Xara Web Designer 18 - bug?

I recently upgraded to Xara Web Designer Premium 18 and I think I've discovered a bug where MouseOvers created using softgroups between the MouseOver and MouseOff layer break when they are turned into hyperlinks.

Here's how to reproduce the problem. Can anyone confirm this issue, please?

1. Create text on MouseOff layer.
2. Copy text and paste in place on MouseOver layer
3. Softgroup the two objects
4. Set animation properties to Fade

Preview - it should work with hover effects.

Then:

1. Select the Softgroup.
2. Add a hyperlink, turning off the option to use default link styles.

Preview again - the hover is now broken: both versions are always visible with the MouseOver version offset to the left.

Hi Gary, yes it's a bug I think. It's present in Xara Designer Pro+ too.

I can't replicate it if I use left aligned text but it goes tits up if you're using centre aligned text.

Here's an example:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Egg Bramhill

Hi Gary, yes it's a bug I think. It's present in Xara Designer Prp+ too.
I can't replicate it if I use left aligned text but it goes tits up if you're using centre aligned text.

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Definitely a Bug, which as been around forever. Initiostar had an in-depth analysis of it a time back.
It is there in earlier versions when using any non-Left Justified text; one of the main reasons I moved to CSS - finer and consistent control.

Acorn

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Egg Bramhill

Hi Gary, yes it's a bug I think. It's present in Xara Designer Pro+ too.

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Any ideas how we can report it to Xara?

@Gary, I have moved the Thread to the Dear Xara forum.

@Xara, it has (oh) so been reported already, hasn't it?

Acorn

This issue has been around for years:

Apply soft-grouping means that text stays as text, but you have issues where the MouseOver layer can get out of sync with the MouseOff layer. To add to this, with a Xara conventional button, MouseOver and MouseOff groups, soft-grouped with a link, you end up with an image and blurred text.

One Workaround: give the text the name 'htmltext', ensure you left align it initially and create a conventional button, text stays as text. You can simply centre or right justify the text thereafter with a few simple spaces.

We all know workarounds should not be necessary, but this works well for me, and for the website visitor, text in a menu actually looks like text (unlike Xara's ancient Navbars).

Just one way, but it works.

Gary

Thanks, everyone. @Xara - if this has been arround for years, as other users report in this thread, then it's really time it was fixed. Please can you add it to the list of issues for the next update?