Wish list of future features

While I definitely love the Design Studio software, there are things about it that could be improved. Here's my list of what I would like to see changed/added. Let me know if you have any to add to the list.

1. Speed up the loading time. Depending on the computer it takes anywhere between 30 seconds to over a minute to load. Do the fonts and keywords have to be loaded EVERYTIME?
   
   
2. The option of minimizing/sending to the back the opening Cricut image. It blocks a large portion of the screen while it is loading. Yes you can move it over to the side, but it's still in the way if you want to do anything else while your waiting for DS to load. (See item 1).
   
   
3. I would like the ability to turn on and off the gridlines in the mat. Sometimes they get in the way when you are checking to see if your welding has worked.
   
   
4. For the same reason I would like to be able to turn off the box around the shape.
   
   
5. This one is HUGE! I can't believe I forgot about it had to go back and add it now. Please give us the ability to weld inside a frame. At the moment if we weld something inside a frame, the inner part of the frame and some parts of the object that has been welded inside don't cut. Being the very clever people that we are, we have come up with a way to do it using 4 welded rectangles, but what happens if we want to use a different shaped frame eg. a circle/oval/heart...?
   
   
6. Group/ungroup option. This is a biggy. Being able to group a range of objects to manipulate them would be fantastic to have.
   
   
7. Select All/Select multiple. Another biggy! We should be able to select everything/multiple items on the mat and move them around. This would be very handy when welding multiple objects.
   
   
8. While we're on the subject of selecting - make it easier to select an object. Clicking inside the object to select it would be great.
   
   
9. Nudge buttons - It would be great to be able to click and hold the nudge button rather than having to click it repeatedly.
   
   
10. Shadows - Wouldn't it be fantastic if there was an auto welded shadow function. Create a design, weld it, then click shadow. Oh joy!
    
    
11. I'd like to see a mirror image option and a flip vertical option.
    
    
12. There definitely should be an Auto Save option. Computers are unpredictable and love to freeze and the most inconvenient time. Having a point that you can go back to rather than recreating your whole project if you have forgotten to save would be great. Even this Blogger software has Auto Save and it's FREE!
    
    
13. I'd like to be able to use the Shift/Caps Lock keys on my keyboard instead of having to click it on and off with my mouse. Not a big thing, but annoying just the same.
    
    
14. Make it easier to move that pesky cursor. The double click speed seems to have something to do with it, but really - we should be able to just click somewhere on the mat to move the cursor to that position.
    
    
15. Crop function. We need the ability to crop out parts of objects that we don't want to cut. Eg. if you just wanted the grapes from the Paper Dolls Dress up cartridge you could crop out the other fruits.
    
    
16. I'd like another keyboard shortcut. Delete All. There is a delete all option in the menu, but I'd like a keyboard combo that I could do the same - say Shift Del or something.
    
    The following are ideas/suggestions from members of the Cricut.com Design Studio Message board. Others may have suggested these ideas in posts that I haven't read (of forgotten) so if I've missed your name, my apologies. :)
    
    
17. The ability to nudge up & down would be great. Idea from Mandy
    
    
18. An erase option. Similar to a Crop feature, but could be used to erase smaller parts of designs (like the tails on the letters in Opposite Attract). Idea from Sarah (mommyto3bugs)
    
    
19. Make the measurements on the CDS mat easier to see. Idea from Kissakoala and Glenda
    
    
20. A percentage scaling option including Maintain Aspect Ratio that can be switched on/off. In other words, the ability to increase or decrease the size of a design (either individual pieces or with Select All, then "shrink" or "grow" it in one or both directions. Idea from JT
    
    
21. The numbering on the virtual mat and the "real" mat are different. The top and left edges are the same, but the numbering on the bottom and right hand side of the virtual mat are reversed. I'd like to see them match up. Idea from JT
    
    
22. The ability to change the speed of the cut. CDS seems to have taken over control of the cutting speed and sometimes it's too slow and is tearing the paper. Idea from Tammy
    
    
23. The ability to see which cartridges have been used in a design without having to click on each shape. Eg. a menu item somewhere called "current design". Idea from Karen
    
    
    Do you have any you would like to add to the list ?

Keyboard shortcuts

Every application has them. Here is a list of keyboard shortcuts for Design Studio.


Ctrl C - Copy

Ctrl V - Paste

Ctrl Z - Undo

Ctrl Y - Redo

Ctrl S - Save

Ctrl D - Delete Page

Ctrl A - Preview

Ctrl L - Clear Preview


Other things you can do with the keyboard:

Del - Delete Shapes

Use the up, down, left & right keys to move your selected shape/letter around on the mat.

Hold down the Ctrl key while you are using the up, down, left & right keys to move your shape in small increments.

Hold down the Ctrl key when you are resizing welded objects that you have grouped using the Select All feature. They will not only all be resized proportionally but they will stay welded.

Hold down the Alt key while you are moving your shapes around and the eight selection handles will disappear. This helps make placement of objects more precise. When you release the Alt key the selection handles reappear.

Pressing the space bar will move the cursor to the right 1 inch at a time.