Gérard on Graphics

How to answer?

Gerard Metrailler — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 20:56:00 GMT

Sometimes it can be hard to answer requests from users, and then again, sometimes, there are the letters as the one below.

After going through our archives, I am happy to let you know that we have been able to help this person.

Beta testers needed for future versions of CorelDRAW / Corel PHOTO-PAINT

Gerard Metrailler — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 13:29:00 GMT

In an ongoing effort to deliver great products, Corel regularly invites users of its products to register for participation in the beta testing of future applications. Last week, we opened-up the registration process for beta testing future versions of CorelDRAW Graphics Suite, including CorelDRAW and Corel PHOTO-PAINT. As a beta tester, you would preview software that can include improvements on the current version of CorelDRAW Graphics Suite through new features and functionality. To participate in the CorelDRAW Graphics Suite Beta Program, you must be proficient in English, able to commit to testing the applications for approximately 5-6 hours per week, report the issues you find and have high speed Internet access.

If you are interested in participating, you can find the form and additional information to register on the CorelDRAW Graphics Suite Beta participation request page. Please note that we normally get a high level of requests and we will only contact the candidates who have been selected.

Thank you in advance for your help in making our future products even better.

International CorelDRAW Design Contest - Winners have been announced

Gerard Metrailler — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 15:37:00 GMT

Earlier this morning, we announced the winners of the CorelDRAW International Design Contest. Overall, we received more than 1,500 submissions from over 60 countries, reflecting the global popularity and appeal of CorelDRAW Graphics Suite. A key component of our ongoing 20th anniversary celebration for CorelDRAW Graphics Suite, this contest truly reflected the diversity, creativity and talent of the global CorelDRAW user community.

The grand-prize winning entry, "The Portrait With a Rose," was submitted in the General Illustration and Fine Arts category by Aleksey Oglushevich of Russia. Drawn from all corners of the globe, all of the winning entries reflect the growing popularity of CorelDRAW Graphics Suite in emerging markets such as Latin America, Eastern Europe and Asia Pacific. Congratulations to everyone who participated.

Here are the links to the web pages (in the different languages) announcing all the winners:

English - North America: www.corel.com/coreldrawdesigncontest
English - Europe / UK: www.corel.co.uk/coreldrawdesigncontest
English - Australia / New Zealand: www.corel.com.au/coreldrawdesigncontest
French: www.corel.fr/concoursdesigncoreldraw
Spanish: www.corel.es/concursocoreldraw
Italian: www.it.corel.com/concorsodidesigncoreldraw
German: www.corel.de/designwettbewerb
Dutch: www.corel.nl/ontwerpwedstrijdvoorcoreldraw
Polish: www.corel.com/pl/konkurscoreldraw
Russian: www.corel.com/ru/coreldrawdesigncontest
Czech: www.corel.com/cz/soutezcoreldraw

CorelDRAW Color Management 101 Webinar

Gerard Metrailler — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 15:23:00 GMT

On Wednesday, July 22, 2009 from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM EDT, Corel will host a free Webinar about Color Management 101 for CorelDRAW.

This webinar will be led by David Milisock whom you all know in the CorelDRAW.com community as THE color management specialist. He is also the author of the "Color Management in the CorelDRAW Graphics Suite" book.

During this webinar, he will take you through optimization for Web, RGB, Desktop printing, Professional Output & CMYK workflow. The goal is for you to leave with the knowledge to ensure your designs are as vibrant in print as on screen!

Corel DESIGNER Technical Suite X4 Service Pack 1 now available

Gerard Metrailler — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 20:47:00 GMT

Hot of the development team, we just released the first update for Corel DESIGNER Technical Suite X4, also known as Service Pack 1. Once installed, the version number of Corel DESIGNER and of Corel PHOTO-PAINT will be 14.1.0.235 (the original version was 14.1.0.195) and the version number of Right Hemisphere Deep Exploration will be 5.7.3.4854. SP1 will be made available shortly through the automatic in-product update system. In the mean-time, here is the link to download the Corel DESIGNER Technical Suite X4 Service Pack 1, which is a free download for everyone who has purchased Corel DESIGNER Technical Suite X4. The big new enhancements is that you can now import 3D objects as curves into DESIGNER, a request we heard from quite a few of our users.

Update: For those who want to find out more in detail about this service pack, have a look at the detailed blog post from Klaus which also includes great extra macros to help further optimize your 3D CAD files imports..

Service Pack 1 offers enhancements in the following areas:

General

Service Pack 1 includes previously released Hot Fix 1 and Localization Pack 1.

