New and enhanced features

Available exclusively to subscribers and licensees with an active CorelSure Maintenance plan, the CorelDRAW® Graphics Suite September 2023 Subscriber Update (v24.5) delivers new features and enhancements to several areas within the applications:

New! Focus mode

When working on complex documents in CorelDRAW, Focus mode simplifies selecting and editing objects within groups. It allows you to isolate design elements while still being able to see them within context of the whole drawing. You can focus on a range of design elements, including PowerClip objects, symmetry groups, objects with effects applied, bitmaps, and more.

When you bring an object or a group of objects into Focus mode, it is brought to the top of the stacking order. A transparent overlay covers all other design elements that cannot be edited or selected. This makes it easier to work with a particular object, group of objects, or overlapping objects. You can adjust the opacity of the overlay.

When you activate Focus mode, a floating toolbar appears in the top-left corner of the drawing window displaying the focused object’s place in the hierarchy of the design. Using the breadcrumb controls on the floating toolbar, you can easily navigate through object groups without needing the Objects docker/inspector, freeing up screen space.

Enhanced! Export options

A range of enhancements to the Export docker/inspector make it easier than ever to output objects and pages to even more file formats, now including CDR, WEBP, CGM, PSD, and BMP. A redesigned workflow simplifies exporting the current page, all pages, or selected objects.

When working with multipage documents, you can export each page to a separate file. You can also export a specific page or a range of pages. In addition, a page in one document can be duplicated and exported to a new CorelDRAW file in couple of clicks. And now page sizes are retained in the individual output files when exporting to GIF, JPG, PNG, or EPS.

New and enhanced! Assets docker (Windows) or Assets inspector (macOS)

CorelDRAW Graphics Suite September 2023 Subscriber Update introduces a range of features and enhancements to the Assets docker/inspector to improve your workflow. In response to user feedback, the redesigned docker/inspector incorporates a tree folder structure, providing a familiar and intuitive method for browsing files. It allows you to view folder hierarchy, navigate through folders, and locate content within the broader context of your files.

The Assets docker/inspector now has two panes, Folders pane and Content pane, so you can browse and preview content with ease. The Folders pane lets you browse content and filter out search results by selected folder. You can browse and search the contents of one or more folders or explore all locations in the folder list. Furthermore, CorelDRAW and Corel PHOTO-PAINT enable you to add folders to or remove folders from the content locations list, giving you the flexibility to work with content from local folders and shared network locations. You can rename items in the folder list and give them more descriptive or meaningful names, facilitating better organization and seamless file navigation. You can expand and collapse folders to optimize screen space and focus on relevant content. Plus, you can navigate the tree folder structure in the Folders pane by using the arrow keys, which offers efficiency, accessibility, and contributes to a smoother workflow. The Content pane displays assets thumbnails. You can resize the Folders and Content panes to adjust the layout of the Assets docker/inspector according to your preferences and needs.

We have streamlined the user interface to enhance accessibility and convenience. Sorting options are now located in a drop-down list at your fingertips. Plus, progress bars appear during the loading and synchronization of content, providing visual feedback on the status of these tasks while you work uninterrupted in the app. Performance improvements deliver faster syncing, filtering, and searching of content.

New and enhanced! Print Merge

Introducing a range of user-inspired enhancements, the Print Merge feature offers increased versatility and ease of use.

Expanding the range of compatible file types, CorelDRAW now provides support for Excel Workbook (XLSX) data source files. Yet another significant improvement in the import functionality is the ability to choose specific worksheets and columns when importing data from spreadsheets with multiple tabs and columns.

The latest update includes two new variable data types, images and QR codes, enabling you to integrate diverse data into your projects and produce richer outputs with ease. In addition to columns holding text and numeric values, you can now create path columns and specify file paths. This allows you to seamlessly incorporate image assets such as logos, icons, or photographs into your merged documents. By merging unique QR codes for each record, you can supply customized experiences for your audience. Enhanced alignment and scaling options for images and QR codes give you complete control over the position and size of the visuals in the final output.

