Future support for Corel Draw files?

[ThomasK]

Hello guys,

 

just bought the Windows version yesterday :) yay

I have just one question. In Poland the Corel Draw is pretty popular between printing houses and graphic designers. Do you plan to add support for Corel Draw file format someday in future? Or is this not possible?

 

Sincerely,

Thomas

[MattP]

Hi Thomas,

 

This has been mentioned before - but I would agree that the forum's search functions are very poor so I'm not surprised if you couldn't find it! There's no reason why we couldn't add CDR import in the future - it should be an easier format than the .fh FreeHand import that we added a while back, it's just down to prioritising development tasks. The more times people ask for it, the more likely it is to be flagged as a priority task.

 

Expect it to happen in the future, but I can't say for certain when....

 

Thanks again,

Matt

[Garish]

If this here post counts as one of those "the more times people ask for it" instances, then let it be known that I'd definitely encourage - and ask for - incorporating support for CorelDraw files as a priority feature.

 

My CorelDraw 8 subscription sits idle while I interview AD as a replacement candidate, and the ability to open my cache of .cdr files would definitely go a long way towards making a full transition.

[Alfred]

On 11/23/2016 at 7:27 AM, MattP said:

There's no reason why we couldn't add CDR import in the future - it should be an easier format than the .fh FreeHand import that we added a while back, it's just down to prioritising development tasks.

 

That's interesting, Matt. I always thought that the inability to import CDR files into DrawPlus was down to its being a closed format. It never occurred to me that it could have been done but simply had such a low priority that it was never actually implemented! 

[Petar Petrenko]

Hi Thomas,

 

This has been mentioned before - but I would agree that the forum's search functions are very poor so I'm not surprised if you couldn't find it! There's no reason why we couldn't add CDR import in the future - it should be an easier format than the .fh FreeHand import that we added a while back, it's just down to prioritising development tasks. The more times people ask for it, the more likely it is to be flagged as a priority task.

 

Expect it to happen in the future, but I can't say for certain when....

 

Thanks again,

Matt

 

Import filters must be your priority. This way you'll have more grateful users who like to get rid of some old, slow, not so intuitive apps.

By me, your first priorities must be CorelDRAW (CDR and CMX), InDesign, Xara, QuarkXPress import filters.

[MikeW]

Scratch layout file format filters from AD import. They are not needed for AD.

[ChrisMoon]

If we talk about support for other formats files, .sketch format is most important. Tons of free resources ready to use :)

[Petar Petrenko]

If we talk about support for other formats files, .sketch format is most important. Tons of free resources ready to use :)

 

Yeah, it's true, but Corel has milions(?) users. If only 10% of them want to come to Affinity... :)

[ThomasK]

This has been mentioned before - but I would agree that the forum's search functions are very poor so I'm not surprised if you couldn't find it!

 

Yes, I did search for this, but I haven't found any clues about this. :)

 

The more times people ask for it, the more likely it is to be flagged as a priority task.

 

Awesome -  I am asking for it. :) Thanks for info.

 

[KaiPaul]

as almost mentioned in another place ... i wish to import my old *.cdr files ... and i would like to replace CorelDraw with Affinity! But I need the import function! So here is on mor markind on the wish-hit-list!

May be as a X.mas present????? :D :rolleyes:

[Petar Petrenko]

+1

[Patrick Connor]

Import filters must be your priority. This way you'll have more grateful users who like to get rid of some old, slow, not so intuitive apps.

There's no point importing formats that have lots of features that Affinity hasn't implemented yet, it just leads to complaints that the imported file looks wrong.

 

Features first, them import filters... IMHO

[Petar Petrenko]

There's no point importing formats that have lots of features that Affinity hasn't implemented yet, it just leads to complaints that the imported file looks wrong.

 

Features first, them import filters... IMHO

 

I agree with that. Then try another way. See what formats have not so much differences in features, implement them and make import filter.  :)

[MikeW]

I agree with that. Then try another way. See what formats have not so much differences in features, implement them and make import filter.  :)

 

And which applications have fewer features than, or simply comparable features to, AD?

