Jochen Damm

No, it is not there yet. There are rumors that it might be in a version between 2.1 and 2.4 but I have no idea how accurate this statement might be. But you don't have to pay more for this feature if it will be released under 2.x branch. Even if it take some years. I miss that feature as well but even without it the software in general is great. I already purchased the whole suite even if I have to save money urgently. In my case photography and graphic/communication design are a pricey hobby. My only income is invalidity pension and upped to a guaranteed minimum pension. This barely covers living expenses. I am not an Affinity fanboy but I added this statement to show how much I belive in Serif and my desire to support them. Sure, I wanted to use the discount (initial price). Without that discount I would had waited a few months and bought the suite piece by piece while still using version 1. My priority is Publisher, followed by Designer and Photo at last. I don't have much experience in photo editing and barely do more than basic corrections. And for working with vector graphics is Inkscape still tool of choice for many tasks. I work with Inkscape for about 20 years - a period you can't forget easily. In Inkscape I vectorized several graphics and logos. Among them in version 0.48 (with Potrace 1.6) several scanned logos for re-creation. It took some time but the outcome was better than the result from Adobe Illustrator (CS2). After all these years I am still impressed because Inkscape was full of bugs at that time and slow. Not useful for any designer outside of the Linux bubble.

I am really sorry. Once again I made a fool of myself. I actually know the rules. But in the heat of the moment I forgot everything around me and just started writing. It really wasn't my intention to clutter up the forum. I should be more precise. It doesn't change anything. Of course I know "Text Wrap". It's such a standard tool. But for some reason yesterday I thought that "Text Wrap" would only work on objects and not on layers. But I forgot I have used it already the other way. And yes, it works perfectly and is easily accessible. I'm just used to seeing these settings in the Layers panel/window. But one button is a false friend. And that is the "Edit Wrap Outline". The symbol is basically the same but I don't mean the ability to manually adjust the wrap contour. But to display all objects below only as outlines. As you may know from various programs for vector graphics: Even complex graphics with hundreds of objects are shown as outline sketches. As if with X-ray vision through landscapes, vehicles and figures. With all determination, I apologize and pledge to improve. But as I know myself, the next blunder is already waiting. Please move the post to the appropriate place or delete it entirely. See you soon.

Hello, this might be a little bit too picky/quirky but I'd like to have a few more options to choose in layer management. I know that there are already similar functions or workarounds in the most cases but I miss these options I'm used to have. To this point you can only name, lock/unlock, assign a color, set blend mode and opacity. I'm used to have more precise options. The first and foremost option is to define if the layer should be printed or not. Of cause you can delete or hide that layer. But it is really helpful to have visible layers that will never be printed or exported. That could be instructions and templates. In addition to that are the options for outline mode (showing only outlines of objects for wireframing and complex structures) and the ability to select objects. Even if a layer is locked you can edit or delete its objects by direct selection. This should be prohibited by inherited status. But there should be an option to disable selection of objects on a layer independant from being locked or not. This can help against unwanted changes that kept unseen. Bonus round: Nested master pages I would post that on a own topic but nested master pages are kind of layers. Therefore I add it under this topic. It would be great to have several guides on one page. If you add master pages the page inherits the guides and margins from the lowest master page added. But there are occasions to add several conflicting guides to one page. For examle I tried to design a trifold brochure with six master pages - three master pages per sheet/page. That could be a great help because each part has its own layout grid and margins. In this case you avoid to interfere the fold with the single layout grid system. There is a big difference if you add one 12column grid over the whole page or add 3 4column grids with horizontal margins around the fold areas. It looks more professional and is easier to work with. But this solution is only possible by adding each guide lines manually. If there are several master pages placed that are not stacked/overlapping the guidelines and grids should be clipped to their own space covering only the master page. If there are master pages stacked it should be possible to switch between / choose the right guide lines or migrate them into a new set on the actual page. Thank you Jochen

