bpedit

Thanks, Matt and Tony; Sign me up for Option A. It's all I need in a pasteboard. Byrne

Matt, Thanks for the explanation. Is the idea that you can compose in the second mode, essentially having a pasteboard, then toggle to the first mode (current implementation) for print or export? If so, sign me up! If not, see below. I'm unclear about the second mode in option A. Does this still have a defined document area? If one prints or exports, from the Draw Persona, does the document area define the edges of the output? I understand there would be issues with objects straddling the document area, would they be ignored in the output? This appears to more of an undertaking than I expected. I've been pestering on the basis of this seeming easy. I have other ways of doing what I need so please don't compromise or take time away from other priorities such as, say, arrowheads. ;) Byrne

Tony, Is there a particular reason you seem reluctant to implement a pasteboard? It seems like it's already there except that objects in this area are not visible. They can be selected (if you know where to click), edited and moved back into the print area when desired. Artboards seem an indirect and potentially problematic way to achieve the simplicity of a pasteboard. My use of pasteboards is to store alternative elements, as a palette and as a place for notes. Sure, there are other ways to achieve this in Designer but they are indirect and abstruse compared to the simplicity and handiness of a pasteboard. Byrne

I'm working with Designer in Draw Persona. Saving is via File > Export. I just tried a couple tests, I get the extension with a JPEG as well. I also get the extension when outputting from Expert Persona but I have very little experience in this mode; I selected a Preset and clicked Export Selected. OS 10.11.1, mid 2015 iMac

Andrew, Yes it is turned ON. It seems this option affects the Affinity file extension but not those of exported images, at least PNGs.

Where in System Preferences (El Capitan) are you finding this? Perhaps you are refering to "Show all filename extensions" which is found in the Advanced panel of the Finder Preferences? I have this turned off but still Designer has its way with attaching the visible extension name. Even if this did supress the visible extension, I would much rather control this option from particular apps so I'm not forced into an all-or-nothing.

I may create ten new png files in an hour when creating chord diagrams. Good fun individually removing the extension from each one. According to Apple, from the link you provided: "Filename extensions are usually hidden in OS X, but if you find them useful, you can show them. If extensions are hidden, OS X still opens files with the proper apps." I wonder why Affinity wants to buck that trend?

How does one hide file extensions of exported files, such as JPEGs or PNGs, in AD?

Leigh, This is not what I'm seeing. I've tried Pages, Graphic, a PDF and a Cinema 4D file. In each case the icon I get is a white rectangle with a smaller version of the app's icon in the center. This is indeed different (and better) behaviour than Yosemite where only a blank white rectangle was depicted. My version of C4D is several years old yet it still seems to play fair with the new OS tweak. I've done a clean install and am awaiting one more update before migrating the bulk of my files so I don't have lots of files to test. But, so far, Affinity is the only app in which I've seen this.

I think I'm seeing a related phenomenon. When I now drag a Designer file to the dock for easy access it appears exactly like the app icon. Confusing. I'm also running 10.11.1

About the lack of a pasteboard for those of us who don't want to go through the process of creating and manipulating "artboards". I've empirically deteremined that the area outside the printable document (no artboards here) can not only contain objects which do not print, these objects can continue to be edited. The only issue seems to be that they are not visible! It just doesn't seem like it should be much of an issue to let them be visible thereby effecting a pasteboard for those of us not needing artboards nor the extra work and management they entail. nravenlock: thanks for the pointer, I had searched help but the first thing I saw was '(0) results for "artboards"' so I exited too soon. I'm still not sure why it would say that.

So, you have to create an artboard in order to access a functional pasteboard? I can see the utility of artboards but I just need a pasteboard. When using the beta without creating an artboard, it appears the area outside the canvas can contain objects like a pasteboard but they are invisible. Any way to remedy that?

So what is an artboard? No mention in the Help. I guess I too was thinking "pasteboard" which I would find very handy. Somewhere along the line you snuck in shortcut customization, thanks!

Thank you, Matt. Maybe we'll lay low for three months. Then, probably, we'll all come back here and whine some more.

I assume you mean "Draw Persona" in English language version, maybe a translation issue. The tool you refer to, although ungainly to use, is indeed useful. . . in maybe 5% of instances where arrowheads are needed. Those of us who regularly use arrowheads need them as attributes of lines, bezier as well as linear.

Ditto on resorting to iDraw for half my work. Too bad, it's kind of clunky on execution compared to Affinity but has the essential tools for technical work.

The heavy border appears black in isolated images of the new icons. But when in the dock they soften up to a darker shade of the principal icon color. Much nicer than when viewed in isolation on a web page. I'm on board. Let's now get back to the business of coding in arrowheads, I know that's the current secret project!

Oh, I get it! Those are pencil points directed upward in the new Designer icon! Hmmm. . and maybe layers of paper for Publisher? With a little practice, I can master recognition! Still think the heavy handed black on the left is, well, heavy handed. But, at least on first inspection, the software still seems to function well.

Flatten the old icons if you must but please preserve the elements that help identify function. Sure, folks can learn to relate any icon to any particular program but what's the advantage of not having visual clues? Pencils, drawing; lens, photos. . . I get it right away. I don't understand the heavy black border, especially on the left side.

windows version = more issues for Mac users, simple All you windows users bought non-Macs for what reason? More software choices maybe? It seems there are a lot more alternatives to AI available for windows than Macs. In fact, number of useful alternatives for Macs, besides Affinity, zero. Finally, Affinity has come along to address this hole and obviate the need for an AI "subscription". As soon as Affinity attempts addressing both platforms, up go the issues and down goes the development pace. I saw this happen with Canvas. It was a great program, rife with features and ahead of its time in many respects. And it was Mac only. Then it was Mac and Windows. Then it was only Windows. Yep. More cash. [in fact the introduction of Adobe subscriptions ushered an attempt to resurrect the Mac version, with mediocre results, for yet more cash.] Thank you Affinity for producing a top notch, Mac optimized product.

Ugh, gulp here too. I guess I've seen in in forum posts but doesn't seem endemic to the design. Sorry. On the other hand, "Welcome to Mac, all you ex-windows users!".

Dang! That's been (somewhat!) annoying me as well. Mostly from the perspective that this key has been the Option key on the Macintosh platform since inception. Only in later years did they add the small print "alt". I don't know if this is for the benefit of emigres from Windows or for the sake of apps developed for both platforms but provide only one set of instructions. It seems ironic that an app developed solely for the platform that uses Option would consistently use the term Alt instead. Signed, Mac User Since 1986

Ouch! Thanks for clarifying.

Am I missing something? I can't find a way to rotate a selected group of nodes. Help, please! Thanks, Byrne

Yes.