Saving by default as the same file format (png, jpg) to the original file: options to turn off, or warning messages.

[Townsfolk]

Hi,

 

I have bought both A.D. and A.P. I didn't realize that files like jpg and png are by default saved as the original file formats overwriting the original files, until when I just started using A.P. (Affinity Photo) with simple touch editing---I opened a jpg photo; edited the single background layer without adding any additional layers; pressed cmd+s; realized the original file is permanently modified and the size of the file is almost doubled; I assume this is because the editing a jpg file is almost like creating a new one, and the developer had decided to give it a lossless option by default for the matter of jpg compression.

 

In A.D. (Affinity Designer), you almost always add vector layers to pixel layers opened from picture files (jpg, png). So saving the project does not touch the original picture files.

 

On the other hand, in AP, when I load a pixel layer by opening a picture file, edit the layer (not adding additional layer) and press save, it automatically overwrite the original picture file, which I didn't expect it to. I was expecting the same behavior as in 'iPhotos.app' or 'Photos.app' from Apple. I presume this is intended by the developer. However, in my personal opinion, the photo files like jpg and png should be treated as resource files and should not be overwritten by default without warning users.

 

TO THE DEVELOPERS: WOULD YOU GUYS AT LEAST MAKE OPTIONS TO TURN OFF THIS BEHAVIOR, OR PUT SOME WARNING MESSAGES ABOUT THIS MATTER?

 

P.S. I CANNOT THANK ENOUGH FOR MAKING JUST GREAT MAC NATIVE APPLICATIONS LIKE AD. AND AP. I LOOK FORWARD TO THE THIRD APP THAT WOULD DEFEAT Adobe InDesign.

 

Thanks.

[Townsfolk]

I'm a little bit surprised no one cares about this issue... Technically, editing jpg files isn't really editing. It uncompresses the file as bit format to the memory, and when you, so called, save by default to the same format, it compresses the image on the memory with predefined compression ratio (which seems to be lossless right now). Once you do this, you CANNOT restore the original file even if you undo all the way back to the start and cmd+s again, or restore the original layer from the snapshot pane---your resource jpg file is permanently modified; in most cases, it would be bloated with larger file size.

[aitte]

I care about this too, but I haven't been hit by it yet since I've always added at least 1 layer and thus saved as .afphoto.

 

This app is full of pro features so I'd appreciate if it didn't make assumptions about what format to save as. I think the app should pop up a dialog box with buttons when Save is invoked: "You have made changes to this JPG file. What do you want to save as? JPG (overwrite original), JPG, PNG, AFPHOTO" - something like that...

[DonatoF]

I agree this is an issue, I would prefer either an explicit "overwrite original" option, or at least a dialog on save asking if I want to overwrite the original file.  

[JimGoshorn]

Technically, when jpg compresses data it is not lossless as data is tossed. Therefore, when you save a modified jpg to itself you are throwing away even more data (compressing compressed data). Ever notice how jpg can have artifacts? That's from the compression. The least damage is done when you choose to save the file at the size closest to the original image (I believe that is 12)

 

If you create a file and try to save the file using the same name as an existing file, you will get the do you want to replace alert. If you open an existing file, modify it and then select save, the file will be overwritten. If you want to prevent overwriting, open, modify and use save as making sure not to use the same name.

[Townsfolk]

Technically, when jpg compresses data it is not lossless as data is tossed. Therefore, when you save a modified jpg to itself you are throwing away even more data (compressing compressed data). Ever notice how jpg can have artifacts? That's from the compression. The least damage is done when you choose to save the file at the size closest to the original image (I believe that is 12

 

If you create a file and try to save the file using the same name as an existing file, you will get the do you want to replace alert. If you open an existing file, modify it and then select save, the file will be overwritten. If you want to prevent overwriting, open, modify and use save as making sure not to use the same name.

 

 

Exactly my point. For now, AP's compression ratio to the 'saving by default as the same jpg file' is lossless. Thus, we are not losing any pixel data but the originally compressed resource file. The problem is that we cannot undo the process even if we have not closed the window (i.e. restoring the original snapshot and saving again gives you unexpected result---bloated file size).

[anon1]

I never came across this situation because I also always add some layers but your concerns are absolutely reasonable and I absolutely thing that they should be addressed at some point!

[lexislav]

I do care as well.

At my opinion, AP should save (if possible) the orginal file format with CMD+S by default. So when opened as PSD, PSD should be saved… affinity format should be suggested only if the fileformat cann't hold the adjustments in this scenario.

Not sure about the jpg compression.

This is quite important when working with other applications: Lightroom etc.

[uncle808us]

+ 1 warning and choice options.