Bug Report: Affinity Photo 1.10.3 with Clarity Live Filter can corrupt some images (1.10.1 has no problem)

[Truthseeker10]

The Problem

I'm using Affinity Photo on an Apple MacBook Pro running macOS 11.6 (Big Sur). Today I updated from Affinity Photo 1.10.1 to 1.10.3 and promptly hit a problem with one of the images I'm editing. The problem manifests when I add a Clarity live filter to the image then adjust the filter's slider several times. After a few (6 to 10) alterations to the slider the image displayed on screen starts getting corrupted.

This is NOT just a display problem. If work is saved, the resulting file contains a corrupted image too, although in a different way to that shown on the editing screen. This suggests the actual memory copy of the image data is being corrupted, and so if saved can lead to data loss.

The problem does not appear to affect all images so I'm attaching two test files, named "1 - Test 1.jpeg" and "2 - Test 2.jpeg". These are two distinct copies of the image downloaded from different sources at different times, and indeed are slight different (eg, aspect ratio, content).

Steps to Reproduce the Problem

1. Open one of the two test files above in Affinity Photo 1.10.3 (I'm using it on an Apple Mac).
2. Add a new Live Filter > Sharpen > Clarity layer.
3. In the filter's adjustment panel, adjust the slider up and down several times. (Eg, move it between a positive and negative value in quick succession.)

Within a small number (typically 10 or so) "jiggles" of the slide control the image being edited starts showing corruption, appearing as large square blocks containing either a different part of the image, or random coloured "static". You might need to let go of the mouse/trackpad after each alteration; keeping it pressed and simply sliding the control doesn't seem to cause the problem (as quickly?). Sometimes the corruption effects are transitory and shown only when the control is being slid. Other times they remaining in situ.

See the attached screenshot "3 - Screenshot of Corrupted Test Image 2 in Affinity Photo.png" to see an example. Here, the corruption has replicated part of the cottage at the lower right into the top centre of the image. Other parts of the image are misplaced below it and elsewhere.

The problem does NOT happen when the test is performed in Affinity Photo 1.10.1 (see below).

Observations

Closing the image without quitting Affinity Photo then opening the test image again and repeating the test seems to make the issue occur immediately rather than after several wiggles of the Clarity Live Filter's settings slider. This might indicate memory corruption happening within Affinity Photo that is not reset until the entire application is quit and re-run: that closing and re-opening the image file is not sufficient. See the attached screenshot "4 - Screenshot of Corrupted Test Image 2 in Affinity Photo.png" to see the result of closing (without saving) then re-opening the image file without quitting Affinity Photo then re-opening the image file; adding the Clarity filter and adjusting it immediately caused this spectacular corruption.

Exporting this corrupted image as a PNG gives rise to a corrupted image saved to disk. See the attached file "5 - Corrupted Test Image Saved.png". Likewise, saving as a native Affinity Photo file also stores a corrupted image. This can cause data loss when editing such a file, causing the corruption, then hitting Save before realising: it overwrites the original file with the corrupted image.

I have not had this problem before, so restored Affinity Photo 1.10.1 from a backup and repeated the tests. Version 1.10.1 had not problems with my repeatedly altering the Clarity Live Filter's setting; no corruption occurred. (I see in other posts people mentioning crashes caused by memory allocation issues, and this corruption gives me the feeling it is the same sort of issue.)

Trying the Test Images in Other Formats

In case there was an issue with the JPEG data in the two test files I used Affinity Photo 1.10.1 to open "2 - Test 2.jpeg" then export fresh copies as JPEG and PNG. I then repeated the tests using these exported images in Affinity Photo 1.10.3. The problem continues to affect both images, suggesting it is not related to an issue with the original JPEG file's data.

The fault in 1.10.3 does not affect all images. I repeated the tests with some other image files and could repeatedly alter the Clarity Live Filter's settings without problem.

In Conclusion

For now, I have both 1.10.1 and 1.10.3 installed on my Mac so I can do any testing Serif might need, but plan to only use Affinity Photo 1.10.1 to work with for now.

I don't trust 1.10.3!

Cheers, Mike B-)

[Lee D]

I've logged this with the developers to look into as it also seems to affect the Windows version and can lead to a app crash in some circumstances. 

[Truthseeker10]

In case it helps…

Whilst browsing posts for Affinity Photo in Windows I learned its Preferences > Performance settings. I've been into these on my MacBook Pro in 1.10.3 and turned off (unticked) the "Hardware Acceleration: Enable Metal compute acceleration". Repeating the test using my test images no longer causes the corruption as long (as long as this is turned off).

I'm bemused why this should affect more than just the displayed image: why the saved image also got corrupted. But perhaps the acceleration is used not just for the display but also applying filters and edits to the actual image data itself?

It seems to be a workaround for this particular problem, but I'm going to hang fire on using the 1.10.3 applications in general for now.

PS. I've now upgraded from macOS 11.6 Big Sur to 12.0.1 Monterey and the problem with Affinity Photo 1.10.3 with Metal acceleration remains (and the workaround works).

[howfin]

I've just updated to 1.10.3 and immediately had crashing issues. I can agree with above that the Clarity Live Filter is particularly bad. I've never had any serious issues like this before.

15" MacBook Pro -- Big Sur 11.6

[fatfreemedia]

Just updated all three apps to 1.10.3 and only Affinity Photo is having some wonky display issues only if I have a document open and with Metal enabled in performance. If I switch to OpenGL then my issues are fixed. I get a bunch of magenta colored striated lines and my menus are all blown out. I can't screen capture the issue so attaching a photo from my phone. I'm still running OS X Mojave (I know, I know) and have restarted my system as well.

