Is Xara Designer Pro compatible with MEP2013?

dstrege08 wrote on 3/11/2013, 8:11 AM
Can anyone tell me if documents created in Xara can be used in MEP2013? I think I'm really interested in the Designer Pro be cause it sounds like some of my Photoshop add-ons wld work and Xara may recognize some of my PS project. I purchased Mep2013 a few weeks ago and now I think Xara wld be a great replacement for Photoshop, Illustrator, AfterEffects. Does anyone have any experience with MEP2013 and Xara Designer Pro? David

Comments

cpc000cpc wrote on 3/11/2013, 11:23 AM

David,

Depends on the file format of the export document. Certainly MEP will have no problem with JPG, BMP, PNG & GIF images so you need only export in thos formats. Though Magix do sell a badged Designer Pro, http://www.magix.com/au/xara-designeer-pro/, I doubt MEP will deal with XDP's internal file formats nor Photoshop PSD or Adobe PDF.

The Xara site offers a free try it now download -- check it out!

Regadrs,

Carl

johnebaker wrote on 3/11/2013, 5:45 PM

Hi David

To confirm - MEP 2013 does import Photoshop files providing they have been flattened to one layer.

John

Last changed by johnebaker on 3/11/2013, 5:45 PM, changed a total of 1 times.

VPX 16, Movie Studio 2025, and earlier versions 2015 and 2016, Music Maker Premium 2024.

PC - running Windows 11 23H2 Professional on Intel i7-8700K 3.2 GHz, 16GB RAM, RTX 2060 6GB 192-bit GDDR6, 1 x 1Tb Sabrent NVME SSD (OS and programs), 2 x 4TB (Data) internal HDD + 1TB internal SSD (Work disc), + 6 ext backup HDDs.

Laptop - Lenovo Legion 5i Phantom - running Windows 11 23H2 on Intel Core i7-10750H, 16GB DDR4-SDRAM, 512GB SSD, 43.9 cm screen Full HD 1920 x 1080, Intel UHD 630 iGPU and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 (6GB GDDR6)

Sony FDR-AX53e Video camera, DJI Osmo Action 3 and Sony HDR-AS30V Sports cams.

dstrege08 wrote on 3/11/2013, 6:59 PM

Hi John and Carl,

Thank you for helping me through what has turned out to to be more of a nightmare than I thought when I decided not to upgrade my Adobe CS4 suite.

I specifically chose Magix MEP2013 Premium because I believe it offers me that middle-of-the-road platform where I can afford to be creative and yet have more of the curremt up to date tools/formats.

Perhaps if I explained what I'm looking to do you could better direct me. I come from Premiere/Photoshop/AfterEffects/Illustrator world. I'm basically looking for "support" programs that I can build around the MEP2013 center tool.

I enjoy animation (used AfterEffects) for titles, star going across the screen with stars twinkling behind, may be mapping a path for a spotlight,etc. Nothing really over the top. I like the way it worked with Priemere. If necessary I'd export to .avi with transparency to insert into timeline. I used Photoshop for a log of things. I did a lot of photo work (clean up, color correction, soften views, etc. I also created a lot of graphic documents, like Christmas Cards, Flyers, advertisements,etc. Almost always exporting to .jpg with transparency, masks to use in my videos to highlight, etc. I used Encore to produce DVD's with menus, chapters. I also did a lot of 3D animation (titles, etc.) all for import into video project.

I see there are a lot of options, other than the expensive Xara Design Pro, that sound good.. The combo of Xara Photo & Graphic Design and PhotoStory look like they may work. There is also the 3D inexpensive package that looks like it would handle my 3D. I'm wondering about the animation. I would hate to buy two products that do the same thing.

I'm a little gun shy regarding trial down loads. You never seem to be able to get them completely off if I don't want them.

So there's my life in a nutshell. Thoughts and suggestions please.

P.S. I'm still waiting one-week tomorrow to have 3 of my current packages activations done. I'm emailed Sales twice. Why I'm looking to put anymore money in a Magix product I'm not sure?!

 

johnebaker wrote on 3/12/2013, 2:24 AM

Hi

Magix have a cleanup tool for removing remnants of their software packages so there shold be no problem using the trial versions.

. . . . I'm still waiting one-week tomorrow to have 3 of my current packages activations done. I'm emailed Sales twice. . . .

Have you checked your ISP providers spam filters - they may be blocking the emails.

. . . .Why I'm looking to put anymore money in a Magix product I'm not sure?! . . . .

Because they represent good value for money ?

John

Last changed by johnebaker on 3/12/2013, 2:24 AM, changed a total of 1 times.

VPX 16, Movie Studio 2025, and earlier versions 2015 and 2016, Music Maker Premium 2024.

