Vector Spirals

[bcire68]

Alyson, (I hope that is spelled correctly)

While I understand your concerns about bloat to a great and streamlined product, I'm not sure that this applies to this particular tool. While adding anything to an object will increase the object's size, this particular bit of code is so small that it downloaded virtually instantly onto my computer. I can't imagine that the overall size increase to Xtreme would be noticeable.

As for why I want it included when it is available externally... I guess it is like having a tool box with a standard set of tools (Xara in it's current state), but knowing that you need a specialized tool that at certain times will be very useful. Do you get the tool and store it in a different place (a specialized tool cabinet)? Meaning that every time you want to use that tool, you have to stop what you are doing and go search through the specialized tool cabinet for the tool that you need. Or do you get the tool and add it to your tool box, so it is there where you need it and when you need it.

So the reason that I would like the tool is for my work flow. I and a few other artists here that have chimed in, would find it a useful addition to Xara's tool kit.

I hope that my reasoning is clear.

Eric

[HayTay]

Ok, you've got easy access to Dmitry's spiral generator, and it's free. Why would you want to complicate Xtreme's UI with something you can use perfectly well as it is?

Allison,

Previously, you've recommended using the Quickshape Tool to create stars and polygons instead of drawing them by eye, using a plug-in or a 3rd party application. We'd like to be able to do the same thing using a Quickshape Tool for Spirals from within Xara Xtreme for the same reason, it would be easier. And why should we limit the new feature to just plain old round spirals? As long as we're asking, why not have the developers implement the new Spiral feature in an Xtreme fashion! Look at what Andrew's Vector Spiral Plug-in #13 for Adobe Illustrator can generate. Now that's cool! Just think of all the retro 1960s and '70s material we'd then be able to produce.

Eric's reply, "While adding anything to an object will increase the object's size, this particular bit of code is so small that it downloaded virtually instantly onto my computer. I can't imagine that the overall size increase to Xtreme would be noticeable.", regarding you're concern for bloated software is dead on. The code for Dmitry's SPXE generator and Andrew's Vector Spiral AI plug-in are both 200K or less. That is almost nothing in today's software world. Actually a lot of documents now produced using traditional word processors generate file sizes greater than 200K. Part of the code is probably already resident in Xara Xtreme, which would also limit the 'bloat' factor.

Just my 3 cents and vote for an integrated Xtreme Quickshape Spiral Generator Tool,
Harry

[bcire68]

Ooooh.... I like that AI plug-in....

[amoore]

Do you get the tool and store it in a different place (a specialized tool cabinet)? Meaning that every time you want to use that tool, you have to stop what you are doing and go search through the specialized tool cabinet for the tool that you need.

Actually, I do store specialized tools separately. I use my entire hard drive as a multi-drawer file cabinet with named partitions and clearly defined folder trees. Specialized tools/utilities/add-ons such as the Spiral Generator live in clearly named subfolders associated with the application they work with or the type of function they perform.

Similarly, my Start Menu is organized in groups, as are the icons on my desktop. All the specialized tools for Xtreme have icons on the desktop in a segregated group. I can find almost any tool — even those I rarely use — in the same amount of time it would take me if they were incorporated into Xtreme's interface, and possibly less.

Your reasoning is clear, Eric. I just disagree with it.

And, Harry, in the post you cite, I wasn't recommending the use of the QuickShape tool. I was using it as a way to provide other information. Regardless, the QuickShape tool has been part of the interface at least since CorelXara. Comparing Xtreme's toolkit to those in other graphics and DTP apps I use, I would consider the QuickShapes tool a fundamental.

As for the size of the code involved in Dimitry's utilities, that's not really the issue. As you say, 200k is nothing these days. (OTOH, you don't know how much more might be required to integrate it.) The problem is, you're taking a short term view. Adding specialized tools to an interface quickly becomes a slippery slope. You've already gone from Dmitry's lovely, simple app to lusting after something much more complex, and we're just talking about a spiral generator.

If you stuff your grocery cart, it gets harder to push. (Plus it'll take you longer to check out and cost you more money to pay for it.

Look, we've all cited various improvements in what was the Layer Gallery. The new Object Gallery looks cool and has some nice features. But — there are delays in response time. Selection isn't always registered instantly. Neither is turning visibility/ locking on or off. Moreover, using the OG is costing me extra work. For example, default page naming has vanished. Little thing, but it adds up. Worse, copy/paste now respects layers. That means you can no longer select items on multiple layers and drop them onto a new single layer in one go. You can't even drop them onto a new page or a new document without getting all the layers.

Either you have to copy/paste one by one in order, or you have to hard group them, copy the group, ungroup, then paste into the new layer (and hope you haven't munged something in the process). Depending on what you're doing, retaining layers is useful or a PITA. Is that what you want throughout the interface?

Allison (don't worry about the misspelling, Eric; happens all the time )

PS, if someone has a better solution for pasting without the layers, please let me know. I'll be very grateful.

[MarcT]

That means you can no longer select items on multiple layers and drop them onto a new single layer in one go. .

Agreed, maybe there should be a special 'paste with layer' command.

Marc

[bcire68]

Allison,

Your reasoning is clear, Eric. I just disagree with it.

My sentiments exactly. I completely understand your reasoning, yet I disagree. I guess we can 'agree to disagree' as they say.

Eric

[accessD]

I was curious if Illustrator plugin can do more than SPX-E, and found that I can achieve many variations with combination of SPX output and Xara tools (mould tool, pressure profiles, etc).

See pics

For me the power of Xara is in fact, that I can achieve complex results by using combinations of simple tools.

[accessD]

BTW, Xara team agrees that spirals would be nice addition to Quick Shapes tool, but as I understood, they haven't enough resources to implement such a low priority feature.

From my side, unfortunately, I have no enough skills to implement it in C++ and integrate into Xara code.

So, I think in this situation SPX-E is a quite good solution.

[molucca]

For me,

I would rather have the ability to create my own line shapes.

SPX-E works very nicely.

Rich.

[Boy]

Worse, copy/paste now respects layers. That means you can no longer select items on multiple layers and drop them onto a new single layer in one go. You can't even drop them onto a new page or a new document without getting all the layers.

Either you have to copy/paste one by one in order, or you have to hard group them, copy the group, ungroup, then paste into the new layer (and hope you haven't munged something in the process). Depending on what you're doing, retaining layers is useful or a PITA.

Did you check the three 'Utilities/Options/General/Importing layers' options? You can retain the layer names you copy from, copy into new layers or copy into the active layer.