Michael S Harvey

I don't know if anyone has noticed this bug but if you create an artistic text letter R,B,P,D and convert it to curves to create a vector object. Then clone that object with a CTRL drag. Select the cloned object and flip it horizontally. Then bring them together, so the stalk overlaps to give a mirrored, merged effect. Then select both images and use the geometry add function, the objects do not join as expected. The one on the right fills in the hole in the R, B, P, D but leaves the object on the left as is. I have included a document for you to try and replicate this for yourself. The object on the left is what the add function should do (created in DrawPlus). All you have to do is select both of the objects on the right and select geometry add function. This bug also occurs in Affinity Designer. Geometry bug.afpub

Sounds like a job for Serif's Scan Stitch and Share. Unfortunately, it was a legacy product and has been discontinued. It was limited to 300dpi and only existed on Windows. You might be able to get a copy on Ebay. However, as it was based on Serif's Panorama Plus then serif might be able to tweak Affinity Photo's Panorama algorithms to provide a similar function. Nuance PaperPort may have offered a similar function, but I cannot remember.

What? No request for an OpenBSD version of Affinity? A very stable UNIX environment could do with the support. To be honest, Serif have to go where the money is. Effort cannot be expended on projects for which there will not be suitable remuneration. Such is the neocapitalist environment of business and the limitation of free market economics. So, I won't hold my breath for a version for the Amiga or Atari ST.

PDF security is not yet supported in Affinity under version 1.xxx. You will need a third party PDF editor to modify and edit security on PDFs. I use Ashampoo PDF Pro 3 for such work, which I got for under £9 when it was on offer. Mind you, version 2 of Affinity may have some useful stuff added when it arrives. +1 for the suggestion though.

Right. I see. Perfect Blend.svg

Either. Initially vectors, but can export vectors or bitmaps. This was the DrawPlus blend tool at work.

I take it you don't mean this type of blend tool. But something else.

Actually there are two features I miss from DrawPlus. The perspective tool for easy rotation and manipulation of objects on the page, The shadow tool for easy addition and placement of a drop shadow on the page. I also miss the ability to produce a perspective drop shadow. Like this.

This does Calendars. https://www.broderbund.com/printmaster-v8

"Someday when Affinity offers scripting it would be easy to create a calendar wizard. I might write a script to draw stylized calendars because it would be straightforward and a fun project. But then once you've done that somebody will want holidays and you'll spend a lot of time finding a source of international holiday data. And then somebody will want you to add support for the 13-month Coptic calendar and the next thing you know it will no longer be a fun little project and will be real work. I think I've already talked myself out of it." And the formulae for calculating both Passover and Easter are ... a course of higher mathematics away.

Mac only. Looks quite good though. https://www.thekeptpromise.com/CreateBooklet/ A few other options. Bookbinder PDF seem quite powerful and is written in Jython. Theoretically, that means it could be set up to run on other platforms. Not just Windows. https://fixthephoto.com/best-free-booklet-creator.html

Not sure but Anti-Shingle is included in Clickbook 4.4 Modify Layout The Modify Layout dialog box allows the user to make permanent changes to any layout format. It also allows the user to save their changes as a new layout by selecting Save As or to save their changes over an existing layout by clicking done. To access the Modify Layout dialog go to Layouts on the menu bar, and select Modify Layouts. Layout: Displays the current layout. Style: Booklet Type - Select a booklet style such as Cut book, Folded book, French fold, Planner pages, Poster, Tiled, Tri-fold and Zine. Anti-Shingle - In large folded booklets with more than 10 sheets of paper the edges start to creep out in the center untilrinting with ClickBook 16 the edge looks like a V. We call this shingling. ClickBook can move the page towards the center so you can cut offexcess paper without cutting into printed text. Mini-pgs. on Sheet - Select how many pages to put on a single sheet of paper. Sheet Orientation - Select if you want the sheet to print in Portrait or Landscape Orientation. Repeat - The effect of Repeat depends on the current Layout. Repeat can be used to print more copies when there aren't enough mini-pages to fill the sheet. Repeat can also be used, alternatively, to avoid the step of assembling multiple booklets. Printer (* Settings are layout specific.) Paper Size - Select the size of paper you want to use. NOTE: Default paper size is specified by the Operating System. Paper Tray - Select the printer paper tray you wish to use. Print Quality - Select the print quality you wish to print with. Print Color - Select between Color and Monochrome. Binding Binding Edge - Choose how you want the binding edge Printing Print Sides - Select to print on one side or both sides of paper. Sub Booklets Sub-Booklets - Rather than folding a whole booklet together, you may wish to print and fold sub-booklets separately, and then bind them together. Mark the check box to activate sub-booklet printing. Then set Pages-per to the number of pages you want each sub-booklet to contain. Scaling Absolute Dimensions - ClickBook sets the Mini-page dimensions to fill a sheet of paper. You can set the dimensions by turning on Absolute Dimensions. Width - Specify the width to match a custom page size. Height - Specify the height to match a custom page size. Scaling - Choose the type of scaling to use, either One to One, No Scaling, or Stretch to fit. Margins Paper Margins - Allows you to change the margins for a sheet of paper. Mini-Page Margins - Allows you to change the mini-page margins for the current Layout. Adjust Mini Pages - Allows you to make corrections to the mini page(s) position. Can be used for Front and Back adjustments. Change Icon - If you are saving a custom layout you can change the icon graphic associated with the layout. Carbonless Copies - Input the amount of carbonless copies you would like to print for a specific form. Carbon # - Adjust settings for carbonless copies. Form - Allows you to add custom forms and/or Letterhead. (Leave blank for no forms to print.) Form only on first page - Only prints selected form on Page #1 Layout Description - Gives you a brief definition for the selected layout.. Save and Close - Saves any changes made to the current Layout. Save As New Layout - Opens the Save As dialog box to save the layout with a new name Use Factory Settings - Reverts all changes back to the original settings. Help- Launches the help file. Cancel - Closes the Modify Layouts dialog. As for Booklet Creator you can download a free version to try it out.

