Re: [artworks] Ideas for new version

  • From: Richard Partridge <rkp@xxxxxxxxx>
  • To: artworks@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Mon, 08 Jan 2007 20:16:00 +0000 (GMT)

In article <0a7309a24e.martin@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Martin Wuerthner
<lists@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> In message <4ea1120a67rkp@xxxxxxxxx> Richard Partridge
>           <rkp@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> > - We often have to produce separations for the printer, but PDF
> > export of separations is not possible, though printer's marks can
> > be set.

> I am surprised that any printer that accepts PDF files cannot do
> the colour separation themselves. ..........

Point taken, and to be honest I'm never quite sure if our usual
printer uses the separations we supply, but we have had a different
printer recently who couldn't produce his own separations from RGB
files.

> > Bitmap export of separations is possible, but not with printer's
> > marks, and deep sprites don't separate. ......

> I am not aware of any problems with deep sprite colour separation
> in ArtWorks. Maybe you confuse that with AWRender, which cannot do
> that (for good reasons, but I still hope to add that on day),
> which means that deep sprites do not separate in ArtWorks files
> you embed in other applications' documents, which is an entirely
> different matter.

I'm sure you're right: I exported the separations from Ovation Pro in
order to get the printer's marks.

I suppose the basic point is that there's not much point in offering
separations at all without printer's marks, as no-one can use them.

> > - Graduated transparency would be even more useful if it could be
> > rectangular, to produce a soft edge to (e.g.) a sprite or a
> > semi-transparent text box.

> Unfortunately, rectangular transparency would be a rather special
> thing and of limited use, .........

> One feature I am considering that would allow what you want is
> alpha masking. .........

> Maybe it would be better to have a way to fade out the edges of an
> arbitrary object (Xara calls this "feathering"). That would give
> you less control but it would be far easier for the user to handle.

Alpha masking would be very useful. I'm thinking in particular of
wanting to put text over part of a fussy sprite. Partial transparency
of the text background is needed to make it readable, but a
sharp-edged box looks ugly. However, I'm sure there would be many
more uses for alpha masking.

Many thanks for your detailed reply. Dare I hope that the absence of
comment about object linking and embedding and bringing the grid to
the front means you are considering these?

Regards,

Richard Partridge.

-- 
Richard Partridge
rkp@xxxxxxxxx

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