Xara Xtreme
Encyclopedia
Xara Photo & Graphic Designer is a 2D
vector graphics editor
created by the British software company Xara
, which was acquired by German company MAGIX
AG in 2007, and now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary. It was previously sold under the names Xara Studio, Xara X and Xara Xtreme. There is a pro version called Xara Designer Pro (formerly Xara Xtreme Pro).
.
Xara Xtreme for Linux (formerly Xara Xtreme LX
or Xara LX for short) is the open source version for Linux
.
software products to provide a fully anti-aliased
display, advanced gradient fill, and transparency
tools, features now common to many vector graphics editors
.
Among vector editors, Xara Photo & Graphic Designer is considered to be fairly easy to learn, with similarities to CorelDRAW
and Inkscape
in terms of interface. Alongside the vector illustration tools, Xara Photo & Graphic Designer also includes an integrated photo tool, including auto-enhance, cropping, adjustment of brightness levels, red-eye fix, 'magic' erase, panoramas and content aware zoom. Efforts have been made to render the application appealing to web designers by adding tools for popular effects such as drop shadow
s and bevels. Designer Pro includes a wider range of tools for creating web pages and websites, including creation of NavBars & menus, mouseovers & pop-ups, browser preview and ftp upload. Both Xara Photo & Graphic Designer and Designer Pro also let you create Flash animations (without sound, as of version 5)... using almost all of the special Xara drawing tools.
The first version was released for Linux in October 2005, and Xara Group Ltd
announced it will release the source code of the trimmed down version under a free software licence
, the GPL
, and seek community help in porting it over to Linux
and Mac OS X
using the wxWidgets
toolkit.
At the opening of the Libre Graphics Meeting
2006 in Lyon, France, Xara released most of the source code of Xara Xtreme for Linux in an updated website with details on how to access the sources. According to the Xara Xtreme for Linux homepage, the released source code contains "the majority of the Xara Xtreme source code". Currently, the only part of Xara Xtreme for Linux that isn't under GPL is the CDraw rendering engine, that is only available in the form of static libraries for a few selected CPU architectures and at that only with support for the GCC
C++ compiler, though reportedly Xara is working on preparing that code for publication as well.
Xara has also granted write access to their subversion repository for some external developers. The website also carries stable and nightly Linux builds.
The 0.3 beta series for the first time allows use of the new *.xar file format for the open source version. Previous versions only supported opening and playing with bundled demo files. Version 0.5 was the first to also have functional save feature. The current beta version is 0.7.
A version for Mac OS X
is not yet working but is under development, and there is a call for developers on the open source project web site.
The progress of the Linux version has stalled and the program's website has not been updated since August 2006. No commits to SVN source code repository has been happening for same period of time.
A new project, xarino, was created in December 2008, which provides access to the project's source code. A new mailing list
was established in May 2009.
2D computer graphics
2D computer graphics is the computer-based generation of digital images—mostly from two-dimensional models and by techniques specific to them...
vector graphics editor
Vector graphics editor
A vector graphics editor is a computer program that allows users to compose and edit vector graphics images interactively on a computer and save them in one of many popular vector graphics formats, such as EPS, PDF, WMF, SVG, or VML....
created by the British software company Xara
Xara
Xara is a UK-based software company founded in 1981. It has developed software for a variety of computer platforms, in chronological order: The Acorn Atom, BBC Micro, Z88, Atari ST, Acorn Archimedes, Microsoft Windows and Linux. It was originally called Computer Concepts, Ltd.; the company name...
, which was acquired by German company MAGIX
MAGIX
MAGIX AG is an international provider of software, online services and digital contents for multimedia communications based in Berlin, Germany. The Company also operates from branches in the USA, Canada, the UK, France, Italy, Spain and the Netherlands...
AG in 2007, and now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary. It was previously sold under the names Xara Studio, Xara X and Xara Xtreme. There is a pro version called Xara Designer Pro (formerly Xara Xtreme Pro).
Supported platforms
Xara Photo & Graphic Designer was originally developed for Microsoft Windows and the commercial version currently runs only on Windows. Versions up to 4.x can be run on Linux using WineWine (software)
Wine is a free software application that aims to allow computer programs written for Microsoft Windows to run on Unix-like operating systems. Wine also provides a software library, known as Winelib, against which developers can compile Windows applications to help port them to Unix-like...
