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Black X boxes for background link updates


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There is a strange feature of Publisher.

When a linked image is either updated outside of Publisher, or the Resource Manager is used to replace images the subsequent picture box displays a rather ugly black cross over the image.
Now, I suspect this is a deliberate feature to give a heads-up that the image link has changed, but tbh, I find it rather distracting.

Is there a way to turn this feature off without needing to Ctrl-Shift-W to turn all the frames and guides off?

Cheers,

Tony

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Can you do a screen recording showing the process as just externally editing a linked image inside a Publisher document doesn't show the X on the frame for me. It will show a distorted version of the image (no X) until I open Resource Manager and update, then the image appears fine with the changes.

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Sure Lee,

image.thumb.png.60aa738bc9511bdde3a9bbbecde65ded.pngThis is one page. The little symbols are all linked images which were relinked to SVG files using the resource manager. The black boxes we not there before the relink.

It's not exactly a game-breaker, but it makes it harder to see the work. The larger red icon to the left was updated directly using replace image, and this seems to be the only way to get rid of the x-boxes.

Cheers,

Tony

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  • 3 months later...
47 minutes ago, Tony Cotterill said:

I suspect the black Xs are a deliberate feature and are supposed to be there to be helpful in some way, but I cannot for the life of me see how.

The appearance of the X is not caused by a missing or updated linked item but rather to the way the item got nested.

The 'X' are helpful to recognize a (empty) shape object of type Picture Frame. Possibly you haven't nested the image correctly. Only if it shows a square symbol on the image thumbnail it offers the special Picture Frame features (scale, rotate). You can have only 1 item of this type within a picture frame but may nest several objects which don't profit from the frame feature. Those latter objects will maintain the X.

2078950281_pictureframe-twotypesofcontentnesting.jpg.bbfef289072bf084240ca89f8a144922.jpg

63278103_pictureframe-specialfeatures.jpg.18449072cf7f84a47628ebe1abb732a0.jpg

macOS 10.14.6 | MacBookPro Retina 15" | Eizo 27" | Affinity V1

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As you say the X on an image disturbs, so this is the wrong way then. – Another way to crop is to nest the image in a Rectangle Shape object. This will clip the image, too, but not show the 'X' at any situation and also doesn't offer the special Picture Frame features. – I recommend to simply experiment with the Picture Frame object for experience. Just try the two ways of nesting a layer inside another: move a layer onto another's thumbnail or move it onto its name. Just do it.

macOS 10.14.6 | MacBookPro Retina 15" | Eizo 27" | Affinity V1

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3 hours ago, Tony Cotterill said:

I suspect the black Xs are a deliberate feature and are supposed to be there to be helpful in some way, but I cannot for the life of me see how.

 
 
 

To reproduce...the black X

Set document to link files
Create Picture frame
File > Place a JPG file into picture frame
Use Resource manager to replace JPG file with a SVG file
Black X will appear

This does not occur (no black X) when you use the Context Toolbar's Replace Image button to replace the image in the Picture Frame

 

59 minutes ago, Tony Cotterill said:

Fortunately, it's merely a visual thing and doesn't actually get in the way of anything in the long run.

As far as I can tell the black X signifies that the image is not truly a Picture Frame image and as such certain Picture Frame controls in the context toolbar (e.g. "Properties" & "Size Frame to content") no longer work on the image.

 

Note: If you use Resource Manager to replace the JPG file with another JPG file the black X does not appear. Likewise, other weirdness occurs when replacing different file types with other file types when using the Resource Manager - not sure if this a (Resource Manager) bug or not

For now, I would suggest just using the Replace Image button on the Context Toolbar to replace Picture Frame images rather than the Resource Manager

To save time I am currently using an automated AI to reply to some posts on this forum. If any of "my" posts are wrong or appear to be total b*ll*cks they are the ones generated by the AI. If correct they were probably mine. I apologise for any mistakes made by my AI - I'm sure it will improve with time.

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On 11/20/2020 at 1:56 PM, thomaso said:

Just try the two ways of nesting a layer inside another: move a layer onto another's thumbnail or move it onto its name. Just do it.

Oh yes!
If I drag and drop the offending Linked document onto ITS OWN picture frame it sorts it.
WT*...???
I have to say this seems like a bit of a pointless feature TBH. It's like you have to 'remind' the program what's in the box.
Bit like the resizing of some images (but that's another issue).
I love this program but it does seems to have a few... corner case features... that seem a bit wacky.

Thanks everyone for your input.

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2 hours ago, Tony Cotterill said:

If I drag and drop the offending Linked document onto ITS OWN picture frame it sorts it.

1 hour ago, haakoo said:

It's because a pictureframe can hold more then just images in affinity

I doubt the disturbing X appears because a picture frame may contain several objects. Note here the affected image was placed by the Affinity resource auto-update feature. As @carl123 pointed out there is an additional issue with the UI for specific file types (e.g. SVG), which may be related to the useless and confusing X of this specific topic when updating the OP's resource:

On 11/20/2020 at 4:00 PM, carl123 said:

This does not occur (no black X) when you use the Context Toolbar's Replace Image button to replace the image in the Picture Frame
(...) Likewise, other weirdness occurs when replacing different file types with other file types when using the Resource Manager - not sure if this a (Resource Manager) bug or not

 

macOS 10.14.6 | MacBookPro Retina 15" | Eizo 27" | Affinity V1

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