Exporting graphics- results inconsistent

[kiefer]

Has something drastically changed in the way we export .png graphics in Xara? I thought I had this figured out, that is until I attempted to do it today. I'm using version 4.01 of Xara Xtreme Pro.

On February 25, 2009 I successfully exported a simple 5 star graphic to blend in to a background of the same color.

Today, I took that same exact .xar file, exported it as a png file and was extremely dismayed to see that there is some sort of light colored boundary surrounding the exported graphic. I didn't change anything on the .xar file (like the line color). I just exported it again.

What am I doing wrong? I even created additional test graphics and they came out crappy around the edges as well.

I have a Windows XP Pro machine 2.8GHz with 2 gigs ram. I run Spyware Doctor (latest version) and yes, I get an error message every time I open Xara now. That error began to spring up a few months ago. ("Internal Program Error 3374.k.pr.tl") I believe that it's documented that Spyware Doctor has ThreatFire integrated into it and is the culprit (ThreatFire can be toggled on and off but that didn't make any difference, I still get the error). By the way, this has nothing to do with the export problem because I created the first graphic during the time that error began to come up.

I have attached the files I'm referring to. Should I re-install Xara? I purchased and installed Xara Web Designer with great difficulty..(Spyware Doctor apparently was blocking the installation.)

I'm about ready to drop-kick Spyware Doctor but I would like to know what to use in its place, obviously something that is compatible with Xara.

[Know1]

Did you move the stars around a bit on the page before exporting since the last time? Maybe made them bigger or smaller?

Raster images, like exported PNG's have a grid of pixels that you can clearly see when you zoom in on them.

But in Xara Xtreme since they are vectors can be "inbetween pixels".
When you export, Xtreme sometimes has to snap your vector artwork ever so slightly to either the left/right/top/bottom to make it fit in an exported raster image. (Since you cannot have a decimal point pixel value)

edit 1: instead of snapping what's probably more accurate is that it interpolates/blends the borders edge with the background color underneath your vector image (witch is white I assume in Xtreme?).

That might cause a very small (but in this case noticeably) change with images that need to fit nicely on a background.

Judging by the first stars picture it doesn't look like your using the PNG format for the alpha channel so all you need to do is export again but with the background color already behind the complete image in Xara Xtreme.
That way the white border shouldn't appear in the exported png.


Edit 2 (after reading it again): if you get an error message everytime you open Xtreme then yeah, it probably is a good idea to reinstall Xara Xtreme.

[Egg Bramhill]

Kiefer, can you attach your xar file?

Egg

[kiefer]

Thanks so much for your quick responses. I was able to determine the cause of the export problem and correct the load error.

I uninstalled Xara Xtreme Pro 4 then reinstalled it from the CD. With Version 4.0 loaded, I attempted to export a PNG graphic using the 5 star .xar file. I was successful. No border was seen around the graphic.

Then I updated to Version 4.01 and the problem came back. I uninstalled and reinstalled Xara once again to 4.0, exported again and was successful. It is definitely the patch that caused the export anomaly.

In order to get rid of the error message on program startup, I shut down Spyware Doctor and then loaded Xara. The error message did NOT come up. Consequently, I left SD shut down, and installed SuperAntiSpyware Pro and Avira AntiVir Premium in its place, rebooted the computer and started up Xara. It worked flawlessly. That error is now history.

All is well now. As for all those fixes in the 4.01 patch, I guess I'll have to live without them until the export issue is resolved.

[steve.ledger]

I'm glad it's worked out for you Kiefer, but this is all rather academic and of little use to the forum members as a whole if we can't see your .xar file and repeat the bug you attribute to the 4.0.1 update patch ?

I you don't mind, please Kiefer, can you attach your .xar file?

[kiefer]

Good point. Here's the .xar file

And thanks once again for responding so quickly.

[steve.ledger]

Kiefer I have no trouble with (cleanly) exporting your file from Xtreme 4.0.1

I have my grid snapping enabled (spacing set to pixels)
I align your graphic to a position of whole pixels



I export as a True Color + Alpha png and see no lines.



I create a same colour background for the tile and place the tile on top to check. There an no lines.




Is there any clues there that can help you with your 4.0.1 installation?

I have attached my .xar file

(PS: I too use Avira AntiVir Premium)

[Egg Bramhill]

I don't think that's the solution Steve. In fact if you export as png alpha from your file there is still banding top and bottom. View it agaist a contrasting background (see attachment)

The main problem is'nt the X & Y location but the overall size. It's 121 pix w x 23.4 pix h.
It's the 23.4 pix high that's causing the banding. Alter it to 23pix and it exports correctly.

So the unpatched version of Xtreme was getting the export wrong, the patched version was getting it right.

[kiefer]

Changing the Y dimension to a whole number was the solution. And it makes sense now because I only had banding on the top and bottom.

I reinstalled the 4.01 patch and followed your instructions. Just like you said, the export came out as intended.

Awesome.

Thanks so much for solving this issue.

[Egg Bramhill]

Glad to have been of assistance kiefer. Ensuring L & W are in integer numbers often throws a lot of folks.