Publisher: master pages and picture frames - bug or desired behaviour?

[Vosje]

Dear fellow Affinity Publisher users, I'm wondering if you think that what I'm experiencing is a bug, or is that intented to be that way? Scenario: I create a master page with a picture frame, apply it to a certain page, populate that picture frame with a photo and then rescale the photo as desired (thus NOT using a default setting, but choosing my own scale and position). Then, for whatever reason I deside to edit my master page and resize my original picture frame and alter it's proportions. Say, it was vertical and I want to make a square out of it. Now, going back to my page where this picture frame is populated with an actual photo... it messes up all the proportions and my photo is now all streched. I have to completely reset all the settings and scale it again.

Do you think this is intented or wrong? Why I think that this shouldn't behave the way it does: I understand that after rescaling a picture frame on a master page, I cannot expect the photo I placed somewhere in that frame to look perfect. If I change the proportions of a frame maybe I need to re-scale it because the photo won't cover the whole frame anymore. I do have to check it, but I think it's wrong that Affinity automatically streches the picture to cover the frame because if you change the proportions only a little bit (say, make it just a few pixes smaller or one side), you don't notice it that the proportions are wrong! Just because the photo is stretched just by a tiny bit... And if you have populated a lot of frames already and have a lot of different master pages and then change something, you have to click on all of them to see whether vertical and horizontal scaling have the same percentages. Very inconvenient! In my opinion, it would have been better if the photo would retain its proportions and the scale you gave it when you scaled it in the first place. Then, if it doesn't fit in the picture frame anymore, you can spot it more easily, I think... (Easier than spotting that its vertical and horizontal scale is off by just a tiny bit).

[thatGuy]

If you set scale to minimum/maximum active it should maintain a reasonable appearance, stretch or no scale options will distort the image when you change the aspect ratio of the frame on your master page

 

[Vosje]

Hi, @thatGuy, thanks for your response! I do always use the two upper scaling options, but if I change the scaling % by hand afterwards (as in, zoom in or out to adjust the placing of the image in a frame), it will be messed up if I alter a picture frame's proportions on master page.

[retoschneller]

Hi,
@Vosje
@thatGuy

Well I experience the same. And I believe it shouldn't behave that way. I prefer the ratio (original scale) in a picture frame not to change, whenever I decide to update a master page or just change the same size. Did you already find any solution for it?

Thanks

[Vosje]

Hi @retoschneller! Unfortunately, no. Looks like we're one of the few who are bothered by this issue...

[BertD]

Hi there,

Just wanted to add my voice to this as I'm bothered by it as well. Unless there's a solution I've missed in the meantime?

When applying a master to a page I would expect it to keep the scaling of the image already in a picture frame intact. Or at the very least we should be able to copy position/scaling etc over. Correct me if I'm wrong but there's no manual input other than dragging the handles for scaling, position and rotation in a picture frame. Which means you kinda have to eyeball it.

I have a whole series of prints that have 2 kinds of backgrounds setup as master pages with the picture frame the same on each masters. When I then get to duplicate a page and just apply the other master to it, the scaling within the picture frame goes back to default so the two pages aren't identical from a scaling point of view anymore.

 

BErt

[thomaso]

5 hours ago, BertD said:

When applying a master to a page I would expect it to keep the scaling of the image already in a picture frame intact.

I am not sure if I understand your concern exactly. When a master page gets applied its picture frame properties get transferred and applied, too.

If you then change the frame properties on the master page you need to re-apply the master to a document's page with already filled frames to transfer a change done to the master frame on the master page. This appears useful in particular if you already have changed the frame properties on the document's page to ensure your local changes are maintained. So it works like text frames / text styles between master and document's page: Once you edited a master object on a document's page by filling it with content then changes done to the content properties (text style) done on the master page are not transferred but the edited frame content is preserved.

For picture frames there is only one property setting which works with customized, it is the option "None", ideally with unticked anchor. For other settings you may alter the frame's content by dragging its handles but you override that way the settings on the master page and thus lose their direct connection.

5 hours ago, BertD said:

there's no manual input other than dragging the handles for scaling, position and rotation in a picture frame.

Correct. To get access to the entire UI of a master picture frame on a document's page you would need to select "Edit detached" for the master page layer first – instead manipulating the frame's content itself, e.g. by dragging the handles of a placed image. In detached mode the picture frames displays its full interface and also enables you to edit other frame properties like size or position.

That means, using picture frames on a master page is mainly useful if you want to maintain the frame properties on individual pages, for instance in a catalog with frames in same properties. Whereas for the creation of a photo album with many deviations from the master frame properties it can be a lot more efficient not to use master frames at all, just to avoid the need to detach the master layers again and again.