Ralph

Perhaps it would be useful to place a point in Help where all types and colors of lines (edges, snapping, dynamic guides, measure, ...) would be listed. Now the user needs to know exactly what they are looking for in order to learn what lines/colors the given function uses. So it's the exact opposite of what the user encounters - he sees something on the screen, doesn't know what it is, and has no way of finding out what it actually is. See also numerous questions - what is that purple/magenta line around my objects? Because he doesn't know that they are Snapping candidates, he can't look at their description in Help, so he doesn't find out - that they have a purple line.

For these reasons, however, there is no need to modify the structure of the forum. It would be quite sufficient if the form for new topic offered the user to fill in the type of application and the type of his OS as an optional item. Thus, he would inform him about the desirability, but not the necessity, of providing this, in many cases, completely necessary information.
As users, we probably have no idea how often admins move topics because they are placed in the wrong/nonsensical category, even with the existing simple structure.

@Ralph, some years ago I switched to a vertical mouse + different angles of my bike handlebars. Both help for a more 'natural', ergonomic hand position.

I can reinforce @thomaso's problem with tendonitis! I had my first "microcomputer" in the 1970's and didn't switch to a tablet when they became available. I am now suffering.
Irrespective of the technical arguments, I would encourage using a mouse as little as possible for fine work. Having said that, I still use a mouse most of the time - because the damage done to my nerve-endings over the years has resulted in a tremble which is more difficult to compensate for with a tablet than with a mouse.

... though I still can't help comparing Publisher with my car:
My car has so many "features" that, after a year, I am still discovering the nuances of the parking sensor feature.
It also has all four wheels. My previous car had few features, but it also had 4 wheels. I could use my old car, perhaps with a touch of envy for my neighbour - whose car had lots features, and 4 wheels. I wouldn't envy my neighbour even if his car could fly, if it had a wheel missing.
Afffinity, to me, can orbit the Earth - but Publisher  has a wheel missing,
It is SO frustrating !!!
 

The recent posting from "Just my 2c" (whoever that is) does not appear to conform to community guidelines on politeness.  Perhaps that why his/her post seems to have been removed.

It is possible to be clear without being offensive.

My understanding is that this forum aims to be a supportive environment, while also reporting bugs, problems and frustrations to Serif.

I'm getting too old now to be bothered any more!

Ramon said "BUT I am going to make certain before paying a dime that it has the features that I need (including of course footnotes/endnotes). I won't be cheated a second time."
Well said!
I did not read the detailed description before buying, the same as I don't read the conditions that I supposedly agree to when installing software.  Nor does anyone, I expect (apart perhaps from a few lawyers with nothing better to do with their time).

And what is 10 days - or even 24 days - when one is starting out with such a complex program?  Most of us also have other calls on our time and even though I viewed as soon as possible as many Serif videos as possible, I didn't discover the lack of support for footnotes until I was importing the text of a book into Affinity Publisher.  Even then, I assumed that doing this was just another feature that I had not yet learnt.  Starting with a program like this is overwhelming, with hundreds of details to be learnt.

The 50 pages of comments and complaints on this subject on this forum are ample testimony to the disappointment and shock of purchasers when they discovered that such a fundamental feature was missing.  Frankly, without it, Affinity Publisher does not merit serious consideration.
 

Your point is well made and well understood.
But at least the modern motorcycle still has a braking system, just like the old bicycle did – and probably an even more effective one...
it hasn't completely thrown away its braking system, in the process of becoming "new".
Anyway, that's enough moaning from a nostalgic PPX9 user. Let's hope November 9th brings enough benefits and features to keep (most) people happy.
☺️

Thanks Alfred. Couldn't have put it better myself. I'm also a refugee from PagePlus and really miss this facility, as with frames not having resize handles all the time. But that's another subject, and I don't want to get chastised by the Moderators...  I would go back to PagePlus but with Serif withdrawing support I don't have anyh choice but to stick with Affinity and make the best of it. Phil

Please note I have edited certain posts above (see: [Mod Edit: Removed]) as I believe these comments are becoming too personal and don't abide by our Guidelines.
We ask that threads remain civil and appropriate at all times, we do not wish to stifle conversations such as these, but should this continue we will be forced to intervene further - such as locking the thread.
Many thanks for your understanding.

This discussion is becoming unpleasant.

If the purpose is to attack other people, that is not what this forum is meant to be about.

[Mod Edit: Removed]

That is to my mind wrong thinking. References are always going to be broken by new editions, that is why the publication's edition number is included in the reference.

I would suggest you have some thinking to do before you home in on a supplier of templates!
Even before talking to your printer, make sure you have some idea of the number you will have printed - who will buy it? This will help determine the way the printer wants to set up the book. You mention the number of pages (101). Is this 101 SIDES of paper (pages!) or the number of A4 sheets of paper to be used - printed on both sides and thus halving the number of sheets of paper. Then there is the thickness of the paper, which defines the width of the spine. If you are aiming for a high quality product, you will probably want to use thick (-ish) paper. Copier paper is about 70 gsm (grammes per square metre): decent letterhead paper about 100gsm. Translating this into thickness is not straight forward but for a book of this size you can probably work with 0.5cm to 1cm per 100 sheets. As others have said, Affinity is agnostic to the type of binding, but your printer may have an opinion, based on the calculated thickness.
Most printers will also want your colour mode to be CMYK (i.e. 4 different colours which mix to form the required colour). Screens prefer an RGB profile. You will need to check every image file (in APhoto) and , if necessary, convert the mode (Document>Convert format).
You will probably want the "inner" margin to be wider than the "outer" margin, which is something that APub does automatically when you set up "facing pages". (If you do this, your output will be on 26 sheets of A3 (101/4)). If you do not use facing pages, you will need two Master pages - one with the spine on the left, the other with the spine on the right.
Printers also have their preferred file format. It is possible that you might find one who can use APub files, but it is much more likely that you will be asked for a PDF file. There are many varieties of PDF file and you need to check that your printer can handle the same versions that APub can export (highly likely). This also means checking that any imported PDFs are compliant.
Alternatively, some publishers/printers have software which takes a file of assorted A4 sheets and does all this thinking for you.
Either way, after a few books it becomes second nature. If only to be able to make informed decisions, as @PaulEC says, it is worth getting quotes from local printers, quizzing them about their requirements and asking for their recommendations.
Good luck.

