[Suggestion: Pattern Generator like repper.app]

35 minutes ago, BlueOcean21 said:

Yeah i know
but this tool is way ahead in terms of creativity, it's like a machine for infinite and unique patterns, just try it yourself

the current way in Designer seems more like a workaround than a feature

edit: maybe it would better fit in AF Photo cause its pixel based 🤔

If it's a workaround or a technique is a matter of taste. I set up a template and this makes it quite easy to start.

The above linked tutorial indeed relies on a pixel pattern that was first created with vector objects. But one can stay in the vector domain if you use symbols instead of export to PNG. See this article at Affinity Spotlight:

https://affinityspotlight.com/article/create-repeat-patterns-with-a-live-pattern-preview-in-affinity-designer-for-ipad/

It not only works on the iPad but with any version of AD.

Cheers,
d.

[Suggestion: Pattern Generator like repper.app]

1 hour ago, BlueOcean21 said:

Would be cool, if there is a pattern generator integrated in Affinity Designer
Maybe something like: https://repper.app/

Hello @BlueOcean21 and welcome to the forum.

You can do this in AD. See these instructions:

https://www.frankentoon.com/post/creating-seamless-patterns-in-affinity-designer

It is not a tool itself but a way to set up your document. There are other tutorials, as well.

Cheers,
d.

[Tab in Tabellen]

Quote

I know it's just that the beta is further than the last full version but thanks for your quick response on this.

This was really just unfortunate timing. The release version was released just a couple of hours ago (I think) now days and there was no time for Serif to come up with a new beta.

 

4 minutes ago, A.Gonzo said:

The answer to the processing of the tables concerning the TAB`S would interest me much more

whether there is a more effective operation in planning ?

I did not answer to this on purpous because I simply don't know. As long as you don't see it mentioned in the release notes of the betas it is not know if they are working on it or not. They usually don't comment on it as well. All you can do is wait. Sorry.

d.

 

[About the focus of a radial gradient fill]

31 minutes ago, kaliun said:

When I use inkscape, I find that the SVG supports to change the position of focus for a radial gradient fill.

The docs of SVG also shows:

https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/SVG/Element/radialGradient

https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/SVG/Attribute/fy

The attributes fx and fy is the coordinates of the focal point.

I wonder if Affinity Designer has the same functions.

Hello @kaliun and welcome to the forum.

You can grab the starting point of the gradient with the mouse and move it around. But to my knowledge there is no manual input of the exact position of these coordinates.

d.

[New Document: Clipboard]

10 hours ago, walt.farrell said:

Ah, sorry. It's not there. I missed which application you were posting about.

It is, though, possible in APub to switch to the Designer and the Photo Personas and 'New From Clipboard' shows up in the File menu (and works as expected).

d.

[Batch layer rename/find replace + layer name shortcut]

11 hours ago, betheve31 said:

Has anyone found a solution for batch renaming layers/slices? 

Hello @betheve31,

welcome to the forum.

Currently there is no way to batch rename layers.

d.

[Reveal in Finder]

47 minutes ago, PaoloT said:

The Resource Manager is great, but not quick. To find something in the Finder, you have to click the object in the page, see it selected in the Layer panel, and then go to the Resource Manager to find the Show in Finder command. A right-click on the object in page would be much quicker.

I see. I missunderstood your request and assumed you do not know that this functionality is already there. Just not where you were looking for it 🙂

d.

[Reveal in Finder]

7 hours ago, PaoloT said:

A very handy command found in nearly all Mac apps is 'Reveal in Finder'. You right-click an imported element, and the context-menu also offers this command. If choosing it, you are automatically kept to the original file in the Finder.

I find it incredibly useful, to quickly locate files whose original place you are not sure about.

Also, a way to see a list of all linked objects would be very useful, but I see this is discussed somewhere else.

 

Hello @PaoloT,

this is why we have the Resource Manager ('Document > Resource Manager...'). Try and see if this works for you.

d.

[Using fonts in Publisher]

4 hours ago, Jeremy Bohn said:

I want a normal list in a plain font and a preview when I click on the font to the right or below, plus be able to quickly switch the preview between a customer phrase and all characters.

Main Type does this. But it is Windows only.

But the custom phrase is only available in the font list, not the preview. I do not know if this has changed in Version 9.

Cheers,
d.

