Canvas X Draw (macOS) Universal version 26 Release Notes

Canvas X Draw (macOS) Universal version 26 Release Notes

🛠️ Product Maintenance Update: Canvas X Draw 26 Release Notes

26.0.1 Build 7544 (released 4/29/26)

This update focuses on cross-platform file compatibility, workflow persistence, and critical stability fixes for high-resolution environments.

🚀 New Features & Enhancements

    • SVG Support: Full support for SVG Import has been added to the workflow. Additionally, SVG and HTML exports have been optimized to correctly handle documents containing images.

    • Smart File Identification: The software now intelligently scans all import filters when a file lacks an extension. This allows seamless reading of legacy Mac files (Canvas 3.5 through Canvas X) created before OS X without requiring manual file renaming.

    • Menu Restoration: Emoji and Dictation options have been restored to the Edit Menu for improved accessibility.

    • Visual Clarity: Grids are now rendered darker on high-resolution monitors to ensure better visibility during precision work.

🐞 Bug Fixes

    • Workspace Persistence: * Fixed an issue where palettes would shift downward between launches when using an extended monitor positioned to the left of the main display.
      • The "Associate Document" dialog (which appears after exporting to non-CVD formats) now correctly remembers the "Don't show me again" preference across sessions.
    • Stability: * Resolved a crash occurring when undoing a page name change initiated via the status bar.
      • Resolved a crash triggered by working in Pixel Mode at high magnification levels.
    • Imaging & Tools: * Fixed a bug where 16-bit images failed to import or export correctly.
      • Corrected a conflict where "Snap to Grid" occasionally prevented the Crop tool from functioning on images.

⚙️ Technical Specifications

CategoryImprovement
CompatibilityLegacy Mac (Pre-OS X) support improved.
Color DepthFull 16-bit image data integrity maintained.
UI/UXPalette positioning logic fixed for multi-monitor setups.
ExportImproved asset handling for SVG and HTML formats.


3/16/26

canvasxdraw for macOS Release Notes

Build 7526 (released on 3/16/26)


This update introduces native support for Apple silicon, significant performance optimizations, and a refined user interface to align with professional technical drawing standards.

Key New Features & Enhancements

  • Native Apple Silicon Support (Universal Binary):
    Canvas X Draw 26 now runs natively on ARM-based System-on-a-Chip (SoC) architectures, including M1 through M5 and A-series processors. This eliminates the need for Rosetta 2 translation, resulting in superior stability and efficiency.
  • Arm Neon Optimization:
    To maximize hardware potential on Apple silicon, we have integrated Arm Neon technology. This provides advanced SIMD (Single Instruction, Multiple Data) capabilities—the ARM equivalent of Intel’s specialized instruction sets—to significantly accelerate processing speeds for complex tasks.
  • Redesigned Main Tool Palette:
    The interface has been overhauled to align with the Windows version of Canvas X Draw. This new layout is specifically engineered for professional technical illustration, placing essential drafting tools at your fingertips.
  • High-Resolution Performance (Retina Displays):
    A new "Low Resolution Scrolling" mode has been introduced for users on High-DPI and Retina displays. This feature increases canvas responsiveness during navigation by rendering at a lower resolution while in motion.

Note:
This can be toggled in Preferences > Scroll in Low Resolution.

  • Advanced Memory Management:
    The core engine has been optimized to aggressively reclaim system memory when it is no longer required, ensuring a smaller footprint and better long-term stability during intensive sessions.
  • New Vector Eraser:
    A dedicated Vector Eraser tool has been added to the toolkit, allowing for precise, non-destructive editing of vector paths and objects.
  • Modernized Image I/O:
    The image import and export architecture has been rewritten for ARM systems. While this transition deprecates several legacy formats, it introduces support for modern, high-performance image standards.

