Native .afdesign file import to Quark and InDesign????

[George3]

Is native file import on the horizon? I'd love to be able to import an .afdesign and .afphoto directly into Quark and Indesign. It's really crippling to have to create an eps files or worse jpgs or png files. It's especially bad when an exported eps pieces of a files sometimes become rasterized when they are originally 'curves'. Why?

Quark will let me import native .ai files. 

I'm trying to use AFPub as well but it's just not robust enough at this time

[v_kyr]

3 minutes ago, George3 said:

Is native file import on the horizon? I'd love to be able to import an .afdesign and .afphoto directly into Quark and Indesign.

Wish thinking for proprietary, publicly unspecified/published file formats.

[MikeW]

QXP will only import an Illustrator file, like ID, if the file is saved with the PDF wrapper.

Affinity applications do not have a pdf portion. 

Export your design as a pdf using pdf/x-4 when possible, else use the PDF for Export option. But do untick the Use Advanced Features by clicking the More button when creating the pdf from Affinity applications. 

[George3]

Thanks for the info. That export info helps a little. Still creates the problem of multiple files.

Affinity files need to add the PDF portion. Seriously. In order to be adopted by the larger work population that don't use Affinity Publisher they need this.

Heck. Adobe hardly supports eps any more as they can cause printing problems and they prefer that you not use them.

Having a work file and an exported files is so 1990. :)

[MikeW]

7 minutes ago, George3 said:

... Having a work file and an exported files is so 1990.

Yes, sort of. But is it really different than say a Photoshop file with a large number of layers one would typically export a flattened version? Or having a photo shoot and the photographer adjusts their RAW files and supplies a flat TIFF for production? Or, a particular AI file that refuses to image properly at the RIP and one outlines the fonts and/or flattens an exported PDF for the actual placement?

I realize those are perhaps outliers. And it would be nice if other layout applications would have the ability to place native Affinity files. However, I doubt Serif will ever add a PDF portion.

[George3]

I almost never flatten Photoshop files and where ever I work no one does either (I've worked at agencies large and small) - They need to remain workable - a flattened image is a real time killer - unless it's going to the web. Photoshop files are preferred over tiffs anymore I've found. There's really no point or need for tiffs.

As far as AI files not printing. I've seldom run into an issue unless it's corrupted. But yes exporting to a flat file will works in the short term.

Receiving files from a photographer isn't the same as working on production files for jobs. An art director is likely going to make way more changes after the photographer is done. 

Serif needs to be more compatible. I really want to support them but they can't survive well on an island.

[MikeW]

Almost means some...

I almost never do either. But I've gotten them with extensive rgb blend modes (mainly ads) that just won't hit a production pdf properly. 

In any case, I'm not disagreeing with you. But because Serif has their own layout application that, in theory, supports the placement of AD/APhoto files, I don't see them choosing to play well with others.