View existing bleed and crop marks from imported PDF

[Alessio_k]

Hello everyone

this is my first post. I sincerely hope it's the right place/section… I also made a search on forums but I'm not sure to find the answer to my problem....

So, I’m not a pro in graphics, but I use Affinity Designer for a while now; I use it both for prototype software GUIs, and for print projects.

When I do a print project, usually is for an indie music label I collaborate with: I download the template PDF file from print company website, I open it in AD, and I work on it.. I export… etc. I already did this several times.

Now, I’m working on a new music release, but it looks like now AD opens the PDF without showing the crop marks and bleed. I’m not talking here on how to set up/view bleed on export etc: I imported a PDF already coming with this, but AD shows just the page.

This is new, cause for previous projects AD displayed the full area.

Some screenshots to explain myself:

- PDF file.png - the PDF as I want to see it in AD :)

- PDF in AD in older projects.png - in my older projects, this PDF file opens in AD with all crops and bleed stuff - I can view/hide these in layers

- PDF in AD now.png - crops and bleed layers are still here (selected layers), but the page is "smaller"

 

Is something changed with an update?

Or I'm missing something? Maybe something stupid :p 

How can I set up things in order to see the PDF as it was in "PDF in AD in older projects" screenshot?

I use Affinity 1.8.3 on Mac.

Thanks for your help!

[Alessio_k]

any suggestions?

maybe I'm just missing some basic settings? 😅

[markw]

Hello Alessio_k and welcome to the Affinity forums🙂
I’ve seen this before with some CD/LP Sleeve/Label template downloads.
Two things you could try;
1: If you have Affinity Photo try going to; Document > Unclip Canvas, and it should then display the whole document correctly for you.
2: In Designer, on first opening the document, go to the Layers panel and select all the content of the Layers stack and copy it, cmd+C.
Now go to File > New from clipboard.

Why these types of templates open “clipped” like this in the Affinity apps I have no idea but the above two methods have worked for me in the past with stuff from 100Vinyl.

[Alessio_k]

hey Markw

thanks for your suggestions.

I was following your steps, but the (happily) odd thing is that the downloaded PDF template opens as expected, by default, in Photo, then if I export as PDF from there, and I open in Designer, I get all I want.

So I assume it's solved!

Question for me is: why Photo opens as it should, while Designer cut out some elements (and I'm 100% sure that I already opened this PDF in Designer, getting all elements in view)??

Anyway, thanks a lot for your help!

[Fixx]

You can use Artboard tool in Designer to expand page area to show printers marks. This works when you open a PDF. In placed PDF it should be selectable in Page box, but it does not show desired result.

[Alessio_k]

Thanks Fixx!!

[orangefizz]

Dev question: why do we have to use a tool to see a PDF *as it was exported*? If I exported a PDF with crop marks and bleed, why are you loading that same PDF displaying neither?