Hi there, I'd like to discuss a new way of editing by manipulating the channels directly. create adjustment layers for specific channels create layered sub-channels - they do exist but not the possibility to group them under the composite channel group several channels of specific layers like all rgb red channels of 3 layers and apply adjustment layers copy and paste channels There are quite a few requests for pasting images into alpha channel. But why the limitation to that? There should be the option to paste something in every channel possible across all color spaces. And it should be possible to open a channel like a layer for editing it directly with the tools like brushes or eraser/rubber. It could be opened as grayscale or in the specific color of the channel (if rgb or cmyk). But I focus on an other way/highlight: Mapping or assigning layers to specific channels like in Krita. It is possible to assign a layer to one or more channels. By defaull every channel is active but you can deactivate channels you won't be feeded with. I think it is the easiest way to create non-destructive color extractions. You keep the original image but extract only the parts you need because it's just filtered output. The ideal solution for projects with needs for 1c or 2c. Examples might be 2c newspaper print or pad printing. Affinity has the black and white filter to produce 1c black images instead of 4c black. But that is not the best way of handling. There are problems if the linked image has the wrong proile attached. With these solution it can be possible to overcome that obstacle by defining how Affinity Photo should handle it: convert or assign. Both ways oppose and complement each other. If you can assign layers to channels there is no need to edit channels directly. But I think that Affinity should support both ways because they're complete opposite. Designers are quite different in their thinking how something should work and therefore the tools need to be flexible to fulfill their users will.

Another additional idea copied from other software: It is possible to import charts from Microsoft Excel and edit them manually. For Adobe Illustrator exists a plugin called Datylon. This company provides beneath this plugin a library of over 120 chart templates. You can import raw spreadsheets and design beautiful charts out of it with specific features including the usage of color palettes/swatches like global colors and even spot colors. There is a whole bunch of design options. From the variety of chart types to the editing of each part. But the main feature is in my own opinion the data merge aspect of it. You can create one artboard per chart or combine multiple charts on one artboard but the data is linked to its source (spreadsheet) and updates itself. For example it would be useful for annual finacial reports. But also for scientific purposes. When the data has to be presented in a proper way as fast as possible. Sure, most scientists don't mind if the PowerPoint presentation has this outdated look and feel because the actual data is the main focus. But for public relations it should be more appealing. And you can print/save the charts in less than two minutes if you had its template designed before. Software like Microsoft Excel or Libre Office Calc have gained some additional power for styling charts in recent years but they don't have the flexibility that is needed. At least the following chart types should be editable by a module/tool: Column and Bar, stacked and/or grouped Pie and Donut/Circle/Ring, Demicircle, Nightingale Area, stacked Line XY (scatter) and Bubble Net Stock Column and Line Bump and Slope Stream Density Bullet (bar within another bar) Youtube tutorial from Yes, I am a designer to demonstrate this plugin This feature request is helpful for several parties but I rank it myself as low priority and optional for later implementation. But if there are users that need it more urgently vote for it.

I fully agree with you that Affinity is still young and SMEs and amateurs (like myself) have great options with it at this point. But I believe that most new users think of Serif as a newcomer in this game. Affinity was designed from scratch and I appreciate it but the legacy suite also was great. PagePlus would have celebrated its 30 anniversary this/last year. It was released 1990/1991 for commercial use. Serif should know the market's needs. I know that Affinity has a small development team but I don't understand why so many features of that legacy suite were dropped. It disappointed me. Don't get me wrong, I like Affinity quite a lot more than the legacy software. But There are some tasks that I prefer to do in PagePlus instead of Publisher and import it later in it via PDF. "Why is there no native import option?" l asked myself when I switched to Affinity. It didn't make sense to me at that time. To polish a wheel you don't have to reinvent it completely. The materials might change but it has to be round so that it can roll.

+1 - nothing more to say.

