CorelDraw X3 Problems

[James & Zelma Litzmann]

I did the F8 at startup and sure enough it was set Enhanced with Overprints, so I changed it to, normal. I hope this works, thank you.

[Larry Bratton]

Zelma,

I'm certainly not defending MicroSoft on this but as James J has confirmed, it is not just a "Vista thing."

Seems that 99% of the time the problem you describe is on laptops. Because of the architecture of current laptops (except for the extremely expensive ones) they don't have dedicated graphics cards; that's my semi-technical analysis.

About two years ago I had an attendee at one of my seminars show me that problem; we created a "work around" to get the objects back (hold down the ALT key and use an arrow key to scroll the page off to the side, then Alt+F4 to bring it back).

My experience? Bought a laptop just as Vista was released. Had your problem, took it back while they still had same laptop in XP, had the same problem! I'm the guy that loves Vista, so I took it back and reclaimed my Vista laptop, doubled the RAM and while it still occurs, not very often. As soon as I learned that, I found that it happens even less if I don't have tons of stuff up in memory.

Call Corel if you want, but I guarantee you that they'll tell you they have never heard of it that problem!

After having this issue for about a year now, I don't even notice it. One of those work-arounds that shouldn't be necessary, but you just "get over it." I do not have the problem with Illustrator or other programs, but am I going to use an inferior program just to avoid the work-around? No way!

Roy:
I am running a Toshiba laptop (always), 2GB Ram, stock video card etc. I run some pretty intense software programs, Corel X3, Photoshop CS3, Corel Painter, etc. These programs run flawlessly on this machine. I recently had the whole motherboard replaced in this machine because I had my complete brain in it . It performs as well as it did prior to the repair. I have desktop machines here that don't perform as well as this laptop....soooo..I don't necessarily buy the argument that it's just laptops. This is not a hugely expensive machine,Satellite M45 and was around $1500 at the time I bought it. The Vista machine is also a Toshiba but cheaper and nothing seems to work right on it. I can't get e-mail to work yet.

[Mark Winlund]

I have had photograv crash the computer twice now. Also, some of the little boxes that come up with buttons in them are laid out wrong (text on top of the buttons) so that the buttons wont work.

I just got the upgrade to Photograv a week or so ago, so I haven't had time to ask them about it. My Computer is a recent Dell laptop (less than 6 mo. old with XP Pro on it (up to date).

Anyone else experiencing these problems?

Mark

[Jerry Allen]

Mark,
Try changing your screen resolution for Windows and see if that helps.
Also try the settings for large and small screen fonts.

[James & Zelma Litzmann]

I am using a Toshiba P205D-S7454 laptop and at this stage of the game I am beginning to wonder if it is the video card, which is a ATI Radeon X1200 and I don't know enough about computers to know if this is the problem or if it can be changed.

Bless his (hubby) heart he tried?

[Roy Brewer]

....soooo..I don't necessarily buy the argument that it's just laptops.

Larry,
I wasn't necessarily pointing a finger at laptops, except I have never had this problem with a desktop(our shop has ~10 on which Corel is used often) and the last three laptops, we have the problem(HP, Gateway, Compaq). If I recall correctly, all in this thread w/the problem have laptops(?). I confessed to my "explanation" being semi-technical, but the problem obviously is more likely on a laptop and what could be the explanation other than graphics chips reduced functionality since they are onboard(?) ---- again just me thinking outloud.

Foster Coburn (a top Corel guru) says the problem must be the graphics card(?).

[Larry Bratton]

Larry,
I wasn't necessarily pointing a finger at laptops, except I have never had this problem with a desktop(our shop has ~10 on which Corel is used often) and the last three laptops, we have the problem(HP, Gateway, Compaq). If I recall correctly, all in this thread w/the problem have laptops(?). I confessed to my "explanation" being semi-technical, but the problem obviously is more likely on a laptop and what could be the explanation other than graphics chips reduced functionality since they are onboard(?) ---- again just me thinking outloud.

Foster Coburn (a top Corel guru) says the problem must be the graphics card(?).

Yes, that would be my assumption also. Foster probably knows as much about Corel as anybody walking around (maybe with the exception of you Roy)

[Tracey Bakewell]

Just chiming in again. I'm now on my 3rd laptop because I was sure that the issue was Vista. I am in agreement that it is the video card. The first 2 laptops were both Toshiba's, my 3rd now is a Dell. My older laptop is a Dell and it is a workhorse and has no issues what-so-ever (running XP). So, I'm keeping this one and will now experiment with changing the display settings, that's got to be it. The ATI Radeon card is suposed to be the best one to have, without going to a more expensive laptop with true on-board memory on the video card itself. It's happened to me today several times now, usually if I accidentally scroll out or in or change the fill of an object. I will try that alt thingy mentioned earlier on in the thread, because zooming out, or back in, or on and off the page doesn't help, onlyy closing and saving the document and getting back in.

I wonder if X4 is having this issue?

I'm liking Vista generally though.

[Tony Severenuk (Corel)]

Are you using a track pad on the laptop or a mouse?
Which version of CGS are you using?
There are some more threads on www.coreldraw.com about screens going blank on laptops..seems that if you use the trackpad on the laptop it happen vs. it does not with a mouse (wierd...very weird)
T.

[Larry Bratton]

Report..I got the Vista computer to work pretty well now. Since I inherited it from an ex-employee I wiped it clean and re-installed the Vista software from the Toshiba disc. I installed Corel X3 and then downloaded Corel X3 Service Pack 2, which prepares Corel for Vista. Works fine. I'm still not in love with it and use my Toshiba, now with XP Pro on it. I have twice the amount of RAM opposed to the Vista machine. I even got the e-mail to work too. I assume it will print to the Epilog, I haven't tried it yet.

[Roy Brewer]

I will try that alt thingy mentioned earlier ...

Tracey,
If you haven't found it, hold down the Alt key then left or right arrow to scroll your work off the screen then oppo to bring it back on. This has worked on all my laptops that have this issue; ugly, but much better than save/exit/run/open!

Service Pack 2 seems to reduce the occurrence and as Tony suggested, a mouse instead of the touchpad reduces the occurrence, but do not completely eliminate it.

Using the same PCs, I have never had it happen with X4.