Xara Cloud Update - Release 64
The first release of a major UI and UX overhaul
Release notes can be found here: https://docs.xara.com/en/articles/32...september-2019
File picker Improvements
We've simplified our look, and made it easier to navigate the various categories and folders, and to view all the designs.
New has been renamed to Templates, and Open has been renamed to Your Files. All template categories are accessible now from the left hand panel.
Improved sorting options
The sorting options under Your Files has been improved to include order by buttons
After clicking on either Size or Date, click on the arrow to organise ascending or descending. Click on the Grid icon to change the view from list to grid.
Improved account options from File Picker
You can now access your account settings from the File Picker by clicking on your Avatar at the top left, rather than having to go into a document to do so.
Default template view for different industries
Your default template view will change depending on your chosen industry, helping you to quickly get into a template that best suits your needs. You'll still have access to all the other categories regardless of industry however.
Team Selection
One major change in this release is we're dropping the 'none' option from company selection (now called team). This will help collate all your important documents under one roof, and it's easier than ever to quickly swap between teams, or create a new one.
Files folder structure improvements
We've improved the file structure under Your Files by including access to recent documents from team folders as well as all your other documents. Drive access should be a lot clearer, as well as the option to add new cloud drives from the left hand panel.
Cloud storage integration improvements
Cloud storage drives will now show which drive is connected, and the email address used against it to better clarification.
New sign in / up screen
New sign in and up forms
The sign in form has been given a fresh coat of paint, you can sign in with either a connected cloud drive or using the traditional email and password option.
Click on the Sign Up button at the top right corner to switch forms
Create your team
After signing up or in, if you don't have a team you'll be asked to create one. All your documents will be stored under this team name.
Choose your industry
Next, choose your industry. This will help us customise your experience by showing you suitable templates by default. Don't worry though, you will still have access to all templates no matter what industry
Document Editor Improvements
The document editor is getting its first set of improvements, although more are on the way! We've updated the top header and moved some options into a more logical location.
Top bar improvements
On top of giving the top bar a new fresh and clean look, please see below the list of changes we've made to the top bar:
- Add button moved onto document area
- Add comment button moved onto top bar
- Share button moved to right hand side and options improved
- Document renamed to File
- New home button added
- Settings moved within account button / avatar
- Updated progress bar style
Add section Improvements
- Renamed Text Panels to Fancy text
- Renamed Photo Frames to Mask
- Renamed Symbols to Icons
- Improved team assets folder
Other Fixes and improvements
- Fixed an issue where scrolling didn't work within the File Picker on Chrome and Mac
- Fixed an issue where collaborators could lose their changes made on the same file
- Fixed an issue where selecting an object causes the screen to scroll incorrectly
- Fixed an issue where importing a photo grid would crash the document
- Fixed an issue where snapping wouldn't work on smart objects
- Fixed an issue where after rotation, the cursor resize handle points in the wrong direction
- Various server side and performance improvements
Re: Xara Cloud Update - Release 64
Rob, I think the UI changes are very well thought out. Well done to all.
I totally dislike the force onto the Team Trial, which had no option at all to avoid.
I am not ready to thrash out all that this offers in the next 14 days.
Please deselect my account from this option so I can reactivate it at a later date.
I like the Add Comment Button.
I placed a new comment near the top of the page and dragged the resize button down: the page jumped. Subsequent Comment boxes didn't do this.
I know the resize is in the horizontal plane but this aberrant behaviour should not occur.
I could not Undo the deleting a of Comment with the Undo icon; Ctrl+z worked then it all did.
When you have a document with more than one page, top & bottom off-page Shapes can be found with Select All but are otherwise invisible as they do not even have an outline.
A marquee select only advises and selects enclosed Shapes when the mouse is released.
I had to use a Zoom of 30% to guess where individual Shapes might be.
The irritating Copy|Duplicate|Delete(|Replace) bar should have a hide option or be right button select only.
I would love to see the interactive Photo effects applied to the Xara Desktop applications (XDA) natively.
Replacing an image does not retain the Effect code.
Interestingly, I get more Pixabay results from Xara Cloud over the XDA offering.
Is this because there is no adult content filter applied?
I also do not appear to have a Pixabay nag pop-up.
There are no bump points for rotating to 30 deg or the like.
Acorn
Re: Xara Cloud Update - Release 64
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Acorn
Rob, I think the UI changes are very well thought out. Well done to all.
I totally dislike the force onto the Team Trial, which had no option at all to avoid.
I am not ready to thrash out all that this offers in the next 14 days.
Please deselect my account from this option so I can reactivate it at a later date.
Yes, I prefer the traditional create account, sign up for trial of the premium service than jumping straight into the premium service, but that's more of a marketing / sales thing.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Acorn
I like the Add Comment Button.
I placed a new comment near the top of the page and dragged the resize button down: the page jumped. Subsequent Comment boxes didn't do this.
I know the resize is in the horizontal plane but this aberrant behaviour should not occur.
I could not Undo the deleting a of Comment with the Undo icon; Ctrl+z worked then it all did.
hmm I couldn't replicate this, or the undo problem. If you have a document where this occurs reliably I could send it onto the developers.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Acorn
When you have a document with more than one page, top & bottom off-page Shapes can be found with Select All but are otherwise invisible as they do not even have an outline.
A marquee select only advises and selects enclosed Shapes when the mouse is released.
I had to use a Zoom of 30% to guess where individual Shapes might be.
Indeed, I've not seen this before. I'll raise this question with the developers, I'm not sure why anything above or below a page is hidden..
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Acorn
The irritating Copy|Duplicate|Delete(|Replace) bar should have a hide option or be right button select only.
I think the context menus will be improved in future updates. I believe generally they avoid adding things to right-click context menus on the basis that mobile devices don't have that capabilities (and thus don't want to prevent them from doing certain operations)
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Acorn
I would love to see the interactive Photo effects applied to the Xara Desktop applications (XDA) natively.
Replacing an image does not retain the Effect code.
I'd have to check with how possible this would be in desktop, might be difficult to do from within the content catalogue.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Acorn
Interestingly, I get more Pixabay results from Xara Cloud over the XDA offering.
Is this because there is no adult content filter applied?
I also do not appear to have a Pixabay nag pop-up.
That I have no idea why, I thought they were the same. This is likely to change though as we look into a couple of different stock image providers.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Acorn
There are no bump points for rotating to 30 deg or the like.
I think desktop is the same, we haven't anyone complain yet
Re: Xara Cloud Update - Release 64
Cheers Rob.
I cannot duplicate the Comment jump but if I manage to isolate it down, I shall forward my findings.
Smart rotation in an XDA has a pop-up of the angle to ).1 deg; nothing similar in Xara Cloud, which was why I suggested a bump.
Acorn
