Exported SVG thumbnails missing (Shaper Origin users need this)

[_fraz]

I'm going to be a little vague in this report because I do not have 100% of the technical details.  This may be an RFE/CR and not a bug but I can assure you Shaper Origin users who use AD need this functionality.  I will follow template and see what becomes of it.

1. Are you using the latest release version?
   (here's how to check)
   yes
2. Can you reproduce it?
   (if you cannot then we may struggle to also, making it even harder to fix)
   yes
3. Does it happen for a new document? If not can you upload a document that shows the problem?
   yes
4. If you cannot provide a sample document then please give an accurate description of the problem for example it should include most of the following:

•    What is your operating system and version (Windows 10, OSX Mojave, iOS 12 etc)?
  Big Sur
•    Is hardware acceleration (in Preferences > Performance) ON or OFF ? (and have you tried the other setting?)
  n/a
•    What happened for you (and what you expected to happen)
  Export SVG and expect the icon to show a thumbnail of the image
•    Provide a recipe for creating the problem (step-by-step what you did).
  see below
•    Screenshots (very handy) or a screen capture/video.
  See below for detailed steps
•    Any unusual hardware (like tablets or external monitors or drives that may affect things) or relevant other applications like font managers or display managers.
  no
•    Did this same thing used to work and if so have you changed anything recently? (software or hardware)
  never worked

 

STEPS TO REPRODUCE:

1) Draw object

2) Select "File | Export | SVG" with following settings:

3) Note that in the OS, the thumbnail looks correct

4) However, if you upload to ShaperHub (place to send SVG files to the Shaper Origin) and upload, you will notice there is no thumbnail. 

Now I know this sounds like it is out of Affinity's hands and Shaper needs to fix.  The reality is AD is the only SVG tool I've seen that doesn't do this correctly.  Additionally, users have written a Python script (and a web tool) and apparently it is as simple as adding a 'viewBox' parameter to the SVG. 

https://community.shapertools.com/t/affinity-designer-script-to-add-thumbnails/6384
 

Could we please get this added to Affinity Designer so all of us Shaper Origin users can stop using external tools and scripts that interrupt our workflow?  The aforementioned Python script is available on the link I pasted as well as notes from the author.

Thanks for your consideration.

 

 

 

 

Edited January 31, 2022 by _fraz
typo

[walt.farrell]

Welcome to the Serif Affinity forums.

When you're exporting an SVG, if you click on More in the Export dialog, one of the options you'll find is "Set viewbox". Have you checked to make sure you have that option turned on? If not, does setting it resolve your problem?

[ashf]

You exported whole document.
Export only selected object.(Area option)

[_fraz]

2 hours ago, walt.farrell said:

Welcome to the Serif Affinity forums.

When you're exporting an SVG, if you click on More in the Export dialog, one of the options you'll find is "Set viewbox". Have you checked to make sure you have that option turned on? If not, does setting it resolve your problem?

Hi Walt, you nailed it.  I missed that setting and it appears to work great, thanks.

2 hours ago, ashf said:

You exported whole document.
Export only selected object.(Area option)

Close, but Walt's answer was correct.  

[walt.farrell]

5 minutes ago, _fraz said:

Close, but Walt's answer was correct

Perhaps with the different export setting the viewbox option would be set automatically.

[_fraz]

12 minutes ago, walt.farrell said:

Perhaps with the different export setting the viewbox option would be set automatically.

Possible.  I just futzed around with the export settings (needs some work) and I could see that.  One thing I did notice was I could not simply set that setting in existing preset; it kept reverting.  Tried creating a new preset and same behavior.  I ended up killing both of my created presets, creating one anew [happened to have "Set viewBox" enabled] and then saved and all is perfect now.  My gut tells me it worked because the base preset had it enabled already and that is why the others wouldn't retain their settings.

No matter what, you helped me solve an issue that was bugging me for a while as well as other Origin/AD users.  I already filed RFE for them to update their doc and will go forth and share with their community.  Cheers!