GaryLearnTech

Hi All,
Below is the list of all new feature and improvements which are included in the 2.5 beta (bug fix list is available here).
To learn more about these features please click on the link to go to each feature's dedicated post. To give feedback or report bugs against any of these features please reply to that same post (also check out bug reporting and feedback tips).
Variable Fonts (coming soon) Line Width Tool Pencil Tool Improvements QR Code Object "Default preset" for grid Typography Dialog turned into a Panel Other Improvements Getting the 2.5 beta
If you have not enrolled into the beta program yet and would like to take part, you can do so here. This will immediately give you access to the latest 2.5 beta builds to try for yourself.
If you are already enrolled in the beta program you have two options:
1. If you still have the 2.4 beta installed, you can now run up those beta versions and you will be prompted to update them to the 2.4 beta.
2. If you have uninstalled the 2.4 beta, you will need to go back to Your Account -> Downloads and product keys and find your previous order for the Affinity Beta Software Program, and you can download the 2.5 beta from there.
Thanks,
Ash

Looking at the data in your screenshot, I think the problem is happening at your step #1.  Your batch process is not converting the output files.  It's outputting copies of your tiff files but renaming them to look like JPEGs.  It's your initial batch conversion process that needs investigating.
Affinity Photo is correctly recognising the raw TIFF data, without alerting you to the underlying error (except where "Occasionally I will try to save a .JPEG file but AP flags up 'This file type is unrecognised'.")

I doubt very, very much that Canva will try to monetise the forums.  But, let's imagine for a moment that they did.  How long do you think it would take for a free, independent alternative to appear?  My money would be on "not long"…

I doubt very, very much that Canva will try to monetise the forums.  But, let's imagine for a moment that they did.  How long do you think it would take for a free, independent alternative to appear?  My money would be on "not long"…

I doubt very, very much that Canva will try to monetise the forums.  But, let's imagine for a moment that they did.  How long do you think it would take for a free, independent alternative to appear?  My money would be on "not long"…

I doubt very, very much that Canva will try to monetise the forums.  But, let's imagine for a moment that they did.  How long do you think it would take for a free, independent alternative to appear?  My money would be on "not long"…

I doubt very, very much that Canva will try to monetise the forums.  But, let's imagine for a moment that they did.  How long do you think it would take for a free, independent alternative to appear?  My money would be on "not long"…

I just did this (afpub file opened in Word and it's 98% perfect. I'm shocked and elated! 

If you don't have a trusted third-party convertor to hand, don't worry.  Try opening the PDF straight into Word.  I've seen some impressive results, even with older versions of Word.

Apps: Publisher
Platforms: macOS, Windows and iPad
There is a new Tags panel in Affinity Publisher which allows you to add Alt-text to any image or object when exported to PDF for accessibility purposes.  To use just open the Tags panel from the Window menu, select the image or object you want to add Alt Text too and add your description in the box:

Alt Text Source
As well as adding your own custom description to any object, you can also choose to scrape the Alt Text from the Title, Description or Headline meta data which may be embedded within the image in question.

Mark as Decoration
You also have the option to “Mark as Decoration”. This means no image description will be exported or used by screen readers as the item is purely there for decorative purposes rather than important to the understanding of the document. It’s primarily there so you can positively tag an image as not needing a description so will not return as needing one in preflight.
Preflight
Options have also been added in preflight to make it easy to check your document for any missing Alt Text should you wish. When creating or editing a profile you will see a new section for Alt Text. Here you can choose whether you want preflight to return a warning if images, placed documents or vector objects do not have Alt Text added (or marked as decoration).

Export
In the advanced section of PDF export there is a new option of "Tagged PDF". This is required to be checked if you wish to export your PDF including any tags you have added. Currently this is off by default for all factory PDF presets, although we do intend to make this on by default for all non-print based factory PDF presets.
General note on accessibility features
I also just wanted to say that there are a number of accessibility features we are working on which will be added in upcoming updates such as reading order, heading tags and other document structure tools important for screen readers. For the time being, and so to not go off topic, please keep comments on this thread focused on the new Tags Panel / Alt Text feature added in this version.

Working a lot with Moho Pro I saw myself rebuilding scenes I designed in Affinity Designer or Photo with exported images in Moho again. I never have to do that when using Spine to animate as Affinity has this great Spine JSON batch exporter in the Export Persona. So I was missing that when working in Moho.
Until now; I've developed a free plugin script for Moho which let's Moho import all layers and exported cropped images from Affinity Photo and/or Designer via the exported spine.json file!
For who is using both Spine and Moho, like me, it is even quite far in importing the setup pose with all images as exported from Spine too. Including all transformations of the images and even tinting of images. There are some limitations when importing spine.json files coming from Spine tho (see mohoscripts page for the script), like images which use meshes aren't supported. But the most important features are supported already!


