Coreldraw 8 disappointment

[Chris J Anderson]

Just upgraded and then went to use my macros, my own plus purchased macros.

ONLY ONE of them works - ecut.

I contacted corel, and you can't import earlier version macros into v8

what a joke - just wasted $190aud upgrading - not happy.

people at corel need to start realising their jobs rely on people upgrading and getting value for money.

rant over...

[David Somers]

Chris,

Oooooh. Just got X8 upgrade in. Fortunately I ordered it as a DVD and have not yet broken the shrink wrap.

I wonder if the RDWorks 8.x Corel Plugin works? It basically a macro. I realize you wont have encountered this since you have an Epi. I wonder if anyone with RDWorks has tried it yet?

Dave

[Chris J Anderson]

I'll have rd camm in a few months when i get me 300w fiber :)

very dissapointed in corel's response, they are not interested.

when you pay for an upgrade, you expect some backward compatibility...

so as far as going on to the annual update fee / plan - forget it...

[John Lifer]

David, it works in X7, (I think you knew this) I don't have x8 and have no plans on upgrading. Chris, this has been going on for a while.
I've tried a number of macros from earlier versions and most don't work in X7 unless the author has converted them. Looks like X4-5 worked together, and X6, X7 and X8 are all different...... Chris, you CAN try the RD software without a machine, I did just to learn it as best I could. That way you know for sure if it will or won't work.

[Brian Leavitt]

No RDWorks plugin for X8. X7 is the highest it will support.

[David Somers]

Well, certainly good I havent cracked the packaging on the upgrade DVD yet, and that I didnt do the download option.
Now I will find out if they will take it back unopened. Cross your fingers. I have a feeling the answer will be no. But you never know!

[Chris J Anderson]

And I'm about to request a refund due to backward INcompatability...

just done... see how i go...

[Kev Williams]

Guess I'll forever stay with X4, the same as I'll forever be running XP on my computers :)

[Ron Gosnell]

I really like x6. It's very stable and plays well with others.

[Mike DeRegnaucourt]

Good to know this about X8. I have BoxIt running on my X5 version and after reading this I will NOT be upgrading to X8 just to be safe. Awhile back I had issues trying to get X5 installed on Windows 10 and Corel's answer was, "Upgrade to X8!" I finally got X5 installed and for the most part working on Windows 10 but with Corel's cavalier not-their-problem attitude about older macro plug-ins not working with X8, I will just stick with what works. Not worth paying for the upgrade IMHO.

[Bert Kemp]

Eventually Corel will figure out a way to make us all upgrade, its all about money ya know. Our hard drives will die and we need a new computer and can't find win 7 or xp anymore so were force to win 10 or what ever is next then we find nothing we had works with the new system so we go buy all new software. Yep thats the way its always been money money money.:mad:
after I post I read what I wrote, man am I a punctuation freak or what hahahahha:D



Good to know this about X8. I have BoxIt running on my X5 version and after reading this I will NOT be upgrading to X8 just to be safe. Awhile back I had issues trying to get X5 installed on Windows 10 and Corel's answer was, "Upgrade to X8!" I finally got X5 installed and for the most part working on Windows 10 but with Corel's cavalier not-their-problem attitude about older macro plug-ins not working with X8, I will just stick with what works. Not worth paying for the upgrade IMHO.

[Chris J Anderson]

AAAAAARRRRRRGGGHH

And now I find that since I upgraded some of the dll's don't work in my X6 anymore, such as texture fills, preview windows etc.

Haven't had a response from Corel about a refund yet either - there must be something I can do :(

[David Somers]

Well, as of 5:30pm PST, I have been working with Corel for over 8 hours to do a return of an unopened upgrade to X8. At first they wouldnt do it because they couldnt find my order in spite of my having the invoice in hand. They could not tie the order number to the actual order. However, the agent there was looking at the order in my name on his screen. That only took a few hours to resolve. Next, they wanted me to prove that VBS Scripts and Macros done in earlier versions would not run on X8. Even when I pulled up tickets from their own tech support system indicating the same problem with the tech's answer. They wanted me to install it and test it to verify my claim, and to do this with a tech to be sure I really had a problem. If it didnt work then I could apply for a return. Except, and this was not acknowledged until I actually asked outright, once I broke the seal on the upgrade, let along actually installed it to test it, I would have accepted the package and they would not accept the return. Can't accept an open software package after all. Inspired by Joseph Heller would be my guess.

So, for now I have Corel 7. Works fine. I will fight tooth and nail know to return the unopened software. And I will most certainly not return to Corel for anything in the future. Like a purchase.

I have to say, I was impressed by all of this.

More later! But not tonight! We have some snow coming in tonight which will be great fun to watch it from a comfy seat by the fire with a cup of hot cocoa and a splash of whiskey in it! Corel will still be there in the morning. But unfortunately, not likely our snow will be. Supposedly changing to rain before the commute begins.

[Chris J Anderson]

Thank goodness for Apple and VMware Fusion, I just loaded the virtual machine image I took before loading the corel 8 junk, and all is back to normal on corel 6.

I just wish Corel would reply to my 2 support requests, hearing nothing at this stage, and no office to call in Australia :)

Big business models suck these days...

