KipV

(It would indeed be interesting to discuss variable fonts … elsewhere. While this new technology is currently drawing a lot of attention in the type design world, I am still not sure whether it will have the resounding success that is hoped for in the typographers’ world. I haven’t seen any variable fonts yet that would really convince me of their typographic benefit over a well-developed typeface with optical grades. Pointers are welcome. Furthermore, as variable fonts tend to lay the burden on the user to proceed with taste – at least unless they are not using predefined locations in the design space –, I have the slight fear there might be another wave of bad typography on the horizon. Somehow, the current developments remind me of the early times when DTP on personal computers started off. But to discuss this further, let’s make a different thread.)

Wow. Really greate update. It should be named 1.9.

It wasn't necessarily that, it was that we didn't keep the roadmap up to date, and we started shipping new features which never appeared on the roadmap, and then customers (understandably) asked about why the particular feature they were interested in, that was still on the roadmap, hadn't shipped it yet. The roadmap was a vision of where we thought the software would go, 5 years ago, but over time, our vision has changed slightly (well, individual features have got re-prioritised).

The numbering is interesting. Rather than going to 1.7.4 they've jumped to 1.8. At the same time some functionality is introduced in the Windows version which has been available in 1.7 for Mac, e.g. "Added Remove White Matte and Remove Black Matte to filters".

I've probably been one of the annoying critics of Affinity products in the past ...  but since it's always easy to talk about negative things I feel it's time for some positive feedback as well.
The new drag and drop feature for layers in the beta is excellent! Very long looked after and now working very well! Makes things just a lot easier. Thanks for implementing it!

It looks like the linked files crash was fixed as well. For a while it seemed like every time I had a linked file Publisher crashed, sometimes even embedded if I remember right. Glad to see things are working.

Status: Beta
Purpose: Improvements, Fixes
Requirements: Purchased Affinity Publisher
Mac App Store: Not submitted
Download: Download
Auto-update: Not available
---
Hi,
We are pleased to announce that an updated customer beta of Affinity Publisher (1.7.3.475) is now available as a download from the link above.
If this is your first time using a customer beta of an Affinity app please note that the beta will install as a separate app alongside your store version. They will not interfere with each other at all and you can continue to use the store version for critical work without worry.
The beta is an incremental update to the 1.7.2 store version. We recommend that you use this beta in preference to your store version if you are affected by any of the issues listed below.
If you have any problems using this version please make a new topic in this forum and we'll get back to you as soon as we can. Please feel free to leave general suggestions and comments in the Discussion Forum.
---
StudioLink
This beta requires corresponding 1.7.3 Beta versions of Designer and Photo for StudioLink to function. These are not currently available but should be released soon.
---
Fixes and Improvements
Text Handling
Pasting text could replace unselected text under certain circumstances. Text frames wrapping around other text frames only use z-order if both have wrap. Fix for Text on a Path handle snapping / jumping. (Win) Character page dropdowns not working when using select tool. Print and Export
(Mac) Fix for crash printing CMYK documents with Embedded RGB documents. (Mac) PDF Export: Allow advanced features checkbox was missing. General
Fixed odd behaviour with transform panel adjusting size of sheared objects. (Win) Fix for failures when installed to folder with a non-ANSI path. Fixes for stability issues that have been logged with us. Plus Translation and Help updates. ---
To be notified about all future macOS beta updates, please follow this notification thread
To be notified when this Publisher update comes out of beta and is fully released to all Publisher customers, please follow this thread

Hi,
I have just published a new beta - the focus is on stability and fixes rather than whizz-bang new features. We do have more significant updates in progress, but no dates at the moment I'm afraid.

I got an award this year for my project final and they wanted me to make a short video for it. This was mostly for the book (which is on my Instagram profile) but I thought it was worthy of also bringing up here since the poster was done in Affinity Designer. I first tried to make it in Quark where the book was made but realized it was too difficult to rotate individual letters due to Quark text box funkiness. Maybe I will make a book in Affinity someday too!
 

Exporting as PDF seems like a fine workaround at the moment. Fortunately I only use Publisher for really basic projects at the moment so this kind of bug doesn't effect me all that bad.

