Miss Daisy

We are talking apple and oranges here. My pattern pieces (images) are created by a blank page. Not a raw image. My ownly raw images are the photos I take of the finished garments. I only save in .png the graphic images I create for the "how to" construct garment guide, they are inserted as illustrations in the sewing guide along with detailed instructions. The pattern pieces are saved both as a .psd (or .af xxx) to keep the construction of the pattern piece in tact for each size as they are indeed slightly different, and a .png for publishing.

I sometimes duplicate the entire .psd with history of course, but once duplicated it is changed for each size in various ways. I often also duplicate just the outline (not other things) and I create a new file and drag and drop parts from the original to the next one. Change those. Duplicating is a simple thing, and it has been in the Adobe entire suite since its beginning, so, I just with Affinity would add this to this wonderful suite of programs. Not everyone does graphics entirely and photo work entirely. I cannot rasterize my files because as someone else said, it loses its linked state (history). I don't want anything adjusted in any way as size is critical to what I do. I am struggling along with CS6 products and want to completely change over to Affinity, but it may never be possible.

I cannot "duplicate" my file from within any Affinity program and work on it right then and there. I do that often through the day in Adobe. I might have 3 sizes up at once and work on all 3 .... It is a simple command in Adobe.... not available in Affinity that I can find. I save in adobe one as a .psd (for updates and other sizing) and a also a .png for the guide. I don't understand why we cannot duplicate an image along with the history (as I can a .psd)

First of all, like Simplicity, Vogue, McCalls, etc., these are pattern pieces ..... only mine are for pets. I have 12 sizes. I use the Medium as my Master. I draw my pattern with the pen tool, change colors, thickness, etc. Add an image for the piece, Numbers Notches, circles, seam allowance lines, lengthen/Shorten lines, I can make the first one, and then I need to alter the next one to my sizing measurements ... some is percentage and then, I must adjust everything on the second, but at least I don't have to draw it each time in Photoshop. I can make my layers for the Outline, Pattern Info, Grain lines, Copyright, Cutting info, etc., Then I duplicate the first one (which I cannot duplicate an .psd file in Affinity), I need all the layers preserved, then I go up or down another size and adjust for the sizes, and save each one. Often, I take the Front and back pieces and put them together to be sure they all match up, but I duplicate that and make my canvass larger to accommodate the sizing and make sure everything fits properly. I can do this entire process in Adobe. Totally. That duplicate image is crucial to my pattern making. I don't want to destroy the time consuming first image, nor its layers. And often I have a customer need a custome size because their pet is longer, fatter, etc. I need to adjust the original piece to work for them. I duplicate the original image for that particular size and make all the adjustments from there. I don't need to start all over from scratch. I also use Photoshop Cs6 to make the pattern jackets and images for the sewing guide to show them how to do put it together. It is very involved. Having a duplicate image feature saves me hours of work. It could be done in Designer, but there again, there is no way to duplicate any file or image. I purchased these programs when they came out, but could not use them for my purposes and was hoping these features like inches (which I can now do) and the duplicate image would make me Adobe Free. Why I cannot do a duplicate image is absolutely baffling. A program this sophisticated that doesn't have something like this is surprising. You never work on your original file... you always make a copy to preserve the integrity of what you make. From inside Adobe, I can open my file, "image" Duplicate (giving it the new name)... and either keep it in the program for later use, or close it. Then I resize change lots of settings, etc., etc., and my new size is born. Many patterns have 21-25 pattern pieces, and it is lots of work. But I can do it completely in Adobe. I use photos, but I also use the pen tool to make my pattern pieces. I might draft one by hand and scan it in and use it to make my first one. But by duplicating that image or any other for that matter is critical for me. One of the first things I learned from Adobe was NOT to work on my original image, to first make a copy and then do my stuff. If I muck it up, I did not destroy my original. How on earth can this be done in Affinity???

