Bryan Rieger

No 2.5.5 will launch 2nd September and there will be no 2.6 beta for some time (a number of weeks) after that. There are no plans for a 2.5.6 unless we mess something up with 2.5.5 and need to patch quickly, which I don't think will happen.
Our releases may have slowed down, true, but that doesn't mean that our work has. The two are not the same. Some development takes longer than others.
It will not. Affinity is the future. Please stop spreading negativity @GRAFKOM 
I would guess later in September or early October
 That's not for me to say, sorry, but I've seen many positive changes since the acquisition.
you may have noticed that the Affinity info bot has been quieter recently, but that was due to a process change. We're currently testing 2.5.5.xxxx and 2.6.0.yyyy builds internally  and the bot posts were getting confusing about "fixed in the next beta" when some fixes were 2.5.5.xxxx and some were 2.6.0.yyyy so I've stopped the info bot posts going out until the build actually is available. So when I released 2.5.5.2613 the information bot posted about all the fixes it contains simultaneously. Therefore when 2.6.0.abcd is released to beta there will be a flurry of posts about all the many fixes that it contains, but not posted until you can actually go and try the fix for yourself.
I'll post more in this thread in a bit....

I believe that Patrick has already addressed in this thread why there is a longer gap between versions:
If this work is for multi-page spreads, that's the sort of change that can have lots of ripple effects. I'd rather Serif take the time to get it right than to rush it out the door.

Hi @Bryan Rieger,
I'm checking if we already have this logged and will do so in case it's not.
Thank you for reporting the issue.

Thanks @walt.farrell, but I’m pretty sure it’s not a layer/artboard problem in that I’ve never had the problem before in almost 10 years of using Designer.
I’ll try and get a screen recording of the behaviour as I don’t think I’m doing a great job of describing it here. For me, it feels like a display/update bug, not a user or configuration error.

I could see lots of different verticals each looking for specific personas in time, where tools specific to their needs and workflows are readily available (gaming, film, architecture, landscaping, etc).
The problem is that implementing these each as separate personas would really bloat the overall UX of all of the apps. I’d much rather see vertical specific tools implemented as installable plug-ins, extensions, scripts, etc when the SDK is available.
Bonus points if it would be possible to implement an entirely new persona via a plug-in or extension. Enabling those users that require it to install it, and also creating an ecosystem where 3rd parties could create extensions for the Affinity apps catering to specific verticals.

@albertkinng have you tried copying the content as rich text from https://marked2app.com and then pasting it into Publisher? I have often used Marked when I need to copy/paste rich text (use the ⌥⇧⌘C shortcut) from markdown docs. No conversion of countless files necessary.

@albertkinng have you tried copying the content as rich text from https://marked2app.com and then pasting it into Publisher? I have often used Marked when I need to copy/paste rich text (use the ⌥⇧⌘C shortcut) from markdown docs. No conversion of countless files necessary.

Below is a video showing drawing with the pencil with Sculpt and auto-close enabled. As you can see when sculpt mode is active, auto-close doesn't work. Also having the pencil turn into a 'node manipulation' tool is kinda weird. I like the '+' aspect of the cursor, but the pointer doesn't really match the action. Perhaps using the pencil icon with a + symbol when sculpting/adding to/continuing from a path/curve makes more sense?

Untitled.mp4    

That is correct. 2.6 codebase may have a significant reworking of pages and spreads and as such is having a much longer internal testing phase to decide if that change can go into 2.6.0 customer beta. In the meantime some of the more urgent but safer fixes are going to appear in a 2.5.5 beta/release 

Nope, this is just absolute spam... 
 
Going off topic is allowed if the original issue has been addressed to the satisfaction of the OP... in this case the OP has not returned and all the rest is irrelevant noise.
No wonder I (and others who PM me about this) rarely come here anymore.

We have some historical reports logged of user files encountering paths 'collapsing' when using the smooth curves function as well as a more specific report on curve sections being removed entirely. I've created a quick sample file comprised of straight paths I am also observing these same failures shown in the recording and screenshot. The function does certainly have room for much improvement so i'll log this with the developers.
Ideally a 'Simplify Path' function similar to illustrators would be beneficial in this scenario so hopefully it will be considered in a future version as it is a popular request.

