General Xara Cloud Questions
Dear Xara Cloud...
I currently have the Free Xara Cloud (v63) offering and XDPXv16.2.1 Desktop application.
If I create a document in XDXP and then open in Xara Cloud:
- What has happened to the automatic document update when a change is made and saved in XDPX? It now takes over 30 seconds.
- If I open a document without a page background, what is the white area that shrinks when I widen the viewport? It is quite distracting.
- Do Custom photo effects copy across? I assume they cannot be manipulated in Xara Cloud?
The Pro Xara Cloud introduces, Brandspaces, brand colour palette and auto-branding. What is different to a XDPX handcrafted Template? [c.f. Team Customized template creation at extra cost]
Again, can I not use XDPX Fonts in Free Xara Cloud?
Three months of Pro Cloud (£56.85) would buy a new Xara Web Designer Premium (XWDP)and two nice coffees.
Does the Xara Cloud Asset Library & Premium components & Design component library have any commonality with the Xara Desktop application Online Content Catalogue?
Can you explain what a Xara Cloud "download" is?
A year's Basic Xara Cloud (£71.40) offers what over XWDP, where XWDP is a perpetual licence?
At a cost per user for XWDP licensing and Cloud storage, could not Sharing and collaboration be achieved?
Will a XDPX-generated favicon publish from opening in Xara Cloud or is it stripped out and then require Team Xara Cloud?
The only substantial thing Xara Cloud has over XDPX is the import of Keynote (.key) files
Acorn
Re: General Xara Cloud Questions
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Acorn
Dear Xara Cloud...
I currently have the Free Xara Cloud (v63) offering and XDPXv16.2.1 Desktop application.
If I create a document in XDXP and then open in Xara Cloud:
1. What has happened to the automatic document update when a change is made and saved in XDPX? It now takes over 30 seconds.
This depends on the sync time between your cloud storage provider and your local folder. Xara will pick up on the changes almost immediately.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Acorn
2. If I open a document without a page background, what is the white area that shrinks when I widen the viewport? It is quite distracting.
Can you send me an example where this is happening? I can't seem to reproduce.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Acorn
3. Do Custom photo effects copy across? I assume they cannot be manipulated in Xara Cloud?
If you have an image with a photo efffect applied that Cloud doesn't have, it should maintain that affect providing no changes are made to the image (dragging should be fine, not sure on resizing), and on export. Changes may cause the image to lose the effect.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Acorn
The Pro Xara Cloud introduces, Brandspaces, brand colour palette and auto-branding. What is different to a XDPX handcrafted Template? [c.f. Team Customized template creation at extra cost]
If your a designer, then naturally you can create your own set of templates. For the vast majority of the business users however they are not designers, and so they set their colours and branding (such as logo's and fonts) and these are automatically applied to documents when you open them. So with Cloud, you can select a template that suits what your trying to do and it will by styled appropriately.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Acorn
Again, can I not use XDPX Fonts in Free Xara Cloud?
There's a number of Google fonts that are uploaded which can be used in your templates, however team users can upload their own fonts to use in Cloud
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Acorn
Three months of Pro Cloud (£56.85) would buy a new Xara Web Designer Premium (XWDP)and two nice coffees.
Apples and Oranges here, both products do different things aimed at different audiences.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Acorn
Does the Xara Cloud Asset Library & Premium components & Design component library have any commonality with the Xara Desktop application Online Content Catalogue?
Yes and no, there are a few shared assets such as symbols, presentation templates, photo panels and smartshapes but the majority of templates (social media and print material like flyers, booklets, catalogues, resumes) are designed for Cloud and not found in the Content Catalogue for desktop. We do use Designer Pro to design all the content though.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Acorn
Can you explain what a Xara Cloud "download" is?
No idea, where did you see that?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Acorn
A year's Basic Xara Cloud (£71.40) offers what over XWDP, where XWDP is a perpetual licence?
Similar to my answer above, Web Designer is aimed at building websites, Cloud is aimed at business users, brand & asset management, document editing and collaboration, social media post creation etc. Different pricing structures for different tools with different purposes.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Acorn
At a cost per user for XWDP licensing and Cloud storage, could not Sharing and collaboration be achieved?
Collaboration in Desktop would take a mountain of work. It's complex to describe how it works in Cloud but desktop essentially acts like an engine with a middle server and client end all working together. We'd have to build this all into Desktop for that to work.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Acorn
Will a XDPX-generated favicon publish from opening in Xara Cloud or is it stripped out and then require Team Xara Cloud?
It should publish the favicon still, if not setting the favicon is something that is being worked on.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Acorn
The only substantial thing Xara Cloud has over XDPX is the import of Keynote (.key) files
I've said this a few times before but it's not something that is aimed at desktop users predominantly. If you have desktop, it's far more powerful to use if you are building websites, creating illustrations, editing photos. Cloud is aimed at those trying to achieve the above: "business users, brand & asset management, document editing and collaboration, social media post creation etc."
