Round Corners - Windows 11

[imagodespira]

First: Thanks for the new version and congrats on the release.

It is not a bug, more an important missing feature: Windows 11 Rounded windows. I think also a design suite should care about UI guidelines. And with V2 i wanted to see rounded Windows 11 corners AND drop shadows of the main windows, it is possible on MacOS too. It is not a gimmik or a joke, it is to separate multiple windows while working. When i work in other graphic software it is nearly impossible to separate and find the Affinity Window. Attached a sample which shows Affinity Photo above Blender. Round Corners is "just" a OS design feature but window shadows and in Windows 11 the light line around the window are important thinks and i would assume that a software which is meant to design UI and other stuff is using this rules. 

 

Regards and thanks for a day one patch  ... For now, i have to test new stuff...

[Komatös]

It's not a bug,

The programmes also work excellently with the pointed corners. 

[imagodespira]

When i don´t can separate the app with other windows, it is a bug  Either way, i did not find a better forum for this. 

 

[Dan C]

Hi imagodespira,

Thanks for the suggestion, it's worth noting that Blender has some excellent UI customisation and the particular shade of grey we both seem to like can be altered a little if you wish to separate them visually.

Lee

[imagodespira]

4 minutes ago, LeeThorpe said:

Hi imagodespira,

Thanks for the suggestion, it's worth noting that Blender has some excellent UI customisation and the particular shade of grey we both seem to like can be altered a little if you wish to separate them visually.

Lee

Thanks for your reply... beside Blender, here a Screenshot of all Software of your suite, sorry but it is not good and if you look at macos, it works well there (also the inapp Windows looks more separated if i see your first Affinity 2 videos at youtube. On Windows it is flat and not good separated).

[Pšenda]

1 hour ago, imagodespira said:

Windows 11 Rounded windows

It is not only about the visual appearance (rounded corners) defined by the respective OS, which all standard applications should respect, but also about other functions that the given OS brings for manipulating windows/applications. For example, the distribution of windows on the desktop.

The fact that the application does not respect the features of the OS is its big "bug" (albeit at the design level).

[bitegr]

You can use Mica for everyone https://github.com/MicaForEveryone/MicaForEveryone

Just add Photo, Designer, Publisher rules and choose Corner Mode > Rounded

 

You can see that it works for modal windows and has native shadows too.

 

The only gripe is the splash screen seems to have some kind of translucent border applied to it, but it's worth it imo.

[imagodespira]

bitegr: Thanks! It is great and now i can separate the window between other dark mode apps. 

@Serif: Please try it and you will see that your decision to make no round corners where wrong! It is no problem to make it, so please do it!!!!!

For me, it is a game changer!

[Tommy Turtle]

5 hours ago, imagodespira said:

@Serif: Please try it and you will see that your