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I think you're right! I am also reviewing a thread you contributed to from 2019 on moving prefs from a beta to a release version that has some interesting things. It doesn't, unfortunately, have any comments from Affinity team that I've spotted yet. But it may help. Makes me a bit worried that if I just go ahead and download 1.84 Affinity Store version, then try to work out getting things moved, if that might screw up my actual working MAS version and be out of business until I can sort it out! Not sure how things would go running MAS 1.83 plus Affinity Store 1.84 on the same machine! If that didn't break anything, would be a possible way to take time to work on the problem. 😩

Hmmmm. Not looking too encouraging. Looks like the MAS version (prefs/settings in Library/Containers) has a very different setup as compared to the Affinity Store versions such as my Publisher and Photo beta (in Library/Application Support). Unless someone knows better, looks like my only route might be to use the prefs/settings from my Photo beta version.

Of course, the other question might be if I can just move my APhoto prefs/settings from my betas to the Affinity Store version?!?! That might be the easiest, assuming they don't have anything strange in them!

Thanks, Walt. I just need to work around the issue of already having the MAS version installed, then adding the Affinity store version. Once I get the settings/prefs set up as before, then I can delete the MAS version (although it's still available to me from the MAS should I ever want to go back). Working through all the many betas this last couple years, APhoto release versions from the MAS simply won't allow Eye Candy plugin to open due to the macOS sandboxing security used in the later versions of Mojave and then newer Catalina. But in every iteration of the many betas, it works fine because the betas don't have the sandboxing required for versions from the MAS. I use EC quite a bit for my clients, so really need it to be working without having to resort to using my ancient Adobe CS5 apps, which I am now relegating to a virtual parallels volume running with the old Sierra OS, which I use for a few other older critical apps. Spending the extra $50 is nothing compared to the time EC saves me producing things for clients. Hoping I can simply download and open the Serif Store version and have my much-refined settings ready to use. One way or the other, still needs to be done, but hoping that it might be easy. I'll read that info to see if it has any answers. Thanks. AND OF COURSE, the real question is, are the pref/settings files the same for both versions so that they can simply be moved??? Hopefully they don't have different formats, items, etc. 😉

I'm switching from the MAS APhoto to one I'm buying from the Affinity store in order to avoid issues with sandboxing in Mojave. Does anyone know for sure how to preserve my layout, prefs, brushes, etc.? In other words, does the Affinity version use the same prefs/settings folder/files as the MAS version? Or am I going to have to start from scratch? Thanks.

Yes, agreed. Get spoiled with the new beveling, metal, etc., but as you say, can't do that vector I guess. In the end, may just have to do a giant PNG and scale it down to size. Although I guess I then have to re-look at the limitations of PNG! 😣

You're right. Seems that a pdf might do the trick. I'm just so "trained" after all these years to use EPS for scalable graphics. It places just fine in APub. Just hope it will output properly without any issues when used in a printing piece.

Just tried copy/pasting elements into a new ADes doc, same results. Simply cannot get it to export a correct EPS with trans.

Interesting! If I Export and select the More/Rasterize Nothing, I get a transparent background, but I also lose all the beveling and metal effects. Not really a solution if that's the only way to get a trans background. Really seems strange.

Thanks for the assistance! That's a well hidden method to get a transparent background! I tried that but still no luck. I still get a white background when placing the EPS in either APub or ID. I've attached the ADes file to see if there is a possible problem with the artwork. I have to say that I never had an issue like this back with AI, so am a bit discouraged that something so seemingly simple can be so complex. Again, thanks for the help! Aero 20-yr in UK logo.afdesign

I have the same issue. Have a Designer 1.8.3 graphic that shows with trans background, has that set in Setup, but when exported as an EPS, has a white background. I also need to have this file as a usable EPS with transparency. How is that done in Designer? Doesn't seem to work. Aero 20-yr in UK logo.eps.zip

Really have a problem telling what the stock pics are with a large monitor. Be nice to have the ability to either increase the thumbnail size (when desired) or use a Quicklook type feature.

Really have a problem telling what the stock pics are with a large monitor. Be nice to have the ability to either increase the thumbnail size (when desired) or use a Quicklook type feature.

Thanks! Will do.

?? Really have a problem telling what the stock pics are with a large monitor. Anyone know how to get the thumbnails larger? Or does this need to go into the Suggestion box?

Thanks! I've tried it in the beta and so far it seems like it's exactly what was needed. Looks like it will solve our issue.

