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The slug is used for much more than imposition information. As a FMCG packaging designer I'm required by my client to use the slug area for production information. (order information, product and packing information and instructions to the printer). Typically for me it might be an area 25-45mm on one side of the page. The printer will mask that area during imposition, but it's still needed in preproduction so that similar packs aren't confused. Confusion can be a big issue when I send finished art pdfs to my client, who then sends the artwork along with product orders to a factory in another country who then sends the packaging artwork on to their printer. If you have multiple suppliers, then errors can easily multiply. Yes, you can extend the bleed area to include the slug info, but that will also move the automatic crop marks away from the bleed area, which the printer objects to, so the alternative is to draw in manual crop marks. When you're laying out multiple packs (sometimes 30 - 40 over a few days) manual crop marks become tedious and time consuming.

Yes we're still waiting on a slug area, or at least a way to manually set the offset for crop marks. However, IDML import has been implemented for some time.

I've looked through the Affinity Publisher V2 tech specs but saw no mention of a slug area, nor on the preview of the 'New Document' window. I'm losing heart that this fundamental feature will ever be included. Have I missed something?

I've posted before on this forum for a need for a slug, but I'll jump in on this topic as well. I design & layout a lot of packaging which require the slug area for print & manufacturing notes. I've tried to use workarounds on Affinity Publisher and Designer (eg defining a larger bleed area and then manually drawing in crop marks), but they take up far more time than what is economical. I've attached a pdf of the type of work I'm talking about I still rely on Indesign CS6 to manage my packaging work and am waiting ever so patiently for a slug feature to appear in Publisher so I can finally ditch CS6.I haven't lost hope yet, but my optimism is waning. BVJACK039.pdf

I'm in the same boat. I have only been able to complete a couple of jobs in Publisher. My packaging work is still being completed in CS6.

This workaround is OK if your work isn't being stepped at the printer. If it is being stepped, then the automatic crop marks are too far away (obscuring them when the artwork is stepped) and the printer will have to make their own crop marks at prepress. So far I am having to draw manual crop marks. In my case when I am creating wrap bands (for packaging) I set my bleed to 25mm on one edge so I can add the production info I need and 10mm on the other sides to make room for artwork bleed and crop marks. I draw my crop marks 3 - 5mm from the page edge depending on the printers requirements. So the production info sits outside the crop marks. Which is a lot of fiddling about. If Affinity adds a slug feature, or at least the ability to set a custom offset for crop marks (from the page edge) this will save a lot of extra work.

I had a problem with an error outputting a pdf. It turned out that a font was to blame. Have you checked that that could be the case? ie remove any text from the document and output the pdf.

I have a similar problem. The page white background seems to draw in the wrong place. It only happens when I double click on my document and it launches Publisher. If I have Publisher open already and then open the document, the page white background is in the correct place. I'm running - MacOS 10.14.5 on an 2014 Retina 27" iMac with 32 Gb RAM - Graphic card: AMD Radeon R9 M295X 4GB - 1 external monitor

I agree with Stephen Gannon and have made comments on another thread requesting this feature. That forum topic didn't mention the slug feature in it's title so I just want to pile on here to cement this as a feature request. It is an essential feature in my packaging workflow (example attached) and is a critical consideration in my future decision to move to Affinity Publisher. pack-example.pdf

I agree with these points but they aren't representative of every designer's business. I have clients (mainly not-for-profits) who want to do seasonal updates to advertising (ie text changes), in which case I provide an IDML package. When they want a redesign then they come to me. They have staff who have learn't the basics of indesign but aren't designers. This workflow works for them but I don't expect they'll reskill to Publisher just because I have changed. I have other clients where a styleguide may be produced by myself or another company and compatible templates need distribution to other designers. If Affinity Publisher can't slot in to that workflow, then it will be marginalised if Adobe is the only common ground. Not all my work requires I provide original documents, but occasionally I do, and it works well for my client relationships. Personally I am looking to move away from Adobe because I can't afford the subscription, and I would like to use Affinity products solely for my design work. I own CS6 but indesign will no longer be compatible with next years OSX. My contingency is to run a virtual machine with High Sierra and CS6 -- but this is a messy contingency. So is running CC and Affinity together. A common file format is ideal. Affinity Photo exports PSD -- compatible with Photoshop, Designer exports EPS or SVG -- compatible with Illustrator and for Publisher I hope that IDML will close the loop with Indesign.

The supply chain prefer the crop marks to be close to the artwork when stepping up the artwork on a plate. They mask out the slug info but keep the crop marks so the guillotine operator has a reference. If the crops are too far out, they would need to add them in manually themselves. (attached is a wrap label showing trims & creases. N.B.Final art is supplied as a pdf without that overlay) pack-example.pdf

I would say IDML export is equally important to import for those who have to collaborate with other designers to some extent. Affinity Designer & Photo have some ability to export documents which are editable in the Adobe counterparts. Though I don't expect a full feature set to be maintained in a collaborative document format, it's important to have this capability to have a capacity to transition from Adobe product. I can't expect every client who want's original artwork supplied to adopt Affinity Publisher, they'll just go somewhere else.

I've managed to set up bleeds but a Slug feature is still important. I use the slug area for additional information in FMCG packaging work (exporting PDF from Indesign). It would be an important feature for me, anyone else?

OK I look forward to it.

How do you set up document bleeds on Designer for iPad? There is a setting to include them in PDF export, but only if they have been specified in the document setup. But I can’t find where this is.