AllAppsUser

I understand all that. Three examples........ Task A - one-off illustration = Document palette. ✅ job done. Task B - complex illustration for client. Forgets to tell me it needs to be in same colour scheme (Document Palette) as a previous artwork. Task C - illustration needs to be in Brand B and Brand C colours. Two existing clients who’ve got together for first time. I think the answer to my original question is "no, no one has fathomed a clever easy way to do this" given there’s no export/import for document palettes (Designer iPad) an application palette is not the answer because I need the palettes to follow their documents.

I get that, thanks. My question was: what happens when I delete an Application palette? Does it detach itself from the artwork? I don't want hundreds of Application palettes hanging around. However, I do want the palettes available to pick back-up when/if a client comes back - ideally the palettes remain with the artwork. I’m going to try to find the time to explore and understand this.. but I have deadlines to meet right now.

Because the palette is bespoke to a client. Therefore it’s not used in all documents, just some... a series, if you like. It’s wrong to think of palettes as Application vs single Document in some ways. Universal vs One-off. It’s better to think of palettes as ‘complex artwork’ (single document), or ‘artwork series’ and ‘client/brand’ palettes. So One-off vs Series. It’s the series palette that’s the most useful, and an application palette that’s the least useful. I did wonder if an Application palette is what Serif -think- is what’s required. I’ll admit I’m unclear about whether deleting an application palette, when I move on to work for a different client, means it’ll be gone from all documents. Logic suggests this is what will happen. The alternative is that I end up with hundreds (ultimately) of Application palettes listed in every document. I thought about experimenting to see what actually happens, except I’m on a live job. The experiment feels dangerous, with the potential for many hours work putting things right, and worse. I’d be grateful for any steer here, Paul, thanks.

Hello @haakoo Can I create an afpalette file on the iPad? How do I do that, please? This is about me working somewhere with *only* an iPad. Without access to a desktop version. I’m not following your direction of travel here, I’m afraid. Thanks for trying to help.

I was baffled by this too having clearly positioned themselves as aiming at the professional. I believe it's a legacy philosophy left over from their PC days doing 'doodle' software. They might be affronted by me calling it 'doodle' software (especially twice 😉), but it's true. They're now tackling professional level apps and on a steep learning curve - evidenced by their utter lack of comprehension of the role of Styles (beyond text). As you say, an incredibly powerful tool in professional workflow. Their incomprehension of colour is huge evidence they're out of their depth: global colours is only just filtering through into all the apps and it's still only 'almost' there. Palette coordination - export/import and sharing. The lack of highlighting colours in selected. The 'Recent' colours thing is a big shout-out - it proclaims over a loud speaker that they only understand colour choices as a random decision like: "oooo, I like that colour I've just fiddled randomly with to create".) They've a way to go, but as you say, there's huge potential here - and it's early days, relatively. I'm desparately hoping they don't get sucked into a focus on 'bells and whistles' which will mean it'll be years and years before they sort out what's important to daily workflow in these apps. That will open up an opportunity for other software to beckon the user they want away. Apps go in fashions nowadays, and there's more choice than ever, so they really need to keep their cool and make these apps solid workhorses rather than chase the latest novelty. I'm betting marketing are on their case all the time, understandably, asking for bells and whistles... but they need to fight the unforeseen pull it can exert on the direction their apps take. Being a 'workhorse for professionals' is actually a killer marketing message for the target market, especially studios. It's the most challenging to deliver on of course... and why it's a market beater. EDIT: styles seem to behave correctly in Designer, iPad. Somehow Publisher has missed out completely. The inconsistency is doing my head in.

Thanks from me for that @DM1. Really good to know. I quite like having a copy within the Files app, as a sort of back-up. So I might continue doing what I've been doing. But great to understand all the options. I've a usb to lightening adapter – it's been a game changer. Negates the need for traffic over the internet just to shift a file from two devices in the same room.

As there doesn’t seem to be an export/import option for palettes in Designer iPad... how do you coordinate colour across different artwork documents? ______________________ I have a document palette I’ve created with global colours defined. I’ve created a new document and waded in creating the artwork. I now want to bring in the document palette into this new art, and use it. I’ve tried copying objects, but the global colours didn’t seem to want to come with them. I can only think: duplicate the old document, delete all the objects, and then paste-in the new artwork.... sigh. That’s what I’ll do now, while hoping someone’s got this for future. _____________________ How do you do it? Got a better workaround anyone? Anyone know the secret? Thanks.

I vote for Number 1 as well. (import/export - share - palettes) Across all iPad apps please. I have asked for this on my post about global colours in Designer: I have also noticed the display of styles is not great, though I’ve not used styles much so far.

Ok, I’ve learned: that touching any part of the bottom banner brings up the full keyboard. If you don’t use the Apple Pencil to activate the text you want to edit, you get the full keyboard. I’d love to be able to use Scribble

Affinity Designer 1.9.3, iPad. When I either place a text frame, or select an existing text frame I get what’s illustrated below. This seems to block access to the standard full size keyboard + I can’t scribble into a text frame either. Sure I can use the small lite Scribble keyboard and move the Scribble panel to the side to change to bold too, but I can’t access all the characters available on the full keyboard, or type using fingers easily. Not on the tiny keyboard with my fingers anyway. The only way I seem to be able to get out of it and access the full keyboard, is to put the app into the background and then call it back again. Then the full keyboard comes up. Is there a setting I’ve missed here, or some action? I’ve been through the preferences.

