posted
After seeing the thread about the new Corel 11 on the horizon, it reminded me of the first week of ownership of every version of Corel Draw so far. My first week is spent tinkering, oohs following &*$#^#@% cussing and finally a creation of a new work enviroment / GUI that will remain mostly the same til the next version of Corel comes out.
Since Version 6, I've reinvented Corel in the way I thought was best as per my usage, tastes and tool preferences. Also, or should I say as always, with a keen eye on streamlining workflow and maximizing workspace.
So... before 11 gets here, who wants to swap Corel 10 workspaces to see how the other guy uses it? That is, if you alter the workspace from the factory default. I think I could still find my 7,8 or 9 setups if anyone wanted them (no guarantees, but I think..)
Anyway, just curious what other folks have their GUI set to. Email yours or ask for mine, or, I guess we can post them here (I'll host them if necessary for the time being)
posted
Robb..Just got the call that pizza is ready..can't do it right now..Got to get up at 5:15 tomorrow to do a job...I will try to e-mail or post my GUI tomorrow afternoon...
This could be interesting!!!
Of course Old Paint won't be able to do much with version 7 but he likes it..I think!!!!!!!! LOL LOL LOL
-------------------- Dave Grundy retired in Chelem,Yucatan,Mexico/Hensall,Ontario,Canada 1-519-262-3651 Canada 011-52-1-999-102-2923 Mexico cell 1-226-785-8957 Canada/Mexico home
posted
I keep mine very much stock but I would be interested in seeing your GUI's if you do not mind.
-------------------- Steve Eisenreich Dezine Signs PO BOX 6052 Stn Forces Cold Lake, Alberta T9M 2C5 Posts: 774 | From: Cold Lake | Registered: Mar 2000
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posted
wow!! cool idea.....I just put my new "10" on my new screamin' mosheen tonight. I don't have it completely set up yet, but I'd like to play when done. Actually...... I just want Bob Darnell's! It's gotta be COOOOOLLLL.......
-------------------- Dave Utter D-utterguy on chat Sign Designs Beardstown, Il. signdesigns@casscomm.com Posts: 777 | From: beardstown, illinois, usa | Registered: Mar 1999
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Rob, I would like to see one for version 9 if it is not too much trouble. Is the setup for a user, a single file of it's own? Jack
-------------------- "Don't change horses in midstream, unless you spot one with longer legs" bronzeo oti Jack Davis 1410 Main St Joplin, MO 64801 www.imagemakerart.com jack@imagemakerart.com Posts: 1549 | From: Joplin, MO | Registered: Mar 2000
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posted
I'll post mine, but it might be a few days before I get to it. I'm not sure that it would really be usable for anyone else but me due to all the shortcut keys I've altered... It has been heavily customized over quite some time. I have real trouble using CorelDraw in it's default workspace now. A few months ago I went and spoke to the Sign Graphics class at George Brown College, and I'm sure it looked like I didn't know what I was doing with all the hunting around for things I had to do using the default workspace.
Loading up other people's spaces might be good for some ideas though. I'm looking forward to it.
I'm going to have to clean one up that doesn't have the third party scripts and also also change all the non-standard paths in the INI files to make it easier for other people to load.
-------------------- Bob Darnell London, Ontario, Canada
posted
I'm curious why I can't get the "bevel" option to work in Corel 9. Even if I haven't done anything to a letter after it was typed. Also in Photo Paint 9 when working on an image after a few steps, I notice you cannot save it as a jpeg? Or maybe I should say after you scan a photo, it has to be saved as a jpeg before you do anything else to it.
-------------------- aka:Cisco the "Traveling Millennium Sign Artist" http://www.franciscovargas.com Fresno, CA 93703 559 252-0935 "to live life, is to love life, a sign of no life, is a sign of no love"...Cisco 12'98 Posts: 3576 | From: Fresno, Ca, the great USA | Registered: Dec 1998
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posted
COREL 7.467 R U L E S!!!!!!!!! best corel ever made, bug , free, problem free, no lockups, no blue screens....if it aint broke....why move to something that IS?????????
-------------------- joe pribish-A SIGN MINT 2811 longleaf Dr. pensacola, fl 32526 850-637-1519 BEWARE THE TRUTH.....YOU MAY NOT LIKE WHAT YOU FIND Posts: 11582 | From: pensacola, fl. usa | Registered: Nov 1998
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Joe, Have you even tried 9 or 10? The reason we/you don't hear of many problems with 7, is most have given up on it a long time ago. Of all the Corel versions I have used 7 was the biggest glitcher of them all. Workspaces, Contouring, TRACING, Options, and Tools have all been much improved in later editions, and with a lot less lockups and glitch errors than 7 and even 8. Maybe it is just me, but I found 7 to suck big wind, and its not like I didn't give it the old 2 year tryout....Jack
-------------------- "Don't change horses in midstream, unless you spot one with longer legs" bronzeo oti Jack Davis 1410 Main St Joplin, MO 64801 www.imagemakerart.com jack@imagemakerart.com Posts: 1549 | From: Joplin, MO | Registered: Mar 2000
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posted
Ok folks, here's my Corel 10 and Corel 9 workspace/gui.
