Two things

[zaphodeist]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't Illustrator raster? Xwd etc aren't. You're not going to get raster stuff - like Illustrator's eraser - in Xara. Best to think Vector with Xara and Raster with Illustrator [if you have any brain energy left after opening the thing ]

[pauland]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't Illustrator raster?

From Adobe:

"What is Illustrator?
Explore new paths with the essential vector tool.."

There's no reason the original request couldn't be implemented by Xara, though like everything else, ot's easy to ask, harder to do.

[Sheff]

Let's assume I have drawn an object by creating a long line and converted it into a shape. Let's also assume that I want to erase a specific shape that I intend to create by drawing it and erase from the middle of the object. You can't do that in Xara without creating a second shape and applying a boolean. This existing tool in Xara, that I was already aware of is only good for modifying the edge of a shape. Illustrator's tool can modify a shape regardless of whether or not it is on the edge or in the middle. It can also combine two separate shapes by drawing a line between them and converting them into a single shape. Also, you cannot erase a line after you have let go of it. You can only erase while you are creating it.

When I erase, which is a tool of the raster domain rather than the vector one, I am thinking of the SHAPES I want to erase, not the POINTS. When painting/drawing in bitmap apps or on paper, I don't think about points, I think about shape.

<object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/QBapnb6KksM?fs=1&amp;hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/QBapnb6KksM?fs=1&amp;hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object>

If you have Illustrator CS4/5, I invite you to try out those tools and tell me whether or not they would be a benefit to DP7. Otherwise, I will have to continue to import Illustrator objects into Xara.

[pauland]

I will have to continue to import Illustrator objects into Xara.

There's no compulsion to import stuff from Xara just because it doesn't have the exact tool. There's always a way to do the same using Xara's own tools, even if it's not so straightforward. I think the suggestions are more "nice to have" rather than "must have".

[Sheff]

Well, I realize that most people who use Xara don't use it as a drawing tool in the sense of drawing as you would with a pencil. And I also realize that I have been pretty much a lone voice in the woods when asking for features that would benefit mainly me. But I think Xara would have a much larger user base if it added tools with artists in mind rather than designers. There's no argument that DP6 is a fantastic design tool.

I have loathed Illustrator for many years. However recently, I find myself needing to use it more mainly because I get errors when I export PDF files which don't always translate correctly. Exporting PSD's are seemingly my only option for exporting a mix of transparent bitmaps and vector objects.

Recently, I have been using the blob/eraser brush in Illustrator because it's a more natural and faster drawing tool than what is available to me currently in DP6. I honestly don't care about the tools that I use, I use what works best for me. More often than not Xara has been my go to tool for 90% of what I have to do. That is why I continue to use it after 15 years.

But when other applications make improvements to their tools, why should I not use them if they can do what I need more efficiently? And what is wrong with wanting those tools (the features of a vector program) to be similarly implemented into my regular vector program?

[handrawn]

i'm with you

illustrator, inkscape, serif drawplus - all vector editors, all have erasers - you don't need to say any more

if someone thinks it's just about removing something you don't want, they have missed the [artistic] point..

ah well that's one of the reasons i have inkscape

[Soquili]

...if someone thinks it's just about removing something you don't want, they have missed the [artistic] point..

Steve perhaps I do not understand what you and Sheff mean by ERASE:


Definition of ERASE

transitive verb

1a : to rub or scrape out (as written, painted, or engraved letters) <erase an error>
1b : to remove written or drawn marks from <erase a blackboard>
1c : to remove (recorded matter) from a magnetic medium; also : to remove recorded matter from <erase a videotape>
1d : to delete from a computer storage device <erase a file>

2a : to remove from existence or memory as if by erasing
2b : to nullify the effect or force of

[James Allen]

Don’t get me wrong Sheff – I think the blob brush is pretty nifty.

You said in your OP that (in Xara), to create shapes and add to them, or delete shapes, you draw with lines, then convert those lines to a shape and draw another line and convert that line to a shape and then do a Boolean on the two shapes, and that you would much prefer the steps to be reduced.

Well at least you know now that you can delete and add to shapes as shown above, without all those steps. Just place your cursor on the edge of the drawing and take out a piece or add a piece in one step. Cutting out shapes from the centre takes three steps – drawing the top shape, selecting both, and pressing ctrl-2. As far as that centre shape is concerned, one would have to have just the right kind of blob brush to get the right shape. Chances are, while you’re busy selecting the brush, I would draw the centre shape by line and cut it out, then further edit as required by adding or subtracting as per video above.

The first video link you provided was this youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBapnb6KksM

which shows the blob brush in action in drawing a gorilla (from 0:39 onwards). Notice the guy creates a new layer (step 1), then double clicks the blob brush to bring up the options box (step two), increases the size of his brush (step 3), selects his color and line (or no line) (step 4), starts ‘painting’ (step 5). While ‘painting’, it takes him about 24 seconds to ‘paint’ the area of the face using the blob brush. He then adjusts nodes (step 6), and we can only guess how long that takes. He then lowers the face shape to the lower layer (step 7). This took him 1 minute and 28 seconds (from 1:00 to 2:28) but he cut out the node editing, so I will add at least another 30 secs for that, to make a total of about 2 minutes.

When I do the same thing (see this quick VIDEO), with the same gorilla face, I select the drawing tool and draw the shape for the face, which takes a mere 8 seconds (step 1), select the color (step 2), place underneath lines (step 3), and adjust nodes (step 4). Only four steps and 38 seconds. While I may not have the painterly ‘feel’, I save almost a minute and a half.

This shows newcomers here that while illustrator’s blob brush is nice, and gives you that feel you’re painting, it is sometimes more to do with how you enjoy painting, rather than really a time saver. Other times I’m sure the blob brush will be very hard to emulate quickly, which is why I think it would be a good addition to Xara.

[handrawn]

Steve perhaps I do not understand what you and Sheff mean by ERASE:

Hi Bill

I think Gary has answered this in post #13

I have been around this loop twice before - forgive me for the hobby-horsing


it is often said: "one of the joys of xtreme/designer is that there is always more than one way of doing the same thing"......

[Soquili]

...I think Gary has answered this in post #13 ...

Hi Steve, actually Gary's post does not answer my question. If there were a detailed explanation of how an Erasor was used to create the images, it may answer my question. Simply looking at Sheff's work does not tell me he used an erasor because there are other ways to achieve the same effects.

I'm not trying to be difficult, simply trying to learn why an erasor seems to be important to some people.