Importing PDFs: Conversion of all text into text frames rather than artistic text

[nonresidentalien]

Since one of the more recent updates, all text in imported PDFs is converted to Text boxes rather than artistic text, irrespective of the options chosen when importing the file (i.e. 'Group lines of text into text frames' checkbox deselected). While this may be a good choice for many texts, it completely screws up the workflow for (scientific) illustrations with text labels coming from other applications. Below I have illustrated the consequences of a font change by 2.8pt if everything is imported as box vs artistic text.

Please fix soon, or give option to prefer artistic text over text frames for single line texts.

 

 

 

[MEB]

Hi nonresidentalien,
Welcome to Affinity Forums
The Group lines of text into text frames option only turns text with multiple lines into multiple text frames (one for each line) or into a single text frame with all the lines/text. It doesn't interfere with the type of text object created (artistic text or frame text|) - which is always a frame text object.

Do you mind attaching the PDF illustrated in your post above for us to inspect please? Thanks.

[nonresidentalien]

I do not have the exact file any more but I have generated a different one that imports with all text as boxes.

Thanks

Lars

 

PrismIssue.pdf

[Sean P]

Thanks for the file nonresidentalien,

I've passed it on to development to look into!

[nonresidentalien]

Excellent, thanks!

[gafvert]

I'd like to add to this as well. When pasting in pdf illustrations (in my case UI-mockups with lots of little text labels into storyboard documents) it's very annoying that each text element in the illustrations gets made into a text box with a visible blue box around it. It would be good if there was an option to import text in graphics as artistic text.

Also, I can't find any way to convert text boxes back to artistic text (preferably for all selected objects)? Is there a way to do this? Maybe that's a way that we can get around this problem until a preference is added.

[nonresidentalien]

On 1/23/2020 at 5:50 AM, gafvert said:

I'd like to add to this as well. When pasting in pdf illustrations (in my case UI-mockups with lots of little text labels into storyboard documents) it's very annoying that each text element in the illustrations gets made into a text box with a visible blue box around it. It would be good if there was an option to import text in graphics as artistic text.

Also, I can't find any way to convert text boxes back to artistic text (preferably for all selected objects)? Is there a way to do this? Maybe that's a way that we can get around this problem until a preference is added.

Would also be a wonderful feature, indeed.

[walt.farrell]

On 1/23/2020 at 8:50 AM, gafvert said:

it's very annoying that each text element in the illustrations gets made into a text box with a visible blue box around it.

If you're in Designer or photo, the bounding box should only be visible for a text frame that is selected. All others should not be visible.

If you're in Publisher, the same would apply unless you have View > Show Text Flow enabled.

In any of the applications, even if it were artistic text, you would still have the visible bounding box for a text object that is selected.

[gafvert]

12 hours ago, walt.farrell said:

If you're in Publisher, the same would apply unless you have View > Show Text Flow enabled.

Wow, that's such a relief, I didn't know about this setting. Instead I found myself holding down space from time to time as this apparently also hides the text box frames while you hold it. Perhaps that setting could be renamed "Show text box frames" or something similar that would make it easier to find and understand what it actually does.

A setting to convert between artistic text and text boxes would still be very useful though.

[walt.farrell]

2 hours ago, gafvert said:

Perhaps that setting could be renamed "Show text box frames" or something similar that would make it easier to find and understand what it actually does.

It actually does show the flow between the frames. But when you have disconnected frames all you see is the frame outline.

[nonresidentalien]

On 11/12/2019 at 1:39 AM, Sean P said:

I've passed it on to development to look into!

Hi guys,

Just checking in on any progress on the matter. After having spent yet another 2 hours converting text boxes into artistic text and I am at the point where I am starting to consider using a different vector graphics software. 

An update would be great.

Thanks,

Lars

 

 

[nonresidentalien]

 

Also along the line of my severe struggling with the new treatment of the text imports: Would it at least be possible to have text boxes of a size that corresponds to the box's content, and are not ridiculously/randomly oversized? Trying to equally distribute multi panel graphs virtually impossible. Also all kinds of other alignment task (e.g. changing the text alignment) are just painful due to the oversized textboxes:

Try to distribute these graphs evenly. It used to be a matter of one click... 

 

 

[hubob]

I'm in the same boat - I love the Affinity apps, but for dealing with scientific illustrations the update from 1.6 to 1.7/1.8 was a major step backwards. I really hope text will be imported as artistic text as default again. 

@nonresidentalien, my workaround at the moment is to select the texts and doubleclick on the bounding boxes to make them fit snug. Then it's possible to align again (obviously still a pain if you need to do it for dozens or hundreds of objects...). 

 

ps. by the way, the altered importing behavior of pdf text elements even leads to wrong positioning of labels sometimes, which for scientific illustrations is somewhat scary (

) 

[nonresidentalien]

On 2/29/2020 at 8:48 AM, hubob said:

Thanks for the tip. I was not aware if the double-click trick!

 

[Patrick Connor]

We have made fixes/improvements to this area (Use Artistic Text layers (optionally) on PDF import) of the program in the latest release.

The fixes and how to update are described in these forum posts.

• Affinity Designer 1.8.4 for Windows            ( Microsoft Store and Affinity Store )
• Affinity Designer 1.8.4 for macOS               ( Mac App Store and Affinity Store )
   
• Affinity Photo 1.8.4 for Windows                ( Microsoft Store and Affinity Store )
• Affinity Photo 1.8.4 for macOS                   ( Mac App Store and Affinity Store )
    
• Affinity Publisher 1.8.4 for Windows         ( Microsoft Store and Affinity Store )
• Affinity Publisher 1.8.4 for macOS            ( Mac App Store and Affinity Store )

We would appreciate you checking that this issue has now been resolved for you.

[nonresidentalien]

Thanks y'all for fixing this!! Also, I am relieved that pasted graphics' text are no longer converted to textboxes. The dark v1.8 ages seem largely over LOL

Lars

[hubob]

Yes, this is a massive improvement!! Thanks for fixing it!

[AlexT1961]

Hi guys!

I am having problems with frames when I import a pdf file, it always comes out crooked, it is not synchronized with the page, so I have to correct the frame to its place. Its very tiresome. Is there a solution? I am talking about big pdf's, books.

Thanks in advance!

Alex

[Sean P]

12 hours ago, AlexT1961 said:

Hi guys!

I am having problems with frames when I import a pdf file, it always comes out crooked, it is not synchronized with the page, so I have to correct the frame to its place. Its very tiresome. Is there a solution? I am talking about big pdf's, books.

Thanks in advance!

Alex

Hi Alex,

Would you be able to create a new thread in the relevant bugs forum for the application you're using and attach any supporting files, along with screenshots showing the results you're getting please?

[dantaylr]

Any chance this import dialogue might head its way to iPad? 

I was lucky enough to bring my Mac to this cafe so I could open it up to import the pdf before going back to my iPad to work on it, but that’s not a great workaround 🫤