Intaglio
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text editing
I purchased Intaglio as a replacement for Claris Draw 1.0v4 because Claris Draw will not print directly in OS 10.4.11 without first creating a post script file. Also I would like to upgrade to Snow Leapord but in doing so I have no access to Claris Draw.
Claris Draw has spoiled me. Intaglio is very disappointing in its text editing capabilities.
Is anyone else in the same situation? I would like to be of mutual help.
Jean
Well, you say you are disappointed, we all are some day for one feature or another, but what exactly do you want to do? (did you try to open your Clarisdraw files with Intaglio?)
Well… for starters, how about letting a user establish his or her default font, for a start?
Every time you begin a text line after having changed the font, you’re back in Geneva 12 (Geneva! for pity sakes? How lame can you get?)
In Claris Draw and, if memory serves me right, even in MacDraw, when you selected the Text tool and chose a Font BEFORE creating a text entry, that font became the current font and it remained so until you shifted to another file.
If that mode is too difficult for Intaglio coders to achieve, how about just creating a Font selection choice inside Preferences?
Hoping for better in the new year,
Don O’Shea
I always thought that this was because Intaglio borrows the font feature from the OS, which is set on Geneva. It’s this kind of economy that makes Intaglio so affordable.
Not from what I understand. The Geneva font was a bitmap font designed by Susan Kare to imitate Helvetica in the era of dot matrix printers. When was the last time you used a dot matrix printer?
Even so, the inability from users (y’know the ones that paid for this application) to choose the fonts that are in THEIR libraries is a pitiful expression of an application whose web site proclaims: “Intaglio retains the feel of MacDraw while harnessing the full capabilities of Quartz and CoreImage..”
Don O’Shea
There’s something odd going on, Donald. My font behavior on Intaglio is exactly as you describe it should be: If I select a font before selecting the font tool, that font remains selected from then on. Not sure why it doesn’t work this way for you. Perhaps try trashing the preferences?
amtravco,
You’re right. Although I gotta say that the conditions under which the font will change and stay changed and those when you change the font and one you have a new working font, require a decision tree, that resembles an ancient olive and not new elm.
Still, I’m glad I bellyached a bit. And I appreciate your help.
Happy New Year
Don
Here are some items from Claris Draw I could not duplicate in Intaglio: 1. Type 3 letters on the screen. Choose 1 pt line. Choose fill red. Claris would box the letters and fill the box in red.
In a single text block with multiple paragraphs, individual words could be underlined and individual paragraphs could be centered. In other words, each paragraph could be individually formatted.
The text in a text block could be individually or collectively enlarged or reduced by APPLE,SHIFT,< or >.
Zoom in/out by APPLE, < or >.
Any suggestions? Thanks.
After reading the comments and trying the suggestions, I must propose that Intaglio is NOT the replacement for MacDraw and/or Claris Draw. If anyone knows of a 2D drawing program for Sys X, please, let know.
I have tried EazyDraw - not close.
Hi. For the default font selection. That´s maybe not what you´re expecting but you can change your favorite font at any time while in an Intaglio session by clicking the small gear icon.
- I don´t get what your asking for. I can have all this in a single text block: http://img109.imageshack.us/img109/1602/intagliotext.png (Can´t we have images directly in the forum?)
- Going to the font palette to adjust the size is too much effort?
- I have “Zoom” assigned to scrollwheel in Intaglio´s preferences
With kindest regards Frank
The small gear icon I think he’s talking about is on the Font window (Cmd-t). But while you can assign a font as a favorite, this will not make this the DEFAULT font. Only by getting out of text mode, selecting the Selection tool and then selecting a font (typestyle plus size) in the Fonts window can you maintain the same font over several entries.
Also, and just as bad, there is no keyboard command to return to Selection Tool from text input, so you are forever returning to the tiny landing point in the toolbox to continue your work. It is disheartening to use this program at times. Were it not for the fact that Intaglio images copy directly into MS Word, I’d be gone along time ago.
This program has so much potential, but it seems to have lost all its momentum. It boasts a whole host of effects, but fails when it comes to a robust user interface.
Actually, there are simple single-letter keyboard commands to move between the tools. For instance, “s” will move to the selection tool, “x” to the vertex selection tool, and “t” to the text tool (note that these are just the keys alone, without pressing the command key at the same time).
