CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X7 – Update 6

The new features and improvements included in the X7.6 Update are described in the following sections:

• New and enhanced features
• Performance improvements

New and enhanced features

• CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X7.6 is certified as Microsoft Windows 10 Compatible so that you can use the software on Windows 10 with confidence.
• (Premium) The newly updated version of AfterShot, CorelDRAW Edition features a revamped technology framework that supports high-definition displays and provides superior performance. In addition, you can now work with more RAW camera file formats, benefit from enhanced support for specific camera models, and enjoy numerous performance improvements.
• Community website for developers: Whether you are automating tasks by using macros, creating custom tools, or developing commercial solutions that integrate with CorelDRAW Graphics Suite; the new developer community website can help you with its wealth of useful resources: a programming guide, detailed Object Model reference documentation with code samples, and in-depth programming articles.
• (Premium) When you split an object by using the Knife (Premium) tool, CorelDRAW lets you choose whether to convert outlines to curve objects or keep them as outlines. By default, the application automatically chooses the option that best preserves outline appearance.
• Updated tutorials in the series Insights from the Experts include:
  • Fundamentals of design by gordongroup
  • Creating realistic works with the mesh fill by Ariel Garaza Díaz
  • The art of vehicle illustration by Oscar O. Osorio Cortés (Mosh)

Performance improvements

The following areas feature performance improvements (formerly released in service packs).

Application Workspace

• The Weld Target command was added back as a customization option in the Options dialog box (Tools menu > Customization > Commands).
• Floating dockers no longer appear docked after they are closed by using the Close button in their upper-right corners and then opened again by using a shortcut.
• Custom commands do not change their width when added to the menu bar.

Color and Fills

• The Image Adjustment Lab in Corel PHOTO-PAINT no longer automatically adjusts colors without user input.
• In Corel PHOTO-PAINT, the display is immediately updated after changing node color in interactive fountain fills.
• Spot color names no longer disappear from the Edit fill dialog box after you fill an object with a spot color and then change the spot color.
• You can now save CDR files that contain clones of objects filled with custom two-color fills.
• Fountain fills in CDR files saved in version X4 now maintain their appearance when the files are opened in CorelDRAW X7.
• Unused bitmap fills no longer increase the file size when the document is saved.

Filters

• Exporting to PDF by using the File > Export command works as expected when you enable or disable the Export this page only option.
• The names of custom spot colors are preserved when exporting to PDF.
• Fountain fill rotation is preserved in imported Adobe Illustrator (AI) files.
• When importing PDF or AI files, the order of objects is maintained in the Object Manager.
• Exporting a CorelDRAW document by using floating point numbers on the Advanced tab of the Export to EPS dialog box, no longer generates an EPS bounding box error.

Objects

• Objects on layers that are set to be invisible, non-editable or hidden can no longer be seen or edited when the Shape tool is selected.
• The Attributes Eyedropper tool can now properly copy object properties from resized stars, complex stars, and polygons.
• The Undo command now restores the outline width of clone curves.
• Applying the Revert to Objects command to a placed symbol no longer changes the default object properties.
• You can now use the rotation handles to rotate objects when zoomed in.
• In Corel PHOTO-PAINT, you can now quickly edit lens effects in the Objects docker.
• Vector objects that have outlines of hairline width and were created in CorelDRAW can be pasted in a Corel PHOTO-PAINT document.

Text

• Scrolling in the Font list box when certain fonts are present no longer causes the applications to stop responding.
• You can now open CDR files that contain frames with the wrap paragraph text property enabled.
• You can now discard hyperlink formatting when you import text and the Automatically hyperlink option is disabled in the Options dialog box (Text > Writing Tools > Quick Correct).

Tools

• When using the Shape tool, you can access all commands on the property bar even after stretching and scaling nodes.
• Node alignment still works properly after you rotate or skew nodes with the Shape tool.
• Nodes can be reliably aligned to the last selected node by using the Shape tool.
• You can now nudge nodes in half-pixel increments when editing nodes with the Shape tool in Pixel view while zoomed in.
• Double-clicking now deletes multiple selected nodes.

