Applying strokes to graphics in Publisher

[Furry]

When I use the Place Tool in AfPub to import graphics, sometimes the placed graphic (while still selected) shows the controls for applying a stroke in the Context Toolbar and sometimes it doesn’t. Through trial and error, I seem to have deduced that I get the controls when the graphic is a .jpg, but not when it is a .psd. Is this a correct deduction and, if so, why the difference?

If it comes to that, which other graphic types get the stroke controls and which ones do not? And again, why the difference?

It seems to me that when the stroke controls are not shown in the Contect Toolbar, then, try as I might, I can’t apply them from the Stroke panel. Have I misunderstood somewhere? Despite what it says to the left of this post, I still see myself as a Newbie!

[h_d]

4 minutes ago, Furry said:

Despite what it says to the left of this post, I still see myself as a Newbie!

The forum software automatically updates your Member Title when you reach a specific number of posts. But at a certain level (I think it may even be Member) you can change your Member Title by going to your own Profile, then clicking Edit Profile:

 

 

Hours of harmless amusement...

 

[Joachim_L]

6 minutes ago, Furry said:

Through trial and error, I seem to have deduced that I get the controls when the graphic is a .jpg, but not when it is a .psd.

Any file of type document has no stroke option, whereas a file of type raster has the stroke option. Reason? I don't know. If you need a stroke around a document file you have to convert the placed document layer into a picture frame.

[Furry]

Thank you, h_d, for that information. My remark was simply to say that, regardless of how many posts I have made, I am still very much a newbie at the Affinity suite. I have had a reasonable go at learning AffPub and have got to the stage where I now use it more often than InDesign. I have begun learning the culture of AffDesigner but there is still much that eludes me about it. I am struggling to get my head around being able to work with vectors and pixels in the one document. At this stage I am still strongly addicted to Photoshop but have carefully dipped my toe into the AffPhoto pond and shuddered because the water is still too chilly for me.

Thank you, Joachim_L for your explanation. Where do I look to find the distinction between documents and rasters? The Finder certainly doesn’t tell me that. Your suggestion about converting to a picture frame makes a lot of sense.

[walt.farrell]

1 hour ago, Furry said:

Where do I look to find the distinction between documents and rasters?

JPG, TIFF, and PNG are image (raster) files.

Others are documents.

[Furry]

2 minutes ago, walt.farrell said:

JPG, TIFF, and PNG are image (raster) files.

Others are documents.

Thank you, Walt. I am sometimes amazed at how much I have learned in a short time.

[banacan]

I struggled to understand why I could not stroke a placed PDF file. I searched Publisher help (which wasn't very helpful) and here's what it said:

Quote

Every object can take a stroke around its selection box which can take on various properties, e.g. width, color, opacity, line style, etc.

Not true.

Based on that quote I believed I was doing something wrong. Then I came upon this forum thread.

I wish the documentation was more accurate.

[R C-R]

3 hours ago, banacan said:

I struggled to understand why I could not stroke a placed PDF file.

It is because it is a placed document, not just a single object, so it can contain many different objects.

[firstdefence]

Documents are Containers, like @R C-R mentions with PDF's, a PDF is a document that contains different elements.

As for PDF's having a stroke around them just nest the PDF in a rectangle and apply a stroke to the rectangle.

[banacan]

Yes, this forum topic was most helpful to understanding why I couldn't apply a stroke to a Document. It's unfortunate that Publisher Help doesn't do a better job explaining this point that Documents are Containers and therefore can't have strokes applied. It would have saved me a lot of time with trial & error and searching the internet and this forum.

Thanks for your replies.