Help needed from XDP16 users

I'm wishing I hadn't upgraded.

I suppose Magix think they've done something useful, but, I HATE IT.

I've imported an image, and then cut a section out of it.
I now want to do various things with it.
When I select the image, I get some useful looking handles at the corners and nodes in the horizontal and vertical.

Now, here are my issues with this:

1. I may want to zoom in and want to use one of the other corners to rotate. Is there any way of doing this?
   
2. I can't stretch the image horizontally or vertically. If I try, all I get is more of the image that this section was cropped out of.

Does anyone know how to get back to the way things worked in XDP11?

If I wanted more of the image, then it was easy enough to select the horizontal or vertical nodes and open up more of the image in previous XDP versions, anyway.
So, why this terrible change?

1. Right click on the Lock Aspect Ratio and DISABLE Smart Transition. I really do not like this feature.

2. Select the image with the Selector Tool.

Done as you suggested, Gary.

But, as you can see by the attached image, the issue is still there.

This is a totally C*** feature.
And I can't seem to get rid of it.

Ah yes. This is what happens when Xara tries to make the program easier to use.

Click on the icon in the top left, Show Selection Bounds Handles

Thanks, Gary.

I say again, "This is a C*** feature."

I suppose it serves me right for upgrading.
I wonder what other helpful features have been added.

I don't think I've ever said this about a Xara product before, but, if anyone has not upgraded to XDP16, my advice is to not bother and save your money.

Well for my money, the Open Type support has been worth the price. But if Xara want another dime out of me, they are going to have to add Master Pages and independent left and right pages when working on books.

Rik,

I haven't found anyone yet who likes this feature!

When this can out in version 15.0 there was no option to even turn it off, and it created a huge storm of anger. So much so, that there is a whole thread ... https://www.talkgraphics.com/showthr...ing-megathread ... about it. You should have tried to stretch or condense text. A thing that we all seem to do regularly.

My gripe is not that it had to be fixed but that now ... since I haven't renewed my update service ... my version XP&GD15 is completely useless, since I cannot even get a patch, and have had to go back to V10.

I suspect that I'll now have to upgrade for it to be worthwhile to me ... I think I may hold out for V17 though.

Just as a matter of interest ... to me, I no-one else ... If I renew my update service when version 17 comes out, will that allow me to patch my version 15 install as well?

Did you not keep XPD11 on your comp Rik so you could swap from one to the other? If I ever upgrade,if, I will do this because from reading most of the posts about upgrading, it seems you put yourself on the road to hell >:) I'm still using PG&D11 and I'm perfectly happy with it so as said I will keep this version also if ever I upgrade. I can't see any good reason to as yet!!

Stygg

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ss-kalm

Rik,

I haven't found anyone yet who likes this feature!

When this can out in version 15.0 there was no option to even turn it off, and it created a huge storm of anger. So much so, that there is a whole thread ... https://www.talkgraphics.com/showthr...ing-megathread ... about it. You should have tried to stretch or condense text. A thing that we all seem to do regularly.

---

Well, I've not read all of the thread you gave a link for, but, it's clear to see the extreme frustrations in the newer versions.
I started with Xara 3.2, and upgraded every time. It's only since V11 that I had not upgraded. And I foolishly expected to find some great improvements as I had not upgraded for quite some time.

If they're pandering to the new users, then where are these new users?
Would you not have expected TalkGraphics to be a hive of activity?!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by stygg2003

Did you not keep XPD11 on your comp Rik so you could swap from one to the other? If I ever upgrade,if, I will do this because from reading most of the posts about upgrading, it seems you put yourself on the road to hell >:) I'm still using PG&D11 and I'm perfectly happy with it so as said I will keep this version also if ever I upgrade. I can't see any good reason to as yet!!

Stygg

---

Well, you might want to learn from my experience and not upgrade to V16.
I have to totally agree with you, when you say that 'I put myself on the road to hell'.
What has happened, now, is that my blind faith in Xara has been completely destroyed.

I've still got V11 on my Laptop.
But, surely the idea would be to try and get to know the new version.

@MB365, if someone as well versed in Xara products as Rik falls foul of the Squishy/Squashy Saga and is stymied by the machinations needed to get things working as required and Customers who don't update are reverted back to an unworkable version (ss-kalm & v15.0), what hope do others who do not follow TalkGraphics have? Do you not think it is time to sort out proper bug versions and the Update Service as in its current form is is wholly incompatible with you delivering an equitable outcome. There is no point on having a version that "you own outright" if it is broken.

Acorn

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ss-kalm

Just as a matter of interest ... to me, I no-one else ... If I renew my update service when version 17 comes out, will that allow me to patch my version 15 install as well?

---

I would doubt it.

Acorn

Do you know the other thing I hate?
(And I'll probably find more.)

