Designer operating substandard

Vaughan-Martin wrote on 3/22/2021, 8:14 AM

I have been using Xara since ~2006 and consider my Xara capabilities Intermediate to professional.
Lately, my current Designer (x17) is acting up significantly. I find when I select the Color Picker, the processing time for any other selected object becomes unacceptable (~10sec freeze after selecting any object). I have to restart the software in order for it work properly. A similar effect is also occurring when selecting the Web Properties or Page properties. The Web or Page properties take about 20sec to load and once loaded, I can't edit or add multiple links as there is a multi-second delay when attempting to select anything with the Web or Page Dialog box active. I need to add my one link, close the dialog box,, select the next object or text and re-open the properties. Very time consuming for no reason. This Web Properties issue has been happening for some time (maybe since x12).

The Web and Page properties slow load occurs all the time and is not solved with a reboot, the color issue is solved with a reboot.

I run a powerful and newer Workstation (Xeon W-2225, 8 processor, 4.1 GHz Core with 64GB EEC RAM). Xara should be lightning speed on my computer, but I find it frustratingly slow and sluggish. I had the very same problems with version x17 on my older workstation computer (which was also very powerful and ran previous versions of Xara with no problem and at lightning speed).

My update service ran out again on Dec 2020. I was updating religiously in the hopes for a fix, but no fix came.

Any assistance would be appreciated.

Comments

johnebaker wrote on 3/22/2021, 9:25 AM

@Vaughan-Martin

Hi and welcome to the form

. . . . . I run a powerful and newer Workstation (Xeon W-2225, 8 processor . . . . .

Please note powerful is a meaningless term unless quantified.

. . . . Xeon W-2225, 8 processor, . . . .

This is a 4 core processor, 8 threads, with no supporting integrated GPU - the system specifications clearly state an onboard ie integrated GPU is required - and is not a particularly powerful CPU.

What is the Windows version and build number?

What is the graphics card in the workstation?

. . . . Web and Page properties slow load occurs all the time . . . .

How slow is slow? They open in about 1 second on my PC - spec is in my signature.

John EB
Forum Moderator

Vaughan-Martin wrote on 3/23/2021, 11:05 AM

John, Et Al,

Thanks for your response, I think. I was looking to put in a ticket to Magix to see if there may be a setting on x17 I'm missing. With your response, I'm not sure if this is an internal forum or a ticket input system. I find the feedback mechanisms have gone downhill since Magix took over. To respond stating that my $8k computer is lacking is not the feedback I was looking for. I'm very sure others are running Designer just fine on lesser rigs.

I'm not sure if my Windows version matters (Win10 build-19041). I stated that Xara has always been fine but since x17, I've been having problems; and this problem spans 2 separate computers. Windows 10 would have been updated multiple times since this issue started for me. Also, just because I didn't state what my GPU was doesn't mean I don't have one. I used to run Xara on a 512 Mb NVIDIA GPU just fine. I currently have 2-2GB P620's. My problems are with the functions and load times of the Designer software components, not rendering, page loads or 3d anything. I used to have issues running large Xara files when I got past 100 pages, but more RAM solved that issue. I even ran multi-100 pg documents with my old 512 Mb video card with no problem; it just required lots of RAM.

Another oddity I've found on x17 is that even though I changed my auto backup to 45 minutes, I find the auto backup happening a frequency seemingly even shorter than the default 10min. I haven't timed it, but it's definitely not 45 minutes.

I was hoping for suggestions on how to clear Xara's internal cache (as the color picker is reboot dependent and could be a cache issue-however shouldn't be with 64GB RAM), some backdoor setting or perhaps some known conflict with other software (including pervious Xara versions, which I have installed). I will continue to look through Magix's site to see if there is a Ticket system anymore. I thought this was the ticket system, but I may be mistaken (or link misdirected).

Thank you for any assistance,

johnebaker wrote on 3/23/2021, 11:56 AM

@Vaughan-Martin

You can raise a Support ticket using the Support link at the top of the page - see this guide to navigate through the Support system.

. . . . this problem spans 2 separate computers . . . .

What is the system specification of the other computer?

John EB