I have been using Corel Draw for the past 4 or so years, mainly for technical illustrations.  Are there enough benefits in Designer to justify making the switch from Corel Draw to Corel Designer?

 - The biggest improvement we are looking  for is independent page scaling.  Does Corel Designer offer this feature?  If not, will Corel ever have the option to have independent scales on each page of a multi-page file? (i.e. page 1 scale is at 1/2" = 1'-0" and page 2 scale is 1/16" = 1'-0"

Personally, I'm excited about the advanced dimension tool. It does everything I've begged Corel Draw would have.

Designer X4 has better dimensioning and Callout tools than CDX4, and it also handles CAD imports better as well. You can work in pseudo ISO planes, but not in true scale. Other than that, in my opinion, CDX4 operates smoother and and in many cases, easier, than Designer.   I use Designer X4 purely for tech illustrations where detailed dimensioning and CAD imports are required.  I use CDX4 for everything else.  These two programs are now so closely related, I don't understand why they don't just consolidate them and be done with it.

Designer X4 does not support independant scaling on multiple pages.

Bobgraphics:

Designer X4 does not support independant scaling on multiple pages.

Does CDX4?

Drawing scale is a setting that you can change on the fly for the active document while you're working on it.

The quickest way to change the scale is probably double-click on a ruler which opens the Rulers dialog with the "Edit Scale..." button.

If you like to fix dimension values (text) to a specific scale (that was used while creating the dynamic dimension object) you can turn the dynamic dimension text into static mode (it won't be adjusted to a new scale then).

In Corel DESIGNER X4 turning dynamic dimension on and off is done with the corresponding "Dynamic Dimensioning" button in the Property bar (with a dimension object selected). 

Klaus.

 I went from Corel Draw 12 to Designer..I did upgrade to Draw X3 mainly for PhotoPaint X3 but I prefer Designer although it will be nice to have Designer X4 read Corel Draw X3 Files as something beside Ole objects

Hello folks,

I don't understand what is meant with "you can not work in true scale". I work with scales from 1:1 to 1:50 and 1:100, both in metric and fractional feet measurements without problems. Using the dynamic dimensioning feature as Klaus Vossen mentions solves the problem for changing scales in different (parts of) pages. I have drawings with two or three different scales on one page.

I like CorelDESIGNER X4 very much - among others in producing technical drawings of old clipper ships. For my work it is superior to Draw and even AutoCAD!

Kind Regards, JoostJ

CorelDRAW X4 and Corel DESIGNER X4 are fully compatible regarding file formats.

Corel DESIGNER and CorelDRAW share a common codebase, that's why there is no issue at all with file exchange between CDR and DES file formats. Corel DESIGNER Technical Suite X4 is named "X4" to show the shared CorelDRAW engine with CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X4.

In Corel DESIGNER you can do a few more things that are not supported with CorelDRAW (e.g. hatch fills, halos on curves). These objects are converted to something that CorelDRAW can read when you save as CDR in Corel DESIGNER X4.

Corel DESIGNER X4 can read (and write) CorelDRAW CDR files in any version that CorelDRAW X4 does.

Klaus.