what™s new in coreldraw 11? - mcgraw-hill...

C H A P T E R 1

What’s New inCorelDRAW 11?

FUNDAMENTAL (8) / CorelDRAW 11: The Official Guide / Bain / 222603-X / Chapter 1blind folio 1:3

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4 CorelDRAW 11: The Official Guide

FUNDAMENTAL (8) / CorelDRAW 11: The Official Guide / Bain / 222603-X / Chapter 1

Whether you’ve recently upgraded to CorelDRAW 11 or you’re a brand-newuser, it helps to know what’s new and different from past versions. This

chapter highlights the most significant features that have been added or changedsince version 10 and serves as a divining rod to places where you may find moreinformation in this book.

Better Productivity and PerformanceCorelDRAW 11 is a more efficient drawing tool. Corel has spared no effort inoptimizing its PC platform release for the latest Windows XP operating systemadvancements and has, for the first time, simultaneously developed a MacintoshOS X version.

Simultaneous Macintosh and Windows VersionsCorelDRAW Graphics Suite 11 is fully optimized for Windows XP, meaning itsupports Microsoft’s theme-aware user interface and visual styles as well as softwareinstallation and deployment. As you’ll discover, all applications in Corel’s suiteconform to strict data and settings management guidelines that separate user-editablefiles and application defaults from the application and other settings. Windows userswill require a minimum Windows 98, Windows NT 4.0 (with service pack 6 orhigher installed), Windows Me, Windows 2000, or Windows XP operating system;running on a minimum Pentium II, 200 MHz or greater processor equipped with64MB RAM (minimum) or 128MB RAM (recommended and required for WindowsXP); a mouse or tablet; 1024 × 768 screen resolution; CD-ROM drive; and 200MBof available hard disk space for a minimum installation.

In addition to the fact that Corel earned top marks with Macintosh users forCorelDRAW 10, CorelDRAW Graphics Suite 11 makes even more headway withMac OS X. The entire suite has been “carbonized” and features the sleek Aquauser interface. Specifically, Macintosh users will require a minimum OS 10.1operating system, running on Power Mac G3 or higher processor, equipped with128MB RAM, a mouse or tablet, 1024 × 768 screen resolution, CD-ROM drive,and 250MB of available hard disk space.

One-Click Solution for Saving Customization DefaultBecause every user has his or her own particular working styles and needs, Corelhas streamlined CorelDRAW 11’s workspace features to enable you quickly tocustomize any interface component and export or e-mail settings to share withother users. You may also quickly save application defaults, including fonts,



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colors, and application settings such as nudge and duplicate distance, using theSave Settings As Default command, as shown next. For more information oncustomizing CorelDRAW 11, see Chapter 28.

Object HandlingCorelDRAW has new object handling capabilities: you can define objects assymbol, shape objects using new tools and shaping operations, and control objectsnapping using more cursor positions and object anatomy.

SymbolsThis feature has long been sought after by users who create multiple copies of similarobjects and who wish to keep file sizes in check. You may now define objects assymbols, as shown next, and create multiple instances without dramatically increasingyour drawing file size. Symbols created in CorelDRAW 11 are supported whenexporting to SWF, SVG, and PDF, helping to reduce file size in exported files.

Symbols are managed through use of the command menus and the new Librarydocker, shown next. While an instance is selected, you may apply differenttransparency values without affecting the original symbol’s properties, or you maychange specific properties, such as size, rotation, skew, and object position of

CHAPTER 1: What’s New in CorelDRAW 11? 5






individual symbols. For more information on using the new Symbols feature, seeChapter 11.

New Shaping CapabilitiesNew additions to shaping operations enable you to create new shapes based onexisting shapes in three new ways, shown next. You may Simplify selected objectsor remove portions of objects either in front or in back of other objects.

■ Simplify Objects Remove all nonvisible and hidden portions of objectslayered behind visible objects. This command is useful for making anintricate arrangement of drawing shapes far less complicated by removingany hidden portions and/or separating linked effects—all in a singlecommand. For more information, see Chapter 10.

SimplifyFront Minus Back

Back Minus Front




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■ Front Minus Back The new Front Minus Back shaping operationenables you to remove hidden portions of the shape layered in back fromthe shape in front. Where more than two shapes are selected, it will removeall portions where the shapes in back are overlapped by the shape in front,leaving only the shape in front remaining. For more information, seeChapter 10.

■ Back Minus Front The new Back Minus Front shaping command worksin reverse of Front Minus Back, enabling you to remove portions of theshape layered in front from the shape in back. When more than two shapesare selected, it will remove all portions where the shapes in front overlapthe shape in back, leaving only the shape in back remaining. For moreinformation, see Chapter 10.

Improved Object Snapping ControlCorelDRAW 11’s new snapping options, shown next, enable you to controlsnapping behavior while moving and/or creating objects. You may choose toinclude your cursor position in the snapping action, as well as object nodes, andchoose from one of three snapping threshold settings. While drawing objects, youmay include nodes, object center points, or object bounding boxes. For moreinformation, see Chapter 5.

Align and DistributeObject Align and Distribute commands have been streamlined to provide easieraccess to alignment functions, as well as a new Align And Distribute dialog,



shown next, which remains open for easier access and to enhance your controlover the position of objects. For more information, see Chapter 11.

Convert Paragraph Text to CurvesYou may now apply creative effects to blocks of paragraph text while stillmaintaining the appearance of paragraph effects (such as bullets and justification)using the Convert To Curves (CTRL+Q) command, shown next. Previous versionsof CorelDRAW allowed only Artistic Text objects to be converted to curves,which in turn eliminated any paragraph formatting. For more information onworking with Paragraph Text, see Chapter 12.