I am looking for a Duplicate Image also. I make 12 versions of the first image, all in different sizes, and I use it constantly. I don't want anything to change the original image and I need to duplicate it to resize, then adjust, save it. And go on until I have all my 12 pattern sizes made. My .psd is my base for a particular size, when finished editing, I save to a .png to be placed in a pdf along with all the pattern pieces I will make for that size. I will use one size and adjust it to another and save a .psd and a .png in the new size. It is critical that everything stays as I want it or the pattern pieces won't fit together. Some of these things is why I haven't given Affinity Photo a chance because there are things I get in CS6 that I just cannot seem to find or do in Photo. I use Image, Duplicate all the time. I then after duplication, I work on the duplicated image to resize, edit, whatever.

Wow, all that work. My pattern jackets are 15, each one a different group or size. All the layers created are critical to edit for each individual jacket. So, I normally make my first one with images, etc., then, I "Image" "Duplicate" (Photoshop) and it asks me the name I want, I change it to the new jacket, and I get a new jacket wherein I change any verbiage etc., for that size specifically. It is now readily apparent to me that my .psd jacket was a clipboard item complete with layers. It is the same for pattern pieces where each one I start eoinewith a master and adjust each size from there. So I create from the first one. Easy to do in Photoshop, just cannot find what to do in Photo. And if Affinity automatically rasterizes that image I spent time making with the pen tool ... I will go nuts. I keep those as is so I can adjust as I resize for each pattern. I create all my outlines etc with the Photoshop pen (shape) tool. I am hoping I can do the same here. I will hunt that "assistant" down and send him packing so I don't have that sneak up on me. I did not know until I was past it that it rasterized my layer. Does anyone know how I can keep my files "inches". Thank you for your patience with a newbie to Affinity. Georgine

Affinity Photo I am making pattern jackets for my work. I create the document with images and text and then for each size I duplicate the entire document, change the text for the new size and export as .png. In Photoshop there is a Image, Duplicate. This duplicates the entire work. Where is this in Photo? 2nd question, The Rasterize assistant came up and rasterized my layer... and I did not want it rasterized. At no time do I want that done unless I tell it to. How do I stop this from happening. I should have the option of saying no. Thank you. I am trying to migrate myself to Affinity Photo from Photoshop for my work. The biggest issue is inches. It is critical to what I do. I don't know how to work around this at all.

I have multiple documents I created in Photoshop CS6.....and I use inches and it was saved in inches. Because I create pattern pieces in photoshop inches are critical to the pattern size. I open them here and they come in as pixels. How do I have it open in inches in Photo?

Thank you Walt. That helps. I am rambling through trying find my way around the interface. I also found, and you can correct me if I am wrong on this, if I change my workspace to inches, which is what I must have, the pen tool won't work in pixels, it only will work in inches. That kills me. I have my workspace for my patterns in inches so the patterns are true to sizing, and then I draw my lines, armscye's etc., using the pen tool and of course it is pixels in Photoshop. Is there a way to do that? Only to have my workspace in inches, but my type and tools all operate in pixels. I can do this in PSP. I hope that will happen (or perhaps it does) in Affinity.

I absolutely MUST have inches because I create sewing patterns and they are published for use in inches. Everything I do is based on inches and it is critical that I have that capability, and not be modified at any time by the program or the patterns once cut out, will not fit the user. Currently I use Photoshop CS6. I have it all set to inches, it never changes at any time. What I set stays that way. I spend hours creating these, and have to depend on my program. I did not have Illustrator, so I bought your entire suite of products today. I need to set design to draw a seam allowance line 1/4" when need to. Right now, I do them all manually. Illustrator is used by all pattern creators and can set it in Illustrator (design) to move the seam allowance whatever width is needed. I just tried importing a pattern piece into photo and it made it pixels even though it was saved in inches in photoshop. Anyway I can avoid that happening, or, do I have to each time change the document switch to the view tool and change the units on the context toolbar (whatever that is... I will find it) to inches.