elleirbagluar

Yeah, my problem persisted after a the initial install. I can get it to work if I open an existing file (PSD or AI), but if I create a new file and try typing, nothing happens. There is a new version that I am going to try and update and see if that fixes the issue.
No the new updated didn't resolve the issue. I'm at a loss as well. Leigh was talking about a editing the program from DOS, but the information was incorrect, and seriously, making those kind of changes is really sketchy and unprofessional. Also, looking for others having similar issues, Leigh offered the exact same fix for completely unrelated issues. As if that is a fix-all, and the method isn't even correct. You can't type in run that way, it is not a recognized internal or external command.

Hi createsean,
Welcome to Affinity Forums :)
Although not a solution this may help for now: If you press ⌘ (cmd) (CTRL if you are using Windows) and click an object on canvas it should "force" select it no matter its position on the Layers hierarchy.
 
@ZombieRofl,
Go to Affinity Preferences, User Interface section and check Show Selection in Layers Panel to have the object highlighted/visible all the time in the Layers panel when you select it on canvas.

Please add the shape buildertool
 

Shape builder tool is essential, we need the tool.

We really need a shape builder tool.
And if you are going to say that you can achieve the same results with geometry operations , then I should say that you can achieve the same results with paint.
It is not about achieving , it about how you achieve .

I also hope they'll add it, although there isn't any official talk about it

I recently bought Affinity Designer and I have to say I'm very disappointed that it doesn't have a shapebuilder tool. I make complex designs with lot's of lines and stuff and therefor the shapebuilder tool is so necessary. Guess I have to switch back to Adobe again.. :-(

exactly that is the only thing that makes me think a lot before buying affinity instead of illustrator its just a small and very effective tool that you cant do with out it . 

With the (several) requests for a shape builder tool, it apparently is something useful.  As a long-time Corel user with essentially no time in Adobe tools, I had never even heard of a shape builder tool before reading, in these forums, how essential one is.  Yet, somehow, being ignorant of such a thing, I have never felt the lack, nor have ever felt hampered in constructing complex shapes from simpler ones.  (Pretend oblivious naive cynicism mode off)
I heavily use boolean operations (they have different names in CorelDRAW, but they are the same basic operations) together with raw path editing operations (add vertex at apparent intersection, split curve at vertex, join curves at vertex, drag verticies and Bezier handles around).  Seems to build shapes quite well. I will have to go read up on what shape builder does.  From the example given in the initial post in this thread, it appears to be something that could be scripted in CorelDRAW and added to the hotkey assignment and/or the toolbars.  Of course, AffDes doesn't have scripting yet, but it does have all the basic operations.

Again, from my side. If you are a professional and need to work out a lot of ideas in a quick manner, the shape builder tool is essential. It's the one tool, I - and MANY of my friends can't miss and that's why I cannot recommend this as an 100% alternative to illustrator. 

Sure, technicially spoken it does kind of the same thing as the boolean tools, but if you have plenty of shapes to combine, you may have to do a lot of work to make it happen. For me personally, I've purchased all products by Affinity, but can'T use them to my speed.

With version 1.8 I'm very happy with a lot of newly added features, but I hope for 1.9, the shape builder will be added. People desperately search for alternatives to the Adobe cosmos, but I believe, it still takes quite a bit of time.

I would like to know have plans to add shape builder tool for Affinity Designer ?
A very necessary element for working with the golden ratio for example.
And very much saves nerves, time
🙂

if they hurried up and released a Shape Builder tool - which has been recommended for over 5 years - this wouldn't be an issue