.
Xara Xtreme for Linux (formerly Xara Xtreme LX
Xara Xtreme LX
Xara Xtreme LX, also frequently called Xara LX for short, is an open source version of the commercial 2D vector graphics editor, Xara Xtreme...
or Xara LX for short) is the open source version for Linux
Linux
Linux is a Unix-like computer operating system assembled under the model of free and open source software development and distribution. The defining component of any Linux system is the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released October 5, 1991 by Linus Torvalds...
.
Development history
- The predecessor of Xara Photo & Graphic Designer, called ArtWorksArtworksArtWorks is an advanced vector drawing package for RISC OS created by Computer Concepts in 1991. It has been developed by MW Software since 1996. Xara has continued to develop a Windows version called Xara Photo & Graphic Designer....
, was developed on the Acorn ArchimedesAcorn ArchimedesThe Acorn Archimedes was Acorn Computers Ltd's first general purpose home computer to be based on their own ARM architecture.Using a RISC design with a 32-bit CPU, at its launch in June 1987, the Archimedes was stated as running at 4 MIPS, with a claim of 18 MIPS during tests.The name is commonly...
and Risc PCRisc PCThe RiscPC was Acorn Computers's next generation RISC OS/Acorn RISC Machine computer, launched on 15 April 1994, which superseded the Acorn Archimedes. The Acorn PC card and software allows PC compatible software to be run....
32-bit RISC computers running RISC OSRISC OSRISC OS is a computer operating system originally developed by Acorn Computers Ltd in Cambridge, England for their range of desktop computers, based on their own ARM architecture. First released in 1987, under the name Arthur, the subsequent iteration was renamed as in 1988...
. - The first version developed for Microsoft WindowsMicrosoft WindowsMicrosoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
was initially called Xara Studio, but before wide-scale public availability it was licensed to CorelCorelCorel Corporation from the abbreviation is a computer software company headquartered in Ottawa, Ontario, that specializes in graphics processing, similar to Adobe Systems...
Corporation, and from 1995 to 2000 was released as CorelXARA. Corel returned the licensing rights back to Xara in 2000. - The first version under the name Xara X was released in 2000 directly by its original owner.
- In 2004, the next version, Xara X¹, was released.
- Xara Xtreme was released in 2005.
- In October 2005, The Xara Group, Ltd. announced the plans to open the sourceOpen sourceThe term open source describes practices in production and development that promote access to the end product's source materials. Some consider open source a philosophy, others consider it a pragmatic methodology...
of Xara Xtreme under the GPLGNU General Public LicenseThe GNU General Public License is the most widely used free software license, originally written by Richard Stallman for the GNU Project....
and to seek community help in porting it over to LinuxLinuxLinux is a Unix-like computer operating system assembled under the model of free and open source software development and distribution. The defining component of any Linux system is the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released October 5, 1991 by Linus Torvalds...
and Mac OS XMac OS XMac OS X is a series of Unix-based operating systems and graphical user interfaces developed, marketed, and sold by Apple Inc. Since 2002, has been included with all new Macintosh computer systems...
. - In November 2006, an enhanced version of Xara Xtreme, Xara Xtreme PRO, was released.
- In May 2007, Xara Xtreme 3.2 and Xtreme Pro 3.2 were released. 3.2 Pro began inclusion of Xara 3D6 and more robust typography are features in both Xtreme versions.
- In April 2008, Xara Xtreme 4.0 was released. Major features include extended text-area handling, tighter integration of bitmap handling and HTMLHTMLHyperText Markup Language is the predominant markup language for web pages. HTML elements are the basic building-blocks of webpages....
export. - In June 2009, Xara Xtreme and Xara Xtreme Pro 5.1 were released. Features included more text-area enhancements, content-aware scalingSeam carvingSeam carving , is an algorithm for image resizing, developed by Shai Avidan, of Mitsubishi Electric Research Labs , and Ariel Shamir, of the Interdisciplinary Center and MERL...
of bitmap images, improved file import and export, Master page (repeated) objects, an Object Gallery (replacing the Layer Gallery), website creation tools, and multi-stage graduated transparency. - In June 2010, Xara Photo & Graphic Designer 6 and Xara Designer Pro 6 were released. Xtreme was renamed to Photo & Graphic Designer and Xtreme Pro was renamed to Designer Pro.
