Plug-ins and Displacements

[stygg2003]

I downloaded the Image displacement maps but not used as such! I used one of their wave maps but gave it a stained glass trans. then cloned it and gave that one a bleach trans. made a bitmap copy of all three and then altered in Levels. Not a bad effect.

Stygg

[jvila]

Gary,
I know perfectly how memory works I'm a programmer, I know that it could be difficult, but I'm sure many xaraians appreciate that improvement, or at least I'll do it, that will be a good reason to me to buy a new release, I'm not asking for a mesh tool, I gave up from that (many explanations received), I'm just asking that envelope tool works with bitmaps as it does with vector.

I really aprecciate your tip about distorting a bitmap, it is a workaround "if you use xara", I'm getting used to workarounds, many times We asked for a wand tool, a color replacer, an eraser, in many threads you can see xara developers telling "an eraser is not for vector drawings" and now they release a vector eraser and announcing it as something great, indeed it is great, We should ask them "what happend" is it now fantastic and before imposible?.
Come on, if any of us like workaround xara wouldn't sell new versions.
Best regards
Gary, it is not against you or xara, in fact I really enjoy and learn from every thread/book you create, but please not more workarounds as a justification, I prefer just a "let see".


Lets get back to retouching, bye

[Seagull]

""Frank, although it's illuminating to our community that Alien Skin has a Flag filter, why would you suggest that people reach down deep into their pockets when ImageSkill provides a perfectly working version for Xara for free? I don't even see Xenofex 2 for sale on Alien Skin or on the web period. The only links are to Eye Candy, and that's $249 retail""

Well, I wouldn't do anything like that , but in this case, it is you that are out of touch. At one time, perhaps they still do, Xara.com sold these two plug-ins sets. I forget what I paid for them, either 50$ for the pair or 50$ each, it was a few years ago now that I bought them, but they were a bargain then and if they still sell them, a bargain now, and by buying them from Xara, I was helping to support the company. I probably bought them when I was running Xtream, so it goes back. Since you seem to be able to contact them at will, maybe you could ask if they still sell them and if not, why not, since I just did a search on their site and was not able to find them.. By the way, both these plug-in sets are run right in Xara or Xara photo & graphic designer 6 if you want to be specific, in the live effects tool button section........

[Gare]

Hi Javier—

What I try to do is create a balance of Xara information on this area. I am not sticking up for Xara when I offer workarounds; if you read my last post, clearly The Xara Group doesn't tell users to go out and buy Adobe products.

You're an experienced designer: some of what I write you already know. This "balance" I'm trying to create is sometimes directed at Xaraists who can't afford other programs, people whose skill levels are that of Novice, some people who might need a solution right now...and a workaround is the only answer.

As with any workaround, the quality of the result is usually doubtful.

Think of a leaky umbrella when you're outside and it's raining. It's not a good solution, but not using it at all is a worse solution.

You're not alone with your Wish List, Javier. I wish I could say that I have more of the programmer's attention when it comes to new features, but I'm just like you. Okay, I'm probably less energetic than you.

:)

Point is, requests are better directed to The Dear Xara thread, instead of the "Dear Gary" thread here.

Why? Because I forgot to put my magic wand in the recharger last night, and instead of granting wishes, it's just blinking "12:00".

:)

My Best,

Gary

[Seagull]

I don't want to go off thread anymore, but I am just posting a screenshot of the plug-ins running in Xara

[angelize]

I would like to add to what you said Gary about taking feature requests to Dear Xara, there is also the Plug ins forum for discussing any plug ins that work with Xara. It's an underused resource that I'd like to kick a little life into

Xara Compatible Plugins Forum

[Gare]

Hear, hear.

Angelize, can you amend you post to provide a tidy BBC link to the plug-ins area?

And if no one has started a thread, I'd love to see "Which plug-ins absolutely don't work in Xara".

I made the mistake of linking Xara's search folder to my Photoshop plug-ins folder once and my system wasn't the better for it. Native PS plug-ins don't work, I don't believe. And others are "expecting" a true bitmap, not a bitmap Xara renders on the fly to screen.

Displaced but not disgraced,

-g

[angelize]

Done

I think that a thread to discuss plugins that don't work is a great idea, and I'm also putting together a resource list of plug ins that work well with Xara, that will be divided in sections for free, and commercial plugins (like the Alien Skin ones that Frank mentioned.)

There is also a thread started there to share work created with plugins.

[Gare]

The Xenofex 2 suite that seagull has recommended several times appears to be out of production and out of distribution pipelines. I've been to several links that only link back to Alien Skin and they do NOT sell it.

You can't even get the DEMO from Softpedia; I tried and it's a broken link. I'll be happy to be proven wrong, but it looks like the only way to get the gen-you-eye-n suite is if you have a time machine.


-g

[angelize]

Ok thanks for that, The eye candy ones are still available though but as far as I know not through Xara anymore. But anyone who purchased the older version that Xara used to offer can upgrade to the newer eye candy filters at a reduced rate (at $99 still a little pricy though)