SrPx

You are welcome!

This a sentiment I kind of perceive from others when a temporary fix is found. I truly believe it can't ever be the case: They want the app to work well. And more importantly, something like this is a symptom of a problem (with other ramifications, etc) : I have no doubt that they are looking into it, but they're having an extremely busy month, despite being holidays. The workarounds are only for professionals (and hobbyists, but the former might have a lot of pressure...I do know...) to save the day and/or the project, and allowing to keep using the apps in the projects.

@Realm_SGG I discovered that it does not crash when deactivating "show as list" in the brush panel. The bug will still be there, but it won't bother you, you can use these brushes. Indeed, Photoshop used to list the brushes so in the brush panel. I made a video about it (excuse the Spanish): bristles.mp4

As if it is thinking you are still logged in one of the other computers ? Honestly, I don't know how their account system works, but the first thing I'd try is to "log off" in the most recent computer I used my Affinity account on. Maybe my idea is stupid, but that's what I can think of.

Hehehe , Sorry... sth = something. I really should use fewer abbreviations (or none), slang or memes. As if clarity wasn't a problem already in my walls of text, being English not my first language... 😁

Do you still have one file that could be the full thing, but simply makes the app crash ? I would try to install Designer in other PC or laptop and open it there. Maybe modifying some stuff, or simplifying nodes, or not using certain feature, etc, to curate the file a bit, and see if you can get it to a point that you can save a file that works fluidly once carried to the other PC. The developers can try to solve the issue with crash report files. These have already generated while your crashes happened. How to find the folder with the crash reports :

For this to work, be sure of: - Not only the letters need to be converted to curves and then, 'merge curves'. But also that the shapes you want to add should be converted to curves. I guess you added that rectangle with a hole by just doing two rectangle shapes and doing a subtract. If I do that, somehow I get some weird result later with the letters operation. Instead, if I convert to curve the first shape, then also convert to curves the second shape, and then is when I do the subtract to form the rectangle with a hole, then doing an "add" boolean with the "prepared" letters made as in my "trick" above, it does provide with a good result. When you say "Paste Special did nothing on my end"... What do you mean exactly? It does not make the boolean union automatically (after placing it to match the placement of the original copy-pasted letters through magnetic snapping, which btw, I don't know if this is a bug, as other copy paste fucntions on Affinity apps are pasted in-place of the source). After doing this paste, you still need you to select the rectangle layer, then the letters' layer too, with shift key (or ctrl). And hit the UNION icon in the top bar. In which moment it does not do the expected? It doesn't do the union, nothing at all, or produces artifacts... ? Do you do it like I did it in the video above? Exporting and importing a SVG would be a tad slower, as a workflow. I've done that in the past, but imo copying and pasting needs 3 seconds. And because need to go to the edit menu to paste, but you can add a custom shortcut in preferences, so you'd lose zero time ( I just set it as ctrl < ).

Indeed! It works, too (just checked it).

Good point. Now it will sound a bit difficult to believe, but when I first found the one thread that shocked me more about the booleans issue (/s) in Designer (I've laser focused on Photo v2....), the first thing I tried was the shape builder. Which , BTW, is a wonderful modern tool, great usability for actual design work. But I have several reasons to wish booleans to work well (so, I tried to think of at least sth -for now- to allow to continue with projects and stuff) : - At least in Windows, with text layers , or layers that were formed converted to curves from text, the big issues were also happening with the shape builder (always in Windows 10). So, the problem runs deeper, I suspect it is common (text layers converted to curves; in that process. Or simply the issue is in the text object itself). - It is not a rare case or "that file" from this person. It is very easy to replicate with any text and a shape, both converted to curves and etc, all done the standard, right way. In Windows 10 (Win Pro in my case). I have read mixed reports in Windows 11, though. And is a non existing issue on Mac OS, apparently. - It's a bug, by all means, and IMO it might affect other aspects, not just these two features. So, I think it is important for them to see it. But I have to say I breathed a sigh of relief checking that v2's booleans worked (and work) very well for me with any other curves or shapes, though (but I don't know if other people have found different issues with booleans, or if all come from this same root in code (could be!); I'm quite behind with the forums' activity) - I don't like to discard a method that is already implemented in a graphic program, raster or vector based. Even if Shape Builder would save the day , I prefer to have workflow possibilities with both. Because then, later on, you are in the middle of a complex project in some difficult step, and the more options to solve a problem, the merrier; there might be situations where one feature won't cover every situation that the other does and viceversa. I hid the following under the spoiler tag. No particular reason, not off topic, but it made the post too long.