[update]
Also when the spine.json file has bone data (like files exported from Spine itself, or when using special layer naming in Krita's exporter), the skeleton will be recreated in Moho during import since v1.1.0! 

But the main reason for making this was to import layers from Affinity tho. And that all works great now! A real time saver.
It also works for Krita, Photoshop, After Effects, Gimp etc. when you install an existing export to spine.json script in Krita.
The script is free to download. Downloadlink and more information is here:
https://mohoscripts.com/script/wp_spine_import
And here are some demo's/tutorial videos I just created. Have fun! 
 
 
 

Oh, what a pity!!!  It could be especially useful in situations like shown above.
(Thank you, and sorry, my previous was a cross post)

Sorry - I should have double checked that.  There goes my credibility!  😁  This should work:  https://affinity.help/publisher2/English.lproj/pages/Text/frameText.html
Bad news - it does not appear to support the conversion of text frames in a linked series to Art Text, though I'd be happy to be shown to be wrong.  Again.   😁 

A key object can be nominated for the alignment. After at least two objects have been selected, opt/alt-click (in the view or Layers Panel) one of them to mark it as key - its highlight will be thickened in the view and become brighter in the Layers Panel.
 

Hi GeirSol,
Not as templates but perhaps this may may help you create some.
In the Stock studio, under the Pixabay library, switch the vector filter on and search for the keywords "frame", "flourish" and "corner". With these you could quite quickly put together your own document or create a template of your own. Being vectors, should be very easy to manipulate to fit your project.
Lee

Yes, I remember that well.  And the current 365 version of Word still does it.  Is that modern enough for you?  😃

Just to get it out the way, have you by any chance turned on the Ignore Modifier checkbox?  I know that sounds like a dumb question, but I don't think I've ever noticed that until now!  (To cut myself a little slack, I normally use the dark mode, where it doesn't stand out quite so much.)
Doing a quick test with that option enabled seems to provide the experience you've described.  Turning it back off returns it to expected behaviour.

 

I recently discovered Hammerspoon, which allows me to script (albeit inelegantly) actions with Affinity tools. Hammerspoon uses the Lua language and lets me simulate mouse clicks and text input, besides OS operations, which lets me, for instance, rotate an image one degree, export it with a unique name include the rotation angle, and repeat for the desired number of times.
The advantage of Hammerspoon is that as I use more and more apps (VSCode, Affinity) that will never add an AppleScript library, I still have scripting options.
It's not perfect, but then, waiting 5 years with no progress isn't perfect either.

Hi @Cealcrest I just tried this and it worked as described in the linked video: I'm currently on macOS Big Sur.
But I think I just replicated the problem you described.  When you drag the files into Publisher's Document View and hold down the option key, ensure you're anywhere over one of the pages of your document.  Anywhere.  Do that and the Place Images panel will magically appear and be filled with your images.  However, if you drop the files in the background outside one of the pages (I believe the correct term for this area is the pasteboard), then you'll get them opening in tabs as you described.
It doesn't matter when you option-drop the files onto the page if they're over a picture frame or not.  That frame will not be populated at that stage.  That will only happen when the Place Images panel has loaded up and you click a frame to place the first image - or click a blank space on the page to place the next image without requiring a frame.
Hope this helps?
if that doesn't resolve it for you, then a screen recording would help shed more light on exactly how that's not working for you.

I was playing around with some stuff and found a fairly simple way to create an ‘offset fill’ effect.
See attached screenshot and use the settings as shown – make note of the Opacity of the White Fill in the Colour Panel.
It’s probably not best for perfect results, and the output will be rasterised, but it may be useful for some basic icons.
Note: It only seems to work nicely with shapes that are a single curve, but someone might be able ‘fix’ that.
Note: You may need to tweak some settings when using different colours.

Hi All, 
I have logged this with our developers to be fixed in a future update.
Thanks
C

Gary.  Many many thanks. That's fixed it.
 
Phil

Have a kudos @GaryLearnTech. Well spotted.

It's actually quite simple - but horribly subtle.  Only reason I looked for it is that a colleague recently did the exact same thing.
The main text frame on the page has had your 1/4" Square Text Wrap applied to it - I assume you've been using this on elements on your page and you had a momentary lapse of concentration when selecting your target (been there, done that, got the tee-shirt) - and that's knocking the page number down a little.
Set it back to None (the same as the other pages) and the page number instantly goes back to its expected location.

Baseline grids may be involved too (I didn’t check for that) but the accidental text wrap is the main culprit - and is fixed by a single click.

Gary wins the detective prize! 🙂 The baseline grid setting wasn't important, I just noticed it was applied and thought it was the cause.