Layers Poll

[jen0dorf]

Hi

As someone who uses Xara for Vectors and photoshop for the rest I do use layers a lot in PShop. I do sometimes confuse myself switching between the two programs.

As an aside would be very handy if when I exported as a PSD Xara didn't flatten the image, but I suppose thats not possible.

Ian

[Soquili]

Ian what version of Xara are you using? Exporting to psd maintains the layers using Xtreme Pro 4.0. Only the vector shapes are converted to png with alpha.

[MEB]

Ian what version of Xara are you using? Exporting to psd maintains the layers using Xtreme Pro 4.0. Only the vector shapes are converted to png with alpha.

If Xtreme could export the vector shapes as paths when exporting to Photoshop...

[BONES]

OK, I'm not done with this yet. I think a lot of the problems people come up against with layers are down to their workflow. They get into particular habits using other packages and want to continue to work in the same way in Xara, whether it is using the application to best advantage or not. With the toolset and functionality of Xara, I simply don't see a need for more complex layering than we have already. In Xara's heirarchy we have:

- Objects which can be selected and edited individually or with marquee selections

- Groups which allow many separate objects to be edited together and to have effects applied as though they were a single object

- Layers where we can turn things on and off or limit editability

Surely this combination of features has every situation covered? Yes, there are limitations but adding more complexity solves none of them. e.g. Sometimes its annoying that a group will bring all objects to the same "Z" level. so I'd like to see some effort into being able to create a group that allowed some non-group objects to be interleaved with objects within the group. The challenge there would be adding things like drop-shadows or group transparency but I see a lot more value in working on that than I do in nested layers. In fact I think groups are far more useful and powerful than layers and more effort in improving them would open up a lot more possibilities than adding to layers.

That said, I think the idea of combining some of the functionality of the Names Gallery and creating a heirarchical view of objects, groups and layers is an excellent one, a-la Combustion or After Effects.

[parahandy]

In my drawings The original Photo or model is is on layer one, all the drawing is is done on Layer2.

[Xcellent]

Bones, could you please tell me how do you select in the attached .xar the black circle (or ANY other colored circle) with max 3 mouse clicks? Thanks.

[steve.ledger]

BONES has not voted against layers, this much is clear in post #14
The issue is the validity of an more complex advanced layering system which he is questioning.
Clearly Xcellents example warrants the use of a layer but no more than already exists in Xtreme at the moment.

This poll should not be seen as a challenge or an argument - it's a preferrence vote.

[Egg Bramhill]

Thanks Steve.

As stated at the outset this is a straw poll, a quick around the table (world) freeze frame of how members see the layers in XX at the present time. I've no objection to voters explaining their vote in more detail but having locked the "Layer Inadequacy" thread I don't wish to see this thread become a continuation of that locked thread. That thread was becoming very repetitious and was in danger of becoming very volatile.

Please vote. Please make your personal points. Please avoid debating other members opinions ... that's not the issue in this poll.

[Xcellent]

I don't wanna challenge anyone, i'm very keen to learn how other people, esp Bones would do such task. This is a very very simple example i posted which (to me) is a good reason to use layers. Maybe there are some mysterious shortcuts i missed for the last 14 years since Artworks?

[Egg Bramhill]

I'm not saying you're challenging anybody. But this is a poll, NOT a debate about the poll results or issues raised within it.