Corel DESIGNER

Corel DESIGNER Technical Suite X4 applications will now start after Autodesk Inventor 2009, AutoCAD Mechanical 2009, or Microsoft SQL Server 2008 is installed.
Shortcuts assigned to Gravity Snapping by default can now be assigned to other commands.
User settings are maintained in the Shaping Docker on application re-launch.
Clipboard recognizes multiple Corel DESIGNER instances.
Files that contain macros will now open correctly on Windows 7 (beta).
Symbol libraries that contain symbols with Text on Path will no longer crash the application when accessed.
Dimensions on hidden layers will no longer crash the application.
Dimensions on the master layer are now visible.
Dimensions units in version 12 files are maintained correctly when opening the file in version X4.

Corel PHOTO-PAINT

Resampling image produce consistent results.

Filters

Opening or importing DSF files from version 9 or earlier will now have the correct text placement on vertical callouts.
Cropped images are maintained when opening or importing DSF files.
Blank lines in artistic or paragraph text boxes are maintained when opening or importing DSF files.
Exporting to DXF (r10) will result in smaller file size.
Associative hatch fills are maintained when importing DXF/DWG files.
Files exported as DXF Version 2000 - 2008 open correctly in DWG TrueView.
Font names are now published accurately when publishing files to PDF.
Connector lines from imported VSD files move with objects as expected.
Objects are no longer broken into individual pieces when importing VSD files.
Arrowheads on connector lines are maintained when importing VSD files.
Page names are maintained when opening VSD files.
Specific objects are maintained correctly when importing VSD files.
Exported TIFF files no longer contain un-necessary tags.
Line widths are maintained correctly when exporting to TIFF with less then 300 dpi.
Print and Export Background option is respected when exporting CGM files.

Right Hemisphere Deep Exploration

Unique bezier curve support for converting 3D Solid models into high quality technical illustrations.
Updated and enhanced 3D CAD file format support (Deep Exploration CCE only).
Materials, Animation, Layers and Parts panels can be moved and docked from Scene Components panel.
Enhanced WebCGM export including automatic hotspot creation and XML companion file.
Improved halo/arrow size for callouts with user-defined thickness to adhere to S1000 D requirements.

Call for the next CorelDRAW newsletter

Gerard Metrailler — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 20:38:00 GMT

Hello all,

we are currently working on the next CorelDRAW newsletter that is scheduled to go out in August in many countries around the world, and I wanted to open up a call to the community to see if you had something that you would like us to highlight in that newsletter?

In the past, we provided links to tutorials, macros, tips & tricks, training, ... and a lot more. Anything you would like to contribute, let me know. The best is to contact me per email or to send me a private message through the community.

Gérard

Corel APAC Digital Art Competition Winners Announced

Gerard Metrailler — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 12:54:00 GMT

In addition to the CorelDRAW International Design Contest, for which the voting process is currently well under way, Corel also ran an Asia-Pacific Digital Art Competition, covering all the graphics and digital media products from Corel. The winners for the Asia-Pacific contest where announced today, and there is only one word that comes to my mind: amazing!

The grand prize winner, Moon Jong Ho in Korea, created a video project with Corel VideoStudio:

There are also some amazing winners who created their designs with CorelDRAW (some of them have also been submitted to the CorelDRAW International Design Contest). Here are the links to all the winners of the APAC Digital Art Competition:

Congratulations to all the winners!

CorelDRAW International Design Contest - you can vote now!

Gerard Metrailler — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 17:48:00 GMT

Earlier this morning, we went live on CorelDRAW.com with the galleries that showcase all the finalists for the 2009 CorelDRAW International Design Contest. Out of a total of over 1500 submissions, we are down to over 600 entries that will make it to the finalist stages, removing those who didn't follow the terms and conditions.

As mentioned previously, now it's time for all of you in the CorelDRAW.com community to get involved, even if you didn't submit artwork. Part of the voting process, we wanted to make sure that the community has a chance to vote on the submissions. Therefore, we will take the top 10 most popular entries (based on the ranking on the site) on Monday Morning, July 6 2009, 9 AM Eastern Time Zone.

Let the best design win!

Looking for CorelDRAW X4 tips & tricks?

Gerard Metrailler — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 18:36:00 GMT

I just got confirmation of the next CorelDRAW related free webinar that my colleagues from the Field Services team will conduct at the end of June, and it looks like it is going to be a popular one: it isgoing to be a webinar that looks at some Tips, Tricks and a few Secrets that will help you harness the power of CorelDRAW. They will look at customizing the interface as well as some keyboard shortcuts and some techniques that will help you to get the most out of CorelDRAW.