I guess you're right. From start I should be more direct with the intended use cases. It is hard for me to get what the Affinity suite wants to be. In my opinion it is a hybrid solution between beginners/novices and professionals and pro-ams. Therefore I categorize features differently to their usage. I really would like to use this suite as (semi-) professional RIP like ONYX 21 but I know that there are better solutions for professional work flow. But at least I wish I had more options for proofing - that's another topic. And on the other hand I had that questioned idea of amateur-like features like "print shop" software that is used by novices for personal purposes only printed at home on consumer printers. In short handicraft works. If you know how to measure your objects it is easy to design it in Designer. But if you want to tinker 3d objects it would be nice to unreel these simple polyhedra. That would also include origami and paper aircrafts. This never will be the main purpose of this software and is highly in question. But it might be useful even in professional cases. And yeah, the basic concept is to edit layouts with more than two pages per sheet. This might be a 3- or 5-panel spread. But with a little more code it could be way more advanced than that. 32-panel spreads for example. A Leporello with 16 panels and so on. Folding horizontal and vertical at the same time like Map Fold, French/Quarter Fold! That is why I opened this topic. How much should Affinity/Serif do in this case? Only more panels next to each other in the orientation setting? Crossed in right angle or even uneven angles for advanced designs?

Hi, I want to discuss a topic that might be helpful for several parties but correlates with the implementation of advanced spread or folding handling. This topic should be an overview and poll how useful or dull this idea is. InDesign has the opportunity to define spreads with several folds. Affinity Publisher should get this feature at some point. It is the very basic feature that is a standard in print design. I think Serif wants to gather business-to-business (b2b) clients, not only SMEs, non-profits and individuals. But that is not what they communicate if they resist to implement this feature. We are thankful for data merge but it was only one step. I know that the Affinity team is a small one and has limited capacity. But that are crucial features that decide what software people use: Affinity, open-source or Adobe CC (or CS if they have it still running). Years ago I stumbled over a dtp solution called Laidout (www.laidout.org), for Linux only. It is a desktop publishing tool for impositioning folded spreads. With this addition you could fold advanced documents with the following fold types: gatefold (tabernacle fold) right-angle fold parallel fold letterfold (infinite) accordion fold, concertina fold, fan fold Even in a two-page type document like a catalogue/brochure: e.g. a hinged inner page But it could going far beyond that. You could separate or join pages. E.g. you had imported PDF files with facing pages as single page and have to divide them into facing pages again. That is a lot of work if you have dozens or hundreds of pages to change. With this editor you could define a break point to break them apart. Or the same vice versa if you want to join multiple pages into one single page. Deleting the break point joins them fast and easy. On the other hand you can design and impose documents like folded maps, instruction leaflets and manuals. Import existing Affinity documents and rearrange them into new formats. Content will be flipped and/or rotated according to the fold At some point it would be nice to create packaging like boxes, cylinders, cones and oder 3 dimensional objects from paper but that would be more-or-less usable to the majority. Extruded marks for cutting and adhesive points. I want to know what you think about it. Is this a good idea or just a waste of code nobody would ever use?

How should I put it? I'm using Affinity for about a year now but localized in German. Therefore I can't really be precise with the english phrases used. You're right: There are paragraph and character styles. But there is the third one called group style. With them you can define styles that nest them into another with hierarchy. You have a Base style predefined. Under this style are some other predefined styles that are used commonly. If you define or edit a style you can define what style is its template. If you have a sub-style then all values have the entry [no changes] or the specific changes that are made manually. So, each style can inherit other values. Official point under affinity.help, and the official presentation on Youtube please contact me if I didn't understand you what you meant.

I agree. There are many options like HTML or Markdown but I prefer HTML, in addition XML. It is flexible and common and is a great foundation for ebook publishing like epub files. But for Data Merge XML would be the best choice I think.

Hey Jocarnail, The point Copywriting Persona is interesting but I don't get it what you mean. It might be too simple but if I got it correct then I suggest a text editor window related to the active text frame. This is the way of the open source dtp Scribus. You can enter the text directly or edit in the Story editor. You have the option to load or save text files, set paragraph styles and so on. It would be possible to add these external documents to the ressource mangement, that keeps track of used images. Therefore it should be easy to add office documents. If Affinity can import them right away then why not store them as ressources to update its contents? But take that idea a step further: Database publishing, collaboration, several people edit different parts of the same file simultaneously. Think big and think content! I've never heard of GREP styles before but they seem to be nice. In Affinity exist nested styles already as well as the possibility to copy object styles. The easiest way to copy them is by saving that object in Assets. Object styles (styles)and text styles can be used in Designer as well and vice versa.