Very simplistic question, but... for a chance, are you using two or mores monitors? Sometimes, Affinity (v1 did, for sure) it will place some of the panels in the other screen (with good intention in the design, as I see many people who love to work so, it gives you more free canvas space). Now , despite the screen being switched off (I mean in suspend mode, stand-by, etc) , it still can receive other panels, the cursor, etc, If you dragged one of them there by mistake, you could even end up having several Designer's panels in the other monitor. And as the monitor is switched off, you don't really notice/realize those UI panels could be there. I mean, that dialog could be popping up there. Maybe switch ON the second (and third) monitor, just in case, at lest to discard it. It's a long shot, but I have seen that happening many times, when having two monitors.

Well, if it ends up working for you (that dialog), and I wouldn't discard that, it is quite fast, and I kind of prefer to do it all in the same app, for avoiding other issues and for the sake of speed. But I have used a lot Inkscape in the past, as a helper tool. Indeed, I love to have always many tools/apps, and I do 'hybrid' workflows. But the more I can do in the "main", the better (but that's me). If it ends up working for you, is like a regular copy & paste, almost as fast. I'm surprised that you are not seeing the option.. I have some Affinity v2 apps in Windows 11, but in my laptop, which I am not using for work, lately. I'm testing all this in a Windows 10 desktop. I have just made a video (attached here), to be sure we are in the same page of what I do to make the trick. And as well, so that you can tell me in more detail what does not show up for you, and how/what is showed. And in video is easier for you to see if you missed some small step. Much better if you maximize the video in full screen. Apologies, as menus are in Spanish, but with the position of each option, is I think it's an easy guess. To avoid confusion, Don't mind the misclick at the end, I clicked subtract, but then I undo, and clicked the right 'add 'operation. paste_as_svg.mp4

Thank you very much for reporting that, as I am clueless about how it would work for others... As indeed seems for Mac users doesn't happen (and I don't know if I just read that neither happens in Windows 11, but am not sure...)

The problem (making booleans between text (even as curves! that should not happen) and shape kind of impossible) happens for me in Windows 10 Pro, all up to date. I believe after "convert to curves", sth is left on the curves, some property or tag or whatever of the text element. Because when I set "Copy as SVG " (no restart needed) in preferences, and then copy, and "paste special" "as SVG", the issue is gone, it does every boolean operation I tested just fine. I made a post now with the steps . But dunno if I'm missing sth about the problem :

I am attaching here a Designer 2 file which I just made where I do the boolean with no problems (again, if I am understanding well the issue...) , so, there's a layer with the result of the boolean applied, and in a group (but move it out of the group if needed, I only did the group to keep it tidy) below, still a rectangle and the "text" layer which was "converted to curves", then "geometry-> combine curves". For a fast workflow so to place the pasted thing well, etc, I explain that in the steps list in the link I just pasted above (in case someone needs urgently to do this specific task for a project). test-copy-as-svg.afdesign

There was another thread about this which I can't find now. As a temporary fix for the workflow, and in case serves for guessing some clue to fix the issue internally, I realized copying as SVG (activating the feature in preferences (no need to restart), then using "paste special", it seems to get rid of whatever is causing it, the pasted (only if in this way) element works fine) I detail briefly the steps (there are a few more, but it is very fast) in this other thread from today (link to the exact post) :

So... What I did was : - Preferences/general : Copy as SVG -> marked. - Edit: Of course, convert to curves your text layer first. I also convert to curves the shape (rectangle, etc), so that it's apples to apples. - Select all the layer's letters. In the canvas, right click/Geometry/combine curves. - Move your rectangle layer above the text layer (actual curves as you had them, of course), in the layers list panel. I don't know if this affects, though. - With the whole thing ("2023" text) now as one, and selected, I right click -> "copy". - Top menu, Edit, then "Special Paste". - Choose "Scalable Vector Graphics" (SVG) - As it makes a layer group in the layers list, move the "text" layer out of the group, above it, and delete the empty group. - The paste is not placing it exactly over the original text, in its exact position. But if you configure carefully the snapping options (up on the triangle besides the magnet icon, in the top toolbar), is one second to make it snap in place, snapping with the original "text" layer. - Now that it's placed in the exact location, you can delete the "original" "text" layer, to avoid visual confusion and mess. - Now just select both layers, hit the boolean "add" icon. It then makes the boolean union (or subtract, etc) not leaving the garbage in the border, but doing a real boolean union with no artifacts. If it's what I think you wanted, it is working here doing this. But as sleep deprived as I am, I perhaps understood it badly. In any case, whether if I understood well your case or not... there's "something" internal in the text shapes, that persists after a convert to curves, and that generates the boolean artifacts. Apparently I get rid of it with activating the copy as SVG feature and pasting it also as SVG (there's no file export involved! ) . So.. maybe it's easy for them to just remove that thing (tag, property, etc) simply in the moment of converting to curves, avoiding all this. Again, I'm half sleep, so... EDIT: I forgot... No need to restart the app for any of this. It takes the "copy as SVG" preference setting on the fly. So, you even can change the setting back after the fact, if prefer so for some reason.