A couple of prefaces though... check the !README! file in the zip file of your choice. In the C10 zip, you'll have to tree down to it, as I zipped it in directory mode for those of who want it to just go there and not have to find it yourself.
The C9 version, you're semi-on your own! I cant remember exactly how 9 handles workspace stuff, seems it didnt import, but if you had it in the workspace folder it would see it? I'm sure some C9 user will help out if need be, or I can load it on a machine and check it out.
The C10 zip also includes Arlon and Avery color palettes. Both zips contain my default palette - one I made myself of spot colors and renamed in ink/vinyl colors anyone can recognize (i.e. - red and not pantone 3125 etc.)
C10 workspace is laid out in 1280x1024, but 1024x768 will work fine if you double the toolbars on the left instead of having them in one line vertical layout. One caveat - Some of the icons used on the C10 toolbars may appear as default icons or something 'goofy'. Thats because I used icons from other places for these buttons. You'll have to go into customization and choose your own buttons for these if you want them more visually recognizable.
Feel free to ask questions about where stuff is, or why stuff is where it is. I'm sure my tool usage and yours will vary, as will reasoning behind things.
PS - after reading back through the other posts, I realized Bob Darnell had a strong point! Customization of shortcut keys! I try to keep my right hand on the mouse and concentrate the shortcuts to lefthand-only movements. Some keys are Corel default and some are my own choices.
Here's a listing off the top of my head, of keystrokes of my workspace:
CTRL+A = brings up the alignment dialog CTRL+SHIFT+A = select all dialog (then use arrow keys + enter to select your choice) CTRL+S = Save As dialog. I disable the straight save shortcut since there's nothing worse than accidentally saving over your previous work. F2 = zoom to selected F3 = zoom out F4 = zoom to all Shift+F4 = zoom to page F5 = pick/select tool F6 = node tool F9 = full screen preview CTRL+Q = convert to curves Z = zoom tool
Thats all I can think of at the moment. I'll edit this if I think of any others that might catch you off guard.
Bob & others - I'm interested in hearing/seeing anything on 3rd party scripts, helpers, etc. if you care to share those as well.
posted
Hi Robb...I added your workspace to Corel. It is interesting. But I misunderstood your reference to customizing. The only customaizing I have done are with palette and docker placements and they were unaffected by opening Corel in your workspace. I also added a few extra components to the property bar but none of this is "customizing" as you would define it.
-------------------- Dave Grundy retired in Chelem,Yucatan,Mexico/Hensall,Ontario,Canada 1-519-262-3651 Canada 011-52-1-999-102-2923 Mexico cell 1-226-785-8957 Canada/Mexico home
Here's a screen capture of my Corel 10 workspace, so you guys wont have to load it to see it in action. Not quite as self-explanatory as actually using it for yourself, but at least you'll see the tons of working room and rearranged tool placement. I opened the dockers to show them in use, for those of you that work that way. I personally never leave them open most of the time. (they are after all, dockers and not full-time toolbars!)
PS - Don, sorry, I couldnt find my Corel 7 or 8 workspaces. I'll look on some old zip disks and see if a copy might still be around tomorrow.
posted
Ok, I've put a workspace together that hopefully other people will be able to install and use. I've left the icons in for the scripts, so a few buttons won't function if you don't have the scripts and VBA installed, but otherwise - should be ok.
I've always manually added my workspace in Windows Explorer instead of importing it through CorelDraw's Options Dialog box, so that's how I've handled this too. View the readme!!!.txt file included for instructions to install these files.
I found it interesting that Robb and I have changed a few of the default shortcut keys the same way. A couple of them are throwbacks to previous versions of CorelDraw, and my zoom keys are close to the same hot keys found in Signlab. I've been burned with the CTRL-S for "Save" too. It's a little too easy to accidentally hit CTRL-S instead of the CTRL-Z or X for the undo and redo keys. The hot keys that I know I've altered are in the readme!!!.txt file. I've been working this way for quite some time, so it's possible there are more keys I've changed that you might stumble upon. I can't remember what the defaults are and what I have changed anymore.
I work at a 1600x1200 screen resolution, so if you're working lower there will be a significant portion hidden when you open it. You can change the toolbars around to see the other stuff, but unfortunately you will end up with a screen full of tools and not much room left to work in. This workspace does work well with a dual monitor setup at a lower resolutions like 1280x768 though. I leave the dockers open at all times and they are split into three groups. (You might only see two groups at lower res unless you slide them up a bit)
This workspace may be unnecessarily complicated for a lot of people, but it's about as close to perfect for the way I work and the tasks I have to do that I can think of. It might be good to give it a try and see if there are any ideas you can use in your own workspace.
Here are some links to some of the scripts I use. Some of them aren't of much use to me, but some are quite good.
posted
I noticed that some of you are still using the cntrl a for alignment. In the last couple of versions of Corel they changed it to hot keys to make it simpler. Select your ojects to align and remember it aligns to the last one selected and press the fololowing keys.
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
Actually...... 
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