General Settings

In the Preferences dialog box, in the General folder, you can set preferences for a number of general application and document settings. Access the Preferences dialog box by choosing Canvas X Draw | Preferences.

Attributes

The Attributes manager contains options for both dashes and inks.

Dash Drawing

If you are applying dashed pen stroke to objects, you can define how dashes are handled if an object has corners.

Preserve Corners: Select this option to keep the corners intact; i.e., dashes will not be applied to the corners of objects.

Continue with Dash: Select this option to apply dashes to the corners of objects.

Inks

When working with objects that contain Hatch, Texture, Symbol, or Pattern inks, it is possible to magnify these objects without magnifying the ink as well.

The following examples show what happens when inks are scaled or not scaled:

Object at 200% magnification

(fill ink does not scale)

Object at 200% magnification

(fill ink scales)

Color Management

Use these options to change color settings within Canvas X Draw. (See Color Management.)

Display Options

In Display Options, you can configure most of the options for screen display. Change display options and set the default display options for new documents. You can change these same settings in the Display Options manager dialog box.

The items in the Show, Alert, and Preview groups can be individually toggled on and off by choosing Layout | Display. When a special display option is active, a checkmark appears next to the option in the menu.

To Open the Display Options Manager:

Choose Layout | Display Options...

Save as default

Any settings you select in the dialog box are saved as the default setup for new documents.

Show

The normal Canvas X Draw display shows all objects with their inks, strokes, and other attributes as they are in the document.

Alert

Gamut Warning: This mode highlights colors that are outside the CMYK color gamut. It replaces out-of-gamut colors with a special indicator color. Bright greeen is the default indicator color.

Ink Coverage: This mode shows all areas of the image that exceed a specified ink coverage. Bright greeen is the default indicator color.

Preview

Wireframe: Wireframe mode shows vector objects without their assigned ink or stroke attributes. When Wireframe is selected, vector objects are hollow and have 1-point black pen strokes. Text characters appear solid black. Paint objects are hollow and only their bounding box appears. With this mode, the screen display tends to speed up.

Pixel Mode: The Pixel Mode setting allows users to view graphics at 72 ppi before they are rendered.

When creating Web graphics, the standard resolution is 72 ppi. At the same time, all of your images will remain fully editable. Pixel Mode also prevents pixel shifting, which sometimes occurs when objects are exported to the Web.

Cache

Caching in Canvas X Draw is a technique that can dramatically increase display speed. When an object is cached, Canvas X Draw creates a low-resolution version of the object to display on screen. This can make it much easier to work in documents that contain complex vector objects or high-resolution images, which can significantly slow down zooming and scrolling.

When you are not editing cached objects, it usually won’t matter that they are displayed at lower resolution. You’ll enjoy significantly faster display without losing any capabilities. When you want to edit a cached object, Canvas X Draw loads the original; you do not need to take any special action or uncache the object.

Draw with cache: Select this option to display low-resolution versions of cached objects for faster display. Cached objects are objects that have been cached with either the Cache Object command or the Auto Cache Images option. (See Cache.)

When Draw with Cache is not selected, Canvas X Draw retains any low-resolution previews that it has created in memory, but displays the full paths of vector objects and displays paint objects at normal resolution.

Auto cache images: Select Auto Cache Images to automatically cache paint objects whose resolution is above a threshold that you specify.

If Auto Cache Images is selected, but Draw with Cache is not selected, Canvas X Draw will cache paint objects (if their resolution is above the set threshold), but will not display the low-resolution versions.

Cached paint objects are displayed at low resolution for faster display. Enter the desired display resolution in the second text box.

To uncache all paint objects, deselect Auto Cache Images. A message appears. Click Yes to uncache all paint objects. This is equivalent to using the Uncache Object command on each paint object individually.

If you want to uncache paint objects and Auto Cache Images is already cleared, use the Uncache Object command instead.

Caching Objects

This command can be used to speed up the display of complex objects, which is useful when a document contains complex objects that you do not need to edit often. When you cache an object, Canvas X Draw stores a low-resolution preview in memory. The preview can be displayed quickly when you move the object or change views. You can cache any type of object for faster display.

To Cache an Object:

  1. Select the object to cache.
  2. Choose Object | Options | Cache Object.
  3. Cache Object is also available as a checkbox in the Properties bar for quick access.

  4. In the dialog box, enter a preview resolution value, from 2 to 300 pixels per inch, in the text box. Lower resolutions produce rougher previews.
  5. Click OK. Canvas X Draw displays a preview of the cached object at the cached resolution.

To Uncache an Object:

  1. Select a cached object.
  2. Choose Object | Options | Uncache Object. Canvas X Draw returns the object to its normal resolution.

Document Setup

In Document Setup, you can switch the current document type, modify document size and orientation, as well as change document units and scale. You can change these same settings in the Properties bar.