Right now I'm a bit dense (slept very little last night), so, I might not be understanding what you wanted to do... Is it that the rectangle and the text didn't really "melt" "join"? . If so, I think it works with the trick I just mentioned. But yep, need to set "copy as svg" as marked, in Preferences/General, otherwise does not appear the option after the "special paste" in edit menu. Attaching the fixed file, at least to know if I am understanding what was wanted. 2023_copy-paste-svg.afdesign

Because I am having issues with booleans when handling text (even converted to curves), but not with regular shapes only, converted to curves also. That's why I tried the above.

I think... It's a problem with it being "text", even after converted. Something internal, some "tag" or thing of its "nature" (I'm not a dev, lol). I tried activating that setting in Preferences that says "copys as SVG". Maybe it's not needed, but as I do when I want to "remove" sth, some tag that is provoking the issue, I typically do similar things to "clean up". So, maybe is not needed, or maybe is not needed the following. I mean that i solved for my booleans problem, which is not the exact same case than this, but I believe is due to the same problem. Then I pasted using "paste special", and did choose "paste as SVG". Then, I converted to curves and as doing that special "copy & paste" as SVG seems to add a folder and stuff, so I just extract the curves of the "text", put them below a rectangle layer, also convert to curves the rectangle (as a shape is not "curves"), then I do any sort of complex subtract and it respects every thing, every detail, works perfect then. So.... Maybe then, until this get fixed, the trick could be just doing that copy and paste, with the preference set, and "paste special" and then "paste as SVG", as it seems to work, here... Pls, if you try, would you let me know if it works?

You can go to the top menu View (Vista) then the second "customize tool bar" (personalizar barra de herrmientas), and after a second a big box of icons appears. Then drag and drop over the vertical toolbar the magnifying glass icon 🔍 , and the hand icon 🖐️ (and remove the "dual icon" if you want, to unclutter. By dragging that thing over the big box of icons), and of course then click on the top menu View, then the second "customize toolbar" to exit that mode (or you don't get rid of it, if not), and now you have a double click on the magnifying glass icon (lupa) producing a 100% zoom , and a fit to window zoom by double clicking on the hand icon. Maybe it could be me, but I am seeing the same layer effects ? Both in the Effects tab, and by clicking in the "FX" icon in the layers' panel. Not sure if you mean layer effects, though. Sorry, what? This one really surprises me. I can totally use ctrl + z as normally in V2. Do you mean that you do hit ctrl + z and it does not undo whatever the action for you ?Have you redefined the shortcuts and maybe accidentally set ctrl + z in some shortcut (where maybe you wanted to set ctrl + d or something; saved without noticing) . As in that case it sets the shortcut for the new operation but erases it for the original function (in this case UNDO). You can fix it in Preferences/shortcuts, make sure it's set the fields "Photo" and menu "edit" (Editar) and set back "ctrl+z" (without the quotes) in UNDO (deshacer). If it's that, is very fast to fix. ctrl z works as expected in my side. Well , if I understood well your issue.