A Host of New ToolsWhat would a new release of CorelDRAW be without a few new tools? Try thenew Smudge or Roughen Brush tool, or create straight and/or curved lines withmore control using the new Polyline and Pen tools. You may now also createcurves, rectangles, and ellipses using new 3-point tools.





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Smudge ToolThe Smudge Tool is a new addition to the shape-related tools in CorelDRAW 11,and it offers the ability to alter the outlines of shapes interactively in variousfreehand-style ways. Using this tool, you may apply effects to the outline shapesof open- or closed-path shapes by click-dragging across the outline path, as shownnext. As you drag, the path is altered according to your drag action and the shapesettings of the Smudge Tool cursor. Use Smudge Tool options to set the Nib, DryOut, Stylus Pressure, Tilt, and Bearing characteristics of smudge actions. For moreinformation, see Chapter 10.

Roughen Brush ToolUse the new Roughen Brush to apply distortion effects to the outline path of shapes byapplying spike patterns almost perpendicular to the path, shown next. As you apply theeffect, line segments and nodes are automatically added, creating spike effects. UseRoughen Brush options to control Nib Size, Stylus Pressure, Spike Frequency, DryOut, Tilt, Spike Direction, and Bearing. For more information, see Chapter 18.







Polyline ToolThe new Polyline Tool is a hybrid of the Freehand Tool that enables you to drawas if you were sketching by freehand on a sketch pad. Sketched lines create asingle open or closed vector path. Click-drag actions create continuous lines, butafter releasing the mouse button, your cursor will still be active, enabling you tocontinue drawing straight or curved bézier lines using additional clicks, shownnext. For more information, see Chapter 9.

Pen ToolThe new Pen Tool—a hybrid of the Bézier Tool—enables you to draw quicklyeither straight lines or curved lines with the added optional ability of previewingthe shape of new curves before they are defined, as shown next. For moreinformation, see Chapter 9.

3-Point Rectangle ToolThe new 3-Point Rectangle Tool enables you to create typical rectangularobjects at angles, shown next, without the need to create and then rotate a typicalrectangle. For more information on drawing 3-point rectangles, see Chapter 8.




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3-Point Ellipse ToolSimilar to the 3-Point Rectangle Tool, the 3-Point Ellipse Tool enables you tocreate ellipses at precise angles, shown next, without the need to create and thenrotate a typical ellipse. The ellipse you create is a typical ellipse with no specialproperties beyond the way it was created. You may still set it to an arc or a piewedge and manipulate it as any other shape. For more information on creating3-point ellipses, see Chapter 8.



3-Point Curve ToolThe new 3-Point Curve Tool enables you to create smooth arc shapes, shown next,with precision and without the need for bézier drawing. For more information oncreating 3-point curves, see Chapter 9.

Importing and ExportingWhen it comes to exchanging text or images with other applications, Corel isa true leader and provides the most advanced set of importing and exportingcontrols. Enhancements in this realm include more extensive file formatcompatibility, sophisticated scalable vector graphic input and output, enhancedobject layering options for both Photoshop and PHOTO-PAINT file formats, andimproved text import options.

File Import and Export CompatibilityCorelDRAW Graphics Suite 11 now supports more than 100 export and importfilters, including JPEG 2000, Macromedia Flash, Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG),Data Exchange File (DXF), AutoCAD (DWG), CompuServe GIF, and much more.CorelDRAW Graphics Suite 11 is compatible with more file formats than anyother graphic design application.

Scalable Vector Export FilterCorel has significantly refined Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) import andexport. SVG is a file format that describes 2D graphics using Extensible MarkupLanguage (XML), an open-source language created and endorsed by the WorldWide Web Consortium (W3C). CorelDRAW 11 now enables you to importand export SVG and compressed SVG (SVGZ) files. SVG functionality in





CorelDRAW 11 complies with the SVG 1.0 specifications, specifically thefollowing:

■ New support for presentation attributes styling

■ New support for character subsetting options for font embedding

■ Enhanced graphic size and view box control

■ Enhanced support for units and origin control that help make SVG codemore easily understood

■ Additional page and object data that can now be maintained as elementsdefined in a custom XML namespace

■ User-defined object, group, and layer names that are maintained as IDswhen exporting to SVG

Object Layers when Exporting to Photoshopor PHOTO-PAINTCorelDRAW 11 now enables you to preserve layers from the original CorelDRAWfile when exporting bitmaps to Adobe Photoshop (PSD) and Corel PHOTO-PAINT(CPT) file formats. You may now also choose a transparent background whenexporting images to apply soft masks to exported bitmap images automatically.

More Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) SupportCorelDRAW 11’s PDF export filter now supports symbols, all transparency types,and mesh fills, which dramatically reduce the size of the PDF files you may create.CorelDRAW 11’s PDF import filter also now supports all transparency types andmesh fills, with the added ability to specify page ranges when importing PDF filesto import only the required graphics or content.

More AutoCAD DXF/DWG SupportCorelDRAW 11 now supports auto-closing curves. You can also extract awireframe from a 3D file along predefined projections and automatically reducenodes on complex lines. CorelDRAW 11 also supports Panose font matchingwhen importing graphics containing text.


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Keep or Discard Text Formatting on Import or PasteWhen importing text from other applications using the Import command or whenpasting text from the clipboard, you now have the option of choosing whether toretain original font formatting.





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