Pixlers

Every filter should have an option to adjust all its variable values with free selectable alpha channel. That would be an unique selling point, not evenPhotoshop can do this.  B)

Thanks, I know. When there's no other way, we have to fall back to workarounds - but we want to work, not work around, right?
@Oval: you seem to have earned your respect around here with that many posts. However, since you repeatedly point me to the help about input field expression, which do NOT offer a solution for what I mean, I'm under the impression that you don't understand what it's about. Also, you are no Affinity representative, are you. This is a simple wish that makes sense. So I suggest to leave feature decisions to them, and to stop worrying if it comes your way or not.
Trying to make myself clearer, again:
True, when you enter a % value in the W or H field (thanks to expressions), it already does scale the object(s). However, this scale value is NOT remembered in the object's transform matrix (the little data package that stores pos, rot, scl, shr). The new size is 'baked' into the object's geometry, so to speak  (in a 3D program, this would be an "automatic scale freeze" or something analogous - in e.g. Cinema 4D, this is a dedicated UI button).
To restore an object's original size then, you would need to remember all the scales you did in the meantime, and enter the reciproke - too much hassle, although expressions would allow for it. Or use helper lines/objects. Not so nice, either.
 
What I propose is simply that the scale value is also remembered & exposed, just like position, rotation, shear. First, because it's consistent, second, because then you can reset objects to their original scale by simply entering 100% or 1.0. (I have to correct myself here. In my post from 21.11.2016  I thought InDesign does remember the %-value - it does not.)
 
Tried. I can't see where.
 
Aside from that scale thing, additionally, next to this box icon in the transform panel , there should be also the choice "Transform Origin". One should be able to numerically rotate/shear/scale around that freely positionable origin, too, not only interactively.
 

Hello!
Any update on that numeric 'Scale' input field (both width & height)? It's still missing.
One example case: for my architectural layout work, I often need a way to display plans in their original scale, or fractions/multiples of it. Once a plan has been scaled, how would I go back to the original size?
-> see the mockup of how the transform panel could look like.
And please also think about adding a switch for the Transform Origin - if it is turned on, numeric rotation/scale/shearing would take place around the Origin (not only center/corners).
Thanks a lot!
 
 

Hello!
Regarding 2), de-selecting nodes:
I just found out that for this works with the right mouse button! So far, so good, but the procedure is unsatisfactory yet, because one has to:
- click-hold the left mouse button, THEN the right mouse button (in that order, because otherwise the context menu would pop up)
- draw the selection marquee
- release the left mouse button, THEN the right mouse button
 
Is this documented anywhere? Can't seem to find it. However, it's just too fumbly, especially with a Wacom pen. Feels like a makeshift solution.
Same goes for 3), that (very handy) auto-intersect-select feature.
 
Look like in V1.7 there will be a lot of nice new features - maybe you will even bring better/simpler shortcuts for this.
Thanks for reading!
Best regards
Eugen
 
 

Hello!
Apologies if this has been discussed before...
 
When working with many overlapping objects, the current selection engine shows it's weaknesses, so:
 
1)
For the Move and Node tool, there should be modifier keys to:
always and reliably ADD to the selection, maybe SHIFT,
always and reliably SUBTRACT from the selected obejcts or nodes, like CTRL,
and one to INVERT what is selected, like CTRL-SHIFT.
 
I just discovered that there is no way to SUBTRACT nodes from a selection of nodes. That's a no-go!
 
Besides 2d vector programs I also work with numerous CAD and 3D programs also, and the aforementioned system has proven to be the cleares and most efficient. You might take my word for it.
 
2)
For the Node tool, there should be a modifier key to select ALL nodes in the object, maybe by double-LMB-clicking on a node,
and maybe the same modifier key to de-select all nodes of the object, without de-selecting everything else, too.
It's very handy to be able to 'mix' a selection of single nodes and whole objects (by just selecting all their nodes)!
 
3)
The option "Select object when intersects with selection marquee" works automatically when you LMB-drag over the object(s), and then additionally hold-release the RMB.
This has been asked a year ago - can you please change this, so that no 2 mouse buttons need to be pressed at once? That's just not handy, especially if one works with a Wacom pen instead of a mouse.
The ALT key could simply be used when drawing the marquee, or, like in other programs, the drawing direction of the marquee (from right to left or left to right) could make the difference.
 