Bug Fixes and Stability Improvements

  • Object Handling:
    Resolved a critical crash occurring when using "Combine" options on QR Code objects; a notification now appears clarifying that these operations are not applicable to QR objects.
  • Text Rendering:
    Text embedded within objects now maintains full visibility and fidelity while being dragged across the document.
  • Enhanced Multi-Monitor Support:
    The application now intelligently honors the active monitor. Dialog boxes and windows will consistently appear on the screen currently being used, rather than defaulting to the primary launch monitor.
  • DWG Compatibility:
    The DWG import engine has been updated to support a broader range of file versions, resolving previous issues where certain legacy or complex files failed to open.
  • Streamlined PDF Export:
    "Advanced PDF Export" has been simplified and renamed to PDF Export. The legacy System PDF export has been removed; users requiring system-level output can achieve the same results via the Print to PDF command.
  • UI Visibility:
    Marquee cursors have been visually adjusted to ensure high contrast and better visibility when working over dark images or backgrounds.

 


Build 7120 (Released on 10/14/2025)


Improvements


- Fixed user interface issues with button alignment when running in macOS Tahoe.

- Fixed an issue where some dialogs were not responding to mouse clicks in macOS Tahoe.

- Added the ability to perform multiple backups – enabled in Preferences > Functionality

Options.

- Backup files now display the file name as (name, date & time stamp) - only when Multiple

Backup option is enabled.



Fixes


- Fixed a crash when closing documents after File > Revert.

- Fixed a crash when opening files created in legacy Canvas X, containing meta objects.

- Fixed an issue when, after an object is rotated and the dimension of the object is changed,

it would force it to rotate again.

- Fixed an issue when the Object Reference point is ignored once Scale Proportional is enabled.


Build 7112

Improvements
  • Enhanced memory management for macOS with M1 and macOS Sequoia, improving long-session performance and stability.
  • Visual indicator added to identify modified documents more clearly.
  • Improved response time when selecting edit nodes in Extrude effects.
  • Layout Box is now adjustable and better supports layer navigation.
  • Text object alignment with vector shapes now respects center alignment.
  • PNG files with certain formatting now load correctly.
Fixes
  • Fixed crash when dragging text handles in bound text objects.
  • Resolved UI corruption caused by repeated selection in certain legacy or highly edited files.
  • Fixed crash when applying object shadow to grouped path text.
  • Corrected issue where custom documents caused crashes on macOS Ventura.
  • Addressed spell check failure with all-uppercase words on macOS.
  • Resolved issue with missing or corrupted file previews in macOS Sequoia by implementing new App Extensions.
  • Fixed inconsistent behavior when scaling objects proportionally from the center reference point.
  • Fixed delay caused by memory leaks when using Canvas X Draw for extended periods.
  • Fixed failure to quit application properly on macOS 15.2.
  • Resolved gradient fill issue where using a null color caused UI display problems.
  • Fixed inconsistent updates of master page text objects across document pages.
  • Addressed bug preventing backup file creation when saving as CVD from a PDF.
  • Fixed crash when selecting certain imported PDF elements.
  • Improved display of bound text with shadow effects so that edits appear immediately.
  • Addressed alignment issue in horizontal center alignment with text.
  • Fixed toolbar crash during repeated copy/paste between documents.
  • Improved modifier key behavior across multiple palettes (Ink, Pen, Dash, Arrows).
  • Corrected display errors and performance issues in Properties Bar triggered by corrupted documents.

Build 7091

Improvement
  1. Official support for macOS Sonoma.
Fixes
  1. Fixed a crash when creating custom documents.
  2. Fixed an issue with menu items being greyed out after saving documents.