For most 2D/3D freelancers I know, we would be super fine with a 7700X, 13600K, 7900X. I kind of dislike going for a 13700K due to the electricity prices in Europe, currently. More the case with a 13900K, which also requires a more serious cooling (most of the times liquid cooling, needing maintenance, etc, which I don't love). It also gets really high temperatures. In that regard, AMD has gone the bad route too, with its new 7000s. A 5950X is currently the king of efficiency. At least in 3D (but I would bet is efficient for most other tasks, as it has very low consumption numbers for something with so many cores; but in absolute terms, extremely far from a recent generation Ryzen 5600X (it's just 60W...!), get that to really save on energy) , if you plan to be 3D rendering too, an AM4 mother board with the right VRM stuff -as not every am4 board will handle well a 5950X- might still be cheaper than a mid-high range modern AM5 board, and you get the best frames rendered/watt ratio with the 5950X of all the two brands' current, new skus. But you don't need at all that many cores for Affinity (the more the merrier tends to be true, I guess... but I mean from a practical scenario of what we end up really needing), and even less in the case of Photoshop. Indeed, a 7600X or a 5600X are not significantly worse in Photoshop than their next model with more cores in their respective generations. So, those two (with a large performance difference between the two) are amazing purchases for Photoshop. But PS (which favors high IPC, high clock in single core) has old code in it, Affinity appears to have more advantage with more cores, from what I have read. I think, again for mid range freelancing, which is what most people tend to aim to (at best), statistically speaking, I think the 8 cores of the 7700X are enough, and the mix of p-cores and e-cores (of way lower performance, these, but very effective in applications) that makes a mid range (in cost) intel CPU like the intel i5 13600K to compete in price with 8 cores CPUs of its competitor, yet having 14 (16 threads versus 20 threads, although it's not a good way to compare it; benchmark results are). Of course, is not apples to apples, but looking at the performance, is on par in many matters, or very close, to a 7700X. [ Edit: Indeed, according to Cinebench (multi core) R23, R20 and R15, as well as in other multi core tests, like Blender 3.1, and several others the 13600k is significantly faster, while in single core are equal (margin of error, depending on the reviewer). That in theory should show up in Affinity ]. To mention also that I read recently that they were going to release soon (maybe already on sell, I don't know) the "non X" version of these new Ryzen 7000s. And well... Personally I kind of could end up preferring a 7700 over a 7600X, even if the single core might (or might not), IPC and etc, be higher in the 7600X. It's all about seeing "how much" that difference ends up being, and at least how those do perform in apps that can use effectively many cores, as it is the case of Affinity. But I don't know about the needs in processing of specific scientific apps that you might need to use apart from Affinity. Those I believe often rely more in the GPU processing (again, nVidia quite stronger for AI based apps, etc). Others need the CPU, as in many cases not all can be calculated in GPUs. In RAM I'd never go lower than 32GB. In graphic work, clearly go for 32 or 64. Like if the doubt is DDR5 with half the memory (I mean, I would opt for a good but cheap 32GB DDR4 kit over a 16GB DDR5). Never going below a cheap kit of 2x16GB (32GB) 3200Mhz, CL 16. And in cards... I'm super happy with the nvidia RTX 3060 12GB. Plenty of VRAM for even quite complex Blender 3D scenes with large worlds and large textures (if rendering with GPU, no such limit with CPU-only), and it has the best ratio of price/apps compatibility/apps performance. Of course, going higher than that is better, but the 3060 has a relatively low energy consumption, and the price really goes up starting specially after a 3070, and for 2D applications you would be mostly wasting money in a power you would not use, past a 3060/3070, in my opinion. The new generation (4000s) consume a lot more, even the planned 4060s, from what I know, but of course, their capability is another level. I hope to be able to at least "taste" one day a 4090 ti, working in anything 3D or that requires GPU acceleration in 2D. An absolute overkill for 2D painting, of course . Indeed, looking at benchmarks, going past a 3060 with Photoshop (brushes and other functions are now GPU accelerated there, too) follows the law of diminishing returns, for that good old app. In Affinity I have noticed a very big improvement in brush painting fluidity (with some configuration in preferences, not as it comes by default, my brushes now work with zero lag) going from a 1650 to a 3060 (also noticed it very snappy in the laptop's 3060). This could also be the devs' optimization, as I am talking about the 2.0.3 but also the updated 1.10.6, which is also a recent update. So, who knows. PD: About power consumption, tho is a non issue for non EU people (in the first world...) , you can undervolt the CPU in BIOS (if you know how to work safely with the BIOS! be sure to read/watch tuts about undervolting, too), and the results are particularly good in AMD CPUs, in my experience. They get really colder, pull way less watts from the wall (I measured with a similar device to a kill-a-watt, even, not trusting fully the reviews) without losing much performance. PD 2: As you are looking for a specific budget and the 12600k is around the price you are after... then maybe for something to last more, yet not going too far from that budget, stay on a 13600k or a 7700X ( Edit: Note, about the price reduction of 7900,7700,7600, finally seems that after the recent reduction of the "X" models, the difference is only 20$. for that it's worth to get the X ones. $429, $329 and $229 respectively (the non-X), but these are MSRP prices, once they hit the shelves that typically gets more expensive. Launch is the next 10th January, in a few days. More interestingly, its launch might affect other (intel and AMD) CPUs getting lower prices, specially after these holidays). But really, with a budget like that probably you should go after an intel 13600k + DDR4 memroy solution (at least 32GB) + a not too premium intel board supporting the 13600k. And of course, at least one SSD to install Windows and the Affinity applications, and one HDD (or another SDD if you don't mind to replace it if it bricks once hitting the TBW limit) for the work files. To work fast, ideally two SDDs, and a good combination without getting too expensive is a 500GB one for the OS & Affinity + a 1tb SDD for work files, other apps, caching, etc.