In any case, now that we have spirals, there is hope for tables! 😁
 

As it currently stands with all of the missing features and mounting bugs in v2, I won't be upgrading to v3.
If v2 begins to see real, positive, and consistent change in the coming months, then I'd be more optimistic about v3. Without it, a very hard pass.

This would personally be my preferred approach (don’t forget “non-exportable”).
I already leave off-canvas notes along the text where it is needed. I don’t see a separate notes panel as necessarily bad or useless, but I think it might risk being overlooked in my way of working: I would make complex notes about a document, come back later, and forget to even open the notes panel. And I often benefit from notes sticking with the part of the document I am leaving the note about. For such cases, sometimes I even pin the off-canvas note to some relevant text. I don’t think a separate notes panel would be the best solution for such needs.
And it might need to be mentioned that the terminology “Notes panel” is already taken, where it refers to the panel that manages footnotes, endnotes, and sidenotes.

I usually keep a notes.txt file next to my project file (one notes.txt per project) and keep it open while I work. I find it works better than file or app specific notes, as most projects require a number of files and apps, and may contain content that is relevant to a number of areas of work. That's not to say I wouldn't like notes in the Affinity Suite, but I'd much rather have them implemented as non-printing objects that are managed through their own layer. That way can I not only place them where they need to be, but also toggle them on and off as required. Bonus points if others could leave notes and comments (via a cross-platform web interface + Affinity apps not required to leave comments) that could be synced in 'close to real time' with my document(s). 
Short answer: no, I don't believe that a "Notes Window" is necessary.

So do I, since decades. But I, for one, prefer independent solutions. Since I have programmed a custom FileMaker office application a couple of years ago that can do almost everything from time tracking over sending invoices up to calculating my income tax, my project notes are now part of it. (No, it can't boil my tea water yet…)
I used to use The Hit List app which was pretty good while it lasted, but it hasn't been updated in many years, and its time tracker was too rudimentary for my needs.
Also, Affinity apps already have quite a few options to leave notes, e.g. via Preflight or Metadata. Both of which I'm using.
So rather than a Notes panel, I'd prefer to see a "non-printable" attribute being added, so that we could leave visible but non-printable/non-exportable notes on pages and the like.

Sadly we (the users) have no idea, as it's been this way for almost 10 years (since v1.0), and there's been no indication that this is going to change. 😣

I usually keep a notes.txt file next to my project file (one notes.txt per project) and keep it open while I work. I find it works better than file or app specific notes, as most projects require a number of files and apps, and may contain content that is relevant to a number of areas of work. That's not to say I wouldn't like notes in the Affinity Suite, but I'd much rather have them implemented as non-printing objects that are managed through their own layer. That way can I not only place them where they need to be, but also toggle them on and off as required. Bonus points if others could leave notes and comments (via a cross-platform web interface + Affinity apps not required to leave comments) that could be synced in 'close to real time' with my document(s). 
Short answer: no, I don't believe that a "Notes Window" is necessary.

Please stop making excuses and make the android version already. Just like every other software developer just chose an device manufacturer and make the app for that device, it’s not rocket science, it’s common sense, I would recommend google or Samsung, 
just start the rest will work it self out.
but if all you do is make excuses then you will never get anything done. 

We all keep saying we don’t expect you all to get it right for a while but something is better than nothing.

I'd just like some of the long-standing bugs resolved, and the overall UI/UX improved in the existing apps before even considering plowing headfirst into any new apps.

I'd just like some of the long-standing bugs resolved, and the overall UI/UX improved in the existing apps before even considering plowing headfirst into any new apps.

I usually keep a notes.txt file next to my project file (one notes.txt per project) and keep it open while I work. I find it works better than file or app specific notes, as most projects require a number of files and apps, and may contain content that is relevant to a number of areas of work. That's not to say I wouldn't like notes in the Affinity Suite, but I'd much rather have them implemented as non-printing objects that are managed through their own layer. That way can I not only place them where they need to be, but also toggle them on and off as required. Bonus points if others could leave notes and comments (via a cross-platform web interface + Affinity apps not required to leave comments) that could be synced in 'close to real time' with my document(s). 
Short answer: no, I don't believe that a "Notes Window" is necessary.

