Affinity Files Not Shown in file open menu

[WhiteStone]

Greetings all!  New Affinity Photo user here 🙂. 

I did a search on this topic, but did not find anything.  I apologize if it has already been discussed under some other heading or keywords.

Very odd behavior when attempting to open an Affinity file.  I am running Windows 10.  I have 5 photos edited and ready for HDR merging.  When I select file -> HDR Merge, the file ADD/REMOVE submenu pops up.  When I select ADD, the file selection explorer (for lack of better words) pops up.  The filetype is set for Affinity files, but no Affinity files are visible.  Only NEF files (I shoot Nikon) show up.  The NEF files should not be visible at all since I am filtering for Affinity files.  It's working the opposite way!  

Now when I select Open in Affinity, the Affinity files appear along with every other filetype in the selection list.  But not in the HDR or new STACK selection lists.  Here are some partial screenshots to help explain what I am experiencing:

Here I am opening an existing Affinity file:

The Affinity files show up in the list.  Here I am attempting to ADD files to HDR merge:

No Affinity files appear even though the filter is set for Affinity files.  What gives? 🤷‍♂️

Anyone have any idea?  It must be a simple fix!

Jeff

 

[GarryP]

Welcome to the forums @WhiteStone

I don’t think you can HDR Merge Affinity documents – e.g. AFPHOTO, AFDESIGN, AFPUB – so I think, in this case, “Affinity Files” means “just the types of image file which the HDR merge function can handle”.
If I’m wrong – quite possible – then someone will say so.

[WhiteStone]

1 minute ago, GarryP said:

Welcome to the forums @WhiteStone

I don’t think you can HDR Merge Affinity documents – e.g. AFPHOTO, AFDESIGN, AFPUB – so I think, in this case, “Affinity Files” means “just the types of image file which the HDR merge function can handle”.
If I’m wrong – quite possible – then someone will say so.

Ah!  Gerry are you saying the HDR merge files must be RAW?  You are probably correct!  What is throwing me off is the HDR Merge list is filtered for Affinity files as a default.  That is a bit misleading for sure.  I will follow the RAW path and see how it goes.

Thanks a bunch!

Jeff

[WhiteStone]

OK Gerry.  You were correct!  I exported my Affinity files as HDR files; and now they appear in the HDR Merge list.

Cheers!!

Jeff

[GarryP]

You’re welcome.
I don’t use the HDR Merge functionality myself so I can’t say which image types are valid but RAW would certainly seem to be one of the ones it should work on.
I think I’ve seen this “Affinity Files” file-type problem elsewhere and it has been reported as being confusing, not just for this functionality.
I’m not sure if you should be exporting your documents as ‘HDR files’, but if that’s working for you then that’s great.

[walt.farrell]

2 hours ago, GarryP said:

I don’t use the HDR Merge functionality myself so I can’t say which image types are valid but RAW would certainly seem to be one of the ones it should work on.

I don't use it either, but from the general way that RAW files are processed in Affinity Photo I suspect the better workflow would be to Develop the individual images, export as TIFF, and run the HDR Merge on the TIFF files.

[walt.farrell]

James Ritson also addressed this a little while ago:

 

Edited October 30, 2021 by walt.farrell
Sorry; mistyped James's name.

[WhiteStone]

5 hours ago, walt.farrell said:

I don't use it either, but from the general way that RAW files are processed in Affinity Photo I suspect the better workflow would be to Develop the individual images, export as TIFF, and run the HDR Merge on the TIFF files.

Hi Walt,

As you know, I am new to Affinity.  Can you expound on why you believe the TIFF route might be a better work flow?  I am just curious, and desire to use the most efficient path to a successful HRD result.

My experiment last night proved very successful however!

Best regards,

Jeff

[walt.farrell]

1 hour ago, WhiteStone said:

Can you expound on why you believe the TIFF route might be a better work flow?  I am just curious, and desire to use the most efficient path to a successful HRD result.

Basically for the reasons explained by James Ritson in the post I linked to.

RAW files go through the full advanced Development process only when you use them:

• In the Affinity Photo application, not Publisher nor Designer; and
• Via File > Open (into the Develop Persona) or File > New Batch Job

Any other usage of a RAW File in Photo (File > New Stack, File > New HDR Merge, File > New Panorama, File > New Focus Merge, File > Place) and any usage in Designer or Publisher goes through a shortened Develop process which does not include the Develop Assistant functions (Lens Correction, Noise Correction, Tone Curve, Exposure Bias). So, unless you always run with the Develop Assistant disabled, or those options disabled, you'll get different results if you try to use a RAW file directly in something like HDR Merge, than you'd get if you Developed the file through File > Open and Export first.

[Pšenda]

There are some goblins in this forum who play with user names :-)

 

14 hours ago, WhiteStone said:

OK Gerry.

 

10 hours ago, walt.farrell said:

James Ruston

[WhiteStone]

1 hour ago, Pšenda said:

There are some goblins in this forum who play with user names 🙂

 

 

 Oooops!  Sorry Garry!  It was late a night (very early in the morning) for me at the time; plus I was still confused regarding the file filter bit.  🙄 

[WhiteStone]

6 hours ago, walt.farrell said:

Basically for the reasons explained by James Ritson in the post I linked to.

RAW files go through the full advanced Development process only when you use them:

• In the Affinity Photo application, not Publisher nor Designer; and
• Via File > Open (into the Develop Persona) or File > New Batch Job

Any other usage of a RAW File in Photo (File > New Stack, File > New HDR Merge, File > New Panorama, File > New Focus Merge, File > Place) and any usage in Designer or Publisher goes through a shortened Develop process which does not include the Develop Assistant functions (Lens Correction, Noise Correction, Tone Curve, Exposure Bias). So, unless you always run with the Develop Assistant disabled, or those options disabled, you'll get different results if you try to use a RAW file directly in something like HDR Merge, than you'd get if you Developed the file through File > Open and Export first.

Thanks Walt.  This is very helpful!

Jeff

[Pšenda]

6 hours ago, WhiteStone said:

Oooops!

Only for information - best way for using users name into forum is type "@" and gradually enter the letter of his name. A list of usernames will be displayed, which will be filtered as you enter more letters until you select the correct one. The selected name is then inserted into the text of the post as an object,

that can be clicked and bounced into the user's profile. The user also receives a message that his name has been quoted and that he should read the post. And if the user changes their nickname over time, this link will also change, so the displayed name will always be consistent.

Edited October 30, 2021 by Pšenda

[WhiteStone]

3 minutes ago, Pšenda said:

Only for information - best way for using users name into forum is type "@" and gradually enter the letter of his name. A list of usernames will be displayed, which will be filtered as you enter more letters until you select the correct one. The selected name is then inserted into the text of the post as an object,

that can be clicked and bounced into the user's profile. The user also receives a message that his name has been quoted and that he should read the post.

@Pšenda Hey!  It works!  Very cool.  Many thanks!  As a newbie, I have a lot to learn here; but I do appreciate the gentle guidance as I go along.  👍