Although you can switch to another document type in midstream, you should save the current document in its entirety and then change the document type.

Defining a Drawing Scale

You can establish a drawing scale by using the Document Scale command. (See Set Document Scale.)

Functionality Options

Use the Functionality Options to setup a range of document options.

Fit to window

Opens documents so the full layout area can be seen in the center of the window. When this option is off, documents open in Home View (100% magnification with the upper-left corner of the page in the upper-left corner of the window).

AutoSnap palettes

See Using AutoSnap Palettes.

AutoSave

Select this checkbox if you want Canvas X Draw to automatically save a document after a certain period of time. The time periods are designated in minutes.

Create backup when saving

Saves a copy of the current document each time you save changes to the document. The backup copy has the extension “.bak,” and Canvas X Draw saves to this same file each time.

Show information tooltips

Displays information, tips and shortcuts in small boxes that appear when you point at an item, such as a tool, button, or object. For example, if you move the pointer over the Copy button in the Tool Bar, Canvas X Draw displays the command name and shortcut. Canvas X Draw also displays user comments when you point to an object that has comments, and displays information when you point to an ink in the Inks palette. For color inks, Canvas X Draw displays color system information. For example, if you point to a CMYK ink, the color values such as “5c 2m 92y 0k” appear in a pop-up box. For other inks, Canvas X Draw displays the ink name.

Canvas 6-style object locking

When you lock an object or group of objects, you can select and copy locked object(s) by clicking on the object or group of objects. Copied objects will not be locked.

Scale Stroke Weight

When you scale an object by dragging its selection handles, if the object has a solid pen stroke, Canvas X Draw will scale the pen weight proportionately with the object.

Select across visible layers

Lets you select objects on all visible layers in a document, rather than just the active layer.

If this option is off, you can still select objects on other visible layers by pressing Tab and clicking the objects.

Search selection on clicks

When this option is on, you can drag a selected object from behind another object. If this option is off, you can drag only the front object, because dragging deselects a back object.

Freeform selection

Lets you place objects in Freeform mode by clicking already-selected objects. Otherwise, you must use the Effects | Freeform command to put an object in Freeform mode.

No background updates

Prevents Canvas X Draw from redrawing open Canvas X Draw documents when you are working in another application. This option lets other applications run faster when Canvas X Draw is in the background.

Prompt for clipboard export

When you copy something in Canvas X Draw, and then exit or quit, Canvas X Draw will prompt you on whether or not you want to copy this content to the clipboard or delete it.

Number of Undos

Enter a number in the Min box to set the minimum number of actions that Canvas X Draw can reverse. The default is three. Enter a number in the Max box to specify the maximum number of actions that Canvas X Draw reverse. The default is 10.

Preview View capture delay

Specify the amount of time that must elapse before the view change is recorded.

Default Save As file format

Select a format for Canvas X Draw to default to when Save As is selected.

You still have the option of changing the file format in the Save As dialog on an individual basis.

Default code page for non-unicode file formats

When the Enable auto detect code page for CVX files checkbox is enabled, non-unicode text (like in .CVX files) will be converted to unicode by analyzing the file. Should this be unsuccessful, Canvas X Draw will use the code page displayed in the drop-down menu. If this code page is incorrect, you can choose the correct code page from the drop-down menu. You may need to re-open your file to see results. As this setting acts as a global preference, it is advised to select the code page you work with the most.

Enable auto detect codepage for CVX files

This option detects and enables the correct display of text in legacy .CVX files by analyzing the file. In the event that the correct code page cannot be found, Canvas X Draw will default to the code page selected in the Default code page for non-unicode file formats drop-down menu above.

Painting

The Painting manager lets you set preferences for displaying and editing paint objects and images.

Brush Pointer

These options let you change the pointer displayed for painting tools. The default pointer is a symbol of the current painting tool.

Standard Pointer: Displays the icon for the current painting tool.

Precise Pointer: Displays a crosshair pointer. The intersection of the crosshair is the center of the current brush.

Brush Size: Displays an outline of the current brush as the pointer.

Open the context menu to change the pointer while you edit a paint object.

Filter Operations

Apply individually: Apply filter operations individually.

Combine channels & apply: Combine channels and then apply filter operations.

Additional options

Select through transparency: Select through transparency.

Display channel previews in color: Makes channel previews in the Image Channels palette appear in color rather than shades of gray.

Anti-aliased clipboard: Anti-aliases vector and text objects pasted from the Clipboard into a paint object.

Anti-aliased Canvas objects: Anti-aliases Canvas X Draw vector and text objects drawn in a paint object. For example, if you add text to a paint object in Edit mode, Canvas X Draw rasterizes and anti-aliases the text.

Screen Rendering

Use the Screen Rendering options to setup the way images are rendered.