Printing

• When creating imposition layouts in the Print Preview dialog box, you can now do the following:
  • specify page numbers by pressing Enter
  • navigate pages by pressing Tab
  • access the Edit Gutters & Finishing option
  • view the correct page number on the toolbar when specifying a page number and then switching to another page
• Spot color fills with transparencies applied no longer appear on the CMYK plates.

Stability

• The following actions no longer cause CorelDRAW to stop responding:
  • including a forward slash (/) in the name of a custom color management preset and then selecting any preset
  • using Ctrl+Tab to switch between documents while editing fountain fills interactively
  • tracing 1-bit black-and-white bitmaps or using black-and-white color mode in the Dutch version of the application
  • editing OnApplicationEvent in the Macro Editor
  • opening version X5 CDR files that contain contour effects
  • opening version X6 CDR files that contain hidden layers and drop shadow groups
  • using the Crop tool on selected PowerClip content
  • opening version X4 files that contain lens groups
  • exporting a document that contains linked bitmaps to the SVG file format
• The following actions no longer cause CorelDRAW and Corel PHOTO-PAINT to stop responding:
  • setting up for area capture in CAPTURE, opening or importing a bitmap in CorelDRAW or Corel PHOTO-PAINT, bringing up an effects dialog box, and then trying to complete the capture
  • trying to do area capture in the Export to EPS dialog box
• The following action no longer causes Corel PHOTO-PAINT to stop responding:
  • using the Liquid Smear tool on an editable area

The new features and improvements included in the X7.5 Update are described in the following sections:

• New and enhanced features
• Performance and stability

New and enhanced features

• Update 5 offers more than 340 new premium templates that feature 27 designs in areas as diverse as education, accounting, legal services, hospitality, recreation, and event planning.
• When you split an object by using the Knife (Premium) tool, CorelDRAW converts the object outline to curves to better preserve outline appearance. The Convert outlines button is enabled by default.
• With the enhanced Border and Grommet dialog box in CorelDRAW (Tools > Border and Grommet), you can now create a banner from the active page or from selected objects on the page.
• You can zoom in and out in preset increments by using common keyboard shortcuts, supported by web browsers and other applications.
• You can now quickly access the File > Open Recent command from the standard toolbar.
• Updated tutorials in the series Insights from the Experts include:
  • Creating an invitation by Michaela Maginot
  • Logo Design by Jacob Mesick

Performance and stability

The following areas feature performance improvements (formerly released in service packs).

Document

• Intermittent problems when saving to DropBox have been addressed.
• Switching between documents when the PowerClip toolbar is enabled no longer results in an error.
• Scrolling by using the mouse wheel works as expected.

Color and Fills

• When inverting CMYK objects (Effects > Transform > Invert Colors), CMYK white now becomes 100% black.
• Enhanced View displays fills that contain Pantone colors without delay.
• User-created fills on a Turkish operating system now appear in the Private list even if the user name contains special characters.

Filters

• DXF import in CorelDRAW: You can now move lines that have line styles applied.

Objects

• You can now use alignment guides to place objects on top of one another or create new objects with precision, without a 1-pixel offset in Corel PHOTO-PAINT.
• You can now press Enter to rename a symbol in the Symbol Manager.

Text

• Fonts from the Switzerland family and Hebrew fonts can be used without issues.
• All lines in paragraph text are displayed after the text is copied and pasted.
• Changing the default font size of artistic text and then clicking Cancel in the Change Document Defaults dialog box now preserves the default font size.
• Turkish characters are properly displayed regardless of the font.
• In CorelDRAW, the settings for Asian line-breaking rules can now be saved as part of the default properties of paragraph text.
• You can now align linked text frames vertically.
• The PANOSE font matching dialog box no longer appears when opening files that contain embedded and installed fonts.
• Asian fonts can now be installed through CONNECT.

Tools

• The Liquid Smear tool in Corel PHOTO-PAINT no longer creates pixelated edges.
• The Shape tool can be used to select and move character nodes in Asian, Arabic, Hebrew, and Urdu text.
• Parallel, horizontal, and vertical dimension lines remain attached to the center point of objects when the objects are moved.

Printing

• When dragging an image in Print Preview, you can see the blue dotted outline.

