How to automatically generate assets on save like PS

[John White]

Hi all,

Photoshop is able to generate assets based on layer names, as described here in their docs, does Affinity Photo offer a similar feature? The goal is automating exports to reduce human errors and avoid wasting time. I tried searching, but I've found little to nothing about this.

Thanks a lot

[walt.farrell]

Welcome to the Serif Affinity forums.

In Affinity, the term "asset" has a specific technical meaning, relating to the Assets panel in the Studio. It has nothing to do with exporting. If you create new Assets (in the Assets panel) from layers in your document, the layer names are used automatically.

On the other hand, if you are talking about Exporting to create external files, then you can use the Export Persona in Photo or Designer:

1. Select the layers to export in the Layers panel.
2. Create Slices there by clicking the Creat Slices button.
3. Switch to the Slices panel, and export the slices there. They will automatically use the layer names as the file names.

[Emil Petersen]

Photof*** has a 'Generate' feature, that is used to auto-export layers or groups. Meaning, whenever stuff is changed there, e.g. inside a group or smart object, it notices the change and updates the exported files. No clicking around, no repetitive manual steps that you have to do again and again (we all know how creative work goes, you make changes all the time and try out stuff). Define what should be exported how and it happens automatically from there.

This feature is extremely usefull and I use it all the time. But if you look at it more closely, it's actually implemented sh**** like almost anything in Photof***. E.g. its very inconvenient to adjust parameters for these exports. There should be a gui for that. Using the name of the layer is obviously a brain-dead idea. Also, it's not possible to specify where these exported files are supposed to go. They are put in an asset folder automatically and then have to be moved manually to where you want them everytime.

Still, it saves a lot of time. Hope this will be added to Affinity, maybe even thought through to the end ...

[walt.farrell]

3 hours ago, Emil Petersen said:

has a 'Generate' feature, that is used to auto-export layers or groups. Meaning, whenever stuff is changed there, e.g. inside a group or smart object, it notices the change and updates the exported files. No clicking around, no repetitive manual steps that you have to do again and again (we all know how creative work goes, you make changes all the time and try out stuff). Define what should be exported how and it happens automatically from there.

The Export Persona in Designer and Photo has an Continuous setting at the bottom of the Slices panel that sounds like it's similar. Perhaps it will do what you want.

[Emil Petersen]

sounds great, maybe I'll figure out how to use it sometime ... so far seems very confusing to me, and I don't want to slice up anything ...

[Scodman]

"slice" is a bit misleading as a term - nothing actually gets sliced up. it's just a name for the area you want to export.

Export persona is actually pretty handy and relatively simple to get your head around.

HAVING SAID THAT

is anyone else having trouble getting the "continuous export" function to... function... in Afphoto 2?

[Old Bruce]

13 hours ago, Scodman said:

is anyone else having trouble getting the "continuous export" function to... function... in Afphoto 2?

Here on Mac I only see the frustrating thing where the state of the Continuous checkbox turns to Off after closing and opening the file. Meaning I have to first re-export all the slices every time I restart Photo 2 (or reopen the file) and then I can set the continuous checkbox. This is how it was in Photo v1.

Once I edit stuff and save the file the slices get exported.

[Scodman]

6 hours ago, Old Bruce said:

Here on Mac I only see the frustrating thing where the state of the Continuous checkbox turns to Off after closing and opening the file. Meaning I have to first re-export all the slices every time I restart Photo 2 (or reopen the file) and then I can set the continuous checkbox. This is how it was in Photo v1.

Once I edit stuff and save the file the slices get exported.

you know what that method seemed to work for me! sort of comes under the heading of "workaround" which is a shame - but that's great. Thanks for the tip OB