Here are all the details

Title: CorelDRAWX4 - Inside Secrets
Date: Thursday, June 25, 2009
Time: 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM EDT
After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the Webinar.
System Requirements PC-based attendees Required: Windows® 2000, XP Home, XP Pro, 2003 Server, Vista
Link to register for free: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/498641888

Space is limited.

Corel Documentation Team Wins STC International Award

Gerard Metrailler — Thu, 28 May 2009 16:16:00 GMT

Every product released by Corel is the result of the very hard work and dedication from teams across the organization and around the world, with some receiving more high profile recognition than others. One group I'd like to call out is the documentation team who continues to drive forward the quality and value of our products to all of you through innovative manuals to help you learn, discover and enjoy our products.

I am delighted to let you know that our documentation team has been honored with an Award of Excellence from the Society for Technical Communication (STC) for the "CorelDRAW Handbook: Insights from the Experts" that is included with CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X4.

This is just the latest prestigious award our documentation has received. Since 1999, the team has been recognized for their work on a multitude of product resources/manuals, with their innovation, design, and clear writing specifically called out. You can find out more about this in the press release that crossed the wire earlier this morning which is not only a testament to the hard work and dedication of this team, but also highlights Corel's commitment to providing customers with valuable product resources.

Congratulations to the entire documentation team on this fantastic achievement!

Last few days to submit your entry for the CorelDRAW International Design Contest

Gerard Metrailler — Wed, 27 May 2009 18:37:00 GMT

We are only a few days away from closing the subscriptions to the CorelDRAW International Design Contest. As a quick reminder, the CorelDRAW International Design Contest features 6 different categories and with prizes representing a total value of over $75,000, winners in each category will receive a prize pack, and the overall grand prize winner will receive a Roland® VersaCAMM™ VP-540i printer/cutter (approximate retail value of over US$21,000).

Your submissions need to be in before May 31st, 2009 (midnight EDT). As this is a world-wide contest, here are the links around the world where you can find out more information in your language, read the terms and conditions, and submit your entries:

English, North America: www.corel.com/coreldrawdesigncontest
English, UK: www.corel.co.uk/coreldrawdesigncontest
Englsh, Australia: www.corel.com.au/coreldrawdesigncontest
French: www.corel.fr/concoursdesigncoreldraw
Spanish, Spain: www.corel.es/concursocoreldraw
Italian: www.it.corel.com/concorsodidesigncoreldraw
German: www.corel.de/designwettbewerb
Dutch: www.corel.nl/ontwerpwedstrijdvoorcoreldraw
Polish: www.corel.com/pl/konkurscoreldraw
Russian: www.corel.com/ru/coreldrawdesigncontest
Czech: www.corel.com/cz/soutezcoreldraw
Spanish, Mexico: www.corel.com.mx/concursocoreldraw
Brazilian-Portuguese: www.corel.com.br/coreldrawdesigncontest
Japanese: www.corel.jp/coreldrawdesigncontest
Chinese (Mainland China): www.corel.com/cn/coreldrawdesigncontest
Chinese (Taiwan): www.corel.com.tw/coreldrawdesigncontest
Korean: www.corel.com/kr/coreldrawdesigncontest

One of the questions on your mind might be to know what happens after May 31st. We will be taking about two weeks to review all the entries to make sure they are in accordance with the terms & conditions. By middle of June, the entries that made it to the final stage will be posted in the design contest galleries in the community. At that point, voting will begin by the jury, and that's when you come in: The CorelDRAW.com community will be part of the jury to select the winners of each category. The community choice will be ranked on the "Most Popular" sorting in each gallery from the point we post the entries to about two weeks later (when we have all the feedback from all the other jury members).

In addition to the vote from the CorelDRAW.com community, the jury will include members from Corel's CorelDRAW and Creative teams from around the world. Jury members also include industry experts as we will have journalists from key publications related to the different categories cast their vote:

Advertising/Marketing Material: Christian Deppisch, Novum, Germany
Promotional Items / Awards / Personalization: Mr. Haitao Jin, Computer Art Magazine, China.
Vehicle Wraps: Darek Johnson, Signs of the Times, USA
Textile and Fashion Design: Terry Murphy, IMPRESSIONS, USA
General Illustration and Fine Art: Tom Dennis, ComputerArts, UK
Student / Academic: Kathleen Maher, Jon Peddie Research

And then comes the grand prize. The judges for the winner of the Roland VersaCAMM will include Corel's CEO, Kris Hagerman, as well as Roland's Vice President and General Manager of the Color Products Division Rick Scrimger. Some of the CorelDRAW team members (including myself) will also be part of this process.

