Color with Gradient Tool no longer working properly - Native plugin

Hello, I have placed a ticket with Magix about this issue and they basically told me im screwed. That's pretty damn messed up. So now I have to upgrade to get support or any kind of advice.


The Problem: The Tool: "Color with Gradient" is no longer working properly. This tool is not a third-party tool. It is Native to Xara.
I use Xara professionally as a designer for multiple clients.

I use the "Color with Gradient Tool" to do Duotone effects on photos.
The effect will take place but goes away when re-opening the project. That's a huge problem for me as I do duotones a lot.


My Solution: Contact Magix to ask for advice or info on the NATIVE plugin and any solutions.

Their response: Free personalised support for your product is no longer available as it is older than 12 months. We hope for your understanding and can only recommend to use the other resources that are available through MAGIX:


Im Curious: They called it personalized. Its a darn NAtive plugin to Xara! Sheesh!


Since they can't help me, Has anyone here ever had this problem? What can I do? I can use Photoshop to do Duotones but ID rather use Xara for everything.
If I cant, then that means the software is faulty as professional software and the word PRO needs to be stricken off of the title of the software. My PC literally has no problems whatsoever. Its an MSI gaming desktop with plenty of speed and control.

If I seem upset and a little harsh its because this should not be happening. I talk highly of Xara among designers in the US and defend it every time Photoshop and Illustrator come into a conversation.


Does anyone know what I should do? Does Xara as a development team know what I should do? Is Magix in full control now? Should I just go ahead and purchase the upgrade? what if things go bad even after the support runs out again?

I get this response from Netgear which only provides support for three months! It sucks.

This might work for what you are trying to do.

Select your bitmap, open the Color Editor and you can edit the light and dark colors in essence creating a duo tone image. In my lifetime, I hope to see an actual Duo-Tone option and export option. But I may not live that long.

It is still available in XDPXv16.2 but I cannot advise whether it is working or not as I have never used it.

I have tried it out with v16.2 and on re-opening the file, the effects are still there.
Might it be down to locking the effect?

I assume the Colour with Gradients is aligned with the files in C:\Program Files\Xara\Xara Designer Pro X\16\PCFx\default_eng\gradients so it is quite perverse that MagiXara are eschewing their own deliverables.

Could you provide a before and after example?
Which XDPX version are you on? I opened the same file with XDPXv11.2.5 and it is still all there.

As Gary says will Contones not do the business?

Acorn

I often use this effect for the design of book covers.
So far I have never had any problems opening created files without the result being another one.

As Garry wrote, Xara doesn't know a real duotone. It is as already mentioned only a simulation in RGB.
When printing in offset printing, color falsifications inevitably occur, which is why color-accurate work is not possible because Xara cannot handle color management.

Maybe there is something wrong with your Xara installation or a Windows update has shot something.

I do not see a Duotone option with the FX Color With Gradient but I do see a Donut option. And all of these work with my copy of Designer Pro X 16

when magix say personalised support do they mean you need a current subscription in order to get [free] one to one support I wonder ?

no problems with the effect that I can see with my xdpx15.1

I used to use it a lot, these days not so much, but occasionally black and white profiling [eg the pre-set chrome] is useful - of course if you need profiling you can't use the colour editor...

no idea what the problem might be I'm afraid :(

Hello guys. It seems to work in a different folder. Could be a corrupt folder but it happened a few times. weird. It works in the new folder I made.
But I did make some examples to review. The program used Xara Pro X 16.



To use the tool:
Go to FX > Choose Color Filter > Choose Color with Gradient > Edit one of the options or make a new one > Choose ok.


The following image shows an example of duotone photo editing. Basically two tones for a photo. In this case Peach and Purple.
You can even add more colors if you want. Doesn't have to be two colors.
The tool allows for some really creative edits.
Attachment 124767

I love combining this type of graphic editing style with abstract deconstructivism, DADA style, and by the numbers styles.
Anyone ever wants to talk style, I'm open for convos. LOL.


Heres the Xar File:
Attachment 124769

Well with more testing. Its not the folder Im using. Its the software.

Shall I uninstall and reinstall it?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by properez5

...
The following image shows an example of duotone photo editing. Basically two tones for a photo. In this case Peach and Purple.
You can even add more colors if you want. Doesn't have to be two colors.

The tool allows for some really creative edits. ...

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While using the conotone option one cannot specially do more than two colors, in the below, I duplicated the image and removed the FX, then used the conotone option.

Attachment 124772

Now if they would actually be true duotone images.

Quote:

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Now if they would actually be true duotone images.

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As I have always maintained, if it were easy to do, it would have been done a long time ago. Grayscale is another of these.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by gwpriester

As I have always maintained, if it were easy to do, it would have been done a long time ago. Grayscale is another of these.

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Might just be true.

Then again...we have a good list here with simple things that may never get added.

BTW, if I can fake it out of XP&GD and it be for all practical purposes a duotone, I think Xara can do it right...

Hello Guys. The question here is not if Xara "Can" do duotone effects with the Color Gradient tool in the FX option.
It can definitely do so. The Duotone example I gave was an example from it.
The problem is when I open the project again to do edits, The tool will not act right and the effects are gone. It's very weird and should not be happening.
It's literally the only problem I am seeing on my PC in total.

I might just upgrade but I might just reinstall first.

I just tried this and I do not get a duotone when I export to PDF/X I get two colors that are CMYK.

Yes it looks like a duotone and you can create a "contone" using two Pantone spot colors, and it looks like a duo-tone, but in the Acrobat Ink Manager, it only shows CMYK.

Mike - When you eliminate the process colors you don't have much detail. :)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by gwpriester

Mike - When you eliminate the process colors you don't have much detail. :)

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Turn the black plate on...

I never really do this in XP&GD/XDP. But one can do it and retain p.tone values. The initial p.tone is really a circular gradient-filled rectangle above the image set to a blend mode. It will overprint the black plate.

I also, because Xara stuff cannot use grayscale images and output them that way, a trip through Acrobat to convert images to gray is required if only two plates are desired. It also takes communication with a (real) print service provider.

Also, as I don't often output pdfs directly from Xara applications, that altered pdf would then go into Q and the images be flattened during its pdf generation. Technically it creates a similar pdf, but it eliminates the transparency involved which some print providers have difficulty with.

Explanation helpful. I did notice that when I enabled K the image was there. But you are correct, if the functions are there then Xara should be able to make a duotone with spot colors work.

Good stuff guys thanks.