Corel Corel Designer Technical Suite - X4 Reviewer’s Guide

Contents

1 | Introducing Corel DESIGNER Technical Suite X4 ...........1

2 | Customer profiles ...........................................................5

Technical illustrators ........................................................................................... 5

Technical graphics users ...................................................................................... 6

3 | A walkthrough of Corel DESIGNER Technical Suite X4 ...7

4 | What’s included .............................................................11

Applications ...................................................................................................... 11

Supporting applications ................................................................................... 11

Documentation ................................................................................................. 12

Training .............................................................................................................. 12

Minimum system requirements ....................................................................... 12

5 | Top new and enhanced features ..................................13

Access technical design assets .......................................................................... 13

Create better technical diagrams .................................................................... 17

Streamline the technical illustration workflow ............................................... 18

Discover advanced image-editing features ...................................................... 22

6 | Summary of new and enhanced features ...................25

7 | Upgrading to Corel DESIGNER Technical Suite X4 ......27

Upgrading from Corel DESIGNER Technical Suite 12 ...................................... 27

Migrating from CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X4 ............................................... 29

8 | Glossary .........................................................................31

About Corel

Corel is a leading developer of graphics, productivity, and digital media software,
with more than 100 million users worldwide. The company’s product portfolio
includes some of the world’s most popular and widely recognized software brands,
including CorelDRAW® Graphics Suite, Corel® Paint Shop Pro®, Corel® Painter™,
Corel DESIGNER®, Corel® WordPerfect® Office, WinZip®, and iGrafx®. In 2006,
Corel acquired InterVideo, makers of WinDVD®, and Ulead, a leading developer of
video, imaging, and DVD authoring software. Designed to help people become more
productive and express their creative potential, Corel’s full-featured software
products set a higher standard for value in being easier to learn and use. The
industry has responded with hundreds of awards recognizing Corel’s leadership in
software innovation, design, and value. Corel’s products are sold in more than 75
countries through a well-established network of international resellers, retailers,
original equipment manufacturers, online providers, and Corel’s global Web sites.
With its headquarters in Ottawa, Canada, the company has major offices in the
United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, China, and Japan. Corel’s stock is
traded on the NASDAQ under the symbol CREL and on the TSX under the symbol
CRE.

Copyright © 2008 Corel Corporation. All rights reserved.

CorelDRAW® Graphics Suite X4 Reviewer’s Guide

Protected by U.S. Patents 5652880; 5347620; 5767860; 6195100; 6385336; 6552725; 6657739;
6731309; 6825859; 6633305; Patents Pending.

Product specifications, pricing, packaging, technical support and information (“specifications”)
refer to the retail English version only. The specifications for all other versions (including other
language versions) may vary.

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PHOTO-PAINT, CorelTUTOR, Designer, iGrafx, Paint Shop Pro, Painter, PowerTRACE,
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Deep Exploration and Right Hemisphere are trademarks or registered trademarks owned
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1

Introducing Corel DESIGNER® Technical Suite X4

Corel DESIGNER® Technical Suite X4 is an essential software solution for
businesses that rely on the creation of technical illustrations to communicate the
strengths of their products and services.

Unmatched by any other technical graphics package, Corel DESIGNER Technical
Suite X4 provides industry-leading file compatibility, including 3D CAD import,
while delivering precision tools for illustrating, diagramming, bitmap-to-vector
tracing, and professional photo editing. With its optimized workflow, multi­language support, and easy network deployment, this comprehensive suite is
equipped to meet the needs of companies that demand
excellence.

Corel DESIGNER Technical Suite X4 is a member of the CorelDRAW® family of
products, leveraging the award-winning design power of that graphics suite and
extending it with tools and features tailored to the technical illustration
workflow. Complete compatibility between the two suites allows CorelDRAW
users to work in Corel DESIGNER Technical Suite X4 with almost no learning
curve and facilitates a seamless exchange of ideas and information between
workflows and departments.

technical design

What is a technical illustration?

