Doc Ricky

Hi Lee, thanks for the suggestion but no it’s not quite the same. Basically it doesn’t help on the editability - surely many of us have designs that we alter for multiple purposes. This would entail manually going through and finding the parameters one at a time. Actually, in situations with multiple parameters in the same layer like this I more often just create a symbol and distribute it. But what I am asking for is more granular - a parameter shared between multiple adjustment layers that can be adjusted later.

Hi all, I really like using the Affinity apps, specially on the iPad, and when I use multiple adjustment layers, I find myself wishing that there was some way to declare a universal variable. For example, if I use an adjustment layer with a threshold of 40% three times, I have to set the threshold number for each one manually, and if I am adjusting it in the future, I need to go back and re-do each one (and on the iPad, getting to the number isn't exactly the easiest thing - one wrong tap, and you'll need to start over). It'd be great if I just declare one variable of 40%, and if I change that variable later, all the instances just change. The use of Symbols is already far more sophisticated than this. This, I am hoping, is a simpler addition. Which leads me to my second feature request - declaring multiple repeats of a group of layers. For example, I create an effect that comes from four adjustment layers in sequence. I'd like to repeat that effect 5 times. Which isn't difficult until I need to change it in the future. Then I'd have to start over. What if one could declare that this group should be applied 5 times? Thanks for considering this.

Hi all, Not sure if I am missing it, but is there some kind of shape interpolation feature in Affinity Designer? I swear I read it before, but I can’t seem to find the functionality. The idea is to have two shapes or paths (ie, a curved and a straight one), and having the software calculate the intermediate forms depending on the number of defined steps between them. Much appreciated for the help.

Thanks for this help. I figured out that grouping with the mask is all that matters - the order in the group doesn't seem to change the effect (which nixes some plans to do partial effects). But I also learned that this doesn't work with vector shapes as masks.

Oh, I am referring to Affinity Photo on iPad. Although I imagine it should apply to Affinity Designer on iPad as well.

Hi, All, I am having a tough time trying to figure out how to do this. I understand that each Filter has a built in mask. What I’d like to do is apply the same mask to a group of filters. Say, for example, that I have a series of adjustments that use multiple filters to get to a look. Now I’d like them to apply to just part of the image, so I’d like to mask out the total effect of the filters, not just one particular filter. Do I have to create one mask for each filter layer? Or is there some technique of grouping the layers together, and applying the mask to all of them at once? Could a vector object be used as the mask? Thanks.

Wow that works. It'll take some futzing around, but that changes the workflow a bit.

I’m wondering, is there anything like the High Pass filter (edge detection) available inside Affinity Designer on iPad. I know it’s in Affinity Photo, but it’d be great if I can apply it to a vector-based image. Hoping for any tips (like being able to approximate it with other available filters) or if I had missed something. Thanks.

I need to test this with some more files, but I may have encountered an issue. A lot of vector files are available as both EPS and AI files. AI is supposed to be supported for AD, but so far, they tend tend to appear with rasterized elements instead of keeping the native vector format. If I do an external conversion to PDF, AD has no problems opening it as vector elements. Still trying to nail it down, but has anyone else observed this rasterization on import?

That was helpful. On the iPad, you can't really use the Layer menu to Convert to Text Frame, but double tapping with the Frame Text tool on a shape does convert the shape into a custom shaped text frame. I didn't know about this. The text frame is even editable with the node tool, although doing boolean operations with other shapes makes for some weird results so far.

Near as I can tell, this is not possible on any iOS app - taking a text block and flowing it inside a shape. SVG has a proposed spec for this, but I think it's only implemented in Inkscape. Unless there's a functionality I missed in AD?

Hi, I am trying to figure out how to use Affinity Photo to intelligently reduce the number of colors in an image. So, for example, if I were to go from a regular 24-bit image down to an 8-bit, or even 4 bit, what's the most optimal way to do it, while maintaining as much of the fidelity of the original image as possible. Ideally, I'd like to have each color now as separate layers (akin to channels, but I don't need the shades of each channel - the layers will be 1-bit images). Anyone done this before? What I can find online seems to point to using a different program...

Has anyone figured out how to use emoji in Affinity Designer? If I type it in, I can’t see it, even if I am using the Apple Color Emoji font.

Okay, that thread explains what is internally different between Image and Pixel layers (which is mostly programmatic), but for AD users, this is rather confusing. What's even more confusing is why exactly does this output happen when applied to Image layers - it doesn't make mathematical sense. Note that in these operations, nothing is destructive. Why couldn't this conversion be handled akin to the SVG export option, where items are rasterized as needed? I do appreciate the tip, though. Maybe this is a suggestion for the future.

Okay that did it. Thank you. So, I am a little confused, hopefully someone from Affinity can explain this. What's the difference between a Photo layer and a rasterized layer in Designer? Why can't they work the same way with regards to filters and layer options? What can you do with a Photo layer than you can't do with a rasterized layer?

Could you not use SVG Files for the cut lines?

I am trying to recreate a pencil sketch effect in Affinity Designer. The way it works is to duplicate a photo layer, apply a desaturation on the top layer to -100% via HSL, then invert the image, before using a color dodge effect to the layer. If I do this in Affinity Photo, this should result in a blank image, where the top layers cancel out everything in the bottom main image - which should be correct. But in Designer, the same edits produce a different effect. I’ll attach the screenshots. Anyone else see this disparity?

Is there a way to use a shape to select other shapes? So, for example, if I drew out a shape as a template to work with, and I'd like to choose all the objects below that shape and move them to a group? Or conversely, all objects not overlapping with the current shape? (Affinity Designer on iPad)

Wow, this is going to be laborious as heck. Maybe there's a way to use the original shape as a "mask" to pick out the extra nodes.

Exactly as it says - I'd like to be able to put any number of arbitrary objects along a path, and distribute or align them in that manner. Type on a path is already possible, this just extends it to an arbitrary group of objects.

Indeed, I am looking for the creation of a number of open paths, not closed shapes, which is what the Expand Stroke and Divide solution would provide. And yes, I do intend to use the vector image as a way to guide a plotter into the area, so closed shapes won’t work. I wish I could use vector arithmetic to open up shapes or use shapes to cut up open paths. Maybe those will help.

Yes, it’s supposed to, but it doesn’t work that way. Take for example this PDF file, which was should preview properly, but if rendered in Affinity Designer, doesn’t work. Design.pdf

Removal of unnecessary nodes to a path can require selecting a whole bunch of discontinuous nodes. This is quite tedious (on the iPad, selection can also result in inadvertently selecting the control handle instead of a node, specially when they are close to each other). An automated removal would be helpful.

Adding points to a path is quite easy in Affinity Designer, but removing them can be quite tedious. Even cursory removal of unnecessary nodes would really be helpful.

Hi, hoping for some help. I’d like to convert a dashed stroke on a curve into individual curves. Not an expand stroke, per se, as that will result in a series of closed shapes. Much simpler, just individual curves. Is there a technique for this? I am using using affinity designer on the iPad.