elec164

Yes and no. Yes Apple requires any app sold in its store to meet specific security protocols. But it's up to Serif whether it wishes to do that or not. And as I mentioned earlier, it's not like it can't be done. The DxO Nik plugins work just fine (well other than the color management issue that is but that's not an Apple App vs Serif site version issue). So I don't know if this falls on Serif's shoulders or Topaz. Unfortunately it's a catch 22. Serif only guarantees it's program to run on Apple OS (and it does) and Topaz only gaurantees their plug-ins are Adobe certified (I no longer use Adobe products but from what I read from other it appears to work in PS). Actually I just took advantage of Serif's Covid half price sale and discovered I much prefer the Nik plug-ins over Topaz anyway! Now if they can only sort out the color management issue!

I would think someone should be able to fix this. I'm no computer expert either but I bought DxO NIK plugins and they work fine when invoked from within Affinity Photo (granted I had to jump through some hoops to get them all to show up in the Filters menu). That seems to indicate that it can be done. It just depends on who's end the issue is, Serif or Topaz. The plugins show up in the Filters drop down menu and when you click on one they show in the history that the plugin was invoked, but nothing happens. On the other hand when I click on the NIK plugins in the Filters drop down menu the image opens up in the plugin and when saved the results show up in Affinity Photo.

I think this thread answers the question. It list four difference with three being related to older OS version compatibility, updates and authorization. The third mentions the Apple Store version being sandboxed. It seems to my inexperienced eye the sandboxing is causing the issue. Perhaps someone from Serif can confirm.

Cecil, it would seem the difference is that the Apple App version is sandboxed. In full disclosure while I've had AP for some time, I've only started to use it more seriously. Reason being is that with my older MacBook I was using Photoshop CS6 Perpetual License. And while back then I dabbled with AP I preferred the devil I knew vs the devil I didn't. That changed when I bought a new MacBook which had Catalina in which CS6 would not run. Wanting a better sharpening tool I investigated to find one that used deconvolution. With a bit of research I bought the photographers bundle of Topaz Labs AI. When they wouldn't run I bought the Nik Plugins which after jumping through the preferences hoops ran just fine. I would still like the Topaz Labs to work, so looking forward to Serif fixing the issue. It could very well be Catalina causing the issue. I can't say for sure being I've only run into the issue currently. But of the four differences, it appears to my inexperienced eyes that the sandboxing is the issue. Somehow the OS is looking at AP trying to invoke the AI apps as a security risk and preventing them somehow.

I found another thread here in the Forums that deals with this. It appears there are four differences between the Apple App Store and Serif versions. Three of which have to do with activation mainly. The only one I can see that may have an affect on this issue is that the App store version is sandboxed. Otherwise the two versions are supposedly identical. Perhaps someone from Serif can confirm this.

It appears the Apple Store version is different if I understand MEB's earlier post. Quote, "Unfortunately none of them is compatible with Affinity Photo 1.8.1 Mac App Store version". By stipulating Mac App Store version, I would think the Serif version is somehow different, otherwise why make the distinction.

After a back in forth on another forum I belong to about Topaz Labs working as plugins for AP I finally found this thread. I appear to be in the same boat as pixartia in that I bought my version through the Apple App store thinking it's the same. While I can get my Topaz Labs to show up in the Filter/Plugin menu and when clicked on it's acknowledged in the History, the plugin doesn't start up. Seems rather deceptive not identifying in the App store that's it's not the same as buying from Serif directly. Had I know I would have bought it directly rather than through the App Store. Although unlike pixartia my Nik plugins work just fine.

I'm just curious. I started experimenting with NEF conversions using Affinity Photo. What I noticed is that conversions using Affinity Photo have a larger pixel dimension then the cameras spec's and of other raw converters. For example my D7200 is spec'd as 6000x4000 pixels,,, but conversions in Affinity Photo are 6016x4016. I've seen it stated that there are sensels on the periphery that are used in the Bayer demosaicing process that are not used in the final image. Has Affinity found a way of reliably using those pixels that are discarded by other converters?