I’m sorry, Donald, that you’re unhappy with this program. I use it almost every day to prepare high-quality images for my lectures, and I find it easy to use and powerful. (One of its best attributes is that it can edit pdf files—it can break a pdf inot editable elements). If you use Intaglio with Keynote, which uses pdf natively, you’ll have a powerful combination.
However, I am a bit worried that there hasn’t been any activity by the developer for some time now.
On 23 Feb 2010, 4:46 pm, Donald C. O’Shea wrote: But while you can assign a font as a favorite, this will not make this the DEFAULT font.
That´s what I meant with Intaglio session.
Also, and just as bad, there is no keyboard command to return to Selection Tool from text input, so you are forever returning to the tiny landing point in the toolbox to continue your work
Sure? Have you tried the input key at the numpad already?
Regards Frank
Dear Frank, I had not tried the ENTER key on the numerical keypad. Did I miss something in the Help? I entered “ENTER” in Intaglio Help and came up empty. Thank you. You have just saved me a ton a time! Don
…wonder what else in Intaglio I don’t know about?
Here’s my workflow for text:
To create new text: Select text tool, or just hit “t” key. Then enter text. To exit out of text-edit mode (i.e., to get back to arrow-pointer selection tool) hit ESC key.
To edit existing text: Click on text block, then hit enter (or return). Then eidt. Or hit “t” to get text edit cursor, then edit.
I too was a LONG time Claris Draw user. Frankly a great program. Intaglio is the closest match I’ve been able to find, but I do MISS a lot of the simple features in Claris Draw that didn’t carry over to Intaglio for some reason. The most missed is the ability to set default text, line width, colors, etc. Text handling is one of the disappointments and in my opinion one of the worst problem areas in Intaglio. To deal with text you have to use the TEXT menu item, the text box in the Inspector, AND the apple text dialog window. This is ridiculous. The other issue is that MANY of the features of Intaglio are sadly undocumented. If it were not for this forum, I would never know half of the “hidden” features, not described in the lightweight documentation/help! (someone should write “Intaglio: The Missing Manual”)
On the positive side, the program has many features lacking in Claris Draw that are a real benefit. It is a very modern drawing program that despite the “pains” is the best balance between complexity and productivity. I couldn’t live without it now!
Grayson
After reading Grayson’s input, may I make a suggestion. Let’s all make a note of the next 3 discoveries or quick ways with Intaglio. Take the time to write a short, precise description of each and send it in. Permit me to start.
To replace a whole block of text, using the arrow tool click on the block and tap enter once; or using the text tool click in the block and tap enter twice. The whole block is highlighted - start typing or replace it with the contents of clipboard by APPLE V.
Nudging an object on the screen can be done with the four arrows. To increase the nudge space, hold the shift key. I wish I knew how to size the nudge amount.
The six control squares on a text block will stretch the text itself. If you want to adjust the width of the text block without stretching the text, use the small triangle on the right side (3/4 down on right side) of the block.
Tips on handling text would be great.
Does anyone have a suggestion for my #2 item of 15 Mar 2010?
“Nudging an object on the screen can be done with the four arrows. To increase the nudge space, hold the shift key. I wish I knew how to size the nudge amount.”
Here’s something new I learned after using Intaglio for 7 years: You can make a gradient partially transparent by dragging a non-100% opaque color from the “Solid Color” color well to the gradient color well. (I found this in Intaglio help. I should probably read through that every now and then.)
Donald & Frank When in a text block, striking the ESCAPE key does make the SELECTION tool active. However, the ENTER key returns you to either the vertex tool or the selection tool - which ever was selected prior to the text tool.
amtravco Edit a pdf? I tried it - great. I did not know that.
Frank I viewed your img109/1602. Would you take the time to instruct us on the technique?
CORRECTION The ESCAPE key does NOT return to the selection tool; it returns to the previously selected vertex or selection tool - Sorry.
Claris Draw did have a great way of adjusting font size. When individual letters or a text block was selected, the font size could be adjusted by
APPLE/SHIFT/< OR >
to decrease or increase.
Frank I viewed your img109/1602. Would you take the time to instruct us on the technique?
Hi Jean.
No secrets here. Just select what you like to edit via text tool and add whatever is available: fonts/all from the text menu/glyph table combined with colors etc.
Cheers
Frank
