Is there a way to add trim marks to an object?

[Blake_S]

In Illustrator you can select an object, go into the menu Object -> Create Trim Marks, and this will do exactly what it says.

Anything like this in Affinity Designer or Publisher?

[Blake_S]

2 hours ago, N.P.M. said:

Not per object, only in pdf export.
But @thomaso created a constraintsgroup to be used as an asset.

 

yeah this is useful, thanks for pointing out.
Do you know about the snapping issue?
Currently the edge of the rectangle from the asset doesn't snap to the object you're trying to set the cropmarks for, so you kinda just have to align by eye at high zoom.

The object does snap to the asset's rectangle, but not the other way around.

[thomaso]

10 hours ago, Blake_S said:

Do you know about the snapping issue?
Currently the edge of the rectangle from the asset doesn't snap to the object you're trying to set the cropmarks for, so you kinda just have to align by eye at high zoom.

The object does snap to the asset's rectangle, but not the other way around.

Unfortunately I never was able to make it snap as needed. Experimenting with groups and with multiple but not-grouped objects make me assume that snapping does not work for internal object edges of a multi-selection or group but rather to their common bounding box respectively its centres only. With other words: Affinity snapping seems to be too limited for this.

Workarounds:

a.) Adjust the 8 stroke lengths + distance of the items in the Constraints group according your preferred unit to get a total width/height which lets you calculate easily. (e.g. 10 mm, 1/2 inch, xx px), then set their position and width/height via the transform panel numerically, added to the area you want to use the marks for. (To maintain the Constraints feature working correctly you need to adjust these sizes of their layers outside of the Constraints layer)

b.) Forget about the Constraints feature and place the 4 pairs of strokes individually. This seems to snap at least to the bounding box of existing layout contents. e.g.:

[JimmyJack]

Nice asset.

First I think the rectangle needs to be converted to a curve.
Then.....To snap, select all the elements and use the Node Tool. 👍

The Point Transform tool is easier to snap (works with the shape) but won't do any stretching if required.

[thomaso]

Would be nice, I just can't manage it. What "all" elements? Where to place the point? I tried various ways but can't get the asset's gray rectangle (or the h/v strokes) snap to an aiming object.