Build 7089

Improvements
  1. Addition of a visual cue for documents that has been edited.
  2. Support of multiple links inside the same text object.
  3. Addition of Isometric Guides to the Layout - Grids & Guides menu.
Fixes
  1. Fixed a crash when resizing objects with bound text and virtual guides enabled.
  2. Fixed a program delay when moving the ruler origin.
  3. Fixed a crash when opening files in multiple nested folders.
  4. Fixed a crash when opening files in folders with long file names.
  5. Fixed a crash when using a combination for settings for Linear Dimensions.
  6. Fixed the ability to paste into the Save As field.
  7. Fixed a bug where you were not able to select 2nd level or higher nested groups in Document Layout.
  8. Fixed Align and Vertical Center commands in the Menu that were reversed.
  9. Fixed an issue with the navigation pane displaying incorrectly when saving as HTML-CSS2 Layout with External Style Sheets.
  10. Fixed issue with free-form rotation and skew handles staying in place when performing a slow drag.
  11. Fixed the layer name limit to 20 characters maximum.
  12. Fixed issue when resizing bound text on a path.
  13. Fixed an issue when the ruler would flicker when pasting Measure Path data.
  14. Fixed a critical error when applying Combine feature to grouped objects.
  15. Fixed an issue with grid object edit handles not being removed when applying a transform effect such as rotate or skew.
  16. Fixed an issue that inconsistent modifier keys were assigned for selecting more than one in the Ink, Pen, Dash, or Arrow tab of Presets palette.
  17. Fixed modifier command to open context menu in Page Navigator.
  18. Fixed an issue when moving multiple Bound Text with hidden paths that were grouped.
  19. Fixed issue where you must tab out of a field for the value to be accepted.
  20. Fixed issue with page status not updating to “Custom” after page is cropped using Page Crop Tool.
  21. Fixed an issue when moving bound text with a hidden path when sent to another sheets/slides/pages.
  22. Fixed an issue where an extra path was being created when bound text gets duplicated or copied to another page/sheet/slide.
  23. Fixed an issue when maximizing the screen caused blank document tabs.
  24. Fixed issue where PDF’s created in PowerPoint opens with black fill over text.
  25. Fixed a crash that was occurring when maximizing the screen in MacOS Catalina.
  26. Fixed issue where Image Adjust Levels were not resetting to default after use.
  27. Fixed inconsistency between Properties Bar and Type Specs regarding maximum value for Text Leading Exactly option.
  28. Fixed the ability to modify Preset Symbol Ink names.
  29. Fixed an outline issue when editing Multigons to twirl the points in any direction.
  30. Fixed an issue tearing off rulers from Ruler Bar.
  31. Fixed the bug in which it took a very long time to open long, multi-page documents because of the conflict between font substitution and spell check.

Build 7075

Improvements
  • Maximizing screen created blank tabs when opening files which would then lead to an eventual crash when you tried closing them.
  • Optimized the Page Navigator palette as it was causing slow redraws in multiple page documents when active.
  • Canvas will launch properly under the new Monterey Mac OS.

Build 7069

Improvements
  • Canvas X Draw is compatible with Big Sur macOS.
  • Command+click the tooltip of link with the Selection tool works on group objects.
  • Restore Canvas Setting is added under Help menu so that the default settings can be easily reset.
  • Dark mode of macOS is supported without restarting the application.

Build 7042

Fixes
  • Fixed bug related to open documents after closing dialog boxes that have text edit boxes whose unit was different from that of the documents.

Build 7040

Improvements
  • Dark Mode is supported.
  • The Fit to Window button is added to the Properties bar of the Magnifying Glass tool.
  • The Scale Type options are added to the Properties bar of the Page Crop tool: Crop To Page, Scale To Page, and Objects Only.
  • The Use Selection Bounds is added to SVG/SVGZ Export Options dialog box for exporting selected objects in the selection bounds.
  • The context menu is added to the Page Navigator palette: Properties, Delete, Insert, Duplicate, Go To.
  • Text | Insert | File Name is added so that a file name can be displayed in header and footer.
Fixes
  • Fixed bug in which all layers (except the current layer) could not be toggled between “Not Visible and “Visible” at once by deselecting and selecting “Visible” of Sheet/Page/Frame/Slide in the Document Layout palette.
  • Fixed bug in which the non-functioning context menu could be displayed during Mirror edit session.
  • Fixed bug in which some document information was not displayed properly in the Place Options dialog box.
  • Fixed bug in which the Preset list that was popped up in the Annotation tool’s Properties bar would not cleared when selecting another tool in the Toolbox.
  • Fixed bug in which the Preset list that was popped up in the Measure Path tool’s Properties bar would not cleared when selecting another tool in the Toolbox.
  • Fixed bug in which QR code information was not displayed in the Object Details field of the Status bar.
  • Fixed bug in which values of Dimensioning objects were not exported to SVG/SVGZ files.
  • Fixed bug in which data copied from Excel could not be properly pasted to cell matrix of Table object.
  • Fixed bug in which multiple inks selected in the Presets palette could not be moved to a new position at once.
  • Fixed bug in which multiple sheets/pages/frames/slides selected in the Document Layout palette could not be deleted at once when multiple documents were open and the Page Navigator was displayed.
  • Fixed bug in which Smart Lines were created on the top of the objects being connected from their centers.
  • Fixed bug in which template files (*.tpl) could not be placed properly.
  • Fixed bug in which more than one Stroke preset could not be selected in the Presets palette for deletion.
  • Fixed bug in which applied Font Case Styles (Upper, Lower, Title) were undone erroneously after the text objects in such styles were bound to paths.
  • Fixed bug in which the Navigator palette could not display proper zoom levels when switching documents.
  • Fixed bug related to the Select Layout dialog box displayed when opening or placing DWG/DXF files.
  • Fixed bug related to navigation of Table cells by the Tab key in the Table edit mode after the font size was increased or decreased by clicking A+ or A+ icon in the Properties bar.
Known Issues
  • The application must be restarted to have Dark Mode in effect.