In summary, if you haven't submitted your artwork yet, hurry... after May 31st, it's going to be to late!

CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X4 Hot Fix 2 is now available

Gerard Metrailler — Tue, 26 May 2009 12:45:00 GMT

I am happy to announce that the CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X4 Hot Fix 2 is now available.This hot fix address 4 specific issues, and should only be installed if you are experiencing these issues. The patch applies to all languages and all versions but can only be applied to CorelDRAW after is has been updated to Service Pack 2 (version number 14.0.0.701).

Issues Fixed with Hot Fix 2:

Object names are now maintained in the Object Data Manager when copying and pasting.
Custom spot colors can now have the same CMYK values as long as the color name is unique.
Using the Artistic Media tools over a network will no longer slow down the application.
Files that contain macros will now open correctly on the Public Beta / Release Candiadate of Windows 7.

Build number notes: The build number displayed in the Help About will remain the same as SP2 (14.0.0.701). You can determine if the hot fix is applied by viewing the version number of the CorelDrw.dll file located in the programs folder. The version of this file is 14.0.0.704 once the patch is applied.

Here is the link to download the patch. We will be adding it to the download pages of http://www.corel.com in the near future.

Gérard

Webinar about efficient technical illustration from 3D CAD this Wednesday

Gerard Metrailler — Sun, 24 May 2009 14:25:00 GMT

[Update: This webinar was delayed by one day... the info below is correct ]

This coming Wednesday, May 27 2009, Corel Corp and Right Hemisphere will run a webinar about how to best work with 3D CAD files with Corel DESIGNER Technical Suite X4, which includes the CSE version of Right Hemishpere's Deep Exploration. Well worth a watch if you are working with 3D CAD files and intend to create technical illustrations. Here are all the details:

Reserve your Webinar seat now at: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/117797880

Corel DESIGNER Technical Suite X4 is the trusted choice for businesses that need to effectively communicate the strengths of their products and services through clear, informative technical illustrations or diagrams. The new version of this complete suite allows organizations of any size to create powerful technical graphics — faster than ever!

Right Hemisphere® Deep Exploration™ CCE adds direct access to over 80 3D CAD file formats to technical communication workflows. With enhanced illustration output the 3D component now delivers a new benchmark in illustration quality, achieved in an efficient automated process.

See in this webinar how 3D CAD handling with unparalleled quality illustration output perfectly collaborate with precision illustration tools, easy bitmap-to-vector tracing, professional photo editing and industry-leading file compatibility, to form a complete technical graphics application suite for various industry workflows.

Title: Efficient technical illustration from 3D CAD - Corel DESIGNER Technical Suite X4 and Deep Exploration CCE
Date: Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Time: 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM EDT

After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the Webinar.

Happy 2nd Go-Live Day CorelDRAW.com

Gerard Metrailler — Thu, 14 May 2009 12:16:00 GMT

Yes, it's that time of the year again. May 14 celebrates the go-live day for CorelDRAW.com, and it's been two years already since this community became available on the Internet. With over 26,000 members from over 200 countries around the world, and with over 3000 entries in the galleries, this community has truly become a fantastic place for everyone using or interested in the CorelDRAW family of products.

Thank you all for making CorelDRAW.com such a great place to go!

Fastest times for the CorelDRAW Balloon Racer game

Gerard Metrailler — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 14:09:00 GMT

A few weeks back, I pointed out that we launched an online game around the CorelDRAW brand called the Balloon Racer.

As a follow-up to that post, and having gone through all the levels a few times now, I wanted to share the fastest times so far done by those who played. All I can tell you is that these are not my scores, but if it was you, please let me know ;-)

1989 - 6 seconds
1990 - 25 seconds
1991 - 17 seconds
1992 - 4 seconds
1993 - 8 seconds
1994 - 11 seconds
1995 - 17 seconds
1996 - 9 seconds
1997 - 18 seconds
1998 - 15 seconds
1999 - 16 seconds
2000 - 14 seconds
2001 - 11 seconds
2002 - 20 seconds
2003 - 13 seconds
2004 - 19 seconds
2005 - 10 seconds
2006 - 13 seconds
2007 - 14 seconds
2008 - 11 seconds
2009 - 4 seconds