[Lee D]

If anyone in this thread can do a screen recording leading up an issue with the image artefacts/UI issue please post here so I can also pass over to the developers.

[Chris B]

May I just add that a screen recording for macOS is what we're after - we've reproduced this on a number of Windows machines but after trying a variety of MacBook Pro's, Air's and iMac's we so far haven't had any luck! 

[fatfreemedia]

Attaching a screen recording. The wonky colors are magenta in person but it screen records greenish-blue. Regardless, you'll see the issue when Metal is turned on.

[markw]

I’m also getting strange noise artefacts with the Live Clarity Filter. I reported this a while back in the beta forums:

But now I’m also getting crashes when using the Clarity and De-noise Live Filters in AP 1.10.3 MAS version.
Other Live Filters could be problematic too? But that’s something to look into later maybe when time permits.
For now just turning ‘Off’ Hardware Acceleration tick-box in AP 1.10.3 fixes the problem so far.
Today's Crash reports attached.
Live_Filter_Photo_1.10.3_Crash_Logs .zip

[Truthseeker10]

I'm attaching a screen recording as requested. (Sorry it's a huge 285MB!) It demonstrates the corruption I see, which looks to be a bit different from that seen by fatfreemedia. In my recording I:

1. Open my test image from the Finder.
2. Wait for ages for Affinity Photo to launch and the image to open. (Affinity Photo 1.10.3 feels slower to launch and to open documents than 1.10.1 was, but let's not get side-tracked!)
3. Open the Preferences panel to show that Metal acceleration is ON.
4. Add a Clarity Live Filter (after getting sidetracked into the wrong menu first!).
5. Adjust its control slider several times. After a handful of such alterations the corruption starts. (For me it has so far been contained solely within the image view in the editing window.)
6. Close the image, NOT saving the changes.
7. Re-open the test image.
8. Corruption is shown immediately: the loaded image is missing a part.
9. Add a Clarity Live Filter.
10. The corruption happens immediately on changing the slider. (After launching Affinity Photo it seems to take several adjustments before it starts. However, re-opening the image within an already running Affinity Photo causes the corruption to continue happening right from the first alteration to the Clarity settings slider.)

This is on a MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2018) now running macOS 12.0.1 Monterey. (When I wrote my initial report I was still on macOS 11.6 Big Sur.)

MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2018)
Processor 2.6 GHz 6-Core Intel Core i7
Memory 32 GB 2400 MHz DDR4
Graphics Intel UHD Graphics 630 1536 MB

No external hardware connected; just using the MacBook Pro and its native keyboard and trackpad.

[Chris B]

Thanks all - we've identified what's going wrong and are working toward a fix.

[Patrick Connor]

1.10.4 will be released today that addresses the problem of Screen and UI corruption (in 1.10.3) on some desktops.

On the Affinity Store 1.10.4 builds should be available now and on the Mac App Store and Microsoft Store it will roll out worldwide over the next 24-48 hours, as normal.

Please see this announcement post for the link for your particular application

[fatfreemedia]

On 10/29/2021 at 10:08 AM, Patrick Connor said:

1.10.4 will be released today that addresses the problem of Screen and UI corruption (in 1.10.3) on some desktops.

On the Affinity Store 1.10.4 builds should be available now and on the Mac App Store and Microsoft Store it will roll out worldwide over the next 24-48 hours, as normal.

Please see this announcement post for the link for your particular application

FWIW, this point release did not fix the issues I was having. When I switch to Metal, it goes wonky. I can run the app in OpenGL w/o issue so no bother. I'm on a late 2013 MacBook Pro running MacOS Mojave (10.14.6) for reasons related to needing to keep Adobe CS5 still running. Waiting on a new Mac Mini to upgrade my system in the future.

[Patrick Connor]

@fatfreemedia

Please can you try the 1.10.5.270 beta available in the photo macOS beta forum. Let us know if that sorts it out.

@Chris B please can you chase up identifying the problem @fatfreemedia is having which is an apparent regression over 1.10.1 that still exists in 1.10.4 assuming the new beta has the same problems

[fatfreemedia]

On 11/6/2021 at 10:26 AM, Patrick Connor said:

@fatfreemedia

Please can you try the 1.10.5.270 beta available in the photo macOS beta forum. Let us know if that sorts it out.

@Chris B please can you chase up identifying the problem @fatfreemedia is having which is an apparent regression over 1.10.1 that still exists in 1.10.4 assuming the new beta has the same problems

Patrick-

No luck, sorry. Still having the same artifacting, etc. And again, this is only with Metal enabled (w/ or w/o 'Enable Metal computer acceleration' checked).

[Chris B]

Thanks for the update @fatfreemedia - I've fed this back to the developers. 

[Chris B]

@fatfreemedia - I have just checked with the developers and they have informed me that the changes made between 1.10.2 and 1.10.4 were removed for Mojave so I'm not sure why you are still affected in the 1.10.5 beta. 

1.10.4 wasn't still running when the beta was open was it?

[fatfreemedia]

31 minutes ago, Chris B said:

@fatfreemedia - I have just checked with the developers and they have informed me that the changes made between 1.10.2 and 1.10.4 were removed for Mojave so I'm not sure why you are still affected in the 1.10.5 beta. 

1.10.4 wasn't still running when the beta was open was it?

I just restarted my laptop, made sure no Affinity applications were open with exception to the 1.10.5.270 Beta build of Affinity Photo, and am still experiencing the same issues with Metal enabled and a blank document open. There are no display issues if I have no documents open as you'll see in this new video which shows that I only have the Beta open. Please note that Designer and Publisher work fine with Metal enabled – it's only Photo.