Stability

• Font family names that contain an apostrophe (for example, “Stahls' Mega Greek”) and fonts that contain incomplete data will now be gracefully handled, allowing the applications to function normally.
• The following actions no longer cause CorelDRAW to stop responding:
  • editing large files while they are being saved
  • clicking the Save button on the standard toolbar a second time before the button becomes enabled
  • editing a fountain fill and then pressing the space bar
• The following actions no longer cause Corel PHOTO-PAINT to stop responding:
  • dragging a file into a Corel PHOTO-PAINT document and then switching the zoom level
  • applying a fill with the Interactive Fill tool and then clicking Cancel when closing the file and prompted to save the changes

The new features and improvements included in the X7.4 Update are described in the following sections:

• New and enhanced features
• Performance and stability

Most new and enhanced features included with the X7.4 Update are available only to CorelDRAW Premium Members. Performance improvements are available to all CorelDRAW members.

New and enhanced features

• AfterShot, CorelDRAW Edition: Control every aspect of your photo workflow with the power of AfterShot, CorelDRAW Edition. It's an all-inclusive RAW converter with a non-destructive photo editor and high-speed photo manager. Make detailed adjustments to a single photo or batch process multiple RAW images.
• Shadow capabilities: Create a realistic shadow effect using drop shadows with Gaussian Blur feathering.
• Support for pressure-sensitive devices: Get exceptional control and performance with support for the Real-Time Stylus (RTS) interface. Use the pressure and tilt of your RTS-compatible pen tablet or device to control brushstrokes in CorelDRAW and Corel PHOTO-PAINT.
• Font list box: View, filter and find fonts easily with the new Font list box in CorelDRAW and Corel PHOTO-PAINT. Filter fonts based on weight, width, supported scripts, and more. The font search has also been enhanced to allow a keyword search for fonts.
• Premium fonts: Choose from 32 additional fonts to add effective, visually appealing text to your designs.
• Additions to the tutorial series Insights from the Experts:
  • (Updated) Producing a realistic drawing with CorelDRAW by Hugo Hansen
  • (New) Architectural design by Jeff Livingston

Performance and stability

The following areas feature performance improvements (formerly released in service packs).

Document

• You can save and close large documents while other tasks are running in the background.
• CorelDRAW maintains custom color swatch names when opening files that were saved in version X4.
• Enabling the Enable background tasks check box on the Global page of the Options dialog box no longer interferes with file auto-backup.

Color and Fills

• You can now enter hexadecimal color values in the Color docker.
• Fills can now be applied to the entire editable area in Corel PHOTO-PAINT documents that contain masks.

Content Exchange

• You can download vector pattern fills and premium German templates from the Content Exchange without issues.

Effects

• The Brightness/Contrast/Intensity effect can be applied correctly to mesh objects.

Filters

• Importing PDF files: The appearance of skewed and stretched text is preserved.
• Exporting Corel PHOTO-PAINT documents to PDF no longer results in blank files.
• When a document containing duotone objects is exported to PDF, all document content is preserved in the PDF.
• You can open Corel DESIGNER X6 file in CorelDRAW without issues.
• SVG import has been enhanced, and several object attributes such as shape, fill outline, and multiline text are now imported correctly.

Objects

• When an object is snapped to a guideline, the overlapping edges appear clearly highlighted.
• Connector lines can be edited as expected.
• You can copy objects between two instances of CorelDRAW.
• The shortcut key for a 0.5-point outline works as expected.

Software deployment and Membership

• In-product messaging now respects the offline setting of workstations on computers with multiple user profiles.
• Signing in to your account no longer requires the use of TLS 1.0 (an obsolete protocol).

Text

• When different formats of the same font are installed, text that uses this font is now displayed correctly.
• Certain glyphs in some Type1 fonts were not displayed correctly; this issue has now been corrected.

Tools

• You can configure and use the pressure sensitivity of a Hanvon pen tablet to control brushstrokes.
• In Corel PHOTO-PAINT, you can now use pressure sensitivity with the Eraser tool.
• You can select node control handles by using the Shape tool.
• You can access locally copied tutorials from the Insights from the Experts series.

