OS/2 e-Zine! - NeoN 2D Vector for OS/2 (revisited)

NeoN 2D Vector for OS/2 (revisited) - by Christopher B. Wright

Note: If you haven't yet, I suggest reading my first review of NeoN 2D Vector to put this one in perspective.

he last time I reviewed this program, it hadn't yet been released in the US. At the time of this writing, it still isn't available in the US -- but we're getting closer. So much closer, in fact, that Indelible Blue has already started taking orders for it.

When I reviewed the demonstration version of NeoN 2D, I was told that it would be revised again before it would be released in the US. Some of these revisions will address some complaints I had about the older version, some revisions will add more functionality to the product. I was able to take a look at the latest beta, so I thought I'd fill you in.

What has changed

When I first reviewed the program, I reported that I had "mixed feelings" about the way NeoN 2D was laid out. A lot of my problems with the UI were addressed in this release, most notably the way the UI didn't optimize its workspace -- in other words, it suffered from "toolbar clutter."

The first thing I noticed about the new UI is that you can specify what language (GIF, 9.1k) you want the program to use, which seems to indicate that the German and English programs have been essentially merged together. Once you change the setting from English to German or vice versa and restart the program, it will display whichever language you selected.

The second thing I noticed is that the programmer for NeoN 2D gave the toolbars more customizability than they used to have. For example, you can right-click on a toolbar and it will move to another border (GIF, 16.8k).

The UI has been optimized to ensure that it's not wasting as much space as it used to. The object information area at the bottom of the program window has been reduced so you can fit more of your drawing on your screen. Also, the 8 buttons on the left-hand side of the screen default to the "small" size, saving more space on your screen.

A wealth of tools

As before, NeoN 2D Vector still has one of the most complete sets of vector line art toolkits I've seen. The four configurable toolbars (GIF, 19.3k) offer a lot of ways to modify your drawing. And, unlike the previous version of the program, they can now be dragged outside of the program window.

NeoN 2D Vector also has one of the largest numbers of compatible file formats I've ever seen. It can work with Adobe Illustrator, Encapsulated Postscript, Arabesque, and a slew of file formats I've never even heard of. And its bitmap compatibility is equally impressive. If you're doing graphics work for many customers who use a wide range of file types, this is the program to own.

Unfortunately, NeoN 2D still cannot read CorelDraw files. I'm told, however, that this is due to the difficulty in getting the file specifications for the .CDR format, not due to a lack of interest on COMPO Software's part.

What's new

But it is a new feature that most interests me. NeoN 2D now has support for multiple pages, which sets it apart from every other graphics program for OS/2 on the market today with the exception of Freelance 96 and the StarImpress portion of the StarOffice beta. With this feature, NeoN 2D is well suited for multi-page "pasteboard" layout jobs -- or it would be save for one minor omission.

Weaknesses

NeoN 2D Vector has only one method of creating text, while most programs have at least two.

NeoN 2D has the ability to create "Headline" or "Banner Text" -- text that continues moving horizontally unless you manually hit the return key. It does not have "Area" or "Paragraph Text" -- text that is defined by a shape you pre-draw, and that will wrap around when the limits of that space are reached. This kind of text tool is useful if you're trying to create paragraphs of text that may need to be re-sized depending on how the rest of the project is arranged.

Unfortunately, NeoN 2D can not, at this point, create block paragraphs of text, which puts it at a serious disadvantage if you want to use it for designing covers, posters, etc. That's a shame, because in every other respect it is very well-suited for this purpose.

Also, the beta I looked at was still missing its help file. I assume the help file will be included in the released version, since there are areas in the menu reserved for activating it, but without it, it has been somewhat difficult to thoroughly test and evaluate its capabilities. For example, it's quite possible that somewhere there is a way to create blocks of paragraph text, but I have not been able to find it on my own. With a working help file, it would be possible to search for that function and how to use it. Without the file I'm left to nosing around until something comes up -- which doesn't always work.

Final Evaluation

COMPO Software has made some great strides in developing this program, but it's difficult to say for certain how much the beta I saw will be like the released version. If the final version has the same feature set, I'd give NeoN 2D Vector very high marks -- as long as it has a substantial on-line help area to help people figure out how to use some of its tools.

If you do a lot of detailed vector work, NeoN 2D will be a valuable investment. Its ability to save to a great number of file formats and the vast number of ways you can modify a line, make it an incredibly versatile and useful tool. Likewise, the fact that a project can now span multiple pages gives it an edge many other OS/2 programs do not have. On the other hand, its limited text and typesetting abilities somewhat restrict it as a layout program, so you won't be able to use it for everything. All in all, however, its strengths outweigh its weaknesses, and I'm happy to recommend it.

Addendum

In the time that has passed (three days) since the writing of this article, I have been informed of a serious misstatement on my part. Throughout this review, I have stated that NeoN 2D Vector does not have the ability to create regions of text. However, it has been pointed out to me that if you create a rectangle or ellipse, then use the "run text along path" command, you will be able to type inside the shape you defined.

While this seems to work very well with the downloadable demo from Compo's web site, it causes the latest beta version I reviewed to crash. Whether or not this will be stable in the final release, I cannot say for certain.

The inclusion of an area text tool for NeoN 2d Vector, combined with its support for multiple pages, makes it one of the most ideal pasteboarding/layout tools OS/2 currently has. While it doesn't have the text handling and formatting capabilities to make it a serious desktop publishing program, it is an excellent choice for laying out posters, menus, and small brochures.

In terms of layout controls, I feel this makes NeoN 2d Vector the most compelling solution of the three vector drawing applications I have reviewed this issue -- if the feature is stable enough to use consistently.

NeoN 2D Vector

by COMPO Software
download the demo from Compo Software
MSRP: US$129.00

Christopher B. Wright is a technical writer in the Northern Virginia/D.C. area, and has been using OS/2 Warp since January 95. He is also a member of Team OS/2.

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