Something for Mac and Windows https://www.bookletcreator.com/ https://www.bluesquirrel.com/products/clickbook/

What ever happened to Ragtime? I tell you what. If Serif could get Publisher to integrate or interact with LATEX for technical documentation then there would be a major academic interest in the program. That would probably be a dream feature.

Fortunately, I have Ashampoo PDF Editor 3 which allows me to automatically split it into separate pages, but it's a shame that the option isn't available in the export aspect of Publisher. Obviously, I could just export as raster images, but I prefer the PDF output for online printing services.

One useful feature that would be nice to have is the ability to export multipage documents as separate PDF files. Essentially allowing each page to be in its own PDF document. This would be especially useful when using publisher to design a range of items with a uniform design style in one document, but then splitting it for upload to a printing service. A third party PDF manager can step in to provide such a service, but if Affinity allowed it as a feature, then it might actually be more straight forward. For example, my mug designs in one document could then be sent individually to a print service.

Fair enough. As for Calendars, PagePlus and Microsoft Publisher are the only ones I can think of. Xara Designer may do it, but I'd have to research more into it. For the life of me, I cannot remember if Deneba Canvas did calendars. Probably not. I'm also not sure if Pagestream has kept up with development to provide these facilities. There also used to be Green Street Publisher, but that was aimed more at the home user, despite having excellent bar code creation features built in to it.

Well, I have just been surveyed by the Affinity Team. It looks like they are preparing to release the next paid update. One of the questions asked suggested a possible subscription option in paying for Affinity. Well, if it is offered alongside paying for the software and owning a version, then there would probably be no harm in that. Hopefully a bundle price will also be upcoming for Affinity Studio.

As an experiment in getting poetry onto every day items, I thought a set of mugs might be interesting. This was an interesting trial. I chose The Goddess of Autumn as it is the most classical style of poem I have written. The font used is Ink Journal and the image is a vector traced version of an excellent image from Pixabay. I used Artistic Text and Alignment Tools to create the staggered line layout. The emboss effect was used to add a little interest to the main text design. Here are eight JPG files of medium quality to showcase the designs.

As I remember, Serif Pageplus was sold as a "professional" desktop publishing solution that was also suitable for the amateur. I always took that to mean it produced output of professional level quality, which for the most part it did, despite a lot of commercial printers not taking it seriously. Affinity Publisher also produces professional quality output. Affinity designer should really say it is "a new industry standard" or that it is "on course to be the new industry standard". The problem with sales speak is it has to sound grand to peak customer interest. I am old enough to remember the release of the Sinclair QL "professional" computer. In this case, they were using the word professional to mean "serious" computer able to fulfil a professional role. Sadly, neither the professional nor the serious users in business never took it seriously, with good reason. Let's just be aware that the Affinity Software Range can be used professionally. It may not yet fulfil every professional, or for that matter amateur, user's needs, but then what software does? Affinity is not really aimed at the amateur, but can be used by amateurs.

After desgining some mugs and mousemats on VistaPrint using Affinity software. I decided to download the blank templates and save them as Affinity templates for ease of use. I share them here with you all. Michael. Vistaprint Mousemat blank.zip Vistaprintmugblanktemplate.zip

Affinity is regenerating!

True. Although, I keep my registration key with the DVD release. However, as long as I have a copy of that, the full installer would work fine. The only issue may be installing PPX9 without all the fonts. Easier to do with the DVD, I believe.

I think the latest full installer will suffice in patching the older DVD release. At least that is my own experience. I'm sure Patrick will be able to confirm that that is still the case.

Affinity Publisher is probably the best replacement, but it is nowhere near as powerful as PPX9. In fact you would probably need the whole Affinity Suite to provide anything near to the all under the hood power of PPX9. As Alfred suggests, get a DVD USB drive and install onto your new laptop. Make sure you buy a reputable branded one. Although you may have trouble downloading the latest patches. I believe Alfred may have a possible solution to that.