Loading Failed. Unable to open document

[Monesje]

Hi!

I’m using your Designer app on IPad and I’ve had a problem which is highly concerning occur multiple times!!!! I open the app, and then try to open the file I’ve been working on regularly, but am greeted with a “Loading Failed. unable to open document“ error message. I can’t duplicate it (I click it and it doesn’t do anything). I can’t save it (I try and the whole app crashes). I can’t do ANYTHING to try and recover it.

This is the third time this has happened and is entirely not okay. I can’t use this (brilliant when it works) app anymore due to being scared it will corrupt and crash my hard work.

I’m using a 12.9 inch 2018 iPad Pro, running latest iPad OS (13.3.1 (17D50)), and latest Affinity version (1.7.3). 

Please help asap. 

[DM1]

I can't help with your current file won't load/lost my work issue however I would recommend an immediate change to your workflow to reduce/avoid work losses in the future. 
New files are stored in the apps reserved memory area and are only accessible by that app, They don’t exist as a file (yet), more like having a tab open. If something goes wrong the file is gone (as you are finding).

A safer workflow:

Start a new file. In Document menu, tap Save a Copy. Name your file (yes, now you have a 'real' file) and navigate to the folder of your choice. Now close the file and delete the files icon on Project screen. Don’t worry, you are not losing anything (if you did the initial Save a Copy.) Tap the three bar icon  tap Close. This deletes the version that is created in the apps reserved area. Now tap + sign and Open from Cloud. Navigate to the folder you previously chose to save your 'file', and tap to open that file. That’s it. Edit away. You now have a Save option under Document menu to use (regularly. This updates the file in both the reserved memory AND in the actual .afphoto//.afdesign file in your selected folder. You can still use back arrow to return to Project screen (this also saves and updates file). You can reopen the icon on Project screen and it remains linked with the folder file. Note if you use Save under the three bar menu, it creates a new copy in your default save location and breaks the link between the file icon on Project screen and the real File putting you work at risk again until you read the Open from cloud process.

The above method allows you to make copies and or move the files to a backup folder for further security. Note backups and copies are not linked to update on Saves, only the original (when using Open from Cloud).. 😊

[Monesje]

Thank you so much @DM1 for giving a clear and clean explanation for this!

This is incredibly upsetting to see that the app itself is lacking such basic functionality when it comes to saving and preserving people’s work in a stable format, and that it takes such work arounds in order to get the function that should be built in from the very start. 

Thanks for offering a usable work around in the mean time, Cheers! 

[DM1]

11 hours ago, Monesje said:

in order to get the function that should be built in from the very start. 

I think it’s an iOS thing but yes, frustrating to lose work unnecessarily.