XX5 - Woooo! Another Let Down

**Xhris** · 04 June 2009, 04:36 PM

Originally Posted by JokeArtist

Contour Default = 4

Nuff Said.

Oh yeah, I guess that issue we discussed some time back didn't get addressed in this release. Maybe next time. It must be hard having a small development team as well, being forced to prioritise and focus on just a couple of main things per release. I realise I just have to be patient at times.

**Odat** · 04 June 2009, 05:06 PM

Originally Posted by Soquili

Odat how are people forced to purchase the new version?

Oh sorry, I just assumed that since JokeArtist is already complaining about the missing features (and how even though there's new features nothing is new) that he was expressing some sort of malcontent at being forced to buy something.

**Soquili** · 04 June 2009, 05:08 PM

Oh, I see now Odat.

**a4hire** · 04 June 2009, 05:51 PM

Drawing
- Slightly improved sketch freehand drawing, allowing rapid repeated freehand strokes

This is the only drawing improvement or new feature ?
I find it very disappointing. Most of the upgrade is just web site WYSIWYG fluff. This will probably be the first time I will not upgrade.

Sorry Xara,

I have to agree with Joke artist on this one a big let down. This is supposed to be or used to be a drawing program....

**MarkMyWords** · 04 June 2009, 06:14 PM

In general, I have been disappointed with recent upgrades too.

Xara seem to have decided to concentrate on Web design, rather than illustration. No doubt a sensible commercial choice. We have to live with what direction they choose.

Having said that, I love the new object gallery, almost worth the upgrade price alone to me -almost. Along with the new soft or "Multi-layer" grouping, this will help me with images that have many objects on many layers.

I have to ask, why wasn't the new object gallery combined with the name gallery? At the very least, you would expect the names of named objects to show up in the object gallery, instead of Line, group, etc. Still, the object gallery extends the functionality of layers massively. Nice one Xara.

The mask mode looks interesting, not exactly what I hoped it would be. Naughty Xara, you made my heart skip a beat when I first saw that, but still, I will spend some time looking at it.

Freehand sketching is improved, nice little touch that.

The double-click tool selection is another nice touch.

The repeating object function may be interesting, where if you duplicate an object (or group?) and designate it as a repeating object, then altering one instance of it applies the alteration to all the other copies. I wonder if this can be done within a single page or only across multiple pages? Something to look at.

The multi stage transparency? Hmm... that's O.K., but not something I will make massive use of.

I'm sure there are lots of not-so-obvious changes to discover. From what I have seen up to now, I wouldn't say this is a "duff" upgrade, but nor would I rave about it.

It is a good step forward.

**iamtheblues** · 04 June 2009, 06:18 PM

I tend to agree with JA and Bruce, it seems to be catering more for web enthusiasts than vector enthusiasts.
There are some cool features, but no new vector tools.
Not really worth the price of an upgrade in my opinion.
Edit: Mark posted whilst I was typing my reply. He says it better than I did.
Saludos,
Bob.

**Giovanni** · 04 June 2009, 06:57 PM

Sadly, I agree with Mark and others in this thread: version 5 is a step forward, but man, what a little step after more than one year!

As have been said, stuffing Xtreme with web features doesn't make sense: there is already Web Designer for that!

Another vote to call this release 4.5 .

**Markku** · 04 June 2009, 09:13 PM

There is the update to rounded rectangle resizing and Illustrator import...count those in when talking about missing drawing features.

**raynerj1** · 04 June 2009, 09:15 PM

The graphics world is much larger than pure vector drawing. I like to draw also, but find that I do much more of the "other" graphics. I like 5.1 and think it is worthy. The object gallery is something I have been complaining for for about 10 years.

I have only heard whining for more drawing tools for a few years... better practice a little more on your whining and crying skills.

**Sponsi** · 04 June 2009, 09:23 PM

I agree.. this should be 4.5 and not 5...

A few adjustments, that's all.. and the funny thing is, when I make my custom dimensions of a page, it cries that I've filled in improper values (when I fill in e.g. 900px and 600px - without 'px' it's OK - strange)...

Another thing: I can finally write the Polish "ł" character (right ALT + L) but.. now right ALT + C makes a copyright sign... WTF?

I personally use Xara as "CorelDraw for web graphics" (CorelDraw sucks so much with web graphics I just had to switch to something and I found Xara, fortunately) but the new WYSIWYG features - man, I just can't stand them... who creates web pages directly in a gfx program and then exports it with stupid mouseover or something? Come ooon.. we're pros, not children or ++++++ &!*))$&)!&#(* designing web pages with their shiny Apple rubbish software (two clicks and you've got a web page - buah).

So the web tools are crap for me, useless stuff, really..

I was just about to buy "5" but due to some technical problems I guess (your purchasing site crashes for me) and after some more moments with "5" trial I guess I will have to do just the same thing I do every year with Corel... I buy every second edition skipping one at a time (12, X4...).

Well, one thing is nice... the upgrade price and this might be something which might... I repeat, might make me buy it.. let's face it - 30 pounds is nothing.

But generally... I was waiting for something more...

Shame on you, Xara

Milo, Poland