Key Tools and Features of the Workspace
Because it is a web application, the workspace in CorelDRAW.app is slightly different from CorelDRAW itself.
To demonstrate some of the differences, we will be using the Cynthia’s Party template from New from Template > Social Media.
Much of the look and feel of the app will seem familiar to CorelDRAW users, but there are a few differences:
- mouse wheel: pans the document up and down
- Ctrl + mouse wheel: zooms in and out
- Shift + mouse wheel: pans side to side
- Spacebar (hold): drag to pan anywhere
All the drawing and editing tools are in the toolbar across the top. This toolbar includes the Pick and Shape tools, lines and shapes, curves, shaping and text. You can also import images.
The toolbar is context sensitive. For example, when objects are selected the tools for mirroring, rotating, grouping, and ordering are enabled in the toolbar.
Menus and Panels
You can control the display with options in the View menu such as the View > Canvas, which include rulers and grid, several types of snaps, and the various panels.
The Modify menu is where you can find arrange, align, and transform options.
On the left, you will find the Panels interface. Panels are similar to the dockers that appear on the right side of the CorelDRAW workspace, and are as follows:
- Objects lists the objects on each page, like the Objects docker in CorelDRAW.
- Libraries provides access to online content, similar to Corel CONNECT.
- Symbols is a place to store objects you want to reuse.
On the right is where you can control properties of selected objects. We’ll quickly change the font and color of the “Cynthia’s” text object with a couple of clicks.
If an object or group is selected, this panel displays settings to adjust alignment, position, size, or various appearance properties, plus add effects, fills and borders.
If nothing is selected, this panel displays general information about the document itself, including page size, margins, etc.
Working with Objects
Drawing tools will feel familiar as well. While creating objects, if snaps are enabled, a variety of indicators will pop up to make lining up with other objects…a snap!
To try out the drawing tools, activate the Rectangle tool on the top toolbar. Create a rectangle, round the corners with the corner slider, set a fill and border in the Fills and Borders tools, reduce the opacity, and apply a blur effect all from the object properties on the right.
When an object is selected with the Pick tool, you can move it, scale it, or rotate it.
You can also drag objects in the Objects panel to rearrange object order, create layers, and add objects to layers from the Objects panel.
NOTE: some app features are marked “Pro.” Accessing pro features requires an upgrade from standard to pro level, through a subscription.
Saving Documents
When a document is complete, and you’re ready to save it, there are several options. Choose File > Save As, and you can use either the CDRAPP format for use in the app, or CDR format if you want to open the document in CorelDRAW.
Either format can be saved to the CorelCLOUD with the green Save button or can be downloaded with the gray Download button.
All open documents are listed in the top right corner, and while saving to the cloud, you’ll get an indicator while the document is synching.
While in the CorelDRAW.app, you also can open a CorelDRAW file from your computer. The original CorelDRAW content remains in a locked layer, and at this time you can’t edit this content while in CorelDRAW.app. But any new objects you add will appear in the Objects panel.
Any objects you add while in the app will be including when saving this document back to CDR format. Then you can open the downloaded CDR document in CorelDRAW and continue editing and adding content.
With the new CorelDRAW Graphics Suite, your imagination doesn’t have be limited to your desk. Wherever inspiration strikes, open the Corel.DRAW. app in a browser on any device and start designing.