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SP1 and AVG

July 6th, 2008 Val

I had no problems downloading and installing SP1 for X4. Haven’t had time to play with it as the big move is happening this Thursday. However, I will tell you that some folks are having problems installing it if they are using the AVG anti-virus program. The only fix anyone has found is to UNINSTALL AVG before you install SP1, then re-install AVG. The safe way to do that is to download SP1 and save it to your hard drive. Disconnect temporarily from the internet (use the Control Panel if you’re on a Broadband connection), uninstall AVG, install SP1, re-install AVG, re-connect to the internet.

Have fun!

Val P.

Posted in CorelDRAW | No Comments »

CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X4 SP 1 really is out!

June 24th, 2008 Val

The link in my previous post will work to get you there and you can download directly. Here is another link to it. If neither one works for you, follow the instructions below the link.

http://corel.com/servlet/Satellite/us/en/Content/1153321224268?pid=1205332430735

So far on the Corel.com site, you’ve got to go to the Support link, choose Patches and Updates, then scroll down to the “Also available:” and click on the “Full list of updates for all products.” From there you can choose CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X4 and get the download. You’ll need to do this if you aren’t in the USA as the link above is the USA support link. (I THINK the download is the exact same one for all languages that CDGS X4 is available in currently, but better safe than sorry.)

The Automatic Update probably won’t become active until sometime later this week. For lots of specific information on SP1, I recommend Gérard’s blog about SP 1. (It includes the Read Me notes from the download.)

The official Press Release blog is here but it doesn’t tell you much.

I’m in the process of downloading it myself now, so I’ll let you know what I think when I get a chance to play with it. Unfortunately, as many of you know, I’m also in the process of moving to a new house, so computer time is at a bare minimum. If I see any other reviews of the SP1 pack I’ll let you know that, too.

Have fun!

Val P.

Posted in CorelDRAW | No Comments »

SP1 available for CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X4!

June 24th, 2008 Val

If you don’t have auto-update turned on, you may not notice that there is an important update for X4 out. SP-1 is now available and it fixes a lot of the niggling problems X4 has had since it’s release.

Find it here:

http://www.corel.com/servlet/Satellite/us/en/Content/1157481830100?pid=1213733086367

(While you’re there, you’ll notice that they’ve revamped the Corel.com site!)

With SP 1, big improvements have been made in the way CorelDRAW X4 handles layers not only internally, but also when saving back to previous versions. This problem has kept a lot of folks from using X4 professionally, but layer names are now kept when saving to previous versions so long as they are consistent through the document. (Older versions couldn’t really handle layer names changing through the document, so saving back documents with changing layer names on various pages will probably result in lots of layers and loss of the naming scheme. I haven’t tried it out as of this writing as I’m writing before the SP comes out. If you try it, let me know how it goes. I’ll be working on moving this week.)

There are also lots of other improvements including improved TIF export and improved anti-aliasing in bitmap exports.

Corel PhotoPaint has also had some tweaking done, so SP1 will apply to that as well.

Do the update, check it out, and let me know what you think!

Have fun!

Val P.

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Sources of inspiration and things to think about

June 13th, 2008 Val

While you’re waiting for me to get my act together, you might want to check out a few other blogs in the meantime. Theres one at CorelDRAW.com highlighting some of the gallery work there. That’s a great place for inspiration and to get to know some of what’s possible with CorelDRAW.

There’s a nice little blog post about the Apple/Microsoft, Adobe/Corel controversy over at Accroya’s Blog. This is the only blog post on that site, but hopefully there will be more forthcoming.

Finally, something that has little to do with CorelDRAW, but is an interesting read by a CorelDRAW friend Rikk Flohr: When Disaster Strikes proves that you can get decent images even with a cell phone camera if you know what you’re doing.

Have fun! It’s back to packing and cleaning for me.

Val P.

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More info on the CorelDRAW Unleashed Mag.

