File save

[QuilterK]

I'm new at this program . . . I imported a photo and traced it on an Artboard, using the Pen tool.  I go to save it, and the only thing

available on the File menu is "save history with document".   The "save" and "save as" are greyed out.   I attempted to export the

file as SVG . . . . that did not work either, it opened a program called "Vectonator"  and produced a blank page.

Please tell me what I'm doing wrong.  I'm afraid to close the program because of loosing the whole traced image.

Or --- tell me where to find a tutorial on how to trace photos and save the outline.

Thanks,

 

[firstdefence]

Welcome to the forum @QuilterK

• Which Affinity app are you using?
• Which Operating System are you on?

Have you tried...

1. Selecting everything Press (CMD (⌘) + A on Mac, (Ctrl + A On Windows))
2. Copying (Press CMD (⌘) + C on Mac, (Ctrl + C On Windows))
3. File > New From Clipboard 
4. Save the new from clipboard file (Press CMD (⌘) + S on Mac, (Ctrl + S On Windows))

 

[walt.farrell]

Can you give us a screenshot showing your entire Affinity window, and including the Layers panel?

And also one showing the File menu with the grayed-out items?

[markw]

I can’t add much to what the others have asked but would add that on trying to open the exported SVG file, Vectornator opened probably because it is designated as the default app on your Mac to open SVG files.
If you right click on an SVG file, (or any other file) on your Mac and choose ‘Get Info’ from the context menu, the ‘Open With’ field in the Info window will show you which app your system will default to to open the selected file.

[QuilterK]

6 hours ago, firstdefence said:

Welcome to the forum @QuilterK

• Which Affinity app are you using?
• Which Operating System are you on?

Have you tried...

1. Selecting everything Press (CMD (⌘) + A on Mac, (Ctrl + A On Windows))
2. Copying (Press CMD (⌘) + C on Mac, (Ctrl + C On Windows))
3. File > New From Clipboard 
4. Save the new from clipboard file (Press CMD (⌘) + S on Mac, (Ctrl + S On Windows))

 

I have Mac OS BigSur 11.0.1 / 27" iMac.    I'm using Affinity Designer.

Below is screen shot after doing the above steps.  I think my artboard is way too large.  It did save my outline, though it is in different

sections and not lined up with the photo.   I cropped the photo way down to just one tree.  The original photo is 113" long.

Thanks for your help on this!

[QuilterK]

54 minutes ago, walt.farrell said:

Can you give us a screenshot showing your entire Affinity window, and including the Layers panel?

And also one showing the File menu with the grayed-out items?

Here is my screen shot . . . I think the Artboard is way too big.  I cropped the photo down to only 1 tree.  The original photo is 113" wide.

Also how do I get rid of the "Unsplash" ad / area in the righthand column?  

Thanks for your help!

[QuilterK]

37 minutes ago, markw said:

I can’t add much to what the others have asked but would add that on trying to open the exported SVG file, Vectornator opened probably because it is designated as the default app on your Mac to open SVG files.
If you right click on an SVG file, (or any other file) on your Mac and choose ‘Get Info’ from the context menu, the ‘Open With’ field in the Info window will show you which app your system will default to to open the selected file.

You're right, that Vectornator is a program I don't use anymore and will delete it from my computer.  It was probably set as default.

Thanks

[markw]

Thank’s for the screen shots, though unfortunately we still can’t see the Layer stack to see what’s going on in there.
In the tabs, above the panel saying Unsplash in your screenshot, the layers stack should be the tab marked ‘Ly’. Click on that to show the layers.
Is it just this project that’s not letting you Save or Save As…? Or all projects?
If you don’t mind it being publicly accessible are you able to post the troublesome file here on the forums for us to poke and prod?

Regarding where it says Unsplash, that’s not an advert but the Stock panel.
You can access three different online stock image sites via this panel which offer free to use stock images. (though it goes without saying you should check each sites T's & C's regarding what you can use the images for).

[QuilterK]

10 minutes ago, markw said:

Thank’s for the screen shots, though unfortunately we still can’t see the Layer stack to see what’s going on in there.
In the tabs, above the panel saying Unsplash in your screenshot, the layers stack should be the tab marked ‘Ly’. Click on that to show the layers.
Is it just this project that’s not letting you Save or Save As…? Or all projects?
If you don’t mind it being publicly accessible are you able to post the troublesome file here on the forums for us to poke and prod?

Regarding where it says Unsplash, that’s not an advert but the Stock panel.
You can access three different online stock image sites via this panel which offer free to use stock images. (though it goes without saying you should check each sites T's & C's regarding what you can use the images for).

Seems to be just this one file I can't save . . . I just noticed the tabs along the top . . . this one is the "embedded" tab.   Would that make a difference?  File is below.

Also how do I make an artboard using just a portion of a very large photo image?

Thanks

Karen

Smokey_Mtns_AffinityDesign_1.afdesign

[walt.farrell]

16 minutes ago, QuilterK said:

this one is the "embedded" tab.  

Embedded documents can be edited locally in the parent (containing) document, and are saved automatically in the parent when you close that tab. 

They cannot be saved back into the file system as separate documents.

 

[markw]

The fact that you were able to follow @firstdefence's instructions successfully and provide that copy to test, would suggest to me that there has been some form of “internal” error with the original file.
As the one you posted works correctly I would say dump the original and use this one
Though it is quite rare, these internal hiccups do occasionally seem to happen. Why? I have no idea!
But at least being able to copy the content into a new file is a way out.

To resize an Artboard, in the Layers stack select the Artboard you want to resize so that it alone is highlighted in the layers stack.
Now select the Move Tool and grab any one of the resizing nodes now outlining the Artboard, and drag to resize.

[QuilterK]

Thank you for your help!  Much appreciated.   I'm slowly learning how this program works.