Xara Xtreme 4 on (k)ubuntu

I posted a very short tutorial/how-to a few months ago on how to install Xara using vmware which wasnt very easy to either follow or even get a working install. This is my second "dive" into the subject, which should be alot more simple.

I've been running Kubuntu 8.10 x86_64 for the past month and it's the best linux experience I've had in years to say the least. This morning I had about 15 minutes to kill before going work when stumbled upon this gem called Virtualbox. It's a virtual machine just like vmware only it's completly free (as in gratis) and compared to vmware incredibly easy to install (on k/ubuntu atleast). Clickable GUI's and the whole enchilada. You'll need a Windows XP installation disc and the XaraXtreme 4 demo or full version to follow this mini how-to. So without any further small talk let's get started.

All of this is done on Kubuntu but will also work on ubuntu.

1. Install Virtualbox
Open a terminal and write or copypaste the following command

Code:

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sudo apt-get install virtualbox-ose virtualbox-ose-source

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and press enter. It takes a while to download and install the packages so be patient. When it finishes you'll have Virtualbox installed on you computer.

2. Create the virtual machine
Start Virtualbox by either looking it up in the menu or writing

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virtualbox

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on the commandline then pressing enter.

The Virtualbox GUI will open up and from there click New. Click Next to get started and then give the new virtual machine a name and select Windows XP as OS Type. Click Next.

Adjust the amount of RAM the virtual machine can use. I selected about 1Gig. Click Next.

Next you create a new Virtual Disk, by clicking New. In the wizard that pops up first click Next and then choose Dynamically expanding image. Click Next.

The default size of the virtual disk is 10 Gigs which should be enough depending on what you want to do ofcourse. Enough for Xara atleast.
Click Next. And then click Finish.

Your virtual disk is created so click Next once again. And then Finish.

Your virtual machine is now finished and you should be back at the main GUI window.

3. Install Windows XP
It's to start your new virtual machine. Select the virtual machine from the left side of the window and then simply click the big arrow with the text Start under it.

Click Next in the First run wizard that pops up. Insert the Windows install media into your cd or dvd drive and click Next and then Finish again.

Now the Windows install will start. You probably know how to install Windows, if not google. ;) It's 47 minutes past midnight here and I just want to write a how-to on installing Xara in virtualbox. Sorry.

OK, the above steps took me between 15 and 20 minutes to do including the windows install. Now drive 80mph on 50mph zone, get pulled over by the cops, get ticket for speeding and driving without wearing the seatbelt and finally thank god your salary is almost non-existent. Just kidding! :D

The first thing I noticed when running Windows in virtualbox was the mouse felt a little laggy. So on the next step.

4. Install Guest Additions
When your virtual Windows XP is running, click Devices on the toolbar above the Windows desktop and then click Install Guest Additions. It should automatically download a CD .iso image for you, but it didnt work for me so I had to manually download it (you can click the link in the second window that pops up) and the from the same Devices menu go to Mount CD/DVD and then click CD/DVD-ROM image this opens the Virtual Disk Manager. Click Add and then browse to the downloaded .iso file. Select it and click Open. In the Virtual Disk Manager click the the Select.

Now it should start installing the Guest Additions in the virtual Windows XP. Just click Next or Continue anyway to all the questions, that's what I did.

When it's finished installling the virtual machine reboots and you're done. You should now notice that mouse movement is alot smoother and you no longer have to click the window to activate it, it works just like any other app you're running.

Now download and install Xara just like you would on a normal install. Adjust the resolution by right clicking on the desktop select Properties->Settings it's just basic Windows stuff really.

Guest Additions also has this nifty feature called Seamless Mode which makes the Windows desktop disapear making all applications seem native. A small warning though, it's a bit buggy for me.

OK, that's enough for tonight. I'll update this how-to when I figure out something usefull to add. There's some settings and stuff I didnt go write about yet.

Hope this turns out to be helpfull to someone. I realize now I've written quite alot of text but it's really alot easier than what it probably looks. As I said I did all of this in like 30 minutes.

Screenshot or it didn't happen :) this is Xara Xtreme 4 running inside virtualbox in Seamless Mode.
http://conholster.holtegaards.com/img/virtualbox.png

Nice job Con.... Hmmm, I'm gonna have to give this a try with GRANULAR eventually;)

Had you ever tried to use Xara under Wine? (just curious)

Thanks!

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Originally Posted by geminiguy

Had you ever tried to use Xara under Wine? (just curious)

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Yea, more than once. Problem is the small handles around an object dont show, making it quite difficult to do anything actually. :)

ahhh, good to know ahead of time.. thanks;)

I tried Xara Xtreme (downloaded version) with wine, and as far as I can remember most things worked fine, except the activation - XX couldn't connect when enetering the activation code so it stopped working after 30 days.

Anyone got solutions for the activation?

useful to know con - thanks :)

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Originally Posted by gnurf

I tried Xara Xtreme (downloaded version) with wine, and as far as I can remember most things worked fine, except the activation - XX couldn't connect when enetering the activation code so it stopped working after 30 days.

Anyone got solutions for the activation?

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Maybe you would need to also have IE installed via Wine to connect? That's prob the reason, the software running in Wine is unable to connect to an outside browser or something. (just a thought off the top of my head)

Wow ! Very nice job ! I am just on kubuntu for writing this reply and I just worked with XaraLX to create my KDE icons. I will show them in a separate thread to stay alive this forum.

For me Expression 3.3 Preview works fine without anything special on wine.

kindly,

ivan

Ivan, you just look younger for every year to pass! :)

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Originally Posted by gnurf

Ivan, you just look younger for every year to pass! :)

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Perhaps Open Source Software Effects ?

ivan