A technical illustration can be a drawing, diagram, image, or design that visually
structures and communicates complex technical information — even to non­technical audiences. Technical illustrations appear in documents that vary widely
in scale and complexity — for example, furniture construction manuals, parts
catalogs, machine assembly instructions, and interactive electronic technical
training manuals (IETM). The media used for output are also diverse, ranging
from printed materials to interactive screen illustrations.

Reviewer’s Guide [ 1 ]

Complete technical graphics solution

Corel DESIGNER Technical Suite X4 provides powerful applications, compelling
new features, and unrivaled compatibility for technical graphic files.

Corel DESIGNER X4, the centerpiece of the suite, has been redesigned specifically
to support the processes of technical graphics professionals. This latest version
provides a streamlined workflow, easier access to intuitive drawing tools, and
new features for repurposing legacy data. The introduction of 3D CAD file
import, the enhanced support for industry-standard file formats, and a wide
array of new and enhanced tools and features dramatically speed the technical
illustration process.

The redesigned Corel DESIGNER X4 user interface

Right Hemisphere® Deep Exploration™, a 3D-to-2D graphics conversion
application, is included with Corel DESIGNER X4, allowing users to work with
3D CAD files.

Other applications in the suite help streamline the creation of technical and
business-oriented graphics for professionals who work in a technical
environment. Designed for use in a graphics workflow, Corel PHOTO-PAINT® X4
is a professional image-editing application that lets users quickly and easily
retouch and enhance photos. To help repurpose legacy drawings, the suite
includes Corel PowerTRACE®, a bitmap-to-vector tracing application that
converts scanned technical illustrations into editable vector images. Rounding
out the suite is Corel CAPTURE™ X4, an advanced screen capture application.

Reviewer’s Guide [ 2 ]

Streamlined technical-illustration process

Corel DESIGNER Technical Suite X4 simplifies the workflow of technical
illustrators, especially during the collaborative stages of a project. By using Deep
Exploration, technical illustrators can work with 3D CAD files without having to
obtain a 3D CAD license. Enhanced support for the industry-standard AutoCAD®
DWG™ and DXF™ formats saves users time by eliminating file-conversion errors.
Corel DESIGNER X4 also offers improved compatibility with a wide range of
standard file formats for business and engineering environments, including PDF,
Microsoft® Visio®, Microsoft® Publisher, and Microsoft® Office files.

An array of dedicated technical-illustration features helps users work quickly
without compromising precision. By using the enhanced tools for creating halos
and connector lines, users can add an unprecedented level of clarity to their
drawings. Improved dimension, arrowhead, and line tools let users easily and
intuitively create and fine-tune technical illustrations and diagrams. In addition,
the projected drawing modes dramatically increase productivity by letting users
actively draw on the projected plane, which eliminates the need to draw the
object first and then project it in a second step.

To facilitate collaboration, Corel DESIGNER Technical Suite X4 offers
CorelDRAW® ConceptShare™, which lets users share their designs and ideas
with colleagues or clients in real time. What’s more, enhanced PDF capabilities
allow users to add password protection to their designs and to archive files in a
format compliant with the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).

Reviewer’s Guide [ 3 ]

2

Customer profiles

Technical illustrators

Technical Illustrators have formal training in a technical or graphics field. They
work for small to medium-sized technical-illustration service providers and for
large companies within technical documentation departments. Some technical
illustrators are self-employed.

The graphics created by technical illustrators are used in assembly instructions,
user guides, parts catalogs, maintenance manuals, schematics, or wiring
diagrams. These documents are output to various media, such as print, the Web,
and interactive electronic technical manuals (IETMs).

The files that a technical illustrator receives from colleagues and clients are
created with various industry-standard applications. As a result, a wide range of
file formats must be easily integrated into the technical illustrator’s workflow.
With tight deadlines, technical illustrators also need to streamline their
processes, especially within a collaborative environment. Therefore, they greatly
value the ability to save time by basing new projects on legacy documents.

Corel DESIGNER X4 addresses these needs by allowing technical illustrators to
import 3D CAD files and by providing enhanced support for AutoCAD formats.
Technical illustrators can get right to work without having to spend time
correcting errors that occur during format conversion. Corel DESIGNER X4 also
lets technical illustrators easily access legacy documents, whether in digital
format or on hard copy, by providing enhanced support for older Corel
DESIGNER files. What’s more, technical illustrators can now convert scanned
drawings and blueprints to vector graphics by using Corel PowerTRACE, a
dedicated bitmap-to-vector conversion application that is integrated into Corel
DESIGNER X4.

