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Thin white line when placing seamless patterns


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Why am I getting a thin white line between my seamless pattern tiles. I am placing a seamless pattern .jpg. I don't want to stretch the pattern size so I duplicate the pattern and then snap together but when I do there is a thine white line between the patterns. If I nudge the second layer up it simply falls behind the first layer of the pattern and I still have the white line. This should be fairly simple. What am I doing wrong?

20210828_045719.jpg

20210828_045749.jpg

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I'm not sure of which app you're using, but if it's AP, beside the fill with bitmap, you can also place your image in the document, select it, and create a new Pattern Layer from selection (Layer menu).

You can resize this layer, and the pattern will be smaller or bigger on  the whole area.

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I am using Affinity Designer version 1.10.1. on a PC. I am not creating a pattern. I am simply trying to fill my document with purchased seamless patterns. I have watched all the YouTube videos and and looked at all the forums and it appears that this is not unique to Affinity Designer. However, I need a solution that works. I have tried looking at the transform window to make sure the pattern does not have a fraction. I have tried viewing the layout in "Pixel view". I have tried rastering and trimming. I have tried filling with the pattern. I have checked my snapping elements in the snapping manager, I have tried nudging and all do  not provide a solution to this white line or "gap" between the pattern layers. However, after spending way too long trying to figure this out, I have seen where some seamless patterns do not produce this gap with my environment and others do. So now I'm wondering if it is the actual pattern that could be flawed.

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The most frequent cause of the problem

1. creating, scaling, moving, pixel layers by any non-integer value

1.b using anything else than px as unit for size/placement

2. Having anything not using 0  / 90 / 180 / 270 degree

3. Having anything other than rectangular shape

4. rotating layers 

5. Using shapes aligned to each other (but not overlapping)

6. Using transparency (not fully opaque)

7. pasting / placing objects (having non-integer size / position)

no. 5 is your case. 

Options to avoid:

Merge vector shapes (Geometry>Add)

Place backfill layer behind shapes

Rasterize layers (but this could introduce other unwanted issues like blurred results)

To explain all the dependencies it will take hours.  The forum is full of similar reports, workarounds and unsolved issues  

 

 

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10 hours ago, jfikar said:

I have tried looking at the transform window to make sure the pattern does not have a fraction.

In Preferences > User Interface, did you make sure Decimal Places for Unit Types for pixels is set to a number greater than zero -- preferably to at least 2 decimal places?

All 3 1.10.8, & all 3 V2.4.1 Mac apps; 2020 iMac 27"; 3.8GHz i7, Radeon Pro 5700, 32GB RAM; macOS 10.15.7
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On 8/28/2021 at 12:43 PM, jfikar said:

. I am placing a seamless pattern .jpg

Is there any chance that you could upload

  1. the pattern jpeg,
  2. the .afphoto file? showing the issue

I'm 100% sure the forum users will find an solution or workaround in less then 5 minutes. There is only an almost zero chance that you found a not-yet-detected new bug.

As i posted before, there is a large number of well-known possible causes. It is next-to-impossible to identify the actual cause without the files, only based on screenshots and verbal description.

We would need both files to (1) see the issue and (2) can see the original pattern file (including color mode, resolution, clipping path used etc) (which might caused the issue).

If it is not possible to upload the files (public visible) for privacy / contractual reasons, you could request an upload link from the moderators, or send a download link to one of the users who already answered to your question.

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Special interest into procedural texture filter, edit alpha channel, RGB/16 and RGB/32 color formats, stacking, finding root causes for misbehaving files, finding creative solutions for unsolvable tasks, finding bugs in Apps.

 

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  • 1 month later...
  • 3 months later...

This is a frustrating problem a lot of us who create repeat patterns have been experiencing and complaining about for a few years now. Those white lines emerge as soon as I create a clipping mask on my pattern swatch. When the pattern is repeated in a preview you can see the lines 

I've search the internet and forums for a solution and can't find one that works. I've followed "the rules" and still even when I export the file as a PNG, the lines still show! It's beginning to look like an Affinity Designer bug which needs to be fixed ASAP. 

 

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On 10/2/2021 at 4:39 PM, SuperUser said:

This happens when you export the images using the export persona. If you simply do a PNG export and then use that image as a pattern, the lines go away.

I'm afraid the lines don't disappear. I always export my pattern designs as a PNG.  Recently saw the lines looking so visible on a few of my mockups I've had to delete them. I create my patterns with precision using only the transform tool to move anything, making sure everything is perfectly aligned so for the life of me can't understand why any gaps should exist between each repeated pattern swatch.

They're especially bad on designs with very dark or black backgrounds. I've tried all the suggestions and no joy. I'm also not the only one complaining about it. 