[[AD] Shape Builder Tool]

10 minutes ago, frankstallone said:

1.8 didn't include a shape builder tool, did it? 😇

No.

d.

[Tab in Tabellen]

58 minutes ago, A.Gonzo said:

Furthermore I noticed that since I work with all three programs, the full versions have the version number
of the full version the version numbers " 1.8.2.620 " and the beta (APB) " 1.8.2.619 ".

Hi @A.Gonzo,

this is due to the fact that there is currently no new beta version. The release version is the latest.

d.

[Feature Request: Shape Builder]

On 3/18/2020 at 3:03 PM, affinityfan said:

+1

 

41 minutes ago, B13eL said:

+1

Hi @affinityfan & hi @B13eL,

would you please be so kind when posting '+1' posts indicating what you are supporting. Is it a 'Shape Builder Tool' or a better named thread or 'Feature Request' in general? Otherwise your postings have not much meaning to others. You could do this by quoting the part of the message you want to '+1'.

And, of course @affinityfan welcome to the forum 🙂

Thank you both,
d.

[[Multi] RTL language text support]

1 hour ago, Sam Neil said:

Guy's realistically when do you think you will have RTL support on APUB? Version 2.0?

I have no idea when this may happen.

What I have found (on Windows) is an 'api-ms-win-core-rtlsupport-l1-1-0.dll' file in the program's directory.

I assume Serif won't comment on that 🙂

d.

 

[Layer names shown in alphabetical or numerical list]

I think, @eab's suggestion could be an interesting enhancement to the layers panel. But at the same time I share @walt.farrell's point about layers stacking order.

This could be solved with the addition of layer tags. Currently layers can be assigned colours. Layer tags would be similar to these colours just that they are keywords. Some of the these keywords could automatically* be generated from layer names or even text content. Others could be assigned manually.

Additionally to layer tags add a filter and sorting feature to the layers panel. That way one can show layers in any custom way without changing the stacking order.

What do you think?
d.

 

* Perhaps(?) all properties of a layer could be automatically layer tags. This could be one way to include the missing 'Select Same' feature that gets discussed and requested over and over.

[Resize Document/Artboard to Fit to Selected Art]

19 hours ago, evtonic3 said:

Would be great to be able to create or resize artboards/documents from selected art.

Hi @evtonic3,

Switch to the Artboard Tool. Then from the 'Size' dropdown (top left) select 'Selection' and hit 'Insert Artboard'.

But there is no automatic way to resize an artboard to a selected object.

Cheers,
d.

[The gray(t) Affinity Wall]

31 minutes ago, Fritz_H said:

nope.
Usability-Analysis usually combines professionals from multiple disciplines, like technology, psychology, sociology and medical.
Usability does not care about YOU but about "all" (or the average person) 

e.g. since the human eye has less "sensors" for blue, this color is not suitable for alarms and signaling etc.
We can see red very well. Because of that traffic-signs are mostly red with white and black.
Why no green? because red-green color blindness is the most common one. Those people could no see the message of a Traffic Sign designed in red and green

Usability-experts ask questions like: why do I have to feed the Bank-Card into the ATM correctly?
Why isn´t the machine designed such way, so that I can insert the Card any direction?
Solution could be easy: just put the Chip into the middle of the Card and add 2 Chip-Contact-Modules (top and bottom) into the ATM.

absurd example?
well, have you ever used a USB-Type A ? I guess, you also hate the people who designed that nonsense - esp. since we have USB-C

Ever changed Toner in a copy-machine? you will notice that the a Toner-Cartridge only fits into the correct slot.
Even if you are completely Color-Blind - you can not do it wrong. This is also Usability.

Why do you think the Buttons of a copy-machine are on the right of the device?
because most people are right-handed.

In a Forum-Posting someone suggested to change the levelling-tool of Photo to work in a 2step-process, like the Crop Tool.
Thats a good approach to increase usability since its stupid to force the User to keep the input-Device-button pressed while doing precision-work.

Or take the new "new File"-Dialog of the Affinity-Applications:
several fails: big static "Preview"-Icons but they are completely useless besides the Info e.g. "A4":
all same size, all same color, all same orientation which does not adapt to User-Settings (portrait vs. landscape),  not sortable, no favorites etc.
The Search-Box is also on the right, but should be above the useless big Document-icons.
The important part with all the specs is squeezed to the right , even the Color-Profile-Info does not fit.

