Fritz_H

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Well, not referring to the main topic? I will take this as an answer, Thanks.

? "devalue" ? did not see it that way - Your answer just made me unsure (uncertain?) whether I could explain my idea properly/intelligibly...

@emmrecs01 An acceptable answer would have been: Hi Fritz, Thanks for the reminder. We are sorry, that this bug still is not fixed - I will forward your input to the development-team. But as it seems, Serif-Development is struggling again: - shipping Betas with crash-errors at basic-basic-functions (Crop). - failed to provide a new beta on the next day with (just) the crop-crash fixed . (Did they really expect people to evaluate a beta with such a basic feature missing??) - still having issues to provide proper hardware-acceleration. (technology not invented just yesterday). - I pointed out an issue with White-balance in the first 1.9-beta - the Serif-answer was VERY hesistant to confirm that issue. - still no way to import images from scanners (on Windows) - perhaps the developers from the freeware "paint.net" may help? - lots of usability-flaws not fixed - etc.

Thanks for your reply. Perhaps the key-point (?) of my idea got lost in translation: I think about one (1 !) mask - which can be used in/for multiple layers - either 1:1 or inverted. (I mentioned the inverted - option in my original-posting just to increase the usefulness of such a master-mask) If I change/edit this one "master mask" this change will affect all layers that utilize this master-mask. Perhaps it´s easier to visualize it like master-pages in DTP or slide-masters in PPT.

"Thanks" for "patronizing" (?) me regarding my posting, where I reported that even the most recent Beta still does not properly recognize Image-Orientation. (While a 7 year old Operating System - Windows 8.1 - has no issues with that rocket-science - task...) "Thanks" for closing my posting to further replies. I am considering an answer similar to yours: Please don´t close postings to stop discussions. Instead, fix the bugs that are unsolved since at least one year! Thanks.

Thanks for your effort to explain that method to me - honestly those "channels" are "uncharted territory" for me... I would appreciate a more simple and intuitive method.

1. I fully agree with you suggestion - one more example of those many usability-issues the Affinity-Products have... 2. I fully understand your frustration with people who refuse to understand the principle of usability...

Since I am far from being a Pro-User, I am not aware if such a feature perhaps already exists... How about something I would call "Master Masks"? Often I find myself in the situation where I want to appy an effect only to a certain area (e.g. the sky) and apply a different adjustment to the exact opposite area (everthing except the sky). I think in situations like this a "Master Mask" would be useful: Create one mask and use it (perhaps even inverted.. ) for multiple layers. Changes to that one "master mask" should apply to all layers that use this "master". What do you think?

This issue still exists in the most recent Beta: This time Photo does not recognize the orientation of Pictures (JPG) taken with a Samsung Galaxy M31 when image is added to an open document via drag-n-drop or via the "place"-command. File - Open does work properly. (again: "old" Windows 8.1 does show the thumbnail correctly) Note: issue does not occur with HEIC-image-files taken with the same device. (edit: I tried to add this image as an attachment for testing purposes, but it´s displayed on screen... 😕 sorry )

I know: offtopic; will keep it short: Thanks, Enterprise-Versions of Windows are not available to individuals - only in large amounts for enterprise-customers.

Thanks for your answer. Windows 8.1 will receive monthly updates until 2023 - without any risk of buggy feature-updates (which usually add features nobody asked for...) Perhaps I need to get a second system with "Spy-Windows 10" for image editing and keep my Windows 8.1-Device for work with data I do not want to share with MS, CIA, NSA etc..? Thanks anyhow.

Thanks for your polite but not helpful answer; I guess that you understood exactly what I wanted to express - esp. since OpenCL was enabled in previous 1.9-Betas for a wider range of HW and OS. again: Are these limitations final or just temporary for a certain phase during development? Thanks.

Are these limitations final or just temporary for a certain phase during development? or in other words: do you really force me to downgrade from Windows 8.1 to "Windows-Spy-Edition with built-in Ads and GDPR-violation" - also called "Windows 10" ?

I am in no way a Pro-User but I know some of these people - any how "very special" their clients are: "minor changes" that cause hours of work, last minute changes etc.. Time often is crutial. But as it seems, you are starting to argue on a personal level. Let´s stop here.

I explained that already: to make pro-Users use the Beta. No Pro-User will waste his time using a (buggy) Beta knowing that all work is lost if the Beta turns our to be too buggy to continue work. You always refer to "new and unsupported" features. There are not that many new features you need to worry about... And dropping features on Import would be very easy - even Microsoft-Office-Products can handle that. (e.g. Powerpoint: save as older format will notify you that some features will get lost.. but most of the content is still available = work not completely lost..)

Did you read the part where I pointed out that it is possible to provide a certain level of compatibility - it just needs to be implemented. This may attract more pro-Users to use the Beta and provide valueable Feedback since they will not risk to lose time in case the Beta has a major issue and they have to switch back to the release version. I know, that Serif does not recomment to use the Beta in production use, but only this type of usage will provide really useful Feedback.

I guess I tried to explain, that it is possible to provide a certain level of compatibility: Either with a "save as" in the Beta or by dropping unsupported features on Import. (even Microsoft-Stuff can do this...) "..at our own risk." I know, but this will shy away the pro-Users who may provide the most valuable Feedback.

@Chris B Please take the following as constructive criticism: You provide these Beta-Versions for at least 2 reasons: - to allow us to get an impression of things to come... - to help you to collect Feedback about Bugs and Issues etc. Problem: - even if the Beta does not provide new features, it is not file-compatible with the release-Version. This makes it very unattractive to test the Beta with real-life Data and Projects: In case a major issue in the Beta stops progress, the (Pro-) User has to start from scratch using the release-Version = losing time. - do you expect many more users to test the most recent beta .820 as long as such a simple thing as Crop does not work? I will no test this Version for sure. (The next Beta I will test, is the one, with the White-Balance-Issue with ROMM ( with OpenCL) finally fixed.) I can imagine the fight in your development-Team: some may want to provide a fixed Beta .821 ?) while others may want to wait and add some more new features. Howsoever, I think you already make us wait (too?) long for a fixed Beta. I think you should consider making the Beta-Versions file-compatible with the Release-Version. This can be done by either just dropping all "new" features when importing the file in the Release Version or by offering a "save as Release-Version" - Option in the Beta (which also may drop or rasterize unsupported Features) Thanks.

That is proper german language, but perhaps not that low quality wording that modern german suffers from.... The wording in this case could be improved like this: "Allen Text zeigen" "Allen Text verbergen" This will increase the perceptional difference on the action that happens here: show vs. hide. which is weaker with 2 very similar words (einblenden vs ausblenden).

Perhaps it´s about time to go metric? :-)

hm.. this may be perhaps the "correct" word, but for me "Überlauf" is more intuitive.

In case your posting was an answer to my message: Perhaps this is a case of "lost in translation" but I am not complaining at all; I just explained my point of view.

@Mark Ingram Suggestion: since the list of changes and fixes just shows issued you are already aware of: How about more information which new/changed/experimental features you want us to test in more detail? something like: "We changed the <e.g.> blur-filter. How does it perform on your system? Are you satisfied with the result?" and perhaps even offer a survey-form for those points of your interest? For example: you posted: "added hardware-acceleration". great! but... for which features? what in detail should be faster now? what exactly do you want us to test and report? Zoom-in/out speed? Filters sped up? etc.. This forum is very busy - I guess you know, that most of us want to help to improve your product.

....and this justifies to pay even more money for features which I will not use? :-) Please don´t get me wrong: I fully understand and support that pro-users need such a feature. But please: make it an independent application that is open to applications from other developers.