Printing

• CorelDRAW files that contain cropped bitmaps can be printed without shifting of content.
• Documents that contain monochrome bitmap masks are printed correctly to GDI printers.
• No black outline is added to imported and rotated JPG bitmaps when the document is printed.
• You can print multiple CorelDRAW documents without omitting a document.
• When previewing print jobs (File > Print Preview), you can now change the page range by clicking the Print Options button and specifying values in the Pages box.
• You can view all documents selected for printing in Print Preview.

Stability

• The following actions no longer cause CorelDRAW to stop responding:
  • setting outline properties in certain files
  • selecting all nodes of a traced bitmap with the Shape tool
  • pasting text from Internet Explorer into a text frame and undoing the operation
  • adding a diacritic to specific Arabic characters
  • using pen tilt with the Smudge brush tool
  • unchecking the Photo edges check box and clicking different previews in the Time Machine dialog box (Bitmaps > Effects > Camera > Time Machine).

The new features and improvements included in the X7.3 Update are described in the following sections:

• New and enhanced features
• Performance and stability

New and enhanced features

CorelDRAW Premium Members can take advantage of the following features.

• With the revamped Knife (Premium) tool in CorelDRAW, you can split vector objects, text, and bitmaps. You can split single objects or groups of objects along straight, freehand, or Bézier lines.
• The new Border and Grommet dialog box in CorelDRAW lets you add borders and grommet markers to prepare banners for printing.
• With the enhanced Straighten Image dialog box in CorelDRAW and Corel PHOTO-PAINT, you can correct perspective distortions in photos that have straight lines and flat surfaces such as architectural photos and photos of buildings.
• The Gaussian Blur special effect in Corel PHOTO-PAINT is available as a lens that lets you blur images non-destructively.
• The CorelDRAW X7 User Guide and Corel PHOTO-PAINT X7 User Guide are now available as eBooks. Published to the EPUB and MOBI file format, the eBooks bring the most comprehensive and up-to-date information about product features to your eBook reader.
• Additional Premium content (photos, templates and fonts) is provided.

The following features are available to all CorelDRAW members.

• The Welcome screen in CorelDRAW and Corel PHOTO-PAINT gives you quick and easy access to the Discovery Center, which offers a wide variety of creative and instructional content.
• The Insights from the Experts series features the new tutorial Visual Branding by Joe Diaz.

Performance and stability

The following areas feature performance improvements (formerly released in service packs).

Document

• In CorelDRAW, using the Crop image option in the Straighten Image dialog box no longer leaves white areas around the image.

Fills

• The Fill picker remembers the last selected fill category when you apply fills from the Content Exchange.

Filters

• Curves in imported AutoCAD files are no longer converted to circles.
• Exporting to PDF:
  • Ellipses with transparencies applied no longer appear clipped in the exported PDF files.
  • When you export CorelDRAW X6 files to PDF with CorelDRAW X7, transparencies are fully preserved in the PDFs.

• In the Export to PNG dialog box, objects with spot colors and tint applied no longer appear with a checkered pattern.
• PDF files generated with Cairo open properly in CorelDRAW.
• Fountain fills with spot colors are exported correctly in PDF and EPS files, and when printed to PostScript.

Effects

• You can now browse your Users\Public\Documents\Corel\Content X7\Photo Frames folder and apply photo frames to bitmaps from the Frame dialog box in CorelDRAW and Corel PHOTO-PAINT.
• PowerClip effects that contain transparencies appear correctly when you export or print the document.
• When you convert to curves objects with envelope effects applied, the Envelope tool and property bar remain active.
• You can apply envelope effects to objects that were converted to curves.

Objects

• In Corel PHOTO-PAINT, the Object> Rotate > 90˚ Clockwise and Object> Rotate > 90˚ Counterclockwise commands work as expected.
• When you edit table borders, only the selected borders are modified.

Text

• The Automatically adjust frame width option in the Column Settings dialog box works as expected when you change the number of columns in text frames.
• When working with Arabic or Hebrew text, you can use Ctrl + Shift to switch text direction from left to right and vice versa.

Tools

• Using the Shape tool, you can select a node handle and then move it with the arrow keys.
• The Pen and Bézier tools no longer freeze momentarily when you place nodes while drawing.

Workspaces and customization

• A script error no longer occurs after you start and close the application several times.
• When you open legacy files, any custom swatch names for process colors are preserved.
• You can use the Enter key when changing settings in the Color dialog box.
• The workspace no longer shifts slightly while the application is performing a task.
• The in-product messaging service respects the offline status of workstations.