Vector quality

The options in this menu affect the entire screen display in Canvas X Draw.

Draft: Provides the fastest screen display by drawing vector objects less smoothly. Choosing this option can increase display speed by 300%.

Normal: Provides fast screen display and draws smooth vector objects. This is the recommended setting and is selected by default.

Anti-Aliased (Coarse), Anti-Aliased (Medium), Anti-Aliased (Fine): Smooths all objects on screen, including text and vector objects by anti-aliasing their edges. Theoretically, the finer the anti-aliasing, the slower the screen drawing will be —Anti-Aliased (Fine) being the slowest. Anti-aliasing also slows the display compared to Draft or Normal settings.

Anti-aliased is especially useful when you create screenshots or display slide shows on screen.

Image interpolation

When activated, this feature will significantly enhance the visual quality of scaled images. Interpolation takes place whenever an image needs to be reduced or downsampled. In other words, whenever the number of pixels being displayed is less than the available number of pixels at the destination. An example of downsampling would be when a 300 ppi image is set to be displayed at 100%.

Interpolation is a mathematical procedure which estimates values of a function at positions between listed or given values.

Auto: Is the optimal setting for interpolation of a photographic image. The Auto setting automatically chooses the best Interpolation option based on the image, its resolution, and current magnification.

Nearest Neighbor: This will remove some pixel information from your image; however, if used, this setting will be the fastest. The Nearest Neighbor setting merely gathers pixel data from the “nearest neighbor” of each pixel, therefore interpolation does not actually occur.

Fast Bilinear: Uses a bilinear interpolation algorithm during downsampling, which is optimized for speed. This setting can be used for working with line art and may be used with some photographic images.

Fast Bicubic: Uses a bicubic interpolation algorithm, which is optimized for speed. This setting is appropriate if you work primarily with photographs. Due to the blurring effect, this method is not recommended for line art.

Triangle: Produces good results with photo-realistic images and with images that are irregular or complex. This method uses interpolation to minimize the raggedness normally associated with image expansion.

Bicubic: Is an appropriate setting if you work primarily with photographs.
Due to a blurring effect, we do not recommend the Bicubic setting if you work with line art.

Bell: Smoothes the image.

BSpline: Produces smooth transitions, but may cause excessive blurring.

Lanczos:Produces the sharpest image, but may also introduce some ringing artifacts.

Mitchell: Produces smooth transitions when enlarging photo-realistic images. This filter is a good compromise between the ringing effect of Lanczos and the blurring effect of other filters.

Pasteboard Color

Use the color palette to select a color for the pasteboard area.

Object Caching

Keeps screen images in memory so the display refreshes significantly faster when you move or edit objects. This is the recommended option. If you deselect this option, less memory (up to 4 MB) is used for screen display, but displaying complex images might be very slow.

Image Edit

Lets you control how transparency appears when a paint object is in Edit mode.

No preview: Displays a checkerboard pattern to represent transparency in an image. This isolates an image from background objects, which can be helpful for editing complex compositions.

Items in background only: Displays transparency in an image during editing. Objects behind the image are rendered realistically while you edit. (If no objects are behind the paint object, the document’s white layout area shows through transparent areas.) Objects in front of a paint object are hidden during image editing.

Preview all: Displays both background and foreground transparency during image editing. This is the most accurate preview.

Selection

Show originals when dragging and resizing

When you drag or resize an object, it will follow the pointer and also appear in its original position until you release the mouse button.

Selecting this option means that when you drag an object, an outline of the object (without pen ink, fill ink, or stroke) will follow the pointer.

Allow Drag in Path Edit Mode

Allow dragging in Path Edit mode.

Offset for duplicated objects

Tells Canvas X Draw how far (in pixels) from the original to put object copies when you choose Edit | Duplicate or Edit | Paste.

Offset for moving objects

You can specify the number of pixels that objects move when you use a combination of modifier and arrow keys. For example, with the default settings, Command+Right Arrow moves a selected object 50 pixels to the right, and Option+Right Arrow moves it 10 pixels to the right.

Selection Handle Size

Select a size for selection handles.

Auto-scroll to selection

Keeps objects that you move using the arrow keys in view by scrolling the document window.

Show each bounding box when over 1000 objects are selected

Displays each individual bounding box in a selection containing over 1000 objects. By default, this quantity of selected objects will appear as one large selection.

User Info

Specify a name and initials for object comments, which you can insert using the Comments command. (See Attaching Comments to Objects and Using Markup Tools.)

Name

Type a name in the text box. When you attach a comment to an object, Canvas X Draw associates the name you enter with the comment. By default, Canvas X Draw uses the name entered when Canvas X Draw was installed.

Initials

Type initials in the text box. When you attach comments to an object, Canvas X Draw associates these initials with the comment.

See Also: