Cealcrest

Weekend update. Finished the book covers and the door windows insides/reflections. Have some text to do on the window stickers sometime. Working on the first floor window reflections then on to the brickwork.
 

I agree 100% so I've updated the request as it hadn't been nudged for a while - thanks!

PLEASE enable a PERMANENT way to reset an object’s bounding box without workarounds! 

I posted about this in 2015 and it’s still an unresolved issue, with users asking about this in the OP. Is there anyway to make this permanent, ie, baked into the object? it’s really a hindrance to constantly work around BASIC functionality… PLEASE!
https://forum.affinity.serif.com/index.php?/forum/138-21-new-features-and-improvements/
Thanks for your consideration !

I've seen this issue and there have been a few other reports of it. Serif is looking into it but it's not serious, many actions will make the handles reappear. Try changing tools (Frame Text to Move and back or vice versa), try changing apps and back again, try changing documents and back again, try changing the magnification level...

I'm a little startled by bugs I encountered in quick succession since this upgrade:
A textbox lost its handles and there was no way to get them to appear — I could move the entire text around and otherwise manipulate the text, but could never see the box or the selection.  A similar experience with the gradient tool: handles disappeared, but moving the mouse around changed the gradient. A linked resource did not show up in the Resource Manager, even after save and re-open. Yet the resource was in the layers and was visible. I'm going to downgrade for now, but I hope new versions will be out soon!

Hi all, 
We're aware of this issue, please use the workaround discussed above in the meantime.
Lee
 

Looks like just finding the delete shortcut (didn't realize "delete" was a shortcut) and then typing the `delete` key as the shortcut fixed it for me.

I was going to simplify it but changed my mind. Have only finished the bottom left and top right of those windows. Still quite a few books window to redraw too. Who knew that bookshops had so many books! Back to using AD v1 as it's just nicer in a number of ways and as my requirements are simple it's no loss.

Hi All,
We have just made 2.2 live across all App Stores and our website. As always, the feedback we have received from you all during this beta has been an incredible help in both shaping the new features as well as squashing many bugs!
The build we have released is the same as RC3 (build 2005), meaning for the time being whether you use the latest beta version or switch to using the release version they are the same. If you anticipate taking part in the next beta you may wish to keep your current beta version installed, as this will be updated on auto update when a new beta is available. This will either be a 2.2 patch if we feel one is needed, or moving straight onto a 2.3 beta.
It would be impossible for us to do what we do without your support, and I just wanted to say a huge thanks for everything you have contributed to this release.
All the best,
Ash

Hi @Cealcrest,
With regards to your 'first page glitch', you have the same outer shadow FX applied to both your picture frame and the picture itself, pastedImage-7.png. If you remove the Outer Shadow FX from the picture your file should then export correctly.

I'm not actually seeing an issue with your 'second page glitch' file when exporting page 2 either with or without the Outer Shadow FX applied to both the picture frame and the picture but I suspect it's caused by a similar issue...
For your David Brock Smith flyer, the issue is that exporting to PDF (for print) or PDF (press-ready) doesn't support the unflattened transparency of the Outer Shadow FX for either the red band across the top of the page or for the US flag.
This can be seen by exporting using either PDF/X-1a, PDF/X3 or PDF (flatten) presets or by changing the Rasterise Unsupported Graphics in the Advanced Export section for the other PDF presets to Everything, (though the latter will rasterise all the text as well), all of which will flatten the transparency and overcome the issue.
So your options are to either export using either PDF/X-1a or PDF/X3 (Note: you'll see the same issue exporting using PDF/X4) or to rasterise the red band and flag layers unchecking Preserve Layer FX when asked.

Doing this for both the red band and the flag then allows you to export the file using either PDF (for print) or PDF (press-ready).