The new features and improvements included in the X7 Update 2 are described in the following sections:

• New and enhanced features
• Performance and stability

Most new and enhanced features included with the X7 Update 2 are available only to CorelDRAW Premium Members. Performance and stability improvements are available to all CorelDRAW members.

New and enhanced features

CorelDRAW Premium Members can take advantage of the following new features:

• Hiding objects: CorelDRAW allows you to hide objects and groups of objects, helping you edit objects in complex projects and experiment with your designs more easily.
• Retouching with the Healing Clone tool: The new Healing Clone tool in Corel PHOTO-PAINT lets you fix imperfections seamlessly by painting with sampled texture that matches the color of the surrounding area. Whether you want to remove a blemish, scar, or unwanted spot, you can accomplish your task with ease.
• Preparing images for canvas printing: The new Prep and Stretch docker in Corel PHOTO-PAINT lets you prepare your photos and images for canvas printing in three easy steps. By resizing, fine-tuning, and stretching the image, you can achieve the perfect composition for your wall art.
• Custom desktop color: You can change the color of the desktop, the area surrounding the drawing page in CorelDRAW or the image in Corel PHOTO-PAINT, to suit your documents.

The following enhancements are available to all CorelDRAW members:

• Enhanced node selection: You can now select adjacent nodes on curves by using the Shape tool while holding down Shift.
• Copying curve segments: CorelDRAW lets you copy and cut curve segments, and then paste them as objects, making it easy to extract subpaths or create adjacent shapes with similar contours.
• Opening documents in floating windows: When you open documents in Corel PHOTO-PAINT, by default they are displayed in tabbed view. You can now customize the application so that documents are opened in floating windows.
• Custom window border color: You can customize CONNECT by changing the color of its borders.
• Addition to Insights from the Experts: The Insights from the Experts series features the updated tutorial Anatomy of a Salmon Fly by Aleksy Pawluczuk. This tutorial takes you through the creation of a salmon fly pattern, giving you useful tips on how to draw and shape curves, apply fills, blend objects, and more.

Performance and stability

The following areas feature performance and stability improvements (formerly released in service packs).

Document

• Changing the drawing scale in a custom box added to the user interface (UI) no longer causes instability in CorelDRAW.
• Grid values set in millimeters are preserved.

Filters

• Text in SVG files that originated from CGM files is now displayed accurately in Google Chrome.
• You can convert DWG files to CDR files.
• PDF files that contain CCITT fax compression on images within PDF can now be opened.

Objects

• PowerClip content is no longer centered when objects are overlapping.

Object linking and embedding (OLE)

• The appearance of linked objects is maintained in files exported with CorelDRAW.

Printing

• When working with the Imposition Layout tool in Print Preview, you can now use the Edit Margins option.
• You can use the Scale Factor and Lock controls in Print Preview.

Text

• You can add text to tables that have 0-value margins.
• In French text, extra space is no longer added after an apostrophe.
• When you convert to curves text that has different fill colors, all colors are preserved.
• CorelDRAW no longer generates a font substitution message for fonts that are installed on your computer.

Tools

• You can use modifier keys with the Bézier tool and the Pen tool to create straight line segments.
• When using the B-Spline tool, you can now press Esc to cancel the curve, and Enter to end the curve.
• The Crop tool now works as expected on bitmaps.

VBA

• Accessing the Palette property of the Document class no longer produces an error.
• Saving projects to earlier versions of CorelDRAW no longer converts the text to curves.

Workspaces and customization

• You can now drag and drop CDR, CPT, and JPEG files in the application window even after changing the On startup option (Tools > Options) from Welcome Screen to Nothing.

The new features and improvements included in the X7.1 Update are described in the following sections:

• New and enhanced features
• Performance and stability

New and enhanced features

• Now you can customize the application window and dialog boxes by changing the color of their borders, making it easier to personalize the interface. To choose a color, quickly sample any onscreen color, or use color sliders, viewers or palettes.
• The status bar shows useful information about selected objects, such as color, fill type and outline, as well as cursor position. You can now place the status bar at the top of the application window so it's easier to see details about your project or task.
• The CorelDRAW Object Model now provides support for color styles, creating custom tools that interact with the drawing page, and more. Using the new classes and methods, developers can create even more powerful custom tools, utilities, and macros. You need to be signed in to your account with a CorelDRAW Standard or Premium Membership in order to use the custom tools. For more information about creating custom tools, please see the CorelDRAW insiders blog post.

