What small workflow improvements would you like to see in the future?

[Jonopen]

Hi Rob

Here are a few suggestions that I personally would find help in my workflow and generally enhance my user experience.

1. Remembering last used settings
Xara programs are pretty good in this respect, but wherever possible it's always a time saver when the last used settings are remembered. It might useful when the QA testers go through things to check this is the case.

2. Ability to specify attribute values to SmartShape options
Provide text input options for all QuickShape / SmartShapes options. This will also help make them feel more integrated with the program. See mock-up idea of a toolbar.



Also see this post #25 (idea for a properties panel)

3. Eye dropper / Colour picker shortcut
Keyboard shortcut to activate the colour picker whilst a vector object is selected, and shift + shortcut to select line colour.

4. Dashed line
At the moment if a dashed line property is applied to a line, to change it back to a solid line you have to select the continuous line from the line gallery not from the Freehand and brush tool context toolbar.

Also when you select 'Line Gallery...' from the right click menu it opens the Line gallery in a different position, rather than sliding out from the side as normal when you click the side button. See screenshot example.



5. Inserting number symbols
At the moment to search for numbers in Insert Symbols panel you have to enter 'one' and 'two' to find 1 and 2, but from then on you have to enter '3' to find 3, '4' to find 4 and so on.

6. Crop tool
Ability to lock the aspect ratio of the crop tool by holding down a key for example Ctrl key, when the Lock aspect option is not active.

Also add an additional fixed aspect option of 1:1 to the toolbar or better still provide an option to specify your own ratio.

7. Smart transform
Add an additional button to toggle on/off Smart transform

8. Colour editor
Make clicking the colour editor button on the status bar toggle the colour editor on and off

9. Copy & paste SmartShape/QuickShape format attributes
Currently padding margin and other attributes cannot be copied from one shape to another

10. Local Designs gallery folders
Make the open/closed folder icons in the Local Designs gallery more distinctive, perhaps just a different colour. See example.



Longer term ideas

11. Grid improvements
I believe a good grid system is a core foundations of a design program. Whilst the one available is useful, there is room for the addition of further options for and alternative types of grids beyond the two on offer.

A first step could be for an option to display the grid with colour customisable solid lines rather that just blue crosses. See attached screenshot of an triangular grid from anther well-known graphics program as an example.



12. Window scaling aware
I believe any time and effort spent in this area will extend the lifespan of the Xara programs, enhancing the use with large high resolution monitors. To see an example of the detrimental effect Windows scaling currently has on the interface, see the screen capture from point 10. above.

13. Properties panel idea
See dutchim's idea from post #17 and corresponding idea for a useful workflow tool post (post #25)

Thanks for listening :-)