X4 Workspace query

[Robolovsky]

I have just installed X4 and SP1 and am currently customizing from scratch as it appears once again that the previous version's workspaces are not compatible. Why do Corel do this, do they think we all have hours to spare?

My main query is this. I have changed the workspace to light grey which I prefer but in X3 I was also able to change the actual desktop colour i.e. the colour behind the image. In X4 this is black and there does not seem to be any way of changing it unless someone out there can help. Please.

Also is there any way to switch from tabbed viewing of images to group viewing as in all previous versions? This was very useful for making comparisons.

[df]

As of yet there is no work around or fix for the central work area color.
But for the other click Window> Cascade or anything other than Tabbed Documents.

[Robolovsky]

Thanks Dan. I think in X3 the background colour could be changed by using classic mode which allowed the colour to be determined by the Windows settings. Difficult to understand why Corel think everybody would want to work on a black background.

Now to try and work out the best way to utilise the Organiser. Tried the floating and docked modes but don't seem to have anty control over the size of the thumbnails. Any ideas?

[df]

Sorry, I live in the Edit zone. I can count the number of times I've actually tried to use the other zones in both X3 and X4 on one hand (I know they aren't the same but they are similar). That's not to say that's it's not useful for some, it's just not part of my workflow.

[Robolovsky]

Actually I meant using the Organizer in the Edit zone. Like you I only work there but the Organizer is present and I cannot see how to best utilise it. In the previous version at least it was on a different page but if I dock it in X4 it takes up too much room and if I float it and try to resize the window it also resizes the thumbnails. All very odd. What I would like to do is get it to an acceptable size and then resize the thumbnails accordingly.

[JRosenfeld]

I have the organiser in edit mode placed at the bottom (it opens when I hover cursor over the button bottom left). If you change the height of the organiser window the thumbnails change with it. Open the organisr, place cursor on its top edge (it changes from arrow to double ended arrow with = across it) then drag up or down to taste. The organiser closes when you insert an image into the workspace and move your cursor into the workspace, so I don't find the organiser window interferoing with working on the image

[Robolovsky]

@JRosenfeld. Yes this is an option but still not as good for viewing large numbers of thumbnails together, as using the thumbnaill mode in the Manage tab. Also there is no way of saving the Organizer bar size. When you restart the program it appears at its default size again.

[chickiepet]

I totally agree with Robolovsky about the Organiser. I've progressed through all versions of psp from 6 upwards. I don't use my program for photographs, I mainly use it for my hobby which is creating graphics. This means I am constantly needing to be in my Browser (Organiser from X2 upwards) and I have to say, I find the new Organiser is absolutely dreadful! At least in X3 I was able to have the Organiser on a separate page where I had the navigation pane and a lovely set of thumbnails to look through, then a simple double click opened my selection in the Edit workspace. It was inconvenient but workable. Not so anymore with the advent of X4. The organiser in Edit mode is the only workable way. If I try to use it in Manage mode, it forces me to save and close what I am working on before it will let me access it, which is ridiculous if I'm looking for something extra to use in the piece I'm working on! So the only way to work around that is to either float the organiser in my Edit space, which is a pain because it gets in the way, or to dock it at the bottom and have it in auto-hide mode (along with the navigation panel). It is more than annoying to have both panels fly out when least expected and constantly having to take it off auto hide so I can scroll through either the navigation panel or the organiser panel. It disrupts my workflow continuously. The other thing that just isn't practical is having to see an entire folder full of items in a strip form along the bottom of the workspace. This makes it very difficult to get an overview of the folder contents when forced to view it in strip form. My typical workflow is to have the Browser (yes I'm still working in psp 9), open and then minimise it when not in use, but it is in use off an on every few minutes when I'm working on my graphics. It's there, it's easily accessible, it's fast and it works...why mess with that? New and different isn't always better. If it ain't broke, don't fix it should be the motto

As a side note, not everyone likes to work on the dark graphite colouring. I have mine set to light blue, but of course we are till forced to work on a dark grey graphite background which i have to admit, can be very hard on the eyes. Why on earth was THAT option changed? Makes no sense at all.

I know there has been an update recently that addressed some of the concerns of customers and I applaud Corel for that...thank you! However, I would dearly like to be heard on the issue of the Organiser. I belong to several very large graphics groups, with members totalling in the thousands and I hear this same complaint over and over... 'Bring back the old style Browser!' This is our plea! Not everyone uses PSP for editing their photographs. This limits the program to aim it mainly at photographers. There is so much more that can be done with it!

Is it not possible to have the old Jasc style version 9 browser back alongside the Organiser for those who find that useful? Can we not both be catered to?

I love a lot of the new tools and filters and possibilities that psp X4 brings, I truly do, but, until such time as people like me can get something akin to the old style Browser back, I'm afraid most of us have gone back to using our old JASC PSP 9.01

[Tessypoo]

I agree with chickiepet

I haven't bought the X4 because of the complaints I've heard about the Organiser in X4.

I use photoshop not for photos but scrapbooking and other graphics, I own X3 and love it but for the Organiser, and I've heard there's just as much if not more trouble with the Organiser in X4.

I've gone back to using the old Jasc 9 version because I love having the "Browser" and NOT the Organiser, I hate the organiser, I hate switching from the organiser to edit every time I want to add something to my graphic only to find it doesn't suit because i couldn't see what I'm workign on and elements at the same time,when I want to add elements etc it's sitting at the bottom on my screen and I can see all the elements in the one folder and pic and choose which will go with what I'm working on with out having to change screens and tools all the time, it got very irritating and I simply gave up with X3, it's still installed but I haven't opened it in months. now my psp 9 i opened it at least 10 times a week, more actually I use it almost every day several times a day, I do hate the blue taskbar it brings up, but it's a compromise to having a psp version that I enjoy using.

and until Corel brings back the option to have and use a browser like in the older psp 9 and X2 versions, I wont be upgrading to a newer version. I had been looking forward to X4 i even had money saved to buy it until I had heard that the Organiser/Broswer was the same as X3, I'm not going to waste money on a program I don't like using.

PLEASE Corel consider the people who want to use the old style browser instead of Organiser and make it an option for people to use what one they want.

so until Corel brings back the Broswer as an option I'll be using my old Jasc psp 9