- In May 2011, Xara Photo & Graphic Designer 7 and Xara Designer Pro 7 were released. Features included 'magic' photo erase, user interface improvements to docking galleries and snapping alignment and (in Pro) new web page and website design features.
Notability
Xara Photo & Graphic Designer is notable for its usability and fast renderer. Xara Photo & Graphic Designer is also notable for being among the first vector graphicsVector graphics
Vector graphics is the use of geometrical primitives such as points, lines, curves, and shapes or polygon, which are all based on mathematical expressions, to represent images in computer graphics...
software products to provide a fully anti-aliased
Anti-aliasing
In digital signal processing, spatial anti-aliasing is the technique of minimizing the distortion artifacts known as aliasing when representing a high-resolution image at a lower resolution...
display, advanced gradient fill, and transparency
Alpha compositing
In computer graphics, alpha compositing is the process of combining an image with a background to create the appearance of partial or full transparency. It is often useful to render image elements in separate passes, and then combine the resulting multiple 2D images into a single, final image in a...
tools, features now common to many vector graphics editors
Comparison of vector graphics editors
A number of vector graphics editors for various platforms exist. Potential users of these editors will make a decision based on factors such as the availability for the user's platform, the feature set, usability of the user interface and the focus of the program. Some programs are more suitable...
.
Among vector editors, Xara Photo & Graphic Designer is considered to be fairly easy to learn, with similarities to CorelDRAW
CorelDRAW
CorelDRAW is a vector graphics editor developed and marketed by Corel Corporation of Ottawa, Canada. It is also the name of Corel's Graphics Suite...
and Inkscape
Inkscape
Inkscape is a free software vector graphics editor, licensed under the GNU General Public License. Its goal is to implement full support for the Scalable Vector Graphics 1.1 standard....
in terms of interface. Alongside the vector illustration tools, Xara Photo & Graphic Designer also includes an integrated photo tool, including auto-enhance, cropping, adjustment of brightness levels, red-eye fix, 'magic' erase, panoramas and content aware zoom. Efforts have been made to render the application appealing to web designers by adding tools for popular effects such as drop shadow
Drop shadow
In computer graphics, a drop shadow is a visual effect consisting of drawing that looks like the shadow of an object, giving the impression that the object is raised above the objects behind it. The drop shadow is often used for elements of a graphical user interface such as windows or menus, and...
s and bevels. Designer Pro includes a wider range of tools for creating web pages and websites, including creation of NavBars & menus, mouseovers & pop-ups, browser preview and ftp upload. Both Xara Photo & Graphic Designer and Designer Pro also let you create Flash animations (without sound, as of version 5)... using almost all of the special Xara drawing tools.
Versions for Microsoft Windows
| Version | Description | Release Date |
|---|---|---|
| Xara X | commercial version | 2000 |
| Xara X¹ | commercial version | 2004 |
| Xara Xtreme | commercial version with commercial plugins | 2005 |
| Xara Xtreme XS | a light version of Xara Xtreme without plugins and no bevel/shadow/outline tools, commercial version | 2006 |
| Xara Xtreme PRO | commercial version with enhanced functions | 2006 |
| Xara Xtreme and Xtreme PRO 3.2 | improved typography (Pro includes Xara 3D6) | May 2007 |
| Xara Xtreme and Xtreme PRO 4.0 | April 2008 | |
| Xara Xtreme and Xtreme PRO 5.0 | June 2009 | |
| Xara Photo & Graphic Designer 6 and Xara Designer Pro 6 | GUI redesign and tool updates and enhancements | June 2010 |
| Xara Photo & Graphic Designer 7 and Xara Designer Pro 7 | May 2011 |
Open source development
Xara Xtreme for Linux (or Xara Xtreme Linux Edition) is the open source version of Xara Xtreme. Formerly, it was called Xara Xtreme LX or just Xara LX; the abbreviation LX stands for Linux. The "LX" name is retained in some places (for example, the executable is still called "xaralx").The first version was released for Linux in October 2005, and Xara Group Ltd
Xara
Xara is a UK-based software company founded in 1981. It has developed software for a variety of computer platforms, in chronological order: The Acorn Atom, BBC Micro, Z88, Atari ST, Acorn Archimedes, Microsoft Windows and Linux. It was originally called Computer Concepts, Ltd.; the company name...
announced it will release the source code of the trimmed down version under a free software licence
Free software licence
A free software licence is a software licence which grants recipients rights to modify and redistribute the software, which would otherwise be prohibited by copyright law. A free software licence grants, to the recipients, freedoms in the form of permissions to modify or distribute copyrighted work...