The only way I know is to first save the file to the Files app. From there you can save it to an external drive. I do it to move work from the iPad to an old Mac that’s got the older incompatible airdrop.

Hey, no worries. Feeling really pleased with myself! I’ve learned loads and helped you too. We both win!! Great way to end the day here in the UK! Take care and happy printing there in Aus.

Whoa!! Wow, that’s fascinating. Ok..... tap the embedded pdf twice drag your pdf in tap on the pdf twice - or on its layer crop marks, etc, appear! (And lots of layers like you’ve opened the pdf) I grouped and scaled. you may only need to scale by a small amount touch the Home arrow...... does not take you Home, but goes back to a view of the pdf! EDIT; I think what we’re doing here is scaling the contents of the pdf so it fits everything with its boundary. (the post you found was 2019) Not sure what I think of this right now...

Wow, fascinating, but not much help to you @jemmalee, sorry. Just dragged a pdf in. Same. Seems it’s imported it cropped to page. It is importing the whole PDF because I managed to tap on the imported pdf layer and convert it to objects - I don’t recommend doing it btw. The crop marks are there, but not visible. Will continue having a play, but can’t promise to help much.

Apologies > Document menu > canvas > clip to canvas. It seems to be the equivalent to ‘preview mode’ in Adobe (if you’re familiar with that). It reveals or hides whatever exists beyond the page/canvas. It’s a toggle on/off command but doesn’t have a tick to indicate which it is set to. I assume because Serif think it’s obvious. Doh! No idea why on earth I’ve never thought of doing that! Am going to try it now. Thank you. _—————————————- edit - these instructions do not answer the issue. See my post further down about tapping the embedded pdf twice

I'm intrigued how you've embedded a PDF using iPad Designer? I can only see 'Place Image". How have you done this, please? You're sure you've set the Designer page to have a bleed too? And if you have, you've unclipped the Canvas?

Can you post an illustration of what you're describing? It's very difficult otherwise for us to visualise what you mean, and is really hlepful to those who hope to help.

Hum, just tried to reproduce this. I can't make the gradient line and its endpoints reappear on the mask layer after setting a gradient up on it either. You might achieve what I think you're after though, by stretching the mask layer down, or up, using the Move Tool. Setting the opacity on the mask would also effectively change the black to a grey. Are you trying to achieve something more involved than this? Hope this helps.

Would really like: to be able to export the palette. global colours to copy and paste with the objects from document to document. the colour of the selected object to be highlighted in the swatches panel. If a gradient is involved, then all the colours involved in the gradient. Logically, it should be which ever colour is to the fore - the fill or the stroke. If there’s a different solution to this, that’s cool (or something already stashed somewhere I’ve not seen yet, I’d be glad to have it pointed out). At the moment it’s not possible to know if a selected object is assigned a colour defined in the swatches, or it’s some randomly similar ‘recent’ colour. Adding global colours is a great move, and I’m far more excited about it than any bells or whistles. I know bells and whistles are more marketable and glam, but I’m really hoping this "so near - so far" feature will make it to being awesome. It’s a professional’s essential. ——————————- Edit: am wondering if I’ve not absorbed something about Document v Application palettes - re copying and exporting -.... hum. Will research.

Downloaded 1.9.0 Designer iPad. Just opened up an artwork and decided to create a document palette to use for another illustration in the series. Discovered -> Global colours!! Brilliant. Well done, Serif. I don’t methodically create a palette trying to guess how colours will ‘play’ together, and then the illustration. I create them once I’ve settled on a colour as I create the artwork. This means I want to add colours already in my illustration as Global colours. Doesn’t look like you can do it - see left of illustration. I searched through all the options in the add global colour box but couldn’t see an eye dropper to use. I’d tried using the eye dropper tool and then ‘Add global colour" expecting it to pick up the colour from the sampled dot in the colour panel. Nope. Is this an oversight? Or have I missed something? Am currently adding a global colour. Then Choosing ‘edit’ and voila, the usual colour panel c/w an eye dropper appears (see right of illustration). I’m then using the eyedropper to select the colour and ... I get there. Bit round the houses, but I’m so chuffed to have global colours at all, I can’t say I care! Edit: I have noted it does not say ‘Add current colour as global colour" which suggests there is no way to do what I need to, other than my workaround. if you know better, I’d love to be corrected.

Yeah, there's something similar in Designer iPad where you don't get all the options - or at least I think this is what it does. There feels to be so many variations, I'm a big bog-eyed with it right now. I'll post something on it soon. Got work to do tomorrow where I'll inevitably bump up against it.

Good to link the two threads, thanks for that. There's numerous places, and across other apps too. Basically whereever there's a clickable colour block. I'll be posting some screen captures of how this inconsistency manifests in Designer iPad (when I fathom how to illustrate it clearly). I think Serif really need to step back and review all features where colour selection can be made in every app (desktop and ipad) and harmonize the lot. There's actually a big job for them to do creating consistency generally IMHO. As I've got to know the apps, it's become painfully evident. All sorts of things are constnatly tripping me up, because they don't behave consistently. Lots of "gah" moments. ------------------------------ Here's Jeremy's link again, for those interested in following this topic, as an embedded thumb.

Harrr.., I haven't come across your post @Jeremy Bohn.. um, don't know why I didn't find it. I thought someone might have, as I know for certain other designers work with colour in a disciplined way. Hopefully by repeating the request, Serif will pick it up. The weird thing is.. Swatches defaults to 'Greys", but when I choose 'Colour".. it then remembers that! All random.

Another wishlist item for those interested:

Another wishlist item for those interested.