Although there are some good things in X7, and as a long-time use of Draw (since v 1.02) it's one of my all time favourite programs, I have to say I've not been that impressed with X7 since upgrading from X6 (and yes, I've updated to 7.1).
For example, just one of the simple things I was hoping for, was an end to the problem of hyperlinks appearing in imported text when you select the "Discard Fonts and Formatting" option. Hyperlinks still appear, even though they shouldn't. Once in there, there doesn't seem to be any simple or easy method of removing them (i.e. there's no "select text and hit whatever...). Neither is there's an option in the Text Properties Docker for "remove hyperlink" (unless you've found one - I'm all ears).
I know can use "Paste Special" and select "Text" option, but this method will create it's own additional text box and is a bit too fiddly when you're pressing on and trying to get your work done. My point being that when you import text and select "Discard Fonts and Formatting" - it should do just that, and discard any hyperlinks! Simple refinements like this don't take much programming effort, yet can make Draw so much easier to use in day-to-day life.
And don't get me started on the "flat, white, no-border, 'running-in-the-background' look", the programme has - hate it. Or, the fact that you can't resize the "Options Dialog" - why?
Prof.
Just me then...
Pretty lonely place this forum.
Hi Lonely Professor,
In x7 go windows/dockers/Internet . Remove the link in that docker. In most cases I paste text into notepad to kill the formatting and then into Draw.
Hi Bob,
Thanks for the company, and the reply. I had explored the Internet Docker before, but had never found a way of using it to remove hyperlinks.
If you highlight a hyperlink in paragraph text and then open the Internet Docker, there isn't anything in there, that I can see, that allows you to remove said Hyperlink. It doesn't seem to have that functionality - unless I'm missing something of course, which I probably am.
If the text is artistic just click on it with the pick tool and the url window comes alive in the Internet docker. If it's paragraph text highlight the text with the text tool and the url field comes active.
I've tried running through your instructions step-by-step, but I'm not getting a result.
If I click on imported artistic text with a hyperlink, yes, the Internet Docker comes alive and two controls become active - the Behaviour Control and the URL Drop Down List. But neither of these two controls will allow me to remove the Hyperlink in the selected text. The URL list is just that - a list of hyperlinks, including the current one in the selected text. But I can't do anything with it.
However, I did notice in your screen shot, that your Target Control was active and displaying "[none]". In my situation the Target Control is inactive (greyed-out, although still displaying "[none]") even though the hyperlink text is selected. Is this why nothing is happening when I try to use the Internet Docker?
I am thinking wherever you are copying from, you are also taking the formatting codes of that program along and that could be your issue. Try pasting into notepad first than copy/paste into draw.
Also type in a text box and see if highlighting some words make the docker lite up, try it with artistic text.
You do have the 7.1 update installed?
Really appreciate your input. To answer your question, yes I have the 7.1 update installed.
But it may well be that I'm bringing in some formatting codes when importing text (usually from the internet.). Yes, there are workarounds such as the one you mentioned using Notepad. But this brings me back to my main point - when you import text in Draw and select "Discard Fonts and Formatting" it should do just that, discard all fonts and formatting, but it doesn't. There really shouldn't be any need to use workarounds or Notepad.
This problem was there in X6, yet these sort of everyday things are simple to fix and require very little programming effort. Likewise, allowing the user to resize the Options dialog would be a nice, thoughtful touch - except they still haven't done it.
The Professor said:There really shouldn't be any need to use workarounds or Notepad.
I agree and in a perfect world it should/would work, so far no cigar. I think of pasting into notepad not as a work around but a methodology that works well. I have hundreds of sites on line and the interactive admin user type sites such as Drupal and php storefronts, etc. produce the same issues with users pasting all kinds of stuff in there. Thereto there are php filter solutions to the copy/paste but they are also not 100%.
So in most cases you can fix the link via the docker, in all cases notepad does a fine job for now.