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pyxelles: How are you making your patterns? Can you explain your full process, in detail (and give us an example document if possible)?

And have you looked at the things mentioned earlier in this thread? One of the most important is getting the position and dimensions of the thing you are making into a pattern to be integers before you try making it into a pattern.

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There are specific solutions (for Affinity apps) for all cases, but the correct choice of solution depends on how patterns are used:

  • bitmap patterns used in pixel layers
  • bitmap patterns used in vector layers (fill)
  • vector patterns

For all cases when using rectangular tiles without rotation:

  • deactivate anti-aliasing of the layers containing the pattern.

deactivate anti-aliasings works for all cases in principle, but it could show unwanted side effects: anti-aliasing is on or off, and cannot automatically masked to e.g. touching edges.

We can find a solution for every individual case, but need the files to see the context.

There is no general solution working in every case.

The underlying cause is a principle one, based on the agreed method and mathematical formulas used for layer blending. All apps, Affinity and competition, have to deal with the issue.

There are theoretical solutions to reduce or eliminate the issue, but to my knowledge  no App has implemented one that works in every case.

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iPad Air Gen 5 (2022) A2589

Special interest into procedural texture filter, edit alpha channel, RGB/16 and RGB/32 color formats, stacking, finding root causes for misbehaving files, finding creative solutions for unsolvable tasks, finding bugs in Apps.

 

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A simple general solution is to add a curve layer, which maximizes the alpha channel.

This keeps the anti-aliasing of colors, but changes partially transparent pixel to opaque pixels.

As the pixels resulting from touching edges of patterns have higher alpha than outer (non-touching) edges, it will preserve the (mostly wanted) outer edge AA, but avoid AA else.

 

87D3478F-34DB-491D-93E5-6EF970E58364.png

thin line AA removal.afdesign

Edited by NotMyFault
Linear (sharp) curve nodes available on Windows only. New method posted in later reply.

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LG34WK950U-W, calibrated to DCI-P3 with LG Calibration Studio / Spider 5

iPad Air Gen 5 (2022) A2589

Special interest into procedural texture filter, edit alpha channel, RGB/16 and RGB/32 color formats, stacking, finding root causes for misbehaving files, finding creative solutions for unsolvable tasks, finding bugs in Apps.

 

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12 hours ago, NotMyFault said:

a curve layer, which maximizes the alpha channel

How did you change the smooth node to sharp node? Is it an iPad feature? Can't figure it out on the desktop version.

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50 minutes ago, loukash said:

How did you change the smooth node to sharp node? Is it an iPad feature? Can't figure it out on the desktop version.

Yeah, another platform discrepancy. IPad only, or Apple only. 

I found an even simpler alternative:

 

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LG34WK950U-W, calibrated to DCI-P3 with LG Calibration Studio / Spider 5

iPad Air Gen 5 (2022) A2589

Special interest into procedural texture filter, edit alpha channel, RGB/16 and RGB/32 color formats, stacking, finding root causes for misbehaving files, finding creative solutions for unsolvable tasks, finding bugs in Apps.

 

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Just now, NotMyFault said:

IPad only, or Apple only

I'm on Mac, so it's an "iOS exclusive".
(I have an iPad but haven't bought iOS Affinity.)

3 minutes ago, NotMyFault said:

I found an even simpler alternative

Nice!

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28 minutes ago, loukash said:

How did you change the smooth node to sharp node? Is it an iPad feature? Can't figure it out on the desktop version.

I am fairly sure it is an iPad only option:

2003340839_sharptoggle.jpg.dc0659e556e4c9c8794c926dec611934.jpg

It is all or nothing -- IOW, it toggles all the nodes in the Curves Adjustment layer between sharp & smooth.

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  • 3 months later...

Hi Jifikar,

Just in case your were still looking for a solution, the only way I could get my patterns to align was to go Document > Snapping > Force Pixel Alignment and then manually nudge my image over. I’m on Affinity Designer for the iPad and despite checking box measurements etc., none of them would align correctly automatically. (E.g. I added an art board to selection (which was a 300x300 square) yet the art board measured 300.1x300.1 and didn’t align correctly to the square. Quite frustrating when repeat pattern making requires pixel accuracy.

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  • 5 months later...

I’ve had this problem (especially when trying to create seamless stripe patterns). 

My work-around | If your design allows for this: Open your file in the creation app (Affinity Designer, Illustrator, Photoshop, Procreate, etc.). Drag your design past the canvas equally on all sides and then save. Import that saved file into Affinity Designer and then create your 4-up or half drop repeat. Lines should disappear. My guess is that the white line happens in the file creation app on some designs.

CE38C5EF-2E8E-4CE1-9D50-B53DC341D806.jpeg

Edited by Domestica.shop
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