PC - running Windows 11 23H2 Professional on Intel i7-8700K 3.2 GHz, 16GB RAM, RTX 2060 6GB 192-bit GDDR6, 1 x 1Tb Sabrent NVME SSD (OS and programs), 2 x 4TB (Data) internal HDD + 1TB internal SSD (Work disc), + 6 ext backup HDDs.

Laptop - Lenovo Legion 5i Phantom - running Windows 11 23H2 on Intel Core i7-10750H, 16GB DDR4-SDRAM, 512GB SSD, 43.9 cm screen Full HD 1920 x 1080, Intel UHD 630 iGPU and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 (6GB GDDR6)

Sony FDR-AX53e Video camera, DJI Osmo Action 3 and Sony HDR-AS30V Sports cams.

terrypin wrote on 3/12/2013, 4:25 AM

Hi David,

When you get your activations sorted, come back with some very specific and progressively more complex effects examples on which you want help. Give us full details, with screenshots or web links if necessary, then we can see if MEP can reproduce them. If you're like me then 'learning by example' can be much faster than ploughing through the Magix Help and PDF manual.

--
Terry, East Grinstead, UK

 

Last changed by terrypin on 3/12/2013, 4:25 AM, changed a total of 1 times.

Terry, East Grinstead, UK. PC: i7 6700K, 4.0 GHz, 32GB with Win 10 pro. Used many earlier versions of MEPP, currently mainly MEPP 2016 & 2017 (Using scores of macro scripts to add functionality, tailored to these versions.)

Scenestealer wrote on 3/14/2013, 6:19 PM

Hi David

I do not have personal experience with Xara Designer ProX but there is a very good description of it's use to design (animated) masks and objects, directly from within MEP by rt. clicking on the object in the timeline, if you read the section on effect masks P.129 and 139 in the PDF MEP2013 manual.

For example - with the Designer program installed - To replace the sky with another colour or video object you could right click the object and select "create overlay / graphic animation". The graphics program will open with the first frame of your video object alowing you to create a title, object or mask using the tools in the program (lasoo, fill, etc.) which will track the moving object in subsequent moving frames via a "copy" command, and will appear on a separate track in MEP on closing the Designer program.

This functionality is based on the MX (media exchange) features in the newer Magix and Xara programs. It will work with Xara Designer Pro x and the cheaper Xara Photo and Graphics Designer 2013 programs.

I think these features should give you much of what you want and are definitely worth trialling.

Best

Ss

Last changed by Scenestealer on 3/14/2013, 6:19 PM, changed a total of 1 times.

System Specs: Intel 6th Gen i7 6700K 4Ghz O.C.4.6GHz, Asus Z170 Pro Gaming MoBo, 16GB DDR4 2133Mhz RAM, Samsung 850 EVO 512GB SSD system disc WD Black 4TB HDD Video Storage, Nvidia GTX1060 OC 6GB, Win10 Pro 2004, MEP2016, 2022 (V21.0.1.92) Premium and prior, VPX7, VPX12 (V18.0.1.85). Microsoft Surface Pro3 i5 4300U 1.9GHz Max 2.6Ghz, HDGraphics 4400, 4GB Ram 128GB SSD + 64GB Strontium Micro SD card, Win 10Pro 2004, MEP2015 Premium.

dstrege08 wrote on 3/17/2013, 9:47 PM

Thanks Ss for the help. I have gotten closer to everything. I did go ahead and purchase Xara Photo and Designer 2013 and Xara 3D. Xara activated and I had a problem at first. I didn't realize Xara had its own registration stop. So when I realized that, I manually registered both Xara programs, and now I can't get Xara Photo/Design to acknowledge the registration. So I try to use the program and it won't give me any access to updates, extras. So I'm back to emailing Xara looking for help. Also,BlueX... is the only thing left from Magix that needs to be activated. So if I hear from Xara on how to get the registration to work, I'm anxious to try some ideas.

Ss, you comments are Xara working from with MEP2013 sounds very cool.

I'm sitting with content from a friends wedding that I would love to get together as a surprice. I was hired for stills alblum which I aleady presented to them. The video will be a big surprise. One of the reasons I'm so excited about getting it all going.

From what I watched on the tutorial videos on the Xara Photo/Design 2013, they convinced me that that program could fullfill my Photoshop needs.

I'm definitely going to bring questions specific to issues, once, if I ever get Xara's registration to work and be able to get access to all of the materials available. Xara 3D also sounds like itwill add afew wow factors to the layman viewer.

I'm really hoping to hear back from Xara sooner rather than later to get it up and running. I'll let you know Xara's support. One of the things that took me for a loop was not realizing Xara and Magix had two different  sites to deal with.

Thanks for the support and suggestions. Keep them coming. The tutorial videos are awesome!