Affinity Photo keeps crashing when I try to search fonts

[CoffeeBooks]

I have the latest version of Affinity 1.10.5, and Windows 11 Pro, 21H2 version. I reinstalled the system from scratch a few weeks ago. Affinity Photos worked perfectly. 

I haven't used Affinity Photo for about a week or two. Today, when I start either the Artistic Text Tool or the Frame Text Tool, and I try to search for a font, Affinity Photo freezes for a few seconds, then closes. It happens in brand new files and in old files that used to work. I didn't even try anything more complex. 

Looking around the suggestions other people received when they complained about Affinity crashing since the end of September 2022... I'm not happy. Here are a few things I investigated after reading answers for other users for whom Affinity Photo kept crashing over the past few days"

• none of the things in this list is on my computer https://forum.affinity.serif.com/index.php?/topic/44770-issues-caused-by-third-party-software/ 
• I disabled the Hardware acceleration option from Edit - Preferences - Performance. No change.
• my Crash reports folder is empty, I have nothing to attach.
• my OS is up to date (without any optional updates)
• I'm not part of the Windows insider program
• BUT although in my update history I don't see the KB5017264, but I have the 2022-09 cumulative update KB5017859, which apparently includes it. And this is a "known problem".

If this Windows update is the reason Affinity doesn't work, I'm just not going to use Affinity for a while because I don't feel okay about removing a system update. Sorry, Serif, but if I have to choose between Microsoft and you, I'll have to trust Microsoft. 

My laptop is pretty clutter-free when it comes to apps, but none of my other apps acts up. 

There were various comments in this forum about this issue being a user problem, not an Affinity problem. If that's the case, maybe I'm not the right Affinity user, which is sad. I was a champion of this software.

The only reason I'm posting this is to show that there are more people experiencing this issue. I don't expect any suggestions that weren't already suggested in the threads I read. It just seemed to me that most of the ones who posted were told that there weren't many complaints about it so there's not going to be a patch for this issue. I can live without Affinity for a few weeks, and I really hope that future Windows updates will fix this.

[NathanC]

Hi @CoffeeBooks welcome to the forums,

This is an issue that the development team are well aware of, we can't give an ETA on when this will be resolved but this will hopefully be soon.

[MAXO]

Hi 

same problem just started to happen:  I try to search for a font, Affinity Photo freezes for a few seconds, then closes. 

if I scroll for a font, i am able to select it and it works fine but is time consuming.

Hardware Acceleration disabled      Windows 10

I post so others may be informed

any help appreciated

Edited October 4, 2022 by MAXO

[walt.farrell]

27 minutes ago, MAXO said:

any help appreciated

Please see the Known Issue FAQ referenced two posts above yours, and follow the instructions there.

[MAXO]

This is an Affinity problem. As others have said all other graphics progs work fine in this issue.

Do we really have to mess with windows to correct this. I also notice the problem cropping up some time ago on the forum.

I love the Affinity very much and hope this will be an Affinity solution soon.

Thanks.

[walt.farrell]

17 minutes ago, MAXO said:

This is an Affinity problem. As others have said all other graphics progs work fine in this issue.

There are reports on the web of other WPM-based programs failing, too, and the Windows updates that seem to cause the problem are for WPM-based programs. So it is more likely a Microsoft problem, in my opinion.

[MAXO]

Thanks Walt. Appreciated the info 🙂👍

[Patrick Connor]

UPDATE for anyone still using V1 Affinity applications - 

Versions 1.10.6 of the Affinity suite have been released, which resolve these .NET Windows crashes.

Please see the below link for information on how to download and install these updates:

With the Affinity updates installed, you can now un-hide any previous Windows updates you have paused and install these without concern.