Update to Designer Pro+ and Web Designer+ (v22.2)

[webmaster]

Yesterday we released an update to Xara Designer Pro+ and Web Designer+, v22.2. Featuring improvements to our new table tool, a flexible new option for Repeating Objects, and some tweaks to the Selector Tool, amongst other updates.

You can find a short summary of what's new on the Xara site @
What's New in Designer Pro+
What's New in Web Designer+

and as always the full info in our Release Notes @
Designer Pro+ Release Notes
Web Designer+ Release Notes

where you'll also find info on the new web templates added in September (in case you missed that important update).

Nb This update is in the Plus version only (the option available at xara.com). We hope you like the changes!

Kate @ Xara

[Acorn]

@Kate, thank you for the timely update especially around the selection handles, a current hot topic.

Two points here:

1. Smart Duplication - still cannot grow upwards as the silly rotate handle is still in the way.
2. NS/EW Skew - still only one input box for skewing - EW only.

The offset does not remain constant: for a 10px square, it is from 5% to 400%. It does not get in the way but still looks gauche at smaller zooms.
I do like the consistency of switching modes.

I am sorry to suggest that you are still inconsistent with:

• Unfortunately, a skewed Box with Text Inside added loses skew and corners. I use these as they grow as fixed text is added to.
• If I change the Box to a (skewed) Shapes, the skew is retained but the height does not grow when more text is added.
• If you Stretch a skewed Box with Text Inside (so the text is skewed as well), it grows in both NS & EW directions. Skewed Text still is rendered as an image.
• No mention of the still hidden right-click on the Aspect Ratio icon to reveal the Smart Transform option.
• Table Cell Padding is still an input box adjustment (unlike Text Inside).

Acorn

[PhilM]

@Acorn,

Very few, if any, of these issues are specific to this release and most are already logged. This is not an appropriate place to report them again.

BTW: The offset to the Selector Tool handles is a fixed screen size, regardless of zoom. Even with the "tight" bounds handles of recent revisions they gained a similar offset, of necessity, when an object was very small. The new constant offset is useful and consistent.

[Acorn]

@Acorn,
Very few, if any, of these issues are specific to this release and most are already logged. This is not an appropriate place to report them again.

@PhilM, I have not problem with being admonished over Bugs that you accept exist and are logged.

There has to be a half-way position though.
I raise Bugs fairly frequently and note a large number are never acknowledged. Some are, some even are given a Jira ticket number. Those never acked must be fair game. I fear a number of Xara staff look at Threads with TG's Invisible Mode set On

Xara has a belief that an Issue is the same as a Problem. It uses a User-Vendor channel so no one other that the original User knows there is a common Problem.
A 121 channel can never establish a genuine priority as the majority of Users are reluctant to raise an Issue, thinking they might be in the wrong.

At the very least, add 'Jira' as a Tag to any Thread that you have assessed as an Issue, Problem or NFF.

Acorn