I would suggest you have some thinking to do before you home in on a supplier of templates!
Even before talking to your printer, make sure you have some idea of the number you will have printed - who will buy it? This will help determine the way the printer wants to set up the book. You mention the number of pages (101). Is this 101 SIDES of paper (pages!) or the number of A4 sheets of paper to be used - printed on both sides and thus halving the number of sheets of paper. Then there is the thickness of the paper, which defines the width of the spine. If you are aiming for a high quality product, you will probably want to use thick (-ish) paper. Copier paper is about 70 gsm (grammes per square metre): decent letterhead paper about 100gsm. Translating this into thickness is not straight forward but for a book of this size you can probably work with 0.5cm to 1cm per 100 sheets. As others have said, Affinity is agnostic to the type of binding, but your printer may have an opinion, based on the calculated thickness.
Most printers will also want your colour mode to be CMYK (i.e. 4 different colours which mix to form the required colour). Screens prefer an RGB profile. You will need to check every image file (in APhoto) and , if necessary, convert the mode (Document>Convert format).
You will probably want the "inner" margin to be wider than the "outer" margin, which is something that APub does automatically when you set up "facing pages". (If you do this, your output will be on 26 sheets of A3 (101/4)). If you do not use facing pages, you will need two Master pages - one with the spine on the left, the other with the spine on the right.
Printers also have their preferred file format. It is possible that you might find one who can use APub files, but it is much more likely that you will be asked for a PDF file. There are many varieties of PDF file and you need to check that your printer can handle the same versions that APub can export (highly likely). This also means checking that any imported PDFs are compliant.
Alternatively, some publishers/printers have software which takes a file of assorted A4 sheets and does all this thinking for you.
Either way, after a few books it becomes second nature. If only to be able to make informed decisions, as @PaulEC says, it is worth getting quotes from local printers, quizzing them about their requirements and asking for their recommendations.
Good luck.

Serif

You will be tired of us, but please do take note.  Anyone who wishes to prepare books for publication and is aware of this limitation is unlikely to buy your product.

Trevor

After 34 pages, the definitive description of the entire topic. 😉

A publishing program that cannot do foot notes and end notes is a contradiction in terms.

Or they are getting fed up with 34 pages basically repeating the same thing!
Everyone (more or less) wants footnotes and endnotes.
Serif have indicated that they are coming, but we don't know when.
Just posting endlessly, asking for the same thing is not really going to make much difference!

Tongue in cheek and "back handed compliment". Always the most sincere!
I think I have ben using Serif products since before you were around if you have only been there 21 years! The support you talk about has always been outstanding, first from Serif (before forums were working) through to the present day.
Which makes the absence of such a basic function so frustrating. (Gotta keep on theme)
 

Tongue in cheek and "back handed compliment". Always the most sincere!
I think I have ben using Serif products since before you were around if you have only been there 21 years! The support you talk about has always been outstanding, first from Serif (before forums were working) through to the present day.
Which makes the absence of such a basic function so frustrating. (Gotta keep on theme)
 

You beat me to it, Trevor!
Thanks Patrick, I am reassured. As much by the speed of your response as the content. However, my brain is still having problems grasping how it can take so long to rewrite such a well-understood function. I keep coming back to the thought that Serif must be trying to launch an all-singing/all-dancing function. Thus I keep re-iterating that I'm sure I am not the only person who would be happy to start with one which can just walk. Talking would be good (:
It is notoriously difficult to represent nuances and humour in text and we all translate it into our own mind-set. Don't stop trying to illustrate, Patrick, it all helps - in the end!

... and to be boringly repetitive, the Serif package (PagePlus) that Affinity Publisher has replaced (for the benefit of Newbies!!), does it all extremely well.
Beautifully expressed Inspired Earth

Welcome to the frustrated, RussC
By 1997, I was a veteran WORD user. I go back to the days when pica was the font of choice (of three) - I can't remember the others.

We keep seeing the car analogy, but I am glad to see your adaptation, as I think it is more fair than the steering wheel or similar. A steering mechanism is indisputably essential for the basic operation of a car—you cannot operate without it; headlights are so important they may be considered essential and are legally required (but then some race cars don't need them, if I am to believe Pixar's movie), but it must be admitted that a car can operate without them, and until recent years, we used to think it odd to see headlights turned on during the day.
I think your version of the analogy is closer to the idea with footnotes: some work you can do in Publisher completely without them, and their lack is not even felt (comparable to driving in the daytime without headlights). On the other hand, you could do footnotes manually (just as you could still in theory drive in the night without headlights), but who wants to do that?