June 12th, 2008 Val

Yesterday I mentioned that current the CorelDRAW Unleashed e-magazine was out, but I couldn’t find the articles. I sent a note to Foster, the author/editor of the magazine and he did indeed respond. It seems you’ve got to download the magazine to your hard drive to really read it. You do that by clicking on the graphic of the “front cover”. Instructions are actually on the page.

My apologies to Foster. Guess my brain is more fogged than usual with packing/moving arrangements.

Have fun!

Val P.

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CorelDRAW Unleashed Magazine out today

June 11th, 2008 Val

Hey y’all! Just wanted to alert you to a new issue of Foster Coburn’s CorelDRAW Unleashed Magazine. If you are not currently getting this emailed newsletter/magazine, you’re missing out on some great tips and tutorials. As with most of these sorts of things, it’s more advertising than meat at first glance, but take the time to browse through it and you’ll be sure to find something of worth. This month’s issue is primarily describing the CorelDRAW Unleashed user conference on the front page. There’s a list of other articles in the newsletter that’s usually a set of links, but if anyone can find the actual articles, please let me know! (I’ve sent Foster an email asking for clarification. I’m sure it will be forthcoming. We’ll let you know when I know. Some of those articles look interesting.)

Please forgive the dearth of blog posts lately. I’ve got a nice little tutorial on using text on a path coming when I can get my head above water, but right now I’m getting ready to relocate my household next week, so things are rather hectic around here.

Have fun!

Val P.

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Macros and X4

May 30th, 2008 Val

In the CorelDRAW - Continuing the Adventure class, I introduce students to the world of Macros. We don’t actually write any with the exception of using the Undo Docker, but we do look at a few that are included with the software. In his May 22 blog at Graphics Unleashed, Foster Coburn mentions several popular macros that have been updated for X4. One of those is the Calendar Wizard by Alex Vakulenko - a master macro builder. There is a Calendar Wizard included in the CorelDRAW VBA installation, but it is a pale version of the one on Alex’s OberonPlace site. (You can also get it from Foster’s site.) If you print calendars in your line of business, it may well be worth taking a look at the “pro” version of the Calendar Wizard. While you’re at Oberon, be sure to check out his other scripts and tutorials. If you use macros much, be sure to check out his online forum.

As for those of you who are beginners, don’t be afraid to venture into Macro Land. (My own term for a state of mind where macros are not scary pieces of code, but simply one more tool in the great CorelDRAW toolbox.) Sign up for Continuing the Adventure this fall, and we’ll ease you into it gently.

Have fun!

Val P.

Posted in CorelDRAW, CorelDRAW Continued, CorelDRAW Intro | 5 Comments »

CorelDRAW Open/Import & Save As/Export/Publish

May 24th, 2008 Val

One of the things that frequently confuses new users of CorelDRAW is that there are at least two different ways to get documents into the program (not counting copy/paste) and at least another three to get documents from the program out to data storage. Let’s look at getting existing documents INTO CorelDRAW to start out with.

CorelDRAW can open gobs of file formats. If you install CorelDRAW without using the custom install, you may not have the full set. Even if you did install the full set, you can turn some of them off and on in the Tools/Options Global -> Filters dialog. Feel free to explore that list sometime, but right now, we’re headed to the File menu.

In the File menu are two kinds of document open commands. The first is File/Open (Ctrl+O). Use Open to open formats that CorelDRAW thinks of as primarily VECTOR files. This list will vary depending on your version of CorelDRAW, but includes not only the native CDR and CMX files, but AI, EPS, PDF (in some versions) DWG, PUB, WMF and a bunch of others that you may or may not think of as primarily vector in nature.

The second menu command is File/Import (Ctrl+I). One thing you need to know about this one is that you must have an already open document in CorelDRAW to import a file. The file being imported will be placed into that open document rather than as an independent document. When you Import a document, you’ll get a little cursor showing where the top left of your file will go. Attached to that cursor will be some descriptive information about your imported file and some hints about where to put it. You can place the imported file with your mouse by moving that corner cursor to where you want it and simply click to place the file at it’s full size there. Alternatively, you can tap your Enter key and that will place your file centered on the page. Finally, you can click and drag to resize your file proportionally. For some files, pressing the Space bar will place the file centered on the page. For others, it will place the file wherever it was originally placed on a page in it’s original formatted file.