Build 7023

New Features
  • QR Code tool allows you to easily create and place QR codes that can be read by smart phones.
  • Measure Path tool allows you to draw a polygon path, measure the distance of the path, and calculate data, such as required time and/or required steps to travel the distance based on velocity parameters you have set.
  • Replace Ink Attributes (Edit | Replace Ink Attributes) is added
Improvements
  • Screen rendering and overall operational performance are six times improved compared to Canvas Draw 6.
  • Selection drop-list is added to the Properties bar of Table object so that you can select even or odd rows, even or odd columns easily.
  • Sort Data button is added to the Properties bar of Table object so that Table objects data can be sorted: A to Z, Z to A, Smallest to Largest, or Largest to Smallest from the Properties bar.
  • Copy as Text button is added to the Properties bar of Table object so that you can copy the data to a spreadsheet in columns and rows.
  • Edit | Paste in Place (command+shift+V) is added so that you can place the contents in the clipboard at the original position on another page.
  • The Equilateral check box and the Side Length are available in some of the EasyShape tool’s Properties bar to create triangles, diamonds, pentagons, hexagons, and octagons with all sides of the same length.
  • When opening raster image files, the document unit will be set to pixels.
  • Path | Convert to Polygon allows you to convert any vector or text objects to polygons.
  • When multiple objects are selected, you can drag a corner of the selected objects to resize them proportionally at once.
  • The Entire Page checkbox is added to the Properties bar of the Camera tool so that the area of rendering will automatically set to the current document bounds.
  • The context menu can be displayed from the Document Layout palette so that the commands such as Copy, Cut, Paste, Paste within Selection and etc. can be applied there.
  • Line presets can be created from the Properties bar of the Annotation tools. The created line presets can be saved as files and shared them with other users.
  • A+ and A- icons are added to increase or decrease the font size in the Properties bar so that the font size can be changed by clicking them repeatedly.
  • The Selection tool can detect objects with hyperlinks; now, command+click on such objects to show the target links in the default Web browser.
  • When multiple documents are open, you can switch the open documents by pressing command+0 to 9.
  • The Trim View checkbox is added to the Properties bar shown when no objects are selected in the document, which will temporarily hide the outside of the document bounds.
  • When an object is selected, the Align commands are now available in the Properties bar so that you can align it based on the document bounds.
  • The icon is added in the Presets palette popped up from the Toolbox so that the Presets palette opens in the floating state by clicking it.
  • The Dynamic Effects controls are available in the Properties bar when a group object, Bezier curve or Multigon is selected.
Fixes
  • Fixed bug in which images in indexed colors showed some artifacts when zooming out.
  • Fixed bug in which closed Polygons had an extra symbol at the end point when applied with Symbol Pen strokes
  • Fixed bug in which the last state of the Smart Snaps in the Properties bar, either on or off, was not remembered after the application was restarted.
  • Fixed bug in which the search feature in the Document Layout palette only found the first matched item on the current page.
  • Fixed bug in which Smooth Polygon objects were displayed as “Polygon” in the Status bar.
  • Fixed bug in which hovering the column header icons in the Document Layout palette did not show the proper tooltips.
  • Fixed bug in which multiple inks could not be deleted at once in the Presets palette.
  • Fixed bug in which inks set during the edit mode were not registered for the Keep Last Used Attributes in the pop-up Presets palette.
  • Fixed bug in which creating complex selection in large high resolution images with the Lasso tools or Marquee tools was slow.
  • Fixed bug in which text cases such as Upper or Lower could not be stored as Type Styles in the Type palette.
  • Fixed bug in which changing the font size in the Properties bar did not take effect without pressing return.
  • Fixed bug in which more than one Table object could not be copied and pasted in the document.
  • Fixed bug in which table objects would be created with arrowheads when the current default setting was set with arrowheads.
  • Fixed bug in which cell margins of Table object could not be set to zero.
  • Fixed bug in which a stroke weight or stroke color could not be applied to more than one table at once.
  • Fixed bug in which EasyShapes did not look closed nicely when thick strokes were applied to them.
  • Fixed bug in which Ink types did not switch properly in the Attributes palette after trying to create a new Texture ink.
  • Fixed bug in which the Change and Change All buttons did not get enabled after assigning the font attributes in the Find palette.
  • Fixed bug in which arrowheads of line connectors created by the Annotation – Flowchart tool were not displayed.
  • Fixed bug in which Undo did not revert resizing an object with basic dimensioning objects at once.
  • Fixed bug in which the Scale by Area/Perimeter could be applied to open path objects erroneously.
  • Fixed bug in which hairline strokes are not exported to SVG format files properly.
  • Fixed bug related to selecting texts in cells of the Table object while the Smart Mouse was on.
  • Fixed bug related to selecting data or time stamp in the header or footer and replacing it with another.
  • Fixed bug related to using the Smart Vector Fill tool on Lens objects.
  • Fixed bug related to dragging the Magnifying Glass tool while the control key was pressed.
  • Fixed bug related to setting up the document scale after the Replicate dialog box was opened.
  • Fixed bug related to inverting selection of anchor points of vector objects.
  • Fixed bug related to using the Smart Vector Fill tool to Lens objects.
  • Fixed bug in which the Japanese character conversion list for vertical texts overlapped with the input area of the text object.
  • Fixed bug in which the Japanese character conversion list for vertical texts was of the horizontal Japanese.
  • Fixed bug in which the vertical scale could not be applied to Japanese texts properly either from the Properties bar or the Type palette