[Mike Null]

Having been a Corel used for nearly 20 years, I can tell you that they are quite consistent. Their support has always sucked.

That said, I'm still using X5 even though I have X7 loaded. I know another long time engraver who uses version 9 even though he has X3.

No upgrades to X8 for me.

[Kev Williams]

My needs are small when it comes to handling graphics for the engraving I do, which is very utilitarian rather than 'artsy'. I run Corel x3 and x4, and I do like x4 better for many reasons, but honestly, my favorite upgrade is the expandable open and save menus ;) ... Only reason I use x3 is to import DXF's, because it doesn't screw up imported text like X4 does. And x6, and probably x7 and x8. Anyway, I have no need whatsoever for an upgrade.

And, I'm close to semi-retirement, so as long as Microsoft, Corel, and many other company's keep insisting on furthering their bottom lines by purposely rendering all or parts of their previous products useless, they can do it without my money.

[David Somers]

So....to continue the Corel X8 return saga, I got an email this morning from digital river, Corel's shipper/distributor of software. It contained a link to a page where I identify my software and then check a box to destroy it (not return it unopened). I checked that and then was told they would proceed with the refund which I should see in 5 to 7 days.

So at this point, problem resolved.

So....as has been said earlier in this thread, those of you with RDWorks who want to use the Corel Plug in....it will NOT work with Corel X8. Neither will any of your macros that were developed in earlier versions of Corel. Keep in mind that you can use X8 if you export the file to a file format compatible with RDWorks, and then import the file into RDWorks. But you cannot use the plug in in Corel.

In terms of advantages and disadvantages, if you are importing files to RDWorks you have access to the full feature set of RDWorks, such as it is. And, if you are working on a laptop without an external monitor, you can run RDWorks full screen. If you are using the plug in you save steps in getting your work to the laser. However you are working with the more limited feature set of the RDWorks/Corel plug in. And you need to accept the plug in screen's small window. You can't expand it. Perhaps an issue on a smaller laptop screen.

Hope this helps someone!

Lastly, Having gone though this, and having now gone through 2, countem, 2, system crashes due to Windows 10 upgrades that required my restoring the system from a full disk image, I am changing my approach to this.

First....I have 1 computer at this point. A Dell laptop with Duo Core I7, 16gb ram, 1 TB Hybrid Drive. I keep it pretty stripped down in terms of what is loaded on it, but it is my only machine. I have been an apple user for years at home (while being an MS system administrator at work). When my older Apple Macbook Pro died and I couldnt find a replacement logic board for less than the cost of a high end Dell Laptop I just gave in, joined the Borg and ended up with the one Dell Win10 machine I described.

This has been misery for me in terms of reliability and fussing.

So....I am going back to an Apple MacBook Pro in a QuadCore I7, 16GB Ram, and a 1TB SSD disk. That will be my main machine, used inside the house. I will run Windows 7 on it in Bootcamp so Windows 7 and Corel X7 have the full use of RAM and the processor. That Bootcamp machine will be cut off from the internet once setup. My current Dell Laptop will be stripped down to Win 7, again with basic software on it and Corel X7, and placed in the garage. There it will live in service to the laser and CNC. Neither windows machine will touch the internet and wont be subject to updates, antivirus, or malware and the programs to protect against them, etc. Clean stripped systems. And I will finally have a backup machine should one go down.

Onward!!!

The snow in Seattle today is sloppy and wet, but still very pretty. I have to admit it makes me miss my 10 years living up in Crater Lake National Park in OR. 600 or so inches of snow a year! That was wonderful! But sloppy wet white stuff will do until we get one of our very rare significant snow falls here along the coast. Hope all is great with everyone!

Dave

[John Noell]

Yes Dave, snow is pretty, especially in pictures. Palm trees are also pretty, in person. :)

[Lee DeRaud]

So....I am going back to an Apple MacBook Pro in a QuadCore I7, 16GB Ram, and a 1TB SSD disk. That will be my main machine, used inside the house. I will run Windows 7 on it in Bootcamp so Windows 7 and Corel X7 have the full use of RAM and the processor. That Bootcamp machine will be cut off from the internet once setup. My current Dell Laptop will be stripped down to Win 7, again with basic software on it and Corel X7, and placed in the garage. There it will live in service to the laser and CNC. Neither windows machine will touch the internet and wont be subject to updates, antivirus, or malware and the programs to protect against them, etc. Clean stripped systems. And I will finally have a backup machine should one go down.Doesn't X7 call back to the mothership periodically to check for updates and validate the license?

[Lee DeRaud]

Yes Dave, snow is pretty, especially in pictures. Palm trees are also pretty, in person. :)What he said, even if the palm trees are imported.

[David Somers]

I will check on the mothership thing Lee. Thanks for mentioning that. I assumed that like Windows, once you had validated the license that process was done and if you didnt have a connection it might complain now and then, but not stop working. Not sure when I will try to do this. Need a block of time (and some $$ of course) before I could do this anyway.

Thanks!!

Dave

[Chris J Anderson]

Just an update. I will give Corel some credit. I was refunded and it wasnt so painful.

However I would much rather have x8 and it be compatable with earlier macros.

[Ian Stewart-Koster]

Good on them!
(But I'm sticking with X3 & X5 & WinXP !) ;)