rui_mac

Hi Retrograde,
seems you are not alone here …
 
As Matt explains in the linked thread there are several ways to select objects (using modifier keys), but the weird behavior of selecting by touching the bounding box instead of the actual object remains. When I try to select things I always have to think shortly on how to trick the marquee tool in order to do what I want.
 
To me, selecting an object by touching its bounding box is programmer’s logic, derived of coordinates being stated in order to draw the object correctly. In real live no one would expect to get hold of a round plate by grabbing somewhere within a virtual rectangle containing it.

Hi Matt. Well, actually, I'm struggling trying to cut up shapes on a project and really missing a simple cut tool.
 
In the meantime I'm using the boolean divide and add to limited effect. The divide seems to work well but then trying to combine shapes is sometimes giving unintended hit and miss results. I think part of the problem is how the marque selection is working. It's selecting things I'm not wanting and when I hit the add button more pieces then I'm wanting are being combined.  The marquee set to "touch" is selecting objects when I am crossing into their invisible rectangular bounds, but not actually touching. For example if I have a "U" shaped object with a few small shapes tucked down inside the bowl of the "U", if I try to marquee those little objects the larger "U" gets selected as well because I've crossed over it's invisible boundary. This isn't ideal. Touch should literally mean "touch" before anything selected. 
 
A couple of other niggly things:
 
- the icons for break curve, close curve and join curves are too similar, every time I use them I have to hover to make sure I'm clicking the right one...
- when drawing a perfectly horizontal or vertical line do I need to switch to the straight line mode? The normal convention in every app I know is to hold shift to constrain to 90's and 45's. I'm talking about not just a single line but part of creating a larger irregular shape. I have tried using shift and it doesn't seem to make a difference...
 
I'll soldier on and I realize things are still developing, but would really welcome some sort of simple eraser or cut tool in the tool set.

Yeah, yeah... I know... it looks like a volcano cake ;-)

Hey,
 
Would it be possible to have somewhere a list of stuff you are working on and/or in your list.
 
That would prevent us to report multiple time the same bug or request the same feature :)

Steve Jobs – rest in peace – would be proud of you!

We're talking about this currently - I'm sure we can get something working for you guys soon :)
 
AndyS

Lol
Welcome Akmcbroom,
get in line, after screwed freehand users and creative cloud subscription model users.
There's space for everyone :)

I'm loving it. Doing a few strokes whenever I get the time.
Really, really nice. :)

I have been testing out AD and more and more I feel that it should have scripting abilities.
This way, lots of additional specialty tools could be created by users and you guys (the developers) would not have to worry about adding so much stuff in the future.
Of course, this would be more useful for the geeky users, like myself ;-)
But even those that can't code anything, could use the tools created by others (free or commercial, let the coder decide ;) )

Here is the final version.
Really nice workflow :-)

Brilliant work, Dave!  :)
 
Really great to hear that you're enjoying Designer! 'Expand Stroke' should be coming soon (I have to iron out the niggles, so I don't know if I'll get it perfect in time for tomorrow's beta, but I'll obviously try) and I've already added the menu item for 'Release compound' but just need to write the code still, lol... I know that after launch we'll be adding multiple fills/lines and better selection methods (select all text with certain fonts or ranges of sizes, select all red things, similar things, etc) and I do know there is talk of zoom shortcuts in the office at the moment - basically, I think that you'll hopefully be happy with the finished product  :)
 
Thanks,
Matt

Noooo, no, no...  That's cheating!... Posting artwork to request features.... This shouldn't be allowed  -_-
Nice shading :)

Nice work!  :D
 
...and nice hint about the blend tool  :P

...and here's how they look!
 

 
I haven't made the off-curve handles into crosses - I just don't like them as much, so can't bring myself to do it, but the other nodes are as-per your design and I think they look good!
 
You'll get this in the next beta build - along with being able to choose what size of nodes you'd like in Preferences.
 
Thanks again,
Matt

Global swatches are something we already have a our roadmap. 
 
Thanks for all the suggestions.