4)
Curve segments should be selectable! (a segment the part of a curve between two nodes)
The simple version would be, if some modifier key is pressed (maybe ALT) and a segment is clicked, it's two neighbouring nodes are selected.
If SHIFT and CTRL would work as selection-add or -subtract, more segments could be added to or subtracted from the node selection.
 
The fancy verison would be that segments are actual, selectable, movable components of the object. 3ds Max for example has this concept implemented.
I'd be fine with the node selection version, though. =)
 
Please don't repeat the big mistake that Adobe Illustrator makes, having a crappy, awkward selection engine!
 
Thanks!!
Best regards
Eugen

Hi!
Nothing new actually, but here's what I miss the most until now.
If things already work and I missed them - apologies, and thanks for any tips!
 
 
- To reduce mouse travel, the most important functions of the top toolbar (modes, converts, actions, snaps) should be close to the mouse cursor - in the RMB context menu, and/or on modifier keys.
Like CTRL-ALT-LMB on a node converts it to 'sharp', but more shortcuts of this kind would be cool.
 
 
- Simpler way to delete nodes. Maybe double-click a node, or ALT-click, whatever. 
 
 
- Keep the curvature of the curve as close as possible when deleting a node (CorelDraw has this).
It's there I read, but not working in the windows version.
 
 
- Invoke the interactive zoom tool with CTRL-SPACE as well as SPACE-CTRL!
 
 
- Scale pivot!
 
 
- Numeric scale in the transform panel
 
 
- 'Select similar' functionality - select all objects with a shared property like like width, color, ...
 
 
- Curve intersection functionality - snap, trim tool, extend tool
 
 
- Fill areas amidst intersecting curves (like 'Live Paint Bucket' tool in Illustrator)
 
 
- A keyboard shortcut to isolate/solo an object, in addition to ALT-clicking the layer name.
 
 
Thanks a lot for considering!!
Best regards
Eugen

+1 for SHIFT-constraining a brush stroke!
It's one of these nifty little features long-time Photoshop users have their muscle memory trained to...
Thanks!!!
 

Yes, this is the actual “request” area, viceverser … as witnessed by the fact that this subforum is called “Feature Requests” …  ;)
 
But thank you for adding your voice to this thread. Yes, we need that function … so badly …  :)  ^_^
Cheers, Alex

I know this is an old post, but I would really like to have this feature. Show the sketch artists some love?

It would make drawing straight lines for design work much easier.
 
PIXEL and BRUSH TOOLS
Holding down Shift Key constrains tool to straight vertical and horizontal lines.

Every filter should have an option to adjust all its variable values with free selectable alpha channel. That would be an unique selling point, not evenPhotoshop can do this.  B)

The solution could be a 'base grid' = 'construction plane', which defines the 2D space to which everything relates. Now it's fixed to the page.
Every CAD or 3D program has this, but of course it makes also sense in 2D
This plane would be placeable/rotateable freely.
 
In Photoshop or Illustrator, if you click/drag the corner of the page ruler, you can place the origin at least - something not possible in Affinity yet.
If you could also rotate this base point, you would get what I mean.
 
The Transform panel should reflect the base plane, as well as guides, and also brush strokes.
It would be sufficient then to have SHIFT-draw snap to 45° angles, like we know from Photoshop etc.
 
If we think it through, the Transform Panel could have a mode "page/world" (the values would be relative to the page), and "plane" (values would be relative to the base plane).
That's how it works in 3D software, called differently, of course.
 
Best
Eugen

Hi!
Please introduce the ability to freely Distort any bitmap or vector graphics group, by simply moving any corner point!
I'm aware that you will bring a Mesh Distort Tool. Ideally, if you set it up with no subdivisions, it would work like mentioned.
 
Thanks a lot!
Best regards
Eugen
 

Every filter should have an option to adjust all its variable values with free selectable alpha channel. That would be an unique selling point, not evenPhotoshop can do this.  B)

You need to export as a PDF from Rhino.
 
AD's AI import relies on the embedded PDF stream in an AI file. Rhino evidently doesn't export an AI file with the extra PDF stream.

You're welcome, Alfred.
 
The great thing about nodes is that you can easily reconnect them. So if you, for example, reconnect the "wire" that goes into the "hue" parameter to go into the "value" parameter (by dragging the "plug"), you get something like a red rose. Or you can connect them both to get a different result again. Even more, all this could be easily reconnected to get a distortion filter for an actual image. Or to specify this spiral as parameter for any other filter... truly endless this stuff. It would be great if there was an open format for this, to share nodes between applications.
 
I've got some more examples attached. This is all achieved just by changing some values, adding a few nodes or reconnecting them.

