Smart Layout 02

Dear Xara...

As far as I can tell, you have launched Smart Layout 02 without any thought of your other offerings (solutions).
A simple example is you have built-in the 'Shade of' component and do not expose it back to the Customer.

Smart Layout 02 appears to be no different in function to applying the existing Stretches properties to a collection of shapes as described in the Help > Exports, slices, and stretches properties.
My attempt (green panel in the attached XAR file) with this (XDPX design only) appears to replicate Smart Layout 02, with a bit of effort.
The point is I have fuller design control over what Smart Layout 02 achieves, out of the box, without your constraining buy-for-access Online Content Catalogue delivery. It is not one i would wish on your Customers as it soon grows unwieldy.

My next question around Smart Layout 02 is why?
You provide three and only three blocks.
You provide same-sized block widths.
It is inflexible.

Text Panel 02 used three times and soft-grouped goes part way there.
But fails with Text Repelling for maintaining correct width and height when the "Text Repel Text" blob is moved across the blocks.
Sorry, but Text Panel 02 is another buggy design that has not been properly tested before delivery.

The almost winner is Table 02.
As the designer, I can change the number of blocks across (even downwards, as it is a table).
I can alter block (cell) widths.
If fails mainly in that the Inner Padding does not extend above and below the row.
I would therefore omit any colour here and place a Panel behind and manually adjust.

Text Inside could all be used to better effect with Stretches, even Columned Text Areas have their place.

Attachment 121438

Acorn

P.S. I won't traumatise readers with an expose of Text Panel 03 where Xara has masterfully added some shapes to the Text Panel 02 mix - same inherent weaknesses.