What Xara Design Pro 11 is lacking - suggestions for next version

When you import a PNG or any bitmap file format than can contain transparency, can we get a wireframe display of the non-transparent area?

Like so: right now if you go to wireframe on an imported bitmap that has something surrounded with 100% transparency, you get a fur cornered box that represents the overall size of the bitmap:

Attachment 110497

I'd like to see the opaque area, so if I had to create a mask, I could trace over the opaque area with precision.


Alternatively, could you use the Selection tool to Ctrl+click the bitmap so only the opaque area is selected, so Xara could make a vector outline of the opaque area? This would speed up making a ClipView that contains vector retouching a snap.

TIA,

Gary

Gary, for tracing you can:
make your bitmap black
clone it
make the clone white
you can shift the outline outwards by applying a blur to the black and inwards with a bitmap feather to the white bitmap.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by siran

Gary, for tracing you can:
make your bitmap black
clone it
make the clone white
you can shift the outline outwards by applying a blur to the black and inwards with a bitmap feather to the white bitmap.

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Hi Siran—

Yes, you can do what you describe, but it's a very intricate workaround for not having this feature, can't you agree?

I already know how to (laboriously) create a vector outline of opaque areas using Xara:

• You auto-trace the thing, or for cleaner results you use Vecctor Magic, ungroup all the shapes and then select them all, and use the Add Boolean command under the Arrange menu.

• Alternatively, you can step outside of Xara and Use Photoshop to Ctrl+click the PNG layer to clip the document to thew outskirts of the opaque areas, then use the Paths command to trace arond the loaded selection. This, admittedly, isn't as good as using an Auto-trace, and this is why I could use this as a feature. I'd use to to draw over the bitmap, perhaps to add a logo, and then ClipView the bitmap and the design within a newly-created shape that accurately describes the non-transparency areas in the bitmap.

Stepping back? Keeping the user in a specific program—and this is what Charles wants—means keeping the user satisfied with the features so they don't have to use Photoshop as part of the workflow.

The more people who stay in Xara are more likely to become part of the user base and continue to buy Xara, and not explore other programs so the $ or £) stay at Xara.

It makes good economic/marketing sense, and whatever the new, requested feature is, makes the program more of a "solve-all" one that the user can spend all day in.

My Best,

Gary

Hi Gary,
please be patient with me. I guess I just did not understand the intention of your post.
Everybody may post whatever feature request he likes.
Sorry, didn't mean to offend anyone.

Siran, I don't think anyone is offended.

Well I hope you are right.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by siran

Hi Gary,
please be patient with me. I guess I just did not understand the intention of your post.
Everybody may post whatever feature request he likes.
Sorry, didn't mean to offend anyone.

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Hi Siran—


Here we have an example of the inadequacies of the emotions people feel on online forums! :) <See? I put a smiley there, even though it doesn't adequately express my current emotion.

Is was not offended in the least by your post. I think you were offering a workaround because I appeared to be thwarted by the lack of the feature I described in Post #21.

I cannot speak for all members, but I myself am not offended by your effort to help me. If anything, I was impatient with myself, for not being able to adequately describe the feature that I feel would be useful. I am constantly trying to put vector text inside the opaque part of an underlying image.

We are totally cool, and I look for to more participation here with you.

My Best,

Gary

You could make the bitmap white place it on a black rectangle and paste that as an opacity mask to you text. Sorry, just kidding...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by siran

You could make the bitmap white place it on a black rectangle and paste that as an opacity mask to you text. Sorry, just kidding...

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YOU could make the bitmap white...

I could NOT!

:)

Gary

What do you mean now? You don't want to use a workaround again?
I meant to set light and dark contone colours, this makes everything white that is not transparent.
Besides I was just joking, because I still don't undersand what you really want to do, which hopefully is only because of language difficulties.
I got the impression that you are now kidding me. ;)