and more…

Supported File Formats
  • Import file formats: AI, BMP, CAL, CGM, CNV, CV5, CVDRAW, CVDTPL, CVI, CVS, CVX, DWG, DXF, EPS, GIF, ICO, IFF, JPG, PCD, PCX, PDF, PNG, PRN, PS, PSD, RTF, TGA, TIF, TPL, TXT, WBMP
  • Export file formats: BMP, CAL, CGM, CVD, CVDTPL, DWG, DXF, GIF, HTM, ICO, IFF, JPG, PCX, PDF, PNG, PSD, SVG, SVGZ, TIF, WBMP
Known Issues
  • The Dark mode of macOS is not supported in this version.
  • The Hyperlink Pointer tool is removed from the Toolbox.
  • Replication with command+drag is now performed by clicking the object to be replicated first then command+drag.
  • command+shift+V is reassigned from Edit | Paste Into to Edit | Paste in Place.
  • When clicking the Font menu (Text |Font) or the Font drop-down menu in the Properties bar for the 1st time of each session, you may see the spinning wheel because the font glyph previews are being generated.
  • Plain, Bold, Italic style icons are not available in the Type palette.
  • Character and paragraph styles saved in the Type palette of old Canvas for Mac or Windows versions are not compatible with Canvas X Draw 7, and vice versa.
  • Slide show transitions set in the Windows versions of Canvas or Canvas X are not compatible. They will be listed as “Unknown”.
  • PDF – Adobe® Acrobat® (Advanced) export will convert texts of Postscript Type 1, Dfonts, and some Japanese fonts to paths, even if you select Embed subset for Font embedding. However, it should not be an issue to view or print such PDF files.
Not Supported
  • Auto-hyphenation is not supported.
  • Drop Caps feature is not supported.

Additional information and resources include:

  • Software updates
  • Tutorials
  • Online Help and User Guides
  • Forums and Support

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