Very nice work !

I kind of can't agree ...even if trying. The lower performance happens with "many" apps, a lot of software applications, not just Affinity's. I indeed wanted to buy an AMD card for my graphic work, but have needed to stay with nvidia. The matter is crystal clear. AMD has focused their mainstream cards development to games. From a business point of view it -perhaps- makes sense. nVidia since very long time ago has partnerships and collaborations with many software developers (like intel did, too). Besides that, there's the glaring issue of many technologies used by 3D and 2D apps, that improve our workflow to crazy levels, aren't there: OptiX (many times faster GPU based renders), CUDA, NVENC, etc. They are slowly adding stuff similar those, but it won't be months but maybe years till they can compete with similar features and that those are integrated by software companies. But the difference in performance is well known among labs, companies and reviewers, at least the more technical ones than those caring for games, only. This is documented in many professional benchmark systems. In Davinci Resolve Studio video editor (the commercial version, which uses the GPUs till the last bit, compared to other apps) the benchmarks show a very significant difference between AMD and nVidia. The same cards from AMD that are trading blows or in some cases even getting more FPSs in games (in what is not ray tracing, ofc) are in the bottom of the charts in those benchmarks. In Blender and other 3D apps is less the case, but still there's an important difference with nVidia cards. AMD created cards like the Radeon VII, that back in the day, and even being already EOL (End Of Line, no more production) would compete very well with a 2060 Super 8GB, which by the times, was a very nice card. Of course, still the 2070, 2080, 2080 ti and Titan would get much higher scores. I wouldn't complaint if they kept sth with the pricing and performance of that card in graphic apps, even if just one single SKU. As the nvidia Quadros and AMD Radeon Pros have a price tag that is incredibly high for what they really offer in real scenarios, and gotta get a very premium, expensive card if you need a high amount of VRAM. This has not changed with the following AMD cards generations, sadly (I too would love healthy competition in the graphic cards area, for graphic work applications). Serif communicates stuff a lot better (even in this very thread, just some posts above) and more frequently than what I remember from Autodesk and Adobe with very show-stopping issues in both of those 2 software industry giants. But they are much smaller company with way fewer resources.

Great!! PD: I believe once you are editing a post or making a new one, the cyan colored area below the text area, you drag a file there from a Windows folder, and it should work. Unless there's a problem which I am not aware of.

Yes, these apps need the system to be very up to date (specially the graphics driver and Windows Updates) and curated, so to speak (which is an advantage in the long run, tho). I would uninstall the graphic card driver, reboot, install the newest version of the driver for your graphic card on the card's website. (and then reboot before starting Designer again). Even if in Photoshop it does work well, as yep, it also uses a bit the GPU for the brushes, but I think in a different way, internally. BUT... I'd try FIRST the below steps : In Designer's Preferences. In "Performance" , disable 'Hardware acceleration - Open CL' and in Retina Render , set "Auto". In "View Quality" set "Bilineal (best quality". In Preferences->Tools-> Tablet Input set "Windows Ink". In Preferences-> User Interface , make sure "Show lines as points" is CHECKED (this is for other issues, it's a temporary fix, once fixed you might want to uncheck it (or not)), and "pointer support" is NOT checked. As that one brings back certain graphic annoyances from Windows Pen and Ink service. Beware, setting "Windows Ink" in Affinity Preferences requires that in your Wacom panel (outside Affinity) you need to set the application profile you surely have created (you should, imo) for Designer, in its "Mapping" tab "Windows Ink" as checked, marked. Also, while you are there, IF you have two or more monitors, make very sure you have selected in "Screen Area" the main screen for your editing apps (ie, 'Monitor 1'). Otherwise Wacom will be considering the full 2 screens' space, causing many problems. Be sure to also check "force proportions" (or something like that), as it ensures your lines and brush strokes keep same proportion to what you draw in screen. Otherwise you lose accuracy. It could be also an issue with the screen-pen calibration. Do you have set Windows Scaling (in Windows Settings->System-> Screen, this is out of Affinity) some "custom scaling" ? Or do you have it at 100% or 125% ? Try changing that as well, maybe this could be causing some problem (again, even if in Photoshop there's no problem). You can use custom settings for Windows Scaling, by typing a number, after clicking the advanced/custom option, it works well with Affinity, and in my experience, some factors/numbers might give a problem, so it's imo good to try others. The mentioned settings work great for me in Designer (and all Affinity apps, as the internals seem to be similar for this), yet though, I have an old Wacom Intuos pro 4 XL (Cintiqs and Mobile Studios can have more problems due to the screen-pen calibration and etc).