, the GPL
GNU General Public License
The GNU General Public License is the most widely used free software license, originally written by Richard Stallman for the GNU Project....
, and seek community help in porting it over to Linux
Linux
Linux is a Unix-like computer operating system assembled under the model of free and open source software development and distribution. The defining component of any Linux system is the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released October 5, 1991 by Linus Torvalds...
and Mac OS X
Mac OS X
Mac OS X is a series of Unix-based operating systems and graphical user interfaces developed, marketed, and sold by Apple Inc. Since 2002, has been included with all new Macintosh computer systems...
using the wxWidgets
WxWidgets
wxWidgets is a widget toolkit for creating graphical user interfaces for cross-platform applications. wxWidgets enables a program's GUI code to compile and run on several computer platforms with minimal or no code changes...
toolkit.
At the opening of the Libre Graphics Meeting
Libre Graphics Meeting
The Libre Graphics Meeting is an annual convention for the discussion of free and open source software used with graphics; The first Libre Graphics Meeting was held in May 2006. Communities from Inkscape, GIMP, Krita, Scribus, sK1, Blender, Open Clip Art Library, Open Font Library, and more come...
2006 in Lyon, France, Xara released most of the source code of Xara Xtreme for Linux in an updated website with details on how to access the sources. According to the Xara Xtreme for Linux homepage, the released source code contains "the majority of the Xara Xtreme source code". Currently, the only part of Xara Xtreme for Linux that isn't under GPL is the CDraw rendering engine, that is only available in the form of static libraries for a few selected CPU architectures and at that only with support for the GCC
GNU Compiler Collection
The GNU Compiler Collection is a compiler system produced by the GNU Project supporting various programming languages. GCC is a key component of the GNU toolchain...
C++ compiler, though reportedly Xara is working on preparing that code for publication as well.
Xara has also granted write access to their subversion repository for some external developers. The website also carries stable and nightly Linux builds.
The 0.3 beta series for the first time allows use of the new *.xar file format for the open source version. Previous versions only supported opening and playing with bundled demo files. Version 0.5 was the first to also have functional save feature. The current beta version is 0.7.
A version for Mac OS X
Mac OS X
Mac OS X is a series of Unix-based operating systems and graphical user interfaces developed, marketed, and sold by Apple Inc. Since 2002, has been included with all new Macintosh computer systems...
is not yet working but is under development, and there is a call for developers on the open source project web site.
The progress of the Linux version has stalled and the program's website has not been updated since August 2006. No commits to SVN source code repository has been happening for same period of time.
A new project, xarino, was created in December 2008, which provides access to the project's source code. A new mailing list
Mailing list
A mailing list is a collection of names and addresses used by an individual or an organization to send material to multiple recipients. The term is often extended to include the people subscribed to such a list, so the group of subscribers is referred to as "the mailing list", or simply "the...
was established in May 2009.
See also
- Comparison of vector graphics editorsComparison of vector graphics editorsA number of vector graphics editors for various platforms exist. Potential users of these editors will make a decision based on factors such as the availability for the user's platform, the feature set, usability of the user interface and the focus of the program. Some programs are more suitable...
- InkscapeInkscapeInkscape is a free software vector graphics editor, licensed under the GNU General Public License. Its goal is to implement full support for the Scalable Vector Graphics 1.1 standard....
is a free vector editor whose interface was influenced by Xara X - List of vector graphics editors
External links
- Xara Photo & Graphic Designer and Designer Pro homepage
- Xara homepage
- Xara Xtreme for Linux homepage of the open source version
- XaraXone.com: Xara Xtreme, Photo & Graphic Designer and Designer Pro tutorials
- TalkGraphics.com - the forum with the most active Xara user base
- Articles about Xara on about.com
- Artworks 2 - The Artworks codebase is still maintained and extended by Martin Würthner
- Linux Graphics Users - Offers XaraLX users a place to gather and discuss XaraLX and share tips and artwork created with XaraLX