Reviewer’s Guide [ 5 ]

Users can leverage data from a variety of sources when creating technical illustrations.

New drawing tools help technical illustrators quickly improve the clarity of their
work. CorelDRAW ConceptShare, a new collaborative tool, lets technical
illustrators share and review files within Corel DESIGNER X4. In addition,
technical illustrators can customize the workspace to best suit their working
style and can save valuable time by automating tasks.

Technical graphics users

Technical graphics users work in large-enterprise environments. Among their
many tasks and responsibilities is the need to create a variety of graphics,
including diagrams used in presentation material, floor plans, and schematics.
These users may create graphics from scratch or base them on legacy files. They
often work collaboratively, and the graphics they create may later be imported
for reuse with office-productivity, diagramming, and desktop-publishing
software.

Self-taught in graphic design, these users can confidently turn to the enhanced
diagramming tools in Corel DESIGNER X4 to modify existing graphics.
Corel PHOTO-PAINT X4, a professional-caliber image editor, allows them to work
with photos in a wide variety of formats — including raw files from over 300
camera models — to create presentation and marketing collateral.

With its extensive collection of learning tools, Corel DESIGNER Technical Suite X4
makes it easy to create impressive images — even for users without a technical
design background. Furthermore, technical graphics users can work seamlessly
with clients and colleagues in other departments, thanks to the enhanced
compatibility with industry-standard file formats, including Microsoft Visio,
Microsoft Office, Microsoft Publisher, and PDF 1.7.

With a collection of learning tools, Corel DESIGNER Technical Suite X4 makes it
easy for technical graphics users to create impressive images without training.

Reviewer’s Guide [ 6 ]

3

A walkthrough of Corel DESIGNER® Technical Suite X4

Corel DESIGNER® Technical Suite X4 was conceived with a specific focus on the
technical illustrator’s needs — design precision, collaboration efficiency and
flexibility, and the ability to repurpose legacy data and drawings.

Accommodating the technical illustrator’s workflow

The creation of technical illustrations can be complex, especially when designs
are intended to serve multiple departments within an organization. The
diagram for a single part may need to be used in product documentation and
later repurposed for use in marketing materials. In such cases, users must be able
to collaborate with internal and external department resources and work
seamlessly with external data in various file formats.

Corel DESIGNER Technical Suite X4 integrates with the workflow of technical illustrators.

Reviewer’s Guide [ 7 ]

Minimizing data loss through AutoCAD® compatibility

Today, most technical illustrations originate from data created by CAD engineers
in 2D or 3D files. Often, a technical illustrator uses multiple applications before
finishing a design. The ability to exchange this information between
applications without losing data is critical to a technical illustrator's workflow.

Corel DESIGNER X4 offers technical illustrators improved support when they
work with both 2D and 3D CAD files. Compatibility with AutoCAD 2D files has
been upgraded, and enhanced support for a range of 3D design files —
including AutoCAD, Google® SketchUp™, and 3ds Max® — helps overcome
obstacles in the technical illustration workflow. What’s more, users don’t need a
CAD license to work with 3D CAD files. Deep Exploration, an application that
converts 3D files to 2D files, has been added to the suite, so 3D files can be
opened and modified with Corel DESIGNER Technical Suite X4.

Users can work with 2D and 3D CAD drawings using projected drawing modes.

Converting legacy designs

Technical graphics professionals often base a new illustration on an existing one
to save time. Legacy designs can range from bitmaps of scanned hard copies to
drawings created with older versions of Corel DESIGNER.

Corel PowerTRACE offers the new Centerline Trace method, which is perfect for
tracing line drawings and lets users produce more accurate strokes. In addition,
Corel DESIGNER Technical Suite X4 has been enhanced to make working with
legacy Micrografx Designer® (DSF) files easier than ever.

Reviewer’s Guide [ 8 ]