Adding grain to a photo is a nice way to emulate vintage images, especially older black and white photos. It has always bothered me a bit that Affinity Photo does not include a mechanism to introduce grain, other than to use the “Add Noise” filter. While adding noise is nice, it adds such a fine amount of variation that it is often quite literally unnoticeable.
I have admired the Film Grain effect that is available in other software, such as Nik’s Silver Efex. These filters can often vary grain size and intensity; sometimes grain can be added to shadows, midtones, and highlights in differing amounts.
What I’ve attached is an .afmacros file called Film Grain. This is a macros Category and should be imported into the Library panel. It includes two macros. The first is called Add Film Grain - simple. It allows the user to add grain with 2 parameters – intensity and size.
Grain - Intensity
The grain intensity defaults to 100%, but can be set to any value between 0 and 100. At 0% intensity, the grain effectively disappears. To understand intensity, think “contrast.”
Grain - Size
The size slider accepts values between 0 and 1, with the default being 0.2. The appropriate value will differ based on the image being treated, and the same perceived size might need higher values when the overall dimensions of the image are larger. Also note that values above 0.8 are rounded down to 0.8 (and this forms an effective upper limit to the slider). This is done primarily because the math breaks down at higher values.
The second macro is called Add Film Grain - by tonal range. It includes the same intensity and size parameters, but also lets the user set opacity levels for highlights, midtones, and shadows separately.
Grain Opacity - Highlights, Midtones, and Shadows
There are three separate sliders for highlights, midtones, and shadows respectively. Each defaults to 100%, but can be set to values between 0 and 100. While the “simple” macro creates a single Film Grain layer, the “tonal range” version creates a group containing 3 layers, one each for the three tonal ranges. The Grain Opacity sliders simply vary the opacity of the corresponding layers within that group.
Finishing Touches
When each of the macros finishes, the Blend Range for the result (the Film Grain layer in the case of the “simple” macro, and the Group in the case of the “tonal range” macro) is set to diminish the effect of the grain on the highlights slightly. This is an aesthetic choice on my part, and I think you will agree. However, you can set the Blend Range to anything you might like, as desired.
*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *
For most users, the “simple” macro will be enough. It lets the editor vary the Intensity of the grain and also the Size. I have always liked adding grain that was a bit larger, because it becomes more noticeable.
For other users, the “tonal range” macro will allow you to add some additional nuance to the grain, by letting you emphasize grain in the shadows, midtones and highlights. Do this by first setting a global Intensity and Size, and then adjusting the opacity of the 3 tone ranges as desired.
*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *
Here are samples of the two macros, along with the settings as applied. The differences between the two results is quite subtle, but might be worth the effort in some cases.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *
As with all the macros I have posted, I have tested these on one computer under a limited number of conditions. I cannot guarantee anything, but I have no reason to think they will not work for you just as they have for me. The macros are free, with the suggestion to “pay it forward.” As you become more proficient, be sure to share your experience and your work with others.
By the way, happy holidays to everyone. Here’s hoping that 2021 is a more positive, uplifting year than 2020. And maybe, just maybe, we’ll be able to ring in 2022 in a crowd without any masks!
Film Grain.afmacros

Use Symbols.
Create your sticker as a Symbol. Duplicate underneath. Ensure Sync is OFF, and add a white stroke to outline everything. Duplicate the sticker again. Sync still OFF, and fill black, set opacity, add Gaussian Blur FX if desired to get shadow. Addition of a black stroke allows control of Shadow size. Turn Sync ON so that alterations to the sticker propagate to the Outline and Shadow versions.  
 
Sticker with Outline and Shadow.afdesign

As apps across the art and design spectrum integrate more AI-based tools, Affinity is going to be left in the dust if they don't adapt. That's just the hard truth.
I'm not pro-AI by any means, but I can read the writing on the wall.

And so it begins.
Adobes big marketing claims of "its all legally backed up" are turning to dust.
Question is; will Adobe honor its claims of legally compensating Artists they stole from and compensate them against Adobe?

Not quite.
Photo has more than just the Photo persona: it also has tone mapping, RAW developing, the export persona, the liquify persona, none of which are available via StudioLink in Publisher.  Even in the Photo persona, the actual Photo application supports the various stack/merge features and the batch processing feature, all of which are missing from Publisher.
Designer also has the export persona and the pixel persona.  The pixel persona is kind of pointless in Publisher if you also have Photo, but if you do not have Photo, then it would still add something of value.  Publisher does not have anything like the export persona at this time.
There have been several requests to unite these into one application with ALL of the features in one place, but these have consistently been shot down by Serif.

Hi @Cealcrest I just tried this and it worked as described in the linked video: I'm currently on macOS Big Sur.
But I think I just replicated the problem you described.  When you drag the files into Publisher's Document View and hold down the option key, ensure you're anywhere over one of the pages of your document.  Anywhere.  Do that and the Place Images panel will magically appear and be filled with your images.  However, if you drop the files in the background outside one of the pages (I believe the correct term for this area is the pasteboard), then you'll get them opening in tabs as you described.
It doesn't matter when you option-drop the files onto the page if they're over a picture frame or not.  That frame will not be populated at that stage.  That will only happen when the Place Images panel has loaded up and you click a frame to place the first image - or click a blank space on the page to place the next image without requiring a frame.
Hope this helps?
if that doesn't resolve it for you, then a screen recording would help shed more light on exactly how that's not working for you.

Can you be more specific?

All of what you describe here is perfectly possible to accomplish without any use of AI image technology, it's just harder. But I think you know that. I agree with you that AI will make heavy image manipulation more accessible to anyone and that this is not necessarily a good thing. But please let's not forget that Serif explicitly targets professional users with their Affinity Suite. The praise of AI comes from both worlds, but for different reasons: Non-professionals may see their capabilities extend, and in part dramatically. Professionals on the other hand will be able to do much more in much less time, and this totally makes sense from a business perspective. The less time you spend on an editing job, the more time you have to do another one.
Now, I don't say that this is the solution to all our problems, and I also don't say that it's not a good idea to be skeptical about AI. But I do understand why people from many different backgrounds say that they "need" this – be it to be able to do more (which, by the way, even applies to many professionals) or to save time. It's just that when you think about it, saying they "want" this might often be the more honest approach.

Please note that if you drop the ball entirely on this and AI in general, this could have catastrophic consequences for the Affinity Suite as we know it.
You might not have any immediate plans, but if this doesn't change (and users arent made aware of it), then its too big of a feature gap for people to ignore.
AI has even changed the definition of what a "photo" is, so you simply cannot afford to ignore it.
This is truly a potential divergence point for Affinity. I hope the right path is chosen.

This has been happening to both my V1 and V2 Designer for months. I'm not using any kind of file sync when saving/exporting. My files are all saved locally to my laptop.
If I don't save immediately prior to export, then it does not hang. So my workaround is to save, then select an object and adjust it by one pixel in any direction and then back, and only then proceed to export persona. This prevents the hang every time.
I share that in case it's relevant and so others can use it until a fix is issued.

This has been happening to both my V1 and V2 Designer for months. I'm not using any kind of file sync when saving/exporting. My files are all saved locally to my laptop.
If I don't save immediately prior to export, then it does not hang. So my workaround is to save, then select an object and adjust it by one pixel in any direction and then back, and only then proceed to export persona. This prevents the hang every time.
I share that in case it's relevant and so others can use it until a fix is issued.

This has been happening to both my V1 and V2 Designer for months. I'm not using any kind of file sync when saving/exporting. My files are all saved locally to my laptop.
If I don't save immediately prior to export, then it does not hang. So my workaround is to save, then select an object and adjust it by one pixel in any direction and then back, and only then proceed to export persona. This prevents the hang every time.
I share that in case it's relevant and so others can use it until a fix is issued.

This was something that we have only just found the cause of and we have fixed it in the next available version.
2.1.0 is already a release candidate and will be available very soon (weeks) as a free update to anyone who has bought version 2.

Apps: All
Platforms: Windows, macOS and iPad
In my account, from the burger menu from within My add-ons you can now optionally expose a new search bar. This gives you the ability to search your content by a search term, or filter based on the type of content it is (brushes, assets, etc.)

The tooltip shows for me as Edit Hyperlink in Publisher v2 on macOS but the icon is also an empty circle for me. This icon is what is shown in the Help system so it may be by design but it looks like a placeholder and feels unfinished. I'm not sure what it should be but an empty circle doesn't convey edit.
I'm unsure why you're getting the wrong tooltip. I tried closing and re-opening the panel, docking and undocking it, adding more links and selecting different ones, but I couldn't get the wrong tooltip to appear.
In this screenshot the mouse pointer is over the empty circle, macOS really didn't want to capture the mouse pointer even though I had that set.