The snapping-to-grid is absolutely shocking (in Xara Xtremem Pro5)

[slavelle]

The arrowhead should be integral with the line, so that the end of the line and the end of the arrowhead is the same location

While I agree with this fundamentally, in practice, where I can see it being a problem with where the end of the line (square) exceeds the width of the tip of a pointy arrow. Now it's not pointy, but has a few little corners sticking out.

I suppose what I'm saying is that it could be looked at either way, and while the sizing thing is sort of odd, I'd rather have to think about that than deal with arrow heads that could only accomodate a certain line width before they got "corrupted".

[shiphen]

Sorry - it sounds like you guys are all expert-level users.
Sure I'm used to Xara's foibles.
As a result I only ever use one size of head on my lines, and I spend a long time chosing the correct line thickness before building lots of lines in any diagram.

I'm just saying that does not work how most normal/newbie users would expect it to work.
I mean you build a line carefully to the length you require. Maybe it butts up to some shape or image... and then you think, hang on - I need it to be an arrow. So you add an arrow, and goddamnit the line has changed (visual) length. So you adjust the line length to make it point to exactly the right place. Hmm... no, I want a different arrow header on it. And goddamnit depending on what arrow head I chose, the damned thing has changed the apparent line length AGAIN.

Yes I'm used to these things but please let's not try to pretend that they are intuitive or desirable. They are counter-intuitive to 99% of the population - i.e. to anyone who isnt a Xara expert.

To anwer an earlier point, yes it WOULD cause compatability problems - but it cant be all that hard to convert. You would just need to work out where the existing line's arrow head is and then make that point the new line-end point. With major releases of software enhancements you expect these things.


Ship

P.S. And while you are at it, Xara, please can we have a slightly more subtle range of choices of arrow head size?


P.P.S. Does anyone from Xara ever visit to this forum ?

[covoxer]

P.S. And while you are at it, Xara, please can we have a slightly more subtle range of choices of arrow head size?

They are editable through the registry. You can have any sizes you like.

P.P.S. Does anyone from Xara ever visit to this forum ?

Yes.

[steve.ledger]

They are editable through the registry. You can have any sizes you like.Yes.

XaReg allows for arrow scale adjustment also.
Get XaReg for free here.

Note also that there are a variety of alternative arrows in the Shapes section of the clipart/designs gallery of Xtreme.

[tonylondon]

XaReg allows for arrow scale adjustment also.

For most of us, tampering with the Registry is a nono. So Bill and Steve's utility is very much appreciated. I'm curious to know whether the settings introduced through XaReg for one version of, say, XXPro can be automatically brought forward when the next upgrade is installed (in the same way that other internal settings are), or whether they would have to be reentered.

I'm surprised Xara don't incorporate utilities such as this one (and the Spiral Generator) into their program in the next release; Adobe does this.

Regarding arrows I'm with those that would place the tip of the arrow at the end point of the line. That is the way I've done it when doing an engineering drawing with a pencil.

[Soquili]

Hi Tony,

You can save your settings for a version of Xtreme. Select the version you have made your settings. File menu > Save > Settings (Ctrl+S keyboard shortcut). The file will be saved to the same folder where you have XaReg.exe. Select a version you want to apply those saved settings. File menu > Load > Settings (Ctrl+L keyboard shortcut). You will be asked if you want to apply the settings to the selected version. Answer Yes and the settings will be made to the registry for the version.

Download the latest version from Gary Priester's XaraXone Shareware page.

The latest version (1.2) has two new "Tools" not in version 1.0.2.5 which was released in July. You can now see a list of the Clipart/Object Gallery and the Fills Gallery. An option to enable thumbnails and a larger preview of the files in the Galleries is included. Enabling thumbnails does take some time to read each file and create the images (I added my personal folder to the Object Gallery, over 900 .xar files and it took a couple of minutes to create all the images). You can rename a Gallery folder, sort the folders or manually move a folder within the list. Renaming a folder will automatically write to the registry when you hit the Enter key to exit the edit mode. Hitting Escape key will abort a rename operation. To rename a Gallery folder first select the row it is in, then click the cell containing the Gallery Name. Edit mode will be activated with the full name selected, begin typing to remove the existing name and start the new name.

[tonylondon]

Thanks, Bill. XaReg is even better than I thought!