Placing my request for the next version of Extreme

[akubbeng]

This forum seems to be more about abuse than assistance

Excuse me???

[HayTay]

Dr. Why,

First off, welcome to the TalkGraphics forum. We are usually a friendly and supportive bunch here, but, as you've no doubt guessed by now, you've struck a nerve.

In order to receive more helpful advice and less jeers from the peanut gallery I would offer the following suggestions:

• As a new user please refrain from starting threads and posting numerous messages asking for new tools and complaining that Xara Xtreme doesn't work like X, Y, and Z programs. Xtreme works like Xtreme for the most part, and most users who take the time to learn it, like it.
• Xara Xteme is fundamentally a vector application and not a raster/bitmap program. Yes, it can do some things that raster applications can but not the usual pixel manipulation operations that come easy to MS Paint, IrFanView, et al.
• If you can temporarily forget about the other applications you're used to and figure out how Xtreme functions function, I'm betting that you will like it.
• Instead of requesting additional tools, and such, why not post what you're trying to accomplish in Xtreme, how you've gone about it, and what's not working for you. You will, no doubt, receive a flurry of positive responses to help you with your current challenge. If what you're trying to do can't be done using Xtreme, or can be done easier using another application, you'll be offered suggestions in that regard as well.
• Stating how you accomplished a task in another application and questioning how you would go about achieving the same or similar result using Xtreme will usually result in people rushing to your aid.
• If possible, providing an image as an attachment, or attaching the XAR file you're working on will quickly show us that you've a least tried and the point you've reached, so far. It can speed up your response time, the quantity and quality of the response and, generally, better help TG members help you.

Again, a warm welcome to TalkGraphics! Now, what can we do to help you learn and use Xara Xtreme and/or Xara's other software applications?

Best regards,
Harry

[covoxer]

Silly me, I thought that features in simple programs were attainable in more sophisticated programs.

Silly indeed.
Many features from simple programs are useless in more sophisticated programs because they have more general, flexible and powerful tools to do the same thing. Think about it: does you car have pedals similar to your bicycle?

As if I never read the help files or tried to learn this application.

If you have problems understanding help, you may ask for help here. And a lot of people will be happy to help. But you didn't. Did you?

This forum seems to be more about abuse than assistance,

Obviously you are as familiar with this forum as you are with Xtreme.

I am asking for things that I know about and if it's covered by things that I don't know about, perhaps we could explore that path.

Perhaps you could ask if this things are present before stating that they are not? If you don't know something it doesn't necessary mean that it's not there.

Taking an image to Paint to erase a couple of screwheads worked great. What is the analog in Xara?

Perhaps you should post this question before explicitly stating that this is missing in Xtreme? There are many ways to do something like this. For example you can cut holes in the image with Ctrl+2, or you can put another object with appropriate color/fill on top of the screw heads.
Although, if MS Paint's eraser worked great for removing screw heads on the photo (I assume), then you are particularly lucky person! Why would you need any other graphics software if MS Paint quality is great for you?

Soquili's mention of selecting colors in the export dialog didn't work when I did it. I expected it to work like it does in Corel, but it only removed random sections of the chosen field. Perhaps the selection process in Xara is too sensitive, and it was excluding gradations that Corel would have tolerated?

Silly you. If it removed only random sections, then the area you want to make transparent was not solid color. It had multiple colors. In GIF you can set any colors from palette as transparent. So if you have a not solid color area you have to make all colors that fill it transparent. Instead of looking for them in palette you can use an eyedropper and pick the color from the image preview.
But the correct solution would be to create image with a solid color on the transparent area in the first place. Just like you did in Corel.

As for SS-kalm's kind explanation, that worked for the photo part of the item but not the fields attached to it, which is what I was aiming for. Irfan would have just done the crop.

What is: "fields attached"? Does Irfan work with "fields attached"? You were talking about bitmap crop as in Irfan or MS Paint, so the advice was for bitmaps. If you want to crop vectors there are other methods, also mentioned by the way. You just have to make clear what do you want, there are no mind readers on this forum.

In any case, I'm too old to be disturbed by a display of crowd hysteria as displayed here.

But you feel young enough to display your hysteria here?

I'm asking questions

Please don't lie! Read your first post in this thread - there's not a single question (except for: "What, nobody ever has to erase anything?"). There is a list of false statements and requests. Not a single question. And you were not asking for help. Read it!

because whatever I wanted to look up wasn't in the instructions, or wasn't indexed so I could find it, and the things that I did try didn't work.