Photoshop has traditionally had the Select > Color Range command. There is also HSL keying inside the Hue/Saturation adjustment toolset, which, annoyingly cannot be used to create selections for use with other commands without clumsy workarounds (that I know much better than I would care to admit). 
 
What I am hoping to see is a non-destructive way to do masking based on luminance, HSL tools, as well as possibly more sophisticated keying algorithms that are found in video software (Primatte, Keylight, etc.). Most video-focussed color correction software (DaVinci Resolve, Speedgrade, Lustre, Baselight, FilmMaster, Assimilate Scratch) allows for non-destructive HSL keying already.
 
The most elegant way I can imagine this working inside Photo is that similar to regular layer masks, a new procedural mask layer type for non-destructive HSL/Select Color Range masks with adjustable parameters would be available. Like an adjustment layer, except that the result would be a mask instead of an RGBA image, to be used just like regular layer masks.
 
That way, it would be easy to adjust the selection parameters interactively after the fact, and, if need be, rasterize destructively to a regular raster mask layer. In additions to the keying in Luma, RGB, HSL, YUV and LAB, parameters for blurring the result, expanding/contracting the mask would be useful. The exact same functionality could then double as a vastly improved "Select Color Range" command as well.

save as ... different file formats
 
why not being straight forward instead of having to save in affinity format and then using export?

This is my question also.  I am rapidly falling in LOVE with Affinity - GREAT WORK!
 
...However, the dysfunctional "Save As" dialog severely hampers my workflow.  Part of my process is to create and save variations on images.  Being able to "Save As" in the SAME file format as the original, back in the SAME folder as the original, with a minimum of clicks is a very basic kind of operation.  The "Export" dialog does allow you to accomplish this, but it requires more work, especially as it does not default back to the same folder the original file came from.
 
I would so love to move away from Photoshop.  I do hope you'll consider changing this to the (very functional) way that most applications (yes, Photoshop) behave.
 
Thanks!
-Jim

Our plan is to change the Export Persona to offer a hierarchical list of exports setup for each object - where you can add different size variants or format variants. We aren't just going to squish lots of extra things onto the existing dialogs just to make it work - we want to do it properly. As of yet the feature request you added hasn't been actioned, but it was already planned and will be implemented as soon as we can action it. We have had to focus on other areas to date - but this will start to be implemented in the coming months, I hope :)  As I'm sure you know, features take time - and there are an awful lot of features we're trying to add - it isn't just a day by day checklist - it's weeks or months of work for each feature, realistically, and there are only so many resources at present.
 
Thanks again for your patience,
Matt

I could not agree more strongly - nodes are the future of Image editing, and it would bring a real cutting edge to Affinity if they would include the compositor style workflow as an persona; the traditional layer system won't diseappear anytime soon I'm afraid.
 
perhaps it could be implemented as a "Composite layer"; you could add this placeholder layer into your layer stack, then switch to the Node Compositor Persona and make your nodes edits, which would then be piped back into the layer stack for continued editing if desired.
 
   What make node compositor style editing so powerful is that you can split mulitiple branches off of one image, apply effects separatly and recombine the image later down the line using a multitude mixing/masking methods.
   This kind of edit in a traditional layer system would require many copies of the orginal image to start with and a lot of hacking around with groups and masks, which is much less flexible to work with.

Second that. That would be a real improvement how to work with images. As much as I love what affinity serif is pulling of here the UI and basic concept of the "photoshop" workflow didn't change with Affinity Photo. It just looks like a photoshop clone. Which is a good thing to bring over all the old school photoshoppers but lacks improving the user experience. 

hi,
i am excited with the affinity photo. its fast and looks real alternative to photoshop. i have been big fan of deviance resolve and nuke. the node base workflow is far advance to layer based work flow.
i think if the code is all new and still developing its the perfect time to integrate node base editing along with layer base workflow. 
 

That's actually a very good request. I would even go a few steps farther. I think the biggest hurdle for this, would be the user interface. But a node editor could be a solution to this, like Blender or the Unreal Engine has. I think I'll even make a separate feature request for that, if there isn't one already. That would make me uncontrollably throw an exorbitant amount of money to the screen. By the way, Photoshop can't do a lot of things that Affinity Photo can.

It would be nice to have a blur filter with variable kernel size based on a BW layer or a mask. This is in particular useful when a depth map is available. This is for example the case when post processing CG. In some cases it is also quit easy to generate an approximate depth map based on some photography, either using some mesh or a stereo pairs.