The Import command, unlike the Open command, is not limited to just Vector files or just Bitmap files. You can import a JPG image (or most other bitmaps) or you can import a multipage CDR file (or most of the other vector formats that CorelDRAW can open). If you import a file that has multiple pages, the pages will be created for you in your open file provided they don’t already exist. Layers are also created on the fly during the import process. Depending on the complexity of the file, Importing a file can take a bit of time, so be patient.

The one thing you cannot do in either Open or Import is to acquire a file that was created in a newer version of a program than was in existence when your version of CorelDRAW came out. This isn’t just true in CorelDRAW, but in just about any program out there. Older programs have no idea what to do with the features in newer programs. Also, in general, newer versions of CorelDRAW are more successful importing files in non-CorelDRAW Graphics suite formats.

As to those output options? If you want the file saved as a vector format, choose Save or Save As. If you need it in GIF, TIF, JPG, or PNG or any of several other bitmap formats, use the Export command. If you need a PDF, choose Publish to PDF. If you are creating an image map for the web, use the Publish to the Web option.

Also, keep in mind that though you may see what you’d normally think of as a vector file in the Export list, just about everything exported ends up as a bitmap. If you want vector, use Save As.

You CAN create a simple GIF or JPG using the Publish to the Web option, but in general, it’s more of a pain than it’s worth since you need to be working in 1:1 zoom mode if you want your graphics to be any specific size.

Well, I know I’ve probably oversimplified some things (and possibly made others more complex than they need to be) but I’d love to hear from you about your tips for getting images and documents into and out of CorelDRAW.

Have fun!

Val P.

Posted in CorelDRAW, CorelDRAW Intro | No Comments »

Vista Open/Save dialog images

May 17th, 2008 Val

Thank goodness - and the good techie folks, especially Becky and Kat at LVS - the comments link has been fixed. Yesterday I posted a note about the Open dialog in Vista. Folks using CorelDRAW X4 need to take note of this since much of the functionality that used to be in the CorelDRAW interface has now been left to Vista.

I did get the details to stick by simply saving a file and closing the program. Next time I opened it, all the details were there for that FOLDER. Unfortunately, I don’t think you can customize per program. There are some details that make more sense with a photo program like PhotoPaint (various exif info) and some that make more sense with CorelDRAW. You can customize the details you see for these in Explorer for each FOLDER, so if you keep your photo projects separate from your vector projects, you’ll get the details you need. If you make the customizations in Explorer outside of the Open/Save dialog, you can even apply your details preferences to any subfolders.

Here are some screen shots of the open dialog. I’ve added a BUNCH of details to the dialog, more than what most folks would want, but you should go through the list and decide what makes the most sense for you and how you work. Take a look at the details (More) list by right clicking in the headings line. You’d be amazed at some of the things you can add. For CorelDRAW folks, you can get a list of embedded fonts, see if there are external bitmaps, make all sorts of project notes, see word counts and object counts. It’s a pretty amazing list and worth the time to take a gander.

I’ll apologize for the image quality here on the blog. It seems to automatically resize things strangely. If you right click on an image and choose “View Image” or something like that in your browser, you’ll get a much clearer picture.

Left side of Open dialog:

Right side of Open dialog:

Save As dialog showing where to click to add Tags to your file:

Have fun!

Val P.

Posted in CorelDRAW, Windows Vista | 1 Comment »

A work in progress

May 16th, 2008 Val

Please pardon the state of this blog. I’m just now learning what I’m doing. I have no idea why the Comments area has suddenly vanished. If you’ve been trying to get hold of me, please send me an email. I’ll try to get the comments section working again ASAP.

Val P.

Posted in CorelDRAW | 3 Comments »