The fact that during the installation, it didn't ask what name I wanted to use.
The programme has simply picked the User Name from the Windows 'Users' directory.

This may not matter to anyone else, but, it does to me.

Another C*** change.

Wow! Two things that make you wish you hadn't upgraded to get all of those new features that came out with version 12 onwards are having to click on the mode button to change the node mode on an image, and Xara installed itself using the user name of the logged in user? Seriously?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by browj2

Wow! Two things that make you wish you hadn't upgraded to get all of those new features that came out with version 12 onwards are having to click on the mode button to change the node mode on an image, and Xara installed itself using the user name of the logged in user? Seriously?

---

Yes. Seriously.
The two things I've mentioned in this thread are EXTREMELY annoying and totally useless and not needed.

When Windows installed itself, it decided to give me the user name 'rikda'
So, you honestly think, that is what I want to see when Xara starts up???

you can change the windows user name - but that might have implications elsewhere....

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by handrawn

you can change the windows user name - but that might have implications elsewhere....

---

Messing about with names in the Users folder, is not something I care to do.

All the previous version I have, allowed the input of your name.
Or does Xara/Magix think that their new users are incapable of typing in their own names during the installation?!

I can't remember the exact terminology that was used, but early on you can choose 'default' or 'custom' install. That's where you can change the name and install location.

To change the Licensee in Xara, you can use RegEdit in Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Xara\XtremePr o\16.
I don't endorse tweaking the Registry unless you are happy with doing so.

Acorn

@Rik,

Could you please explain what you mean by "user name." As Acorn indicated, this would be the Licensee. On my laptop, it's Admin, on my desktop, it's John. The only place I've seen this indicated is under Help, About. Where else does it show up?

As for the photo tool, I was also one who complained about the loss of the squishy squashy handles. Xara put it back and it's easy to find, but the default is what you see now, cropping on the top and sides , rounding the corners using the upper left handle, rotating with the upper right handle, resizing using the lower right. What I have found is that I almost never use the squishy squashy handles, but I almost always use the crop and resize handles. So for me, the new default handle method is ideal.

Rik,
I have every sympathy with the situation you find yourself in by virtue of upgrading.
The latest version is awful for so many reasons, as you are finding out. I blame Windows for this trend, and specifically Cortana, who is, I believe 'The Evil Nanny' that 'The Nanny State' refers to.
MagiXara has joined that bandwagon and the 2 things that you have referred to are part of that...and there will be more things that will annoy you as time passes and you become more familiar with this latest dog's breakfast. And then there is the BBC...but, don't get me started!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by browj2

As for the photo tool, I was also one who complained about the loss of the squishy squashy handles. Xara put it back and it's easy to find, but the default is what you see now, cropping on the top and sides , rounding the corners using the upper left handle, rotating with the upper right handle, resizing using the lower right. What I have found is that I almost never use the squishy squashy handles, but I almost always use the crop and resize handles. So for me, the new default handle method is ideal.

---

John, until you have to revert to v15.0 where there is no remedy. The new controls totally ignore Skew. I rotate shapes around different centres; the new Controls don't have such finesse - look at a Pentagram. I can only resize from the Bottom Right (until I Rotate the New Controls elsewhere). I can Shift Scale, keeping the Shape locked. I can Squish and Squash to my heart's content. The Smart Transform farrago has eight modalities and, I for one, can never remember which one I am in. (Selection bound handles On/Off, Lock aspect ratio On/Off, Smart transform On/Off). There is an elegance to the Mouse with Meta Keys that has been replaced with Hunt 'n' Peck.

Acorn

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Acorn

To change the Licensee in Xara, you can use RegEdit in Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Xara\XtremePr o\16.
I don't endorse tweaking the Registry unless you are happy with doing so.

Acorn

---

Thank, Acorn. :-bd

This one single item, demonstrates to me, that the programmers of this wonderful software have really lost the plot.
And, why oh why have they moved the Tracking and Kerning options onto a different bar?
All very well if you've got a 50 foot wide screen for all these bars. But, not if you're working on a small Laptop; which is where I work 99.9% of the time.
I use Tracking A LOT.
So, now I've got to remove the 'Website' bar to make way for the large 'Advanced text bar'.

Another C*** feature.

OK, so you've decided to make a few changes. Then why not allow users to add and move these buttons/options around.
Oh, I know why. It's because the new users will not even be capable of working out how to show/hide rotation handles. Therefore, they won't have a clue how to re-organise bars.

Decided to personalise the splashcreen a little bit.

Made some changes to the splashscreen and this one is completely vector.
And removed the version number.

I've decided to change the splashscreen to something completely different.

I only put a 'drawing' icon on the splashscreen, because that's what I use Xara for, majority of the time.