Vector format slice export and other thoughts

**Braindamage** · 15 August 2008, 08:58 PM

I've made a bunch of little illustrations for a report about accoustics my client is publishing. It's some 28 pictures and I've neatly put them into the same document and named them with the naming feature in Xara X. It's fine and dandy to export it all in a raster format of choice, but why isn't there a vector option? It's really too bad there's no .SVG, .PDF or .EPS option for slicing so that clients could resize pictures as they pleased.

It's easy enough to export the whole document. But I got somewhat confused with the .svg export. I couldn't open it or import it back into Xara!
"That file is not recognized by any of the installed filters."
What's up with that?
Might just be that I've got the lighter web version installed at the moment since I didn't have the CD available on a trip when I got the laptop I'm using. Are more filters installed with the CD?

I think it's a bit weird that there's no vector format option for the fill tool either. Why wouldn't it be possible to make a pattern in xara, save it, then import it as a fill and have it automatically repeat and resize like the bitmap does? It's a bit tedious to have the pattern, clone and repeat manually, select the shape and make a clipview, over and over again for each shape that needs it. Alright if it's one, but it takes time when there's any larger amount. Besides, a linked file can be altered and get the effect updated on all the shapes that uses it, instead of updating all of them again manually, which may happen when you have an indecisive client.

If anyone on the Xara team reads this, I just have to give you thanks for a great piece of software. Keep up the good work!

**remi** · 15 August 2008, 09:23 PM

Are you really talking about Xara X - the version from the year 2000?
The current version is Xara Xtreme 4.x from 2008.

Remi

**haakoo** · 15 August 2008, 09:24 PM

Maybe use multipage pdf export for your resizing issue.
You can always use the blend tool in combination with clone and group to make vector fill faster in a clipview

** edit : Didn't notice the Xara X in the post,good one Remi**

Hans

**Braindamage** · 15 August 2008, 09:29 PM

Originally Posted by remi

Are you really talking about Xara X - the version from the year 2000?
The current version is Xara Xtreme 4.x from 2008.

Remi

Doh, yeah... thought X was short for xtreme =P I've got the latest version. My bad

Originally Posted by haakoo

Maybe use multipage pdf export for your resizing issue.
You can always use the blend tool in combination with clone and group to make vector fill faster in a clipview
Hans

Multipage PDF export? Won't it be just the pages like in the Xara document?

A bit faster, but it's still a hassle. Especially if it's a pretty irregular shape.

**remi** · 15 August 2008, 09:43 PM

Ah, I see.

Regarding to the SVG export: It was a hard fight, to get a simple SVG export into Xara Xtreme, but it seems, Xara is not willing to offer also a SVG import filter. That's disappointing and I'm sure, it costs them some users, who aren't willing to pay for such half-baked things. In order to exchange vector files, the only working solution is the PDF export - or to recommend your customers a own Xara Xtreme license.

Remi

**Braindamage** · 16 August 2008, 11:40 AM

So what stops them from making an import for .SVG or more options for the slice export? I mean, SVG is a standard format and doesn't have any royalties or anything does it? If any format has that at all, I don't know...
Just seems like it'd be easier to implement an import filter than an export filter. It's all just standard vectors to put into a document, unlike XAR to SVG where you have to cut down the advanced tools to basic standards. Though, what do I know.
Just bugs me that they seem to have put exports a bit secondary. It's not layed out in the best way and can be a bit confusing aswell. Imo, exporting the artwork should be a higher priority since it's the bridge between you and the Xara-less clients you work with.

**Soquili** · 16 August 2008, 01:07 PM

SVG is listed as a W3C standard but very few applications support the format. Within the few programs that do have SVG support there are variations that make the files not completely compatable.

Adobe has announced they will no longer support their SVG browser plug-in.

In 2001 some mobile phone companies adopted SVG as the format of their on screen icons. I do not have any information about how many are still using SVG for that purpose.

**remi** · 16 August 2008, 01:17 PM

Maybe they fear, that users could use Inkscape more and more, if they support the SVG format too much. But I think, supporting other vector formats is a important step to get new customers.

Remi

**Soquili** · 16 August 2008, 01:45 PM

I would like an up to date .ai and/or .eps import filter.

I do not think Xara Ltd fears users that also use Inkscape. Many of us use other applications like Photoshop, PaintShop Pro, CorelDraw, Illustrator, etc.

**Giovanni** · 17 August 2008, 01:08 PM

Maybe one possible solution could be to use Microsoft XPS format?
For my understanding it should be even more advanced than PDF about vector features supported.
I haven't tested it yet, though, because I don't have Vista and the free viewer for XP requires the installation of *gasp* Dot Net Framework 3.5 (some hundreds MegaBytes)

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