Xara feature requests for Research Scientists

[ksta]

Dear Xara,

I am a big Xara fan and use it extensively. As a university Research Professor I find it very helpful for figure production where combining vector graphics and images is commonplace. The speed and accuracy of the software is a major benefit over software competitors. Members of my lab now all use Xara for this purpose, and I have converted neighbouring labs to become Xara users also. Indeed, the scientific community could be an important market - ‘Xara Science’ perhaps?

However, I have a couple of key suggestions/requests for improvements which I find very limiting at the moment.

1. Independent resizing and rotation. I would very much like to see the ability to resize/rotate objects independently implemented in the software. This seems like a basic requirement. This is particularly relevant, for example, when importing scatter plots from other software – say the plot has 1000 points and you want to resize each about its centre, this is currently not achievable. Likewise, independent rotations should work the same way. I remember this being a feature of ArtWorks perhaps 15 years ago. Apologies if I have missed these features.
2. Vector filling. The ability to fill objects with vector patterns - for example, hatched lines - is again an important requirement. Again, this was an ArtWorks feature. I find that bitmap fills are rather limiting.
3. Undo cache save on exit. When a file is saved all the undo information should also be saved.

Of these, (1) is definitely the most needed.

Thanks for any support you can provide for this, and let me know if you need more details.

[Acorn]

You also missed the one where you could used a utility, using BBC Basic, to generate complex vector figures from parametric inputs.
The outputs are compatible with current Xara products.

I still use this, and Artworks, in a Risc PC emulator for this.

Acorn

[ksta]

Yes - indeed. But not desperately convenient to revert to a 25 year old platform and software every time I want to solve this resizing issue....!

Is it a very difficult problem to address in the code, I wonder? Or perhaps, aside from me, there is essentially no demand for this. I am interested - is it never the case that other users wish to scale a large number of objects but where each one needs to retain its x,y coordinates? And if so, how do you get round it?

Thanks a lot.

[handrawn]

your point 1 has been asked for several times - word from xara is that it isn't going to happen anytime soon... as i recall because yes it is a problem re the code

point 2: - in what way is this different from clipview which is a kind of vector fill, at least for me... I'm interested to know

point 3: - yes this has been requested, and scripting for macros too, but again the code base is 'agin it apparently

[ksta]

Thanks for this answer - much appreciated - and sorry if my questions were just covering old ground.
Yes - clipview is a solution of sorts but I find it limiting for situations with lots of objects - essentially where you want to create many windows onto the same background.

Well, fingers crossed that Xara eventually pursues the multiple object editing further....

Thanks again.

[handrawn]

I can't remember if it was in this context, but Xara have pointed out that Designer is not, and was never intended to be, a CAD type program

And at present the main focus seems to be on the Web Design features

Asking questions is what the forum is here for.. no problem... the more interest the better...

[MarcT]

+1 for transform each object individually

[Egg Bramhill]

Welcome to TG ksta.

.... say the plot has 1000 points and you want to resize each about its centre, this is currently not achievable.

What about the Contour tool? Enlarge and Inset Path? Agree that independent rotation is not possible.

... essentially where you want to create many windows onto the same background.

Not following you there.

Undo cache save on exit. When a file is saved all the undo information should also be saved.

Still miss that Artworks feature.

[ksta]

'....What about the Contour tool? Enlarge and Inset Path?....'

Oh wow. Thanks, Egg! This is a really nice solution for independent scaling. I did NOT know that about the Contour tool. Much appreciated. Good forum.

[handrawn]

there's probably a lot still to learn