I'm loving it. Doing a few strokes whenever I get the time.
Really, really nice. :)

The fixed size of the Pressure dialog is not good for adjusting the pressure of long curves.
Since it is relative (from 0% to 100% of the size of the curve), if the curve is a long one, we loose precision.
So, the size of the dialog should be adjustable horizontally, being the minimum the current size.

I'm loving it. Doing a few strokes whenever I get the time.
Really, really nice. :)

Yes!
I started an illustration in AD yesterday and I miss it a lot.
Also, a way to temporarily switch to the pointer tool.
Sometimes I just finishes drawing something with the brush or any other tool and the curve came out fine but needs to be placed just a bit to the left, or whatever.
Having to press V to switch to the pointer tool, move the object and switching back to the tool it was set before is a nuisance.
There should be a modifier key that would, while pressed, change to the pointer tool.

I searched and search for a way to lock layers while still in the layer panel and nothing.
It is absolutely unintuitive to have to go to a menu (far, far away) to lock a layer.
Please, please... add a way to lock/unlock layers in the layer panel.

Hi
 
I'm a professional freelance designer of 15+ years and have some questions.
 
What will the purchase options be on this software when released? Subscription only or single purchase option with upgrade purchase as traditionally? What will the update regime be - will it be in my control when I update rather than pipelined regardless from the cloud? Will it open Adobe files as though native? (Forgive me, it's not jumped out at me on your site and I've not downloaded the beta).  
As a freelancer a monthly subscription just does not work given the financial variance of being freelance, nor having a constant traffic over networks to cloud storage/base when working as an itinerant designer using my own kit - mobile network reception and bandwidth are not always up to it and have you tried getting a password from distant IT departments in big companies as a freelance temporary worker...?
 
I'm really hoping you really are going to take Adobe on as they need a good kicking - my personal opinion. Does anyone remember QuarkXpress... no, I get blank looks from most designers now. There was a time when every designer looked at me like I was odd for not using Quark for everything. What was Quarks mistake? Pissing off their customers by not allowing their customers control over software purchased (and therefore owned) so when an alternative came along - bye-bye Quark. It's still around but do any professionals still use it (yes, a tiny minority). The graphic design industry is characterised by small design agencies and individual contract designers - these types of business need absolute control over expenditure and interruption to work (ie: an upgrade that backfires at the worst time). Approaching the profession as though it's made up of big 20+ employee businesses is to not understand your customer. I know several agencies (all small <10 employees) who have not upgraded and are still using CS6 - there was a time when I had a problem keeping up with the agencies versions of software, not since CC. However... I need to upgrade my Mac at some point (as will they) and Mavericks is not looking good when you run CS6 - it's CS6 that's the issue so an alternative is what I'm holding out for (and I'm not alone).
 
Hope this helps, hoping for answers that'll be giant killing.

Sorry for doing yet another comparison with another application but Cinema 4D shows lots of icons and any panel with those icons can be made to show them in Small, Medium and Large sizes.
Since it is hard to please everyone, maybe adding these three options would satisfy most.

Lets say that I create a new color swatch.
I apply that swatch to an object.
If I changed the color of the swatch, the change should reflect in the object and to any other objects it is applied to, throughout the document.
But, as it is now, it seems that I can't even edit a swatch, once it is created.
 
Also, it should be possible to create Tints based on color swatches. The tints would also update if the original color swatch was edited.
 
I know this is becoming annoying, but FreeHand had this working perfectly. Illustrator has the ability of defining colors as "Global" or "Local". All colors in FreeHand were "Global" and, if this is implemented in Affinity Designer (I hope it does), the "Global" mode should be the default one.

We plan to add text on a path in a post release update. 
 
Just a tip, if you use the term 'Wizard' in relation to anything Affinity then most of the SerifLabs team will likely swear at you, cry or just ignore you. ;)

Hi retrograde,
 
Take a look at this video showing adding a mask layer and painting away from it. You can do lots of things to mask layers and actually even add vector objects to them that will contribute to their mask.
 
Thanks,
Matt