So wouldn't it be wiser to say something like this: "I have problems. This and that doesn't seem to work for me. Please help me to do this and that.". Does it look like your original post?

Aren't these normal things for a normal person to want?

What is normal person and normal things? If you want to drive a car you have to learn it. Complains that it can't be used the way you use your bicycle are stupid. Complaining that Xtreme doesn't work the way MS Paint does is just the same.

If there's a jerk here, I don't think it's me.

Shall we vote?

[masque]

Hi Dr.
I’ve followed this thread without sticking my oar in as its obvious that its one where you have made up your mind about the inadequacies of XaraXtreme when compared to the alternatives you have to hand and no amount of defending it by the regulars here will change your mind, particularly now as you feel you have been picked on.
Normally, as has already been said, if a new member comes along with a question or problem there will be an avalanche of answers in a fairly short time often demonstrating numerous ways in which you can achieve your goal, each way as good as the other. That is the way to go about it then, to ask a question or demonstrate a problem.
You have only to look at the work produced in Xtreme and posted here and in various other places (XaraXone for one) to realise that most people find a way to do most things as and when necessary.
I’ve attached an example, produced in Xtreme of ‘erasing’ a mushroom growing on wood (chipboard) rather than a screw head. I’ll show you how to do it if you want, no trouble at all, if that’s what you are looking for.
Erasers in this sort of an example are of little use it it would simple leave a hole where the mushroom used to be. In a bitmap editor you would select an area of wood from elesewhere mask and copy it and then past it over the offending object and blend it in, which is more or less what I've done here. What you are not able to do in Xtreme is use a clone tool to select pixels from elsewhere and paint over the mushroom with them to remove it, I suspect thats what you were looking for in reality. If I'm wrong I apologise
Similarly a bit of cropping in the leafy example demonstating that there is a crop tool, and a very effective one in Xtreme, though there are other ways of achieving the same result.
Derek
PS. Complaining about the lack of an eraser in Xtreme didn’t really make that much sense. Had you taken your bitmap with the screw head into the supplied bitmap editor, Magix Designer7 (if its still called that, I haven't been able to bring myself to look) and complained about the lack of an eraser then that would have had me on your side right away.
Derek (again)

[steve.ledger]

Very good Derek, thanks for posting your examples.
I actually prefer Xtreme for similar jobs myself.

DrWhy, there's always Xhris with his large collection of Xara Xtreme Video Tutorials to view.
In particular Photo retouching or healing using Xara Xtreme which would deal with removing screwheads in a similar way.

Rather than close this thread, I will move out of the Dear Xara.. forum because it no longer fits the purpose of 'Dear Xara..'

[Xcellent]

Covoxer, I imagine being a developer and supporter of this forum would be enough work and would take alot of your time. Your patience and the ability to write clear instructions just show how professional and respectful you are, even with complicated or arrogant users. Kudos to you.

DrWhy, the help you received here would guide you to all and much more you asked for.

[iamtheblues]

Hi DW. When I saw your original post, I thought to myself, "Hello, we have a troll in our midst". Having read your second missive, I see nothing to disabuse myself of my original thought.
If you can convince the membership here that you are indeed a true seeker of wisdom, you will find many here who take a deal of pleasure in generously offering their knowledge, as a brief look around the forum would reveal.
On present form however, you will need to rethink your idea about who is the jerk and who aren't.
Saludos,
Bob.

[masque]

.
I actually prefer Xtreme for similar jobs myself.
'Dear Xara..'

So do I. In fact all supported file types are defaulted to open in Xara as my first port of call when I'm doing anything. From there I can go to Photoshop (elements7; my full version is so old elements is better featured) where I can do whats needed that Xtreme, on rare occasions, can't.


As an aside, I personally think the recriminations should now stop and pause to see if help is requested, rather than bandy further criticisms of the original post or else it could go on forever.
Derek

[Doctor Why]

Yes it could.

When I made my original post I thought I was making reasonable requests, although I certainly was being a little provocative.

The hysteria that ensued is nothing short of amazing.

I can't tell hysterical people not to be hysterical -- they're hysterical. All I can say is that knowing what I knew I thought I was on the right track. If not, well, just tell me.

Here's something I can share with you: I'm on a lot of forums and the reactions here on this one are not real normal. But if you guys are sensitive artistes, I can work with that.

Thanks to those of you who did try to help.

DW

[Doctor Why]

HT,

I tried to send you a pm but apparently I'm not yet of legal age.

I just want to thank you personally for the kind message. Obviously I speak a different language than some of the people here, and there's going to be an acclimation process.

Best Wishes

DW