For those who run into this error message (IPC Memory Fail), after updating to Mojave and trying to load my Topaz Labs Star Effects filter, I got the error. Finally figured out I had to go to the v1.7.3 APhoto prefs/Plugins and do the Authorize Global to get it working again. Hope this helps.

Just tried a 4-page cmyk-print brochure (2-sided A3 facing pages). I see that a benefit of the IDML import vs. pdf is the ability to keep text blocks discrete and in place, and linked blocks stay linked for proper flow, even across pages/spreads. Text is not combined into odd blocks like with pdf opening. Minor cleanup involved redoing a few wraps, relinking/updating in RM the PS-cmyk images ( a known bug), and tidying up the bottoms of text blocks for matching paragraph ends/positioning. Also need to change the Document setup to 300 dpi (it creates the new doc at 72 dpi for some reason, but easy to change). Again, very encouraging. And while not a complete solution for everyone, it is quite encouraging how well it is working in this initial beta. It's just getting a lot of it right. Yes, still a fairly simple project but a common project for us over the years.

As a comment, I just tried the IDML import on a single page A4 magazine advert with lultiple pics, type, graphics, lines, blocks, layers. Despite a few glitches (itemized in the Beta forum), the import was 100% accurate with no adjustments needed (other than the glitches mentioned). Type, pictures, graphics, lines, etc. all imported 100% accurate. While the process still has bugs to be worked out (had a couple crash issues), I have to say that I am impressed that I could effectively take an ID file and get an APub file with a th exported PDF x4 that was same as the ID that had been submitted to the printer previously. Obviously, more complex documents are going to expose multiple issues with the import process. But for many production houses like ours, this will certainly allow us to work with our years of older client files. And the import was significantly better than what we get with opening a pdf version due to the text frame issues, layers, etc. with opening pdfs. We've successfully been using the open pdf capability, but from this test, I can see that the IDML might have some advantages in some cases. Just providing some initial feedback and not suggesting the ID import issue is 100% solved. But it has taken an important step forward.

Thanks. Really appreciate that since we are trying to integrate Publisher into our workflow as much as possible, and links are critical to much of our work.

Fully agree. While I'm sure we all appreciate that Affinity got this feature into Publisher, it is difficult and cumbersome to use. And frankly, today so much of our so-called "print" media is actually deliverable as pdf publications that require hyperlinks. Without the ability to use hyperlinks, we would have far less use for Publisher.

When trying to add multiple links in a document (v 1.7.3), cannot see the full hyperlinks, thereby making it very difficult to select the desired link from the dropdown. The popup should either be resizable or at least have a hover tooltip that shows the entire link. In many documents the links simply are too long to show in the rather small dropdown pane. As it is now, required to select each hyperlink one at a time, then use the arrow key to move the insert cursor to the right in order to read the link. Very tiresome when doing a lot of links in a simple document. Thanks.

Aha! I think you are correct! I just downloaded a purchased set of raster brushes and a couple of them have a "smudge tool" icon next to them. When I select one of those, it does auto-select the Smudge Tool in both Photo and Designer. That said, still in Designer Brush Editing, there is no option for setting or changing the Associated Tool like there is in Photo. Curious! But at least answers my main question I guess. Unless Affinity Staff can shed further light on this issue????

Do I understand correctly then that the brush icon means nothing and was simply added to the brush example graphic by Serif when they designed some of the stock raster brushes for Designer? It does not automatically select the brush tool when I select a brush with that icon (Designer/Raster brushes), so still wonder if it serves any purpose. Understood. As a long-time Apple hardware/software trainer/consultant, I'm familiar with "normal" pref locations. Typically in the past few years, the Application Support folder contained most of these (and still does for Affinity Publisher). But I do see the newer trend in using the Containers directory, then burying things way deep down. So thanks for giving me the file name(s). At least now I know where they are stored in case of emergency! Still a mystery as to what that stupid little brush icon is on some stock brushes in Designer/Raster brushes panel! Hopefully Affinity staff can answer this mystery!

I checked one of the Designer brushes that is also (apparently, since it has the same name) in Photo and it does not have that option selected (no associated tool is selected). Yet in Designer, that brush has a "Brush" icon next to it. Of course, there is no option to select an "associated tool" in Designer, so still not clear why some brushes in Designer's Raster brush panel have that little icon and others don't. And I have not at this point imported any Designer brushes into Photo. As an aside, where is Serif storing brushes, etc.? I'm not seeing anything in the typical Application Support directory.