Advanced layer management options

[Jochen Damm]

Hello,

this might be a little bit too picky/quirky but I'd like to have a few more options to choose in layer management. I know that there are already similar functions or workarounds in the most cases but I miss these options I'm used to have.

To this point you can only name, lock/unlock, assign a color, set blend mode and opacity. I'm used to have more precise options. The first and foremost option is to define if the layer should be printed or not. Of cause you can delete or hide that layer. But it is really helpful to have visible layers that will never be printed or exported. That could be instructions and templates. In addition to that are the options for outline mode (showing only outlines of objects for wireframing and complex structures) and the ability to select objects. Even if a layer is locked you can edit or delete its objects by direct selection. This should be prohibited by inherited status. But there should be an option to disable selection of objects on a layer independant from being locked or not. This can help against unwanted changes that kept unseen.

Bonus round: Nested master pages
I would post that on a own topic but nested master pages are kind of layers. Therefore I add it under this topic. It would be great to have several guides on one page. If you add master pages the page inherits the guides and margins from the lowest master page added. But there are occasions to add several conflicting guides to one page. For examle I tried to design a trifold brochure with six master pages - three master pages per sheet/page. That could be a great help because each part has its own layout grid and margins. In this case you avoid to interfere the fold with the single layout grid system. There is a big difference if you add one 12column grid over the whole page or add 3 4column grids with horizontal margins around the fold areas. It looks more professional and is easier to work with. But this solution is only possible by adding each guide lines manually. If there are several master pages placed that are not stacked/overlapping the guidelines and grids should be clipped to their own space covering only the master page. If there are master pages stacked it should be possible to switch between / choose the right guide lines or migrate them into a new set on the actual page.

Thank you

Jochen

[fde101]

Not only does this thread violate the guideline of only one feature request per thread, but it contains also several duplicate requests which have already been discussed at some length.  Please search for existing discussions before adding threads, to avoid duplicating them.

 

See the guidelines on posting feature requests at the top of this page: https://forum.affinity.serif.com/index.php?/forum/52-feature-requests-suggestions/

[thomaso]

By the way: the text flow option in your middle screenshot does exist already in APub, called "Text Wrap". It also works for objects underneath the text and without fill or stroke.

[Jochen Damm]

5 hours ago, fde101 said:

Not only does this thread violate the guideline of only one feature request per thread, but it contains also several duplicate requests which have already been discussed at some length.  Please search for existing discussions before adding threads, to avoid duplicating them.

 

See the guidelines on posting feature requests at the top of this page: https://forum.affinity.serif.com/index.php?/forum/52-feature-requests-suggestions/

I am really sorry. Once again I made a fool of myself. I actually know the rules. But in the heat of the moment I forgot everything around me and just started writing. It really wasn't my intention to clutter up the forum.

4 hours ago, thomaso said:

By the way: the text flow option in your middle screenshot does exist already in APub, called "Text Wrap". It also works for objects underneath the text and without fill or stroke.

I should be more precise. It doesn't change anything. Of course I know "Text Wrap". It's such a standard tool. But for some reason yesterday I thought that "Text Wrap" would only work on objects and not on layers. But I forgot I have used it already the other way. And yes, it works perfectly and is easily accessible. I'm just used to seeing these settings in the Layers panel/window.
But one button is a false friend. And that is the "Edit Wrap Outline". The symbol is basically the same but I don't mean the ability to manually adjust the wrap contour. But to display all objects below only as outlines. As you may know from various programs for vector graphics: Even complex graphics with hundreds of objects are shown as outline sketches. As if with X-ray vision through landscapes, vehicles and figures.

 

With all determination, I apologize and pledge to improve. But as I know myself, the next blunder is already waiting.

Please move the post to the appropriate place or delete it entirely.
See you soon.

[fde101]

1 hour ago, Jochen Damm said:

to display all objects below only as outlines. As you may know from various programs for vector graphics: Even complex graphics with hundreds of objects are shown as outline sketches. As if with X-ray vision through landscapes, vehicles and figures.

If you also have Affinity Designer installed, you can switch to the Designer persona and choose View -> View Mode -> Outline; this actually "sticks" even if you then switch back to the Publisher persona, but it is a global setting which impacts ALL layers at once, not just select ones.  Being able to set this per-layer is actually something I had never really considered, but it is an interesting idea.  What program(s) currently support that?

[Engineering_text]

In an earlier reply, the moderator claimed the questions have already been addressed in other discussions. When making such a claim, surely you noticed the other discussions. Would be nice if along with that statement, you would list a few of the discussions. I'm hunting for how to create guide lines in the publishing software. Lots of discussions came up in search -but needle in haystack trying to find one relevant to what I'm trying to do.

[walt.farrell]

28 minutes ago, Engineering_text said:

In an earlier reply, the moderator claimed the questions have already been addressed in other discussions

Welcome to the Serif Affinity forums.

In fact, no Moderators have been involved in this discussion; only users.

Also, this topic is in the Feature Requests & Suggestions forum, where users make suggestions to Serif about improving the applications. It is not in the part of the forums for asking questions or learning how to use the applications.

31 minutes ago, Engineering_text said:

I'm hunting for how to create guide lines in the publishing software

A good starting point is the application help, which allows searching. 

Beyond that, feel free to ask your question in your own new topic, in the Affinity on Desktop Questions (Mac and Windows) forum. That will probably be easier than trying to find an appropriate matching discussion, and better than posting in an unrelated or very old discussion.

[thomaso]

2 hours ago, Engineering_text said:

I'm hunting for how to create guide lines in the publishing software. Lots of discussions came up in search -but needle in haystack trying to find one relevant to what I'm trying to do.

Indeed, the forums search can be cumbersome, in particular if you don't know the 'right' terms you are missing with a problem. Also it doesn't do a fuzzy search. Thus it can help to search via internet and limit the search via "site:" to the domain of Serif. For instance: "create guide lines site:serif.com". Or don't limit the search to include e.g. youtube or vimeo results.

Also this thread lists quite a few topics with URLs for help: