Do I lose anything when updating?

[JMichael]

I'm fairly new to Affinity Photo and have now encountered my first update (to 1.8.4). If I update, will my Library contents be preserved? Or should I copy a specific file and paste it into the new version? If the latter, which file is it -  I'm using Windows 10?

Many thanks.

[Aad Slingerland]

Hi,

In the past three years I did a lot of updates (started with 17.x)  and never 'lost' something. On the other hand I also should mention that my setup is almost always 'unmodifed' besides some shortcut keys i added.

 

[jmwellborn]

I am of the better safe than sorry persuasion.  And have only very occasionally discovered that an update — especially during the beta process — would wipe out my custom imports.   I have separate folders in my computer for backup copies of everything I have imported for my Affinity Apps:  assets, brushes, macros, palettes, styles, textures.  Made them from each panel, using the “Export ...” option.   So if your update to 1.8.4 accidentally misses some of your Library contents (or any other custom contents) you could easily import them again.

[PixelPest]

As for that, I've been healed of automatic updates on macOS since the disaster with version 1.8, so I'm waiting 2 weeks until the intrepid ones have written and published all their reports. 😬

[Cecil]

7 minutes ago, PixelPest said:

As for that, I've been healed of automatic updates on macOS since the disaster with version 1.8, so I'm waiting 2 weeks until the intrepid ones have written and published all their reports. 😬

I did that but found when the next released was out, new problems were identified.  If I wait for errorless release, I would never update to avoid problems.  

[PixelPest]

Just 2 weeks my friend - or not during deadlines at least like I trapped in last time. Or are you the first to update your macOS?

[Cecil]

6 hours ago, PixelPest said:

Just 2 weeks my friend - or not during deadlines at least like I trapped in last time. Or are you the first to update your macOS?

If you are first or last to upgrade (except as noted deadlines) you get the same product until a new update.  To date, I haven’t seen a release of known problems, like 1.8.4.1. 

[JMichael]

Thanks everyone for the replies. I'll try the Export solution and hope that it won't be required.

[thomaso]

8 minutes ago, JMichael said:

I'll try the Export solution and hope that it won't be required.

A bit faster may be just to copy the according preference folder on your disk.
for mac:  ~\Library\Application Support\
for windows:  %AppData%\Roaming\Affinity\

Compare:
https://forum.affinity.serif.com/index.php?/topic/89546-copying-over-user-data-from-beta-to-retail/  
https://forum.affinity.serif.com/index.php?/topic/89539-copying-over-user-data-from-beta-to-retail/

[jmwellborn]

@thomaso  thank you so much for posting this!!!  I couldn’t remember how to do that, and floundered for a little trying to find this in the forums.   I am sure that the procedure would work with copying from one version (1.8.3) to 1.8.4.  Hopefully @JMichael will see your post.  It would definitely save him scads of time!🥵

[thomaso]

19 minutes ago, jmwellborn said:

I am sure that the procedure would work with copying from one version (1.8.3) to 1.8.4.

For simple app updates the procedure should not be necessary. But it may help instead or after factory resets (app lunch with CTRL key), to reset the app to the wanted custom state.

Whereas for colour swatches palettes I appreciate the export workflow, too, because it enables me to import selectively certain palettes into other documents.

[jmwellborn]

4 minutes ago, thomaso said:

For simple app updates the procedure should not be necessary. But it may help instead or after factory resets (app lunch with CTRL key), to reset the app to the wanted custom state.

Whereas for colour swatches palettes I appreciate the export workflow, too, because it enables me to import selectively certain palettes into other documents.

Right!  I do the same thing, especially Styles, Assets, and Palettes.  My Photo doesn’t need all my Assets, my Publisher definitely doesn’t need all my Palettes, and my Designer doesn’t need all my raster brushes.  That is what “Edit in... “ is for, in my book.  Of course, all these apps probably don’t really need me!!!!🤪