Wow! No Mac customer Designer 1.7.2 beta for what seemed like forever ... & then Boom, we get RC1!! 
Now I can finally try the 1.7.2. Publisher beta with both StudioLink personas. Yay!!

This beta has been superseded by the release of Affinity Designer for macOS 1.7.2 to the public. Check back on this forum for future betas.
Status: Release candidate
Purpose: Features, Improvements, Fixes
Requirements: Purchased Affinity Designer
Mac App Store: Not Submitted
Download: Download link removed as 1.7.2 is now live
 
Hello,
We are pleased to announce the immediate availability of the first release candidate build of Affinity Designer 1.7.2 for macOS.
If this is your first time using a customer beta of an Affinity app, it’s worth noting that the beta will install as a separate app - alongside your store version. They will not interfere with each other at all and you can continue to use the store version for critical work without worry.
This beta is an incremental update to the 1.7.1 version recently released to all customers. We recommend that you use this beta in preference to the store version if you are affected by any of the issues listed below.
Matt
 
Changes Since 1.7.1
- Improved usability with Apple’s Sidecar for macOS Catalina and iPadOS 13. (This build is still not notarized, so requires user action to allow it to run)
- Grid gutters reinstated.
- ‘Edit all layers’ can now be used to allow/disable artboard object reparenting during translation drag/object creation.
- Fix for bleed export options.
- Fix for issues with constraints on children of constrained objects which are used as clips.
- Fix for failure to load SVG colour 'none' causing import to stop.
- Fix for pen tablet barrel rotation input turning the wrong way.
- General performance improvements.
- Text performance improvements.
- Added ‘d’ default keystroke to restore objects to black and white colours.
- PDF export improvements.
- Added TGA export.
- Different icon for beta builds.
- Added a warning when deleting a global colour.
- Fixed broken Japanese keyboard input (sorry!).
- Fixed printing CMYK documents on older versions of macOS.
- Fixed crash when reentering export dialog under certain conditions.
- Fixed crashes when pasting screenshots into the app.
- Fixed loss of legacy HSL adjustment HSV state after a save.
- Assorted small fixes and improvements.
- Help improvements.
- Localisation improvements.
- Import 16bit half float JPEG-XR files properly.
- Improved LAB colour conversions.
- Pantone palettes are now sorted alphabetically.
- Fixed crash when starting app in a folder containing weird characters.

It is not a slap in the face. You are getting a product at a price that is vastly cheaper then the competition. I see the version number more as a number for the suite then for the individual product. If a bigger update (like a version 2.0) is in the works I am sure it would also take longer to make so I can't see it being released soon anyways.

Love the new beta label on the icon! Doesn't look like a red notification anymore.

Love the new beta label on the icon! Doesn't look like a red notification anymore.

I'm sure you guys are working hard and so meekly ask if there is an approximate ETA for the Designer beta. I only ask because I'm holding back on using Publisher beta until StudioLink is fully active.

The beta tester price is 35$.
 
I guess the first published version will be 1.8 
The 1.x versions were the beta, it would look nice to have the launch version start as 2.0

@Chris B Clearing user data got the layers panel back as expected.

@MEB Thanks for the update. Hopefully, this fix is on the top of the list.

I got an award this year for my project final and they wanted me to make a short video for it. This was mostly for the book (which is on my Instagram profile) but I thought it was worthy of also bringing up here since the poster was done in Affinity Designer. I first tried to make it in Quark where the book was made but realized it was too difficult to rotate individual letters due to Quark text box funkiness. Maybe I will make a book in Affinity someday too!
 

I got an award this year for my project final and they wanted me to make a short video for it. This was mostly for the book (which is on my Instagram profile) but I thought it was worthy of also bringing up here since the poster was done in Affinity Designer. I first tried to make it in Quark where the book was made but realized it was too difficult to rotate individual letters due to Quark text box funkiness. Maybe I will make a book in Affinity someday too!
 

Hmm... maybe flip them upside down?

It might be even better to make an even more substantial look between the beta and shipping product icons too.

+ 1

It is not a slap in the face. You are getting a product at a price that is vastly cheaper then the competition. I see the version number more as a number for the suite then for the individual product. If a bigger update (like a version 2.0) is in the works I am sure it would also take longer to make so I can't see it being released soon anyways.