Xtreme "Pro" wishlist

[remi]

Shadows as vector shapes? Hmmm. You do realize that before there were shadow options people made their own?
(see attach of bitmap and vector shadows) Vector shadows made by cloning the shape, black fill, reduce transparency and feathered.

Yes, you're right. It's really simple to create a vector shadow. So it's simple to pack this function in the "shadow tool" as a new option called "vector shadow". I think, that would be a reasonable extension for Xara Xtreme.

Remi

[remi]

3D extrusion can already be done with Xara3D6 and pasted into Xara Xtreme.

I've looked at Xara3D. It seems, it's a nice tool, but the Output is a bitmap graphic, not a vector object.

[gwpriester]

Shadows as vector shapes? Hmmm. You do realize that before there were shadow options people made their own?
(see attach of bitmap and vector shadows) Vector shadows made by cloning the shape, black fill, reduce transparency and feathered.

Yes, but you see feathering is esentially a bitmap. The difference is effects such as feathering, bevel and shadow act like vector objects, e.g. you can edit them to your heart's content, but in the end they are a bitmap.

The request was for a vector shadow and the only ways I can think to do that is with a blend or a contour effect.

Gary

[abligh]

Yes, but you see feathering is esentially a bitmap. The difference is effects such as feathering, bevel and shadow act like vector objects, e.g. you can edit them to your heart's content, but in the end they are a bitmap.

The request was for a vector shadow and the only ways I can think to do that is with a blend or a contour effect.

Gary

You should also be able to do something like duplicate, make editable shapes, add shapes, shear as appropriate, set to grey flat fill, then feather.

Alex

[remi]

You should also be able to do something like duplicate, make editable shapes, add shapes, shear as appropriate, set to grey flat fill, then feather.

Alex

Alex, it is a difference, whether I'm able to do something or whether I wish, there would be a integrated function for that. Perhaps, I'm able to create a .XAR-File within a HEX-editor, but why should I do this, if there are tools in Xara Xtreme to draw with? And if it's possible to create a short function, which makes drawing with Xara Xtreme easier, why not?

Remi

[Albacore]

Hi all,
I mostly agree with Remi's statements:

PDF - imports and exports with layers intact. Makes it easier to put text in front of a transparent area.
Improved Text Engine
Better Java Script - for people who don't use CSS to its best advantage
Transparencies - A few more options on the drop down menu or the ability to add nodes like linear fills.
Import and Export Modules - Brought up to date

I do not agree with adding:
Multi Pages - Use the layer pallette or use a DTP programme if it for a booklet.
Mesh Tool - very seldom use mesh tool in AI and I work with it everyday.
3D Extrusion - Same as above, how many expamples have you see being done using AI?

Like most folk who use Xara I don't want it to take ages to load and also use most of my memory like the Adobe programmes do. Even though I use a dual processor and the max memory things can slow down when I am in ID producing a booklet and have AI and X1 running producing the graphics.

[remi]

Multi Pages - Use the layer pallette or use a DTP programme if it for a booklet.

Yes, you're right: different pages are nothing else, as Layers, but in a another presentation form (with icons/functions to create/delete a page and browse to the next/previous page).

If the layers palette were hierarchical organized, together with text flow from one textframe to another textframe, then simulating multiple pages would be possible. But if there were such functions, then it would be logical to create some icons and menu entries to presentate these functions as "multipage support".

In principle, Xara Xtreme has these potentialities - the only question is, if there are time/manpower enough to bring Xara Xtreme to the next level.

Remi

[remi]

On my wishlist is one point without further explanation:

• Scripting (JavaScript)

I mean the following: Xara Xtreme should be programmable with User-Scripts/Macros like Corel Draw or Gimp.

Programmable means to choose a free programming language (JavaScript, PHP, Python, ...), include it in Xara Xtreme and create a well designed API with methods like this:

• New/Open/Save/Export drawings.
• Methods to browse through the object tree of a current drawing.
• Methods to create new objects (Lines, Splines, Rectangles, Text, ...).
• Methods to manipulate objects (Transparency, Shadow, Bevel, Contour, Blend, Mould, assign a Live effect to object, ...)

My first Script would be a function to draw bar charts or pie charts on the fly on a Webserver under Linux:

1. canvasXara.load(filename) - Opens a .XAR-File which already exists (perhaps with a nice background to position the bar charts)
2. canvasXara.addObject('rectangle', x, y, width, height, fillcolor, ...) - creates bar #1 (the macro is also created on the fly - from a Web application which loads the current values/length of the bar chart from a sql database)
3. canvasXara.addObject('rectangle', x, y, width, height, fillcolor, ...) - creates bar #2
4. canvasXara.addObject('rectangle', x, y, width, height, fillcolor, ...) - creates bar #3
5. canvasXara.export(filetype, filename, mode) - exports the generated images as PNG/JPG/GIF/...
6. canvasXara.kill() - closes Xara Xtreme without saving in a .XAR-File

I've tried to automate the current version of Xara Xtreme under Windows together with the powerful automation tool "AutoHotkey", but it's a pain to create a mouse macro, which drags the handles of a spline or something else with dragging...

Regards,
Remi