Performance and stability

The following areas feature performance and stability improvements (formerly released in service packs).

Color Management

• You can now change the primary color mode from CMYK to RGB in the Default Color Management Settings dialog box.

File Input/Output

• Filenames that contain the ampersand (&) character are displayed correctly in the title bar. Also, files with such names can be saved as expected.
• You can edit and save files stored in a DropBox folder.
• Copying custom bitmap transparencies no longer causes the program to stop responding.
• Soft masks on monochrome bitmaps are preserved when exporting to PDF.
• Thumbnails of legacy files are preserved when you have version X7 and an earlier version installed.
• Linked images in a file appear updated correctly when the file is exported.
• Photoshop files containing fonts that are available on your system maintain those fonts when opened in Corel PHOTO-PAINT.
• Downloaded bitmaps no longer appear warped when opened or imported in CorelDRAW and Corel PHOTO-PAINT.
• Text using certain fonts no longer displays corrupted characters when opening a CorelDRAW file.

Fills and Styles

• In Corel PHOTO-PAINT, you can now apply bitmap and texture fills from the Edit Fill dialog box.
• The position of fountain fills in cropped objects is preserved.
• You can now free scale and skew fountain transparencies and fills by using the interactive tools.
• When you modify a color style and then undo the change, objects using the color style maintain their original color.

Filters

• When exporting to PDF, objects with transparencies and fountain fills appear as expected - without the bounding box.
• You can now import PDF files created with AutoCAD.
• When importing PDF files created with Microsoft Publisher 2010, all characters are preserved.
• The order of layers is preserved in imported Adobe Illustrator (AI) files.
• Hidden, but printable layers are now preserved in exported PDF files.

Objects and Object Attributes

• Values in the Object Coordinates docker are updated correctly.
• You can apply envelope effects by using rectangles as the envelope shape.
• In Corel PHOTO-PAINT, applying transparency to 1-pixel lines or borders no longer causes issues.
• In Corel PHOTO-PAINT, alignment guides no longer appear slightly offset at a zoom level below 100%.
• The size of mirrored objects is preserved regardless of the location of the object origin.

Object linking and embedding (OLE)

• When in-place editing a CorelDRAW or Corel PHOTO-PAINT object inserted in Microsoft Word, the ribbon UI no longer appears, and menus and tools can be selected as expected.

Palettes

• The position of color palettes in dockers is maintained.
• Custom palettes saved outside the My palettes folder no longer appear blank.

Printing

• You can create imposition layouts, and add and delete page numbers by using the number keys at the top of your keyboard as well as the key pad.
• Objects can no longer be deleted from Print Preview by mistake.

Text

• Embedded fonts in CorelDRAW (CDR) files are preserved and are displayed properly.
• The Sign Symbol font can be used as expected.
• You can adjust the font size by using keyboard shortcuts.
• Text can be aligned with objects correctly.
• The Font list box and live font preview behave as expected.
• In the Edit Text dialog box, you can copy and paste by using keyboard shortcuts. Also, text flows as expected when you increase the width of the window.

Utilities

• You can see newly created CorelDRAW and Corel PHOTO-PAINT files in CONNECT as soon as the files are saved.
• Searching for clipart from versions X3 and earlier in languages other than English works as expected.
• The correct Me-Card and V-card information in QR codes is sent to the server.

Workspaces and Customization

• Toolbox flyouts can be moved to a floating toolbar when the toolbox is unlocked.
• You can add custom icons to commands.
• Changes to command bar appearance from the Command Bars page in the Customization dialog box are applied correctly.
• When you start an application by holding F8, the application no longer appears behind the active window.
• Dragging content or colors over the page tabs no longer selects another page.
• The correct zoom level is displayed in floating documents.
• You can now change the orientation of pages that use the Business Card preset.
• You can now change the position of the status bar by clicking Tools > Customization > Command Bars, and choosing the appropriate command.