Coreldraw X4 tests

[mezzi5]

Has anyone had the chance to check out the demo from

http://www.corel.com

or purchased the application?

Features revealed: (this is from personal use of the
demo - not text lifted from the website - please add
your own as you come across them Excuse if I repeat
features already in previous versions as I had previously been using using Corel 11 and briefly 13(at work) - (marked with a ? if not sure it was in a previous version)

- Installation quick and painless. Loading and shutdown
time of application are still lightning fast. Sports a
new interface design. Found it as intuitive as v11 if not more.

- updated import/export filters. Imports Illustrator CS3
(uncompressed) ai files. Drop shadows came in 100% black
CMYK bitmaps. Illustrator effects (3D, Extrude and Bevel
and Rotate) imported as CS3 ai files came in as expanded
objects. Visually identical to the ai files.

- step & repeat feature?

- page sorter view - easily manages multipage documents
Move, resize, flip orientation with ease.

- What the Font?! - font name recognition!!

- Interactive, Mesh Fills, Smart Fill, Smart Drawing.

- Virtual segment delete?

- Bezier and Shape tools: rotate and skew nodes?

- Photopaint: cutout lab?

- Easily create new menus/flyouts with existing commands.

PROBLEMS & QUESTIONS: still can't seem to change the default
'new' size of the document. I remember being able to do this
in v9 whereby I could start a document and it would automatically create an A4 with mm units (without having to change it manually).

- Auto centres powerclips - still have to go Tools>Options>Edit to change it.

- Double click to edit in Photopaint now an option command. Off by default.

- If you draw (eg) a rectangle with no fill, it now defaults to selecting the whole object even if you click in the middle of the object. No control panel button to turn this on/off like there used to be. Hope Corel hasnt done away with it completely!!!

 

[harry99]

"- Auto centres powerclips - still have to go Tools>Options>Edit to change it."

Oh dear, will these people never learn? Auto centre is extremely annoying, almost certainly completely unwanted and should absolutely NOT be the out-of-box default setting.

 

[Brushman]

I've been using X4 for a while, 'treat as filled' option is there and save settings as default is under the tools tab. Step and repeat is under the edit tab.
Alan D

 

[mezzi5]

Brushman: ok found the settings - thanks

harry99: ctrl-j, 3 clicks, auto centre p/clip off ..and?...

 

[harry99]

Yes, the default is easily removed -- but not so easily explained to a novice user that the reason why the program is doing something entirely unexpected is because they didn't possess the telepathy required to know it needed doing?

Think of it this way. You import an image, and you draw a circle, carefully position that circle so it shows the part of the image you want to see, and use it as a powerclip -- and, unexpectedly, it moves the middle of the image instead of the showing the part you've just carefully selected. What sense is there in that?

Auto-centre should NOT be the default, no matter how "easy" it is to change the default.

 

[Brushman]

Harry your opinion is shared by many, may be next time round, just keep spreading the word on how to change it and once changed don't forget to 'save settings as default'
Regards
Alan D

 

[mezzi5]

Cue violins.

The first time I powerclipped an object in Coreldraw sometime in 1997 and it snapped to the middle, I knew something wasnt quite right and found the remedy in a few minutes. No telepathy, sheer logic.

If a person can't see that they shouldn't be using the program or worse yet giving themselves a title that automatically qualifies them to use it. Another common case of operator inability vs application ability is Freehand, Illustrator or Coreldraw documents with overprint clicked on anything and everything in the document - its as though the operator has mysteriously come across this feature called 'overprint' and goes wild - I'd say that is easier to learn not to do (just dont click on it unless you know what you're doing) rather than an auto-centre powerclip setting - but it happens time and again. Also read RGB images, insanely low and high image resolutions, incorrect use of spot colours. Basically the inability to comprehend the basics of print/prepress hence the inability to *efficiently* use design programs. But 'ad augusta per angusta.' (to high places up narrow roads'.

Corel comes under alot of fire when it does something unexpected (which in most cases is easily corrected)...especially the auto centre powerclip, people shoot the application down in flames.
The basic truth is that it does what it does, and does it a whole lot better than its competition.

 

[mezzi5]

Before I'm shot down in flames...[ps to the above]...and I don't mean adding 100 plugins to do the same job. Another case in point and this is purely a feature in Draw (and I stand to be corrected) is Coreldraws print preview separations as black and white separations. Now, in other applications it would be more reasonable to say you need to be telepathic to print preview in your head?

 

[Brushman]

Hi Mezzie, finding the solution to the vast majority of Corel's features is not hard to do, this does assume that the user has a grain of sense and the nowse to look for it, judging by the files I get here (some from so called professional designers) it is clear that there is a large percentage that do not have this. When I first get a new version the first thing I do is go through it changing the defaults to my workflow, (not autocentreing powerclips being one) that said my defaults would not suit everyone, one mans meat is another mans poison.
Alan D

 

[mezzi5]

Agreed Brushman, I change alot of keyboard shortcuts with new installs.

Harry99: if I was still using defaults in design applications my workflow would be at a crawl. I would still be moving objects in Illustrator at 0.1mm increments - thank goodness I pulled out the skrying glass and found out I have to press ctrl-k, change increment, return EVERY TIME. )

 

[mezzi5]

- now has an "enhanced view with overprints" which reproduces overprints in a realistic manner onscreen. (no checkerboards or ooooo's) - this might have been in X3 already.

- pleasantly surprised that several Publisher jobs imported very well. Doesnt import xlsx but xls files came in alright utilising table structure.

- still in two minds whether I prefer the rigidity of Corels palette options/palette editor vs Freehand/Illustrator colour management. Find and replace works but seems dated.

Harry, are you with us dude?

 

[harry99]

Still here ... (intermittently).

Of course, one of the annoying things about the defaults is when you *have* changed them, and then you install an upgrade ... and it goes back to the "out of box" setting instead of importing the user settings from the previous version.

 

[Brushman]

True Harry and with an upgrade the workspace always seems more solid if you start from scratch rather import.
MeZZie overprint was in X3. If its find and replace colours you're after their is a very good macro from

http://recentfiles.netfirms.com/

Alan D

 

[NikkiVegas]

i see Brushman has found the "treat as filled" option in Corel X4, but im not finding it. did the name change? Can Brushman or someone else tell me how to turn this option off? thanks

 

[Brushman]

Can't remember if it's on the toolbar by default or if I put it there. If it's default - make sure nothing is selected and it will be on the top toolbar - OR - options - customisation - commands - toolbars (from dropdown) drag 'treat as filled' icon onto your desired position.
It is well worth going through these lists as many of your most used functions probably have icons that can be dragged onto a toolbar therefor saving many additional clicks.
Alan D

 

[mezzi5]

It has moved into the Options>Customization dialog in X4. It used to be on the toolbar by default. I think its under the pointer properties in customization. Turn treat as filled off.