That's right. You can do very much with this simple trace. But you have to admit that some images don't work well that way. Tracing is a method you need experience for. And this software isn't targeted only to professionals. Like you said the right of the tools. If you know to use a saw and a hammer you might not have the knowledge to build a house with it. There are many ways to vectorize images. Logos in other settings than artwork, photos different from cad. What do you want to have? Only outlines, only fills, both. B/W or colored, solid colors or gradients. Abutting or overlapping. Edge detection or midline/centerline. How about variable-width strokes? Vectorizing notes of pencils, pens and fountain pens. How to trace scanned images that were rasterized before for offset printing? Do you scan CAD documents or trace of the original object image? There are so many options to choose. And there may be people who don't want much experience to be needed. For them it is okay to trace it with some issues in terms of quality. They just don't need industry standard quality. A few tracings per month or year for personal use. Quickly trace an image in under five minutes without any post-editing. If you want top notch images you will have to take time and edit it afterwards. That's why I wrote to implement at least basic features at first. You can optimize it for professional use later on. And I'm positive that it will be great. I don't expect wonders but it is clear that this software already is trustworthy to expect great user experience with this component too.

Maybe I was too blind another time. Nezumi, Stacy and Kuttyjoe are right. I should have said that it is a crucial feature. In my circle of acquaintances are some people that use Adobe Illustrator only because it's tracing capabilities. Two or three use Corel Draw (719 Euro, about US$ 865). And of cause Serif can't work on several feature projekts at the same time. I know that the wishlist is long. But for basic support should be an option. Basics like convert selection into shape. For example you can in Affinity Photo add borders to images with knocked out backgrounds. This should be possible as vector shape. I don't speak of photos that are realistically vector traced, which would be nice but at least Illustrator CS6 couldn't do without any problems. My claim is support in favor like the range of good old CS2 to CS6 - innovation of 2005, 16 years ago. I don't know how hard it is to implement. But I believe that if Serif would use Potrace which Inkscape additions there would be not so much work for Serifs tweaks. Like I said simple stuff, not fancy tracing features. Serif can build up a much better solution but that would be take some time. I really hate the fact that Serif doesn't publishes its Roadmap. If user would know what's going on there would be much more consent about implementation strategies. But users hear about it only in beta tests.

I agree that Inkscape does a nice job and both applications work well together. But I don't agree that Potrace isn't useful with logos. Back in 2013/2014 I traced for the company I worked for its logos. They only had small files of GIF and JPEG for letterheads and business cards. At that point I was a bloody newbie with almost zero experience in graphic design. I scanned flyers with a flatbed scanner, blowed the images up that they were about a square metre tall. Then I autotraced them several times with several settings and corrected it manually after that. It took some hours but the outcome was brilliant. Of cause, there is no way to load it once, trace it once and boom - an amazing work is done. For professional designers it might be waste of time. If you can do tracing fully manually, fine do that. But for beginners, amateurs or pro-ams like me it is very useful. I believe to be an intermediate user. For most simple tasks I have solutions or workarounds but I can't compete with professionals or pro-ams or simply work efficient. My background is beeing a hobbyist in photography (since early 1990s), videography and communication design. My professional experience is to rule Microsoft Office as office clerk with some single tasks in graphic design. But even Microsoft Powerpoint and Publisher are (or were at least) very limited. Therefore I needed other "drugs" in the shape of Inkscape [addicted since 2008/2009] and later Scribus. I also used parts of the Serif legacy series like PagePlus and for a couple of months I use all three Affinity applications now. But to be fair. I'm used so much the open-source software that I often use it for the most part and only do the final touches in Affinity. it is really wicked. For personal/private tasks i love open-source software so much but for company tasks I want to use industry standard software like Adobe InDesign and Illustrator or Corel Draw which I worked a half of a year with at an other company. + 5,000 votes on tracing