Should Xara put in an Eraser tool??

[X-Newbie]

I have asked this question before and would like to see a poll or see if this feature may be incorporated in version 5. How many people would like to see a vector eraser like Adobe Illustrator CS4 or Corel Draw X4 has? I know I would!!!

[Burpee]

I have to admit that I love my eraser tool in PSPXI but I'm not sure how it would work with vectors. If it can be done, I'd love to have it in XX.

[steve.ledger]

I have asked this question before .....

Hi,
TG now has a forum specifically created for Xtreme feature requests called 'Dear Xara...'
We'd appreciate any requests for new features, ideas or bug reports be restricted to this new forum.
Thanks

[The Alien]

As sledger said, we have a board where one can post bug reports and feature requests. Write a constructive text about the pros and cons of an eraser tool, including its added value above the current method used to erase a part of a shape (with boolean operations) so the reader understands why the eraser tool is much better than the current method. That's the best way to write feature requests imo

I have asked this question before and would like to see a poll

You can make polls yourself on this forum. I'll just cast my vote:

Should Xara put in an Eraser tool??

[ ] Yes
[X] No

[handrawn]

what does 'erase' mean in terms of a vector app?

basically it means node removal

how useful that would be would depend on the algorithm[s] controlling the healing of the gap[s]

the illustrator CS eraser is nice and provides a quick way to 'sculpt' shapes - basic node removal however is a lot easier already in xtreme

you are not going to get a bitmap color style eraser for xtreme IMO, as xtreme does not do pixel based objects.....

[steve.ledger]

That's the best way to write feature requests imo

I agree.

X-Newbie this has been brought up a number of times from memory, even previously by yourself as you'd mentioned. I do recall discussions and many posts so I'd wager that Xara are aware of this feature request and likely have it already added to their ever growing 'Wish List'

Not much else to say really..

[instinctive.de]

An eraser tool would be piece of cake to implement.

Just make it work like the normal Freehand and Brush tool, and after a stroke is finished, automatically boolean-substract the resulting shape from whatever is below.

[handrawn]

can you not do that anyway with the pen tool or marque node select as appropriate? - all it would save would be the keystroke for boolean...?

perhaps a node selection tool along the lines of the alt+drag in the selection tool could be useful here...?

[instinctive.de]

I think there's general confusion about the actual way the eraser tool would work.

Erasing nodes is one thing. An eraser tool though does something entirely different - it works like a 'real' eraser, just like Xara's Freehand tool works like a 'real' brush.

So, an eraser tool would have to work exactly like the brush (also internally), but instead of creating the drawn shape, it would substract that shape from whatever shapes are below it.

So, yes, actually, Xara already 'has' such an eraser tool - it's just a bit impractical because you have to use the Freehand tool, then "Convert line to shape", shift-alt-select whatever's below, and THEN do a boolean substract.

This would all be done automatically by a real eraser tool.

[Christine Farrelly]

Is this not the same as holding the alt key down when using the freehand tool to subtract part of an object/shape.

Christine