Xara Designer Pro as a Professional app for Pro work?

[WilliamHere]

@WilliamThere: In post#25 in direct response to your comment in post#24 I demonstrated that exporting from DPX as PDF/x and not .ai or .eps was the better format to choose.
There was a sound reason for this. Perhaps this might help you understand why I did so?

"Adobe Illustrator, as with other Adobe programs, is built on core PDF technology. In fact, the native Adobe Illustrator file format is PDF, and as such it is one of the best applications supporting direct export to PDF."

See ► http://www.graphics.com/modules.php?...icle&artid=839

Thanks, that's a very useful link.

[ad1066]

I have tried letting Xara produce the PDF (Native CMYK, etc, etc). The end results have always been a disappointment. It usually looks OK on screen after export but the printed article is usually dull and lifeless. I have found over many years that the best results come from going the RGB export of a bitmap and then convert to CMYK externally. I used to use Corel Draw for the purpose, but I no longer have a copy that will work with Windows 7. So now it's Photoshop. I would love it if XDP could do the job, but that hard facts are that it doesn't. At least not for me.

Best thing to do before exporting is to enable the Simulate Print Colors option, adjust your colors accordingly, then export.

-- Ben

[mwenz]

While the Simulate option does alter the colors (it appears to simply mute them) it is not accurate. A good attempt to color managed work, but falls incredibly short. As mentioned, one really should be using color swatch books (both for coated and uncoated stock) and choose accordingly. To me, this also applies to color managed software and hardware.

Mike

[jon404]

@WilliamHere -- you'll be OK with XDP. Just give the printer a PDF with embedded fonts, get a checkprint. Avoid collaborative entanglements where they want your workfiles.

@Albacore -- interesting comment about Xara going for the web market and how that might not hold up. I agree. Learned on an earlier thread why even XaraXone's now using Wordpress... best tool for the job kind of thing. But agree that there will ALWAYS be a need for great graphics, no matter what distribution method, print, PC, tablet, web, smartphone, or gadgets yet to come, like Google Glass.

@mwenz -- yes! Check that printed swatch book. And, it's easy enough to make a simple PDF test file, your own color swatches, and run it on the same press the job will run on, before you print the actual job. Very easy with digital Docucolor-type presses. Made my own test file back when, used it for years, saved my bacon several times.

[WilliamHere]

@Jon404-
Thanks for the post Jon.

[jon404]

@cgntoonartist -- you're welcome! Forgot to mention, that you can export your graphic art pieces as PDFs for import as artwork into other programs. Don't know if there's any practical advantage, though, compared to JPGs or my favorite, lossless PNGs.

Mega-ditto-echo the other comments in this thread about Adobe Acrobat Pro as your bedrock essential tool. For print, of course... but also, happily, for e-book publishing. While I agree with Mike that Xara should get with fixed-format output for epub/Kindle/Apple/Nook whatever, it's a 3-aspirin headache can of worms compared to the ease, accuracy, and ubiquity of PDFs. For me, it's simpler and far more profitable to sell e-book PDFs from my own website, and Acrobat Pro is absolutely a must-have. Like XDP, a 'beg, borrow, or steal -- but get this program' kind of thing.

[Albacore]

I think you have had your money's worth from this thread where you've had good honest appraisal on how good and the pitfall's on using Pro as your main app. Now its your turn to buy and get experience of using Pro to take your PDF's to print.

Before you do ring round your local printers, not the print shops, and have a talk to them over the phone and see which sounds the best. Then go and visit them and maybe take something for them to print or Jon's swatch book as I have used it as well. What your'e doing is establishing a relationship which is hugely important because believe me the can be a help to you when things go wrong and they will. One of my huge pet hates is when a printer states that they "can't do that" even when you tell them the way to do it the still refuse. Some of them waste your time so much you wonder how they stay in the biz. but maybe it's their way of saying that they have enough work and don't need anymore.

The last thing that you should buy is a small desktop CMYK laser printer that you can proof your output and that won't cost the earth. It may not give you the results that you want for large format bitmaps but it will give a fair representation what it will look like when printed. This also is the reason why I said don't use local print shops as your small desktop laser will nearly give the same results. Use local print shops for large format single prints as these people give value for money. Never use online print services as most require .eps files as their delivery means and Pro's filter is not what it should be and communication takes so long (will prob. be shot down in flames for that remark).

Experience is the game! unless you do it, it is not going to be developed and it doesn't matter whither it's Adobe or Xara so if you can get clients get out there and learn.

[rhmuc]

...But as Donald Rumsfeld so aptly put it, You go to war with the Army you have. And while I don't think former secretary of defense was referring to Xara (spelled with X), the metaphor still is valid...

Hi, don’t wont to kick off a heated debate, but the metaphor might be valid only for that kind of illiterate people who can´t even point out a country on a map they are bombing. I guess for the rest of us it´s inappropriate.

[WilliamHere]

I will like to thank everyone here for the comments, advice, tips, and for sharing your experiences with XDP.
There is a lot of good information here and I hope these posts will help many newcomers to XDP in the future.
Don't stop posting as I am sure we can all keep learning from each other.

I decided to give XDP a go and see where it takes me with my illustrations and graphics work.
Coming from an Adobe software world, I will have some challenges along the way while adjusting to this new software, but I am a fast learner and I am looking forward to the new experiences and challenges along the way.

Have fun creating!
William

[pauland]

Hi, don’t wont to kick off a heated debate, but the metaphor might be valid only for that kind of illiterate people who can´t even point out a country on a map they are bombing. I guess for the rest of us it´s inappropriate.

It's an entirely appropriate metaphor for life in general. You may have a big chip on your shoulder about the USA, but you can keep it to yourself or move on.