[How much flexibility in layouts exist with Publisher data merge?]

I'll try to be less obtuse. I have three thousand records, each with about four descriptor words, a title, probably some small images. I want to spread three thousand populated frames around a poster-sized area. Is that possible?

[How much flexibility in layouts exist with Publisher data merge?]

It would most likely be several words, a title, some descriptor text, and a few small images.

[How much flexibility in layouts exist with Publisher data merge?]

If I were to make 3000 "data modules" that contain all the fields I want to present, could I link the spreadsheet to these 3000? Or is that not possible?

[How much flexibility in layouts exist with Publisher data merge?]

Hi. I have 3000 records I'd like to put on a poster, in a creative and fluid layout. Does data merge allow for placement of data without using the Data Merge Layout tool?

[Can the Silhouette be used for making a crease instead of a score?]

On 3/5/2022 at 6:56 PM, R C-R said:

@obeydesign, in case it still is not clear to you, note that in Affinity the capital L type of Layer (like is shown in parentheses in the Layers panel) is a particular kind of container layer, similar to but not the same as a group layer (like those shown in the Layers panel with the word "Group" enclosed in parentheses).

I fat-fingered my brain.

[Can the Silhouette be used for making a crease instead of a score?]

I looked for the answer, but didn't find anything. Is it possible to use something in one of the carriage slots to create a crease? I can create a score without issue, but that solution isn't what I need.

Any ideas or suggestions?

[What makes an export to pdf different between Designer and Adobe Illustrator?]

I seem to have gotten it to work. Thank you everyone.

[What makes an export to pdf different between Designer and Adobe Illustrator?]

1 hour ago, MikeW said:

I believe what you have are Named Groups, not Layers.

I've attached a PDF--try it, please. There should be 3 layers in Silhouette Studio, plus a grouped object not on a layer.

I've also attached the AD file so you can review.

untitled.afdesign 8.81 kB · 3 downloads Untitled.pdf 377.77 kB · 1 download

Can you share what your pdf export parameters were in Designer? When I use your Designer file, I get a single layer in Studio, so, there must be some difference between your parameters and mine.

[What makes an export to pdf different between Designer and Adobe Illustrator?]

Thanks for the file. I export it to pdf, open it in Studio, and have only one layer to work with in Studio.

[What makes an export to pdf different between Designer and Adobe Illustrator?]

6 minutes ago, R C-R said:

@obeydesign, in case it still is not clear to you, note that in Affinity the capital L type of Layer (like is shown in parentheses in the Layers panel) is a particular kind of container layer, similar to but not the same as a group layer (like those shown in the Layers panel with the word "Group" enclosed in parentheses).

So, I've moved one of the curves to a Layer. Is that correct?

[What makes an export to pdf different between Designer and Adobe Illustrator?]

2 minutes ago, v_kyr said:

Yes!

In Studio, everything is on a single layer. Therefore, the issue must be in the export to pdf settings?

[What makes an export to pdf different between Designer and Adobe Illustrator?]

Okay, I moved all the curves and rectangles out of their layer groups, but don't get separate layers in Studio. 

Here's a file with everything on its own layer?

earrings-EXP-6.afdesign

[What makes an export to pdf different between Designer and Adobe Illustrator?]

Here's a file with everything on its own layer?

earrings-EXP-6.afdesign

[What makes an export to pdf different between Designer and Adobe Illustrator?]

Well, I'm some kind of idiot. The layers worked, but the group in your document was layered with another layered, as shown in the screenshot. 

When I copy your layers to my original document (second and third screenshots), I'm back to a single layer in Studio.

I must have some basic misunderstanding of how AD works.

[What makes an export to pdf different between Designer and Adobe Illustrator?]

6 minutes ago, v_kyr said:

The question is if the Silhouette software can deal with groups of layers and groups at all? - Further I would start with a simpler just a few layers only AD example, exporting that as PDF and then trying to import that correctly usable into the Silhouette software. If that works then enhancing the AD example accordingly, so all in all trying out small steps first before going over to make bigger steps here.

Thanks. I tried simply creating a new document with three squares on it, each in a different layer, but that didn't give me three layers in Studio, either.

[What makes an export to pdf different between Designer and Adobe Illustrator?]

These are not the correct kinds of Layers?

[What makes an export to pdf different between Designer and Adobe Illustrator?]

10 hours ago, walt.farrell said:

You can tell Designer to include Layers in the PDF, by clicking on the More button in the PDF Export dialog and choosing the option. But you will also need to use the menu option Layer > New Layer (or the icon at the bottom of the Layers panel) to create these special container layers, which will show up as (Layer) in the Layers panel. And you will need to organize your objects into the Layers you need them to be in.

Then, if you are lucky, your other application will handle them as you want it to.

Thank you for your insightful response. I believe I've organized my Designer file as you specified. Here's a screenshot.

[What makes an export to pdf different between Designer and Adobe Illustrator?]

24 minutes ago, obeydesign said:

I have everything in layers, as shown in the screenshot.

[What makes an export to pdf different between Designer and Adobe Illustrator?]

7 hours ago, Dan C said:

Hi @obeydesign,

As well as the above, depending on the settings used to create these Curves in Affinity, they may require 'rasterisation' when exporting which would combine all unsupported curve layers into one pixel layer.

Can you please provide a screenshot of your Layers Studio, before exporting the document?

Many thanks in advance

I have everything in layers, as shown in the screenshot.

[What makes an export to pdf different between Designer and Adobe Illustrator?]

I'm using an application for the Cameo Silhouette paper cutter. The application reads, amongst other things, a pdf file and sends cutting data to the machine. The pdfs can have layer information, which is also read by the Silhouette software, and layers can be turned on and off depending on cutting needs. However, pdfs made with Designer do not basically work, all the layers are combined. I've saved out to different kinds of pdf files from Designer, with the same results. I've tested old pdfs made with Illustrator, and they work correctly.

So, how do the two applications save out pdfs, and is there a way to save out from Designer like from Illustrator?

[Is there a convenient, accurate method to swap embedded images with other images?]

Hi. I'm working on files with embedded images. I need a way to swap the "for placement only" images with the final images. The Resource Manager is a poor tool for this kind of operation, which I may have to do hundreds of times. In Illustrator, there's a simple (and effective) Link palette which could do the job. Does anyone know of a good way to do these replacements, maybe with a script, or some aspect of Designer I'm not aware of?

Thanks!

[Why don't fonts work between Illustrator and Designer?]

You are no ordinary mortal. Thank you again!

[Why don't fonts work between Illustrator and Designer?]

I'd be grateful to you for checking them out. But I tried using the otf via Affinity Designer/Photo on both my Mac and PC, and neither worked.

[Why don't fonts work between Illustrator and Designer?]

I used FontXChange.

[Why don't fonts work between Illustrator and Designer?]

Thank you for writing. It's a font from T-26 called Lomba. It's a Postscript font. As I mentioned, I converted it to otf, but that didn't resolve the issue.