Re: General Xara Cloud Questions
Rob, thank you for your patient and detailed responses.
The Free version provides "10 downloads", others are unlimited; I don't know what that means.
The Xara Cloud pricing model is confusing so I used the Desktop applications for comparison as at the end of the day these are a one-off cost and if maintained through the Update Service are considerably cheaper for more capability.
For example, two Pro users are charged 5 pence less for two Users over the more comprehensive Team licences for 3 users.
I appreciate there is a cost to maintaining a desktop machine over a Chromebook; I would really like to be mobile with a mobile device and manage my work in the Cloud.
My Cloud transaction speeds are well up to near instant responses in other web applications; 30 seconds therefore seems excessive.
Acorn
Re: General Xara Cloud Questions
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Acorn
The Free version provides "10 downloads", others are unlimited; I don't know what that means.
Ah, yes downloads and republishes of your designs are limited in the free version. There's no limit for the paid versions.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Acorn
The Xara Cloud pricing model is confusing so I used the Desktop applications for comparison as at the end of the day these are a one-off cost and if maintained through the Update Service are considerably cheaper for more capability.
For example, two Pro users are charged 5 pence less for two Users over the more comprehensive Team licences for 3 users.
I appreciate there is a cost to maintaining a desktop machine over a Chromebook; I would really like to be mobile with a mobile device and manage my work in the Cloud.
I'll pass your comments on. The pricing structure is something I don't have any control over unfortunately.
Re: General Xara Cloud Questions
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Rob-Xar
Ah, yes downloads and republishes of your designs are limited in the free version. There's no limit for the paid versions.
I'll pass your comments on. The pricing structure is something I don't have any control over unfortunately.
Again, thank you Rob. Clarity is slow in coming.
Is a download a Save to your file store, Cloud or otherwise?
Is the download limit for each design file or overall?
How do I "download"? I can only see Share.
As I type I got this:
Quote:
Hi {Name removed by Acorn], an exclusive offer for you…
I'm writing to you because we are about to release an exciting major upgrade to the platform. Our pricing plans will be updated and the Basic account will be removed.
But there's an amazing opportunity for you!
Because you have a trial account, we want to make you an exclusive offer: sign up for a Basic account before 12 September 2019 and we will automatically upgrade your account to Pro at no charge... that's equivalent to six months' Pro access for FREE!
Take advantage of powerful Pro features and act now, it's easy: [link removed by Acorn]
Have any questions? Let me know.
Happy creating!
The question I have is on following the link, I have:
Quote:
[Xara Cloud logo]
Your Order
$71.40
Xara Cloud Premium - Annual
An annual subscription to Xara Cloud Premium ($5.95pm)
Enter coupon code
Proceed To Checkout
This states Premium over Pro and no way to change to another currency and no Coupon in sight. I have to assume the last is as I have not signed up to the Basic plan.
If Xara cannot see the confusion, I don't know what. It might of course just be a mis-speaking.
I am impressed that I can have a rant one day and the next gain a 50% reduction. I wish it was so for the Xara Desktop application Update service.
Oh yes, shame on Xara for charging $ - £ - € all at the same numeric value: play with the currency dropdown in https://www.xara.com/uk/pricing/.
Acorn
Re: General Xara Cloud Questions
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Acorn
Again, thank you Rob. Clarity is slow in coming.
Is a download a Save to your file store, Cloud or otherwise?
Is the download limit for each design file or overall?
How do I "download"? I can only see Share.
You can save your files as many time as you want, the download limit is purely downloading it to your local computer, basically anything under Document > Download has a limit (and republishing websites from the Share menu). The limit is total, rather than per file.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Acorn
If Xara cannot see the confusion, I don't know what. It might of course just be a mis-speaking.
I am impressed that I can have a rant one day and the next gain a 50% reduction. I wish it was so for the Xara Desktop application Update service.
Oh yes, shame on Xara for charging $ - £ - € all at the same numeric value: play with the currency dropdown in
https://www.xara.com/uk/pricing/.
Acorn
I think I can see what you mean. There was a slight change in the pricing structure and name not too long ago. It falls into 4 categories now:
Free (not changed)
Basic (Previously called Premium)
Pro (Is like teams but for a single user)
Teams (for multiple users)
So if you have a Premium package now, it should be labelled Basic. If there's any emails that still reference to Premium I'll get marketing to check it out.
I'm afraid the currency and pricing of these plans I have no control over.
Magix regularly runs sales for the desktop products. It wouldn't surprise me if they are planning something for Halloween or at least cyber Monday, you can usually pick up cheap copies then.