 

I think there is a means of degrading unmapped features when writing the import filter. After all, AD may never be at feature parity to CD. As well, if a 32-bit CMX import filter (or the legacy CMX) filter was first built for AD, it in and of itself doesn't support the feature-rich CDR file format. But it would be a great first step for people wanting to begin working with both applications and or port things over as needed.

 

Mike

[finolajc]

I also need to import old Corel Draw files - I no longer have this program but used it alot, so now am stuck as far as editing them goes. 

[dominik]

I also need to import old Corel Draw files - I no longer have this program but used it alot, so now am stuck as far as editing them goes. 

 

Hello finolajc,

 

welcome to the forum.

 

There are now some online services that let you convert from and to different file types. One of them is zamzar.com and you could try their free service how they perform for you.

 

Of course they do not convert to Affinity format but PDF could be a good choice, too.

 

d.

[zehh]

Hi everybody!!!

Well...Here in Brazil, as far as I know, CorelDRAW has a lot more users then Illustrator. Every single designer, print house, graphic worker use CorelDRAW. They can use Illustrator, InDesign, Xara, QuarkXpress, Sketch, you name it, but all they will use CorelDRAW also.

I'm CorelDRAW user since version 10 (I think the year was 2000/2001...) and I'm migrating all my old jobs to AD. And the new ones I'm using only AD instead.

But that's a long road to AD on this Brazilian market... migrating from one software to another (to work professionally) is not an easy decision and making. The learning curve is only one of the problems. PDF exchange can solve most of the problems, but not all.

So, just to think, if I could open all my .CDR and start working from that...professionally...it would be nice. Really nice. I made my decision and I will drop all software I used to work with (until the license permits) and I'll use only AD and AF from now. but it's me...

But for most of people that use CorelDRAW, if they could open and work on their files natively, will be mutch more appealling.

[Ju5tin]

LibreOffice can open CDR and CMX (even up to Corel X7), using libcdr.

Of course it is not perfect for complex files, but that is true even for Corel X4 opening files saved down from Corel X7.

I am curious thou, what happens if you open 45 m banners in AD that only supports 3 m canvases.

[Petar Petrenko]

Inkscape can also open CDR and CMX.

[MikeW]

...

I am curious thou, what happens if you open 45 m banners in AD that only supports 3 m canvases.

 

I would have to test as to the opening of a really large banner in AD. But it does/can create large banners. I think I tested it up to the 200" Acrobat/Reader limit for viewing. I posted about it here but cannot find the proper thread.

 

There is a means of creating larger than 200" PDFs that are viewable in Acrobat/Reader, but it involves using Acrobat Distiller.

[janes]

Hello I bought the Designer yesterday! The problem for me is that the marriage file, cdr, ai. I get my form and I can not open the Designer. It would be nice if it were otherwise, this solution does not make much sense to Design Keller, Professionalism Program in vain!

[000]

Have a look at this: http://blue-tail.com/coreldraw-file-batch-converter/

[SrPx]

On 13/12/2016 at 9:21 PM, zehh said:

 and I'm migrating all my old jobs to AD. And the new ones I'm using only AD instead.

 

I'm curious... why do you move from Corel to AD, being most companies in your country corel based, and, actually Corel Draw being a quite complete suite ?

Is mere curiosity.

[zehh]

On 02/03/2018 at 8:48 AM, SrPx said:

 

I'm curious... why do you move from Corel to AD, being most companies in your country corel based, and, actually Corel Draw being a quite complete suite ?

Is mere curiosity.

Two main reasons (of many others) my friend ( For me and only me, ok!!! ).

First: AD if far more intuitive and easy to work then CD. I can do things two or three times easier and faster in AD/AP. 

Second: CD is US$705,00 (Full License) or U$265,00 (12 Months Plan)...

 

[SrPx]

Very solid reasons, indeed. Actually I think the same, tho am in a different country/situation  (CD not dominant here, tho it is the tool of a portion of print shops and magazines, mid/small studios, etc. Adobe dominates, tho. ). Agreeing with the UI, slightly (CD is pretty intuitive in my book, but I too prefer Affinity's). And the price and purchase option is a massive reason.