does not support surfaces larger than 2.75 meter. I would love to see that, since it would make Xara the all in one tool for webdesign, printing and signmaking and allows for interchanging shapes, text and graphics between webdesign, printing and signmaking.
+1 :)
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Re: What are you hoping to see in the next version of Designer Pro?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
teonieuwlande
I know Xara since CorelXara, which I used for signmaking. Alltought Xara support scaling, it does not support surfaces larger than 2.75 meter. I would love to see that, since it would make Xara the all in one tool for webdesign, printing and signmaking and allows for interchanging shapes, text and graphics between webdesign, printing and signmaking.
And + 1 again. I don't need this facility very often but it would be handy for when I do.
Also, I've posted this before (in the WD thread I think), but it would be great if the program could give the option to link web projects with the folders they were originally saved in and exported to.
And the ability to switch off font warnings would be good too. I can understand it the first time a project is saved, but every single time?
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Re: What are you hoping to see in the next version of Designer Pro?
Me too, but myself and others have been asking for this for years but Xara have always been dead against it.