Another essential feature is the ability to synchronize a linked file with its source and incorporate the latest changes. Furthermore, alongside importing a data source file, you can now selectively import data from columns, which makes it easier to combine data from diverse sources, expanding your possibilities.

CorelDRAW introduces a number of time-saving features that streamline the data management process, maximizing your efficiency and productivity. You can select and deselect all records with the click of a button. Plus, you can quickly clear all merge data without having to manually delete each individual record and column. Updating print merge fields in your document is now quick and easy, giving you the flexibility to adapt and modify the content as needed.

The application offers multiple methods for identifying and locating print merge objects, enhancing your ability to navigate and work with documents. When you select merge fields on the drawing page, blue handles visually differentiate them from regular objects. In addition, you can conveniently find information about merged fields on the Status bar and in the Summary section of the Properties docker/inspector. In complex files with numerous objects and data fields, the Find and Replace docker/inspector is highly effective for quickly locating merge fields.

Enhanced! PDF Import

Enhanced PDF import capabilities, such as improved text flow, enhanced text editability, accurate recognition of language order, retention of OpenType features and stylistic sets, and preservation of formatting and column layout, ensure a fast and seamless transition of your PDF content into CorelDRAW. Paragraphs are intelligently converted into Artistic and Paragraph text objects based on line length and spacial proximity, ensuring an accurate representation of the original text structure and organization. Paragraph alignment, line spacing, drop caps, superscript and subscript characters, bulleted and numbered lists, and other formatting elements are precisely identified and maintained, preserving the intended visual appeal and integrity of your document. Optimized paragraph handling, accurate recognition of formatting details, and smoother transitions for multi-column layouts streamline your editing workflow, making it easier and more efficient to work with imported PDF content.

Ghostscript 10.01.2

The update removes the previously installed GPL Ghostscript 8.64 included with the CorelDRAW product and offers the latest version 10.01.2 as an optional module.

Note: If the CorelDRAW Graphics Suite September 2023 Subscriber Update has not been applied, it is recommended that you verify the Ghostscript version installed on your system, uninstall any outdated versions of the module, and install version 10.01.2 to address vulnerabilities in Ghostscript 10.01.1 and earlier. For detailed instructions on updating Ghostscript, see Corel Knowledgebase article: How to uninstall Ghostscript (8.64) or exclude it from the installation of CorelDRAW Graphics Suite/Technical Suite.

Performance and stability

CorelDRAW Graphics Suite September 2023 Subscriber Update (v24.5) also includes performance and stability fixes for several customer-reported issues.

• The color mode setting for new documents in CorelDRAW (Primary color mode option on the Document Settings tab of the Create a New Document dialog box) is now retained from one session to another.
• You can save the units of measurement for the outline width as the defaults for new documents in CorelDRAW on Windows by clicking Tools > Save Settings as Default and enabling the General check box.
• Removing hyperlinks from objects and paragraph text now works as expected.
• Various compatibility issues when opening or importing PDFs in CorelDRAW have been resolved.
• PDF files with fountain or gradient fills now import and open with the correct angles.
• Compatibility with CGM files in CorelDRAW on Windows has been improved, enabling you to open them without any issues.
• CorelDRAW now functions as expected when switching between the Color viewers and Color Palettes options in the Edit fill dialog box while editing a color style.
• Cropping an image in CorelDRAW that has been corrected using the Image Adjustment Lab (Effects > Adjust > Image Adjustment Lab) now works as expected.
• In CorelDRAW on Windows, the Flatten Effects command is now available in the Options dialog box (Tools > Options > Customization) and adding the Flatten Effects command (Effects > Flatten Effects) to the toolbox by holding down Ctrl+Alt and dragging now works as expected.
• Editing a bitmap in Corel PHOTO-PAINT and then saving it no longer causes a size change in the original image in CorelDRAW.
• When you crop a single-color border around an image in Corel PHOTO-PAINT, the selection of background, foreground, and other color options works as intended.
• The user interface strings in German, Japanese, Spanish, and Simplified Chinese have undergone review and improvement to ensure they are clear, accurate, and culturally appropriate for users in these language communities.
• Drawing insights from error log data and user reports, we have implemented a series of stability fixes to enhance the overall performance of the product.