Trying to find why to upgrade 2 > 4?

**DGehman** · 19 January 2009, 04:52 PM

I'm having trouble finding why to upgrade from Xtreme 2.0 to 4...

I have DTP with live wrap (= "text repel"); through this I can save as PDF/x
I have two 3D applications that have more than extrusion
I have several photo editing applications for various needs/reasons
I have basic Web tools, and really don't develop for the Web in any case.

Ultimately, I want vector tools, and I can't see any difference here between 2.0 and 4. Can you help me out?

Thanks,
Dave

**remi** · 19 January 2009, 05:09 PM

There are no new vector tools since V2. Save your money on this, if you prefer to use your other mentioned tools above. On the other side there were some bugs fixed since 2.0.

Regards,
Remi

**Soquili** · 19 January 2009, 05:15 PM

Hi Dave,

I do not know if anyone can give you reasons for you to upgrade. Each must decide that for themselves.

For me the reason is I use Xtreme for 99.9999% of my graphics work. Each new version has allowed me to do more while staying within Xtreme and not shelling out (think double click and XPE) to another application or exiting out to another application.

I still have other applications but rarely use them except to answer questions here at Talkgraphics in the other forums.

I do play around with some of the 3D applications like Cinema 4D, Truespace, Bryce, and Maya. But I do not use the output for anything other than my own viewing or to have a reference for drawing perspective in Xtreme.

**DGehman** · 19 January 2009, 05:23 PM

Thanks Remi, sad news.

Soquili - point taken. Guess I'm old-school and don't mind bouncing back and forth among a bunch of applications. (So old-school that my first wordprocessor, circa 1984, consisted of a bunch of applications... Create to make a new file; Edit to edit; Print to format and print... seriously, they were all completely different applications. You had to save the file, exit, and re-open it in the next app.)

Dave

**s1sfx** · 19 January 2009, 05:25 PM

... caught in a trap ...

Sorry got to singing there.

I am the mostly very happy owner of a Xara Xtreme Pro 3.2.4 which I'm using every day for most everything (including things I probably shouldn't be using it for).

Generally happy, apart from the fear of plugin meltdown (ever present but worth it for the results) and kinda getting annoyed at the "upgrade to XPro4!!!" screen that needs to be clicked away each and every day.

I have also miserably failed to work out how to keep the transparency/linear fill arrow straight but there are workarounds ...

Like the gentleman who started this thread, I would like to know why I should upgrade to a Pro 4. I have absolutely no intention of using "web templates" or to try and publish a magazine using Xara.

So what bugs have been resolved that would make it worthwhile me spending hours reinstalling all the fonts yet again, re-making endless paths to clipart and fill libraries, and re-setting everything to my preferences?

What I would really like to see is a big chart that compares all the versions and their main features so one can have a look around and check out what there is in which version of what, if not at a glance, but at least eventually.

SFX

**Soquili** · 19 January 2009, 05:27 PM

Dave I know the feeling about being old school.

Using different tools for their strengths is an admirable trait.

**Soquili** · 19 January 2009, 05:41 PM

Originally Posted by s1sfx

I have...miserably failed to work out how to keep the transparency/linear fill arrow straight but there are workarounds ...

Hold down a Control key to constrain the arrow path.

Originally Posted by s1sfx

...that would make it worthwhile me spending hours reinstalling all the fonts yet again

The only reason you should have to re-install fonts is if you were re-installing Windows. Even if you were putting fonts in a custom folder rather than installing them to the Windows/Fonts folder a good font manager would work rather than copying fonts from the CD to your custom folder with each new release. Besides since X¹ the fonts on the CD are copied to your hard drive along with the application during the install process. You can use the Font Gallery to install any Xara provided font.

Originally Posted by s1sfx

...re-making endless paths to clipart and fill libraries, and re-setting everything to my preferences?

Installing a new version without uninstalling an older version finds those paths automatically. At least they have on all my machines. I install to several machines so I can answer questions specific to a particular OS.

Originally Posted by s1sfx

What I would really like to see is a big chart that compares all the versions and their main features so one can have a look around and check out what there is in which version of what, if not at a glance, but at least eventually.

That would be a good idea for Xara Group Ltd to post on their website. Maybe their system administrator will see this post and see what can be done.