I'd just like some of the long-standing bugs resolved, and the overall UI/UX improved in the existing apps before even considering plowing headfirst into any new apps.

So I'm gonna pipe in with what is very likely an unpopular opinion here to try and balance things out.
Before the acquisition of Affinity by Canva my only experience with Canva was having to prepare assets for others to use, as well as provide a little art direction for folks from various disciplines; social media, marketing, community orgs, etc. Every time I logged into Canvas I cringed, and I made a point of spending as little time as possible there.
After the acquisition I decided to dig a little deeper into Canva; the product, the company, and the community. I tried to approach it with an open mind, and without all the years of baggage I have of using 'professional' design tools. Here's my takeaways:
The Product
I decided to take Canva up on their offer of a free 30 day Pro trial, rather than just use the free version. This includes things such as custom fonts, branding kits, resizing and translation of designs, and the ability to schedule social content (among other goodies). The (old) interface took a little getting used to as it was very simple, BUT something about it reminded me of using Apple's Keynote (especially the new interface). I LOVE Keynote in that it doesn't overwhelm you with features, but it still enables you to achieve impressive results. And it's FUN to use. For me, Canva has this same feel. It's fun. It might not be packed with 'professional' features, but it is very easy to quickly create something that looks good—even without using the avalanche of available templates or elements. Will it replace Affinity (or Adobe) for me, no, but it is an app that I am definitely going to add to my toolkit. After using it for the past month I have to say I can see why it is so beloved by its community. I hope Canva can help bring some of this 'fun' user experience to the Affinity apps. Not dumbing them down, but rather adding those little touches that delight and engage.
The Company
Now I've developed a general distrust of all tech companies in recent years, and I approached Canva with the same trepidation. I watched the Canva Create Musical, and to be honest I've seen worse (recent Adobe and Apple events come to mind). The thing I liked about it was that it didn't take itself too seriously, and it was instilled with the same FUN that I've come to know in the app itself. I'm also really impressed by their philanthropy, environmental initiatives, and their commitment to provide Canva and Affinity for free to non-profits and education. The last one is HUGE, and so important.
The Community
So this is the bit that blew me away. Canva is LOVED by its community, and (judging by social media interactions) Canva loves its community. So many folks around the world have used Canva to help create and run their businesses, community projects, side-hustles, hobbies, and freelance projects. It has enabled these people like no other tool has, and there are entire cottage industries built around Canva to provide templates, training, tutorials, artwork, consulting, etc. The fact that it's gaining traction in the enterprise is no surprise as folks will often initially use the tools they already know personally long before corporate purchasing enters the picture (see Slack, GitHub, etc). For marketing, growth and social media departments Canva is a no-brainer, especially if you're working with a team.
The Opportunity
So, essentially I've come away from this experiment with a new app in my toolkit. One that is fun and easy to use. One that is developed by a company with values that I'm generally aligned with (the AI stuff, not so much - but EVERYBODY is doing it for the moment), and one with a massive community that is fanatical about the product. For me, I see this as a massive opportunity to find ways to work with orgs and enterprises using Canva, creating bespoke assets/illustrations, branding kits, and templates (using the Affinity apps), and providing design training and consulting/art direction.
Anyway, if you've read all the way to here - thank you. I easily could have written pages and pages, but I hope these few paragraphs provide some insight into my experience and perspective of Canva since the acquisition.
Change is hard, but it's also an opportunity.

This is where I'm at with the Affinity apps as well. They work for a very specific usecase/workflow I have, but I certainly wouldn't rely on them as a complete replacement for 'those other tools', especially if your business depends on them. At the end of the day I generally enjoy using the Affinity suite (warts, bugs, poor UX and all) over alternatives where possible.
For me, the Affinity suite is just another set of tools, not a revolution "setting the new industry standard in the world of design" as some marketing folks would have you believe .