Usability is a complex thing; keep in mind the rule: "don´t make me think"

kind regards
Fritz

I think you make some valid points. But your very example of the copy-machine proofs that (product or software) design can only hardly serve all needs of all users. It leaves left handed people out completely.

I do not want to fight about this. I think good design is a really hard thing to do. And thus it is worthful to add and collect ideas to improve things as it is done here.

Cheers,
d.

[Feature Request: Feather]

41 minutes ago, Aammppaa said:

@dominik Feather only affects the edge of a shape, where Guassian blur will affect everything.

On a simple shape, as shown there is no effective difference, but try giving your shape a bitmap fill, and you will see that this too gets blurred.

This 2009 page from Xara shows the difference…

http://outsider.xara.com/tutorials/may09/feathering.htm

OK, this makes sense. This can be accomplished only with workarounds (e.g. an inner glow against a uni coloured background).

In this regard it seems to be appropriate to support this request 🙂

d.

[The gray(t) Affinity Wall]

8 hours ago, Fritz_H said:

by Usability Experts 

I still have not got used to what 'Usability Experts' have done to Microsoft Office with their 'ribbons'. I keep searching and searching.

I am not against improvements and suggestions towards usability. But I question some of the things these experts come up with.

Note: I admit that usability is a very individual thing and it is very hard to serve every one's needs.

d.

[Feature Request: Feather]

2 hours ago, Lindsay Gibb said:

The one thing I miss the most from Illustrator is "Feather"   (Effect/Stylize/Feather) I used it regularly, now I'm loving Designer and have been for quite some time, but would be over the moon to have that feature !

Hello @Lindsay Gibb,

what would be different from Illustrator's 'Feather' effect when using AD's 'Layer Effects > Gaussian Blur'? See screenshot:

Cheers,
d.

[System requirements.... PLEASE HELP]

10 minutes ago, Als_Short said:

I was thinking the lenovo was going to be a better machine if I'm honest. I'm guessing having a dedicated graphics card using it's own RAM has got to be better than an intergrated using shared graphics when processing images. 

A general advice would be to have as much RAM as possible. I do not refer to the graphic card's own RAM but to the memory built into the computer. It helps to make working more 'fluid'.

d.

[DXF or DWG file import in Affinity Designer]

13 hours ago, Display Name. said:

Its March 2020 now, Affinity Designer update 1.8.1... Still no .dxf export possible?!

When can we expect this to happen?

Hello @Display Name.,

welcome to the forum. In case you did not read this entire thread before posting I want to point you to the following statement (from page 5):

In other words it is not likely to see this feature in the 1.X line of the software. But this is just a guess from my side based on the statement above. For sure it will not be available within a short time since it is not part of the current beta versions. Only features that are in beta are close to be included in the next update.

Cheers,
d.

[Paste as Plain Text]

4 hours ago, Mandu said:

Simply pasting any text into windows notepad will make it plain and then copy/paste that text into any application will also make it plain. No need for some external programs.

This is true and is something I do when at another person's computer where I have to rely on what is available. But one has to consider Notepad also as an external program in regard to Affinity. Only that it is already there 😉

Cheers,
d.

[Option for »Text as Curves« restricted to linked resources only]

Maybe you could create a version within your AD file where all text is converted to curves? Then hide the original. Then you spare the extra step of exporting to PDF as Walt suggested.
You could keep these seperate in two folder layers. One contains the original design, the other contains the vector only version. This should not be too much of organisation.

I assume hidden layers will not get exported from APub.

d.

[preferences: add option to remove/hide brush outline]

2 hours ago, mick560 said:

I didn't have this problem with the 2018 issue  but since I downloaded the 2020 there is the bloody cross hair again and I can't get rid of it, can't believe they havn't done anything about it, how are you supposed to be able to do any fine detail with that thing in the way ?

Doesn't this option work for you?

[Feature choice in Publisher preflight]

10 hours ago, Robin Rowland said:

Specifically turn off the spell check and just see any other potential problems.

Hello @Robin Rowland,

unless I am misunderstanding your request you can do this. In the Preflight panel look for the little menu icon right to the profiles dropdown. There you select 'Edit Profile' and close to the bottom of the list you find 'Spelling'. There you set it to 'Disabled'.

d.