New Xara Features 

DISCLAIMER: The features shown here are from the beta (test) version of Xara. The  design of the features and interface may change in the release version and certain features may not be released with the next version of Xara.

OK, what this means is that at the current time, many of these features are still under development. And while most of the features I am going to show you are reasonably stable (for a beta version), if Xara does not feel the features are ready for prime time, they will save them for a future release.

Profiles are a new interface feature that determine how an effect is executed. They come in two kinds, Presets (the boxes with the funny lines), and user defined (the sliders).

Profiles are available for many of the new Xara tools and effects. The preset Profiles shown here have been applied to a 2-color Linear filled rectangle.

• Profile 0 (1st filled rectangle) The center of the fill is in the center of the shape. This is the default Profile.
• Profile 1 (2nd rectangle) The center point of the fill has been shifted to the left.
• Profile 2 (3rd rectangle) The center point of the fill has been shifted to the right.
• Profile 3 (4th rectangle) Widens the center of the fill.
• Profile 4 (last filled rectangle) Narrows the center of the fill. Compare this to Profile 0.

Profiles are used with most of the major effects and are the equivalent of CorelDRAW's Interactive Controls.

BLENDS As you can see on the left there is much excitement in the Blend Tool department.

The chrome pretzel is in reality two multicolored filled circles that have been blended in 999 steps on a path. Blends on a Path blend along the whole path and can also be rotated along the path.

Shown at the bottom of the illustration are various profile settings.

While the preset Profiles are the same for the Blend Tool, there are two dialogs. Shown here is the Attribute Profile dialog which determines the spacing of the objects seen in the three blends top right above. The vertical row of lines, in the Position Profile, change to graphically represent the settings effect.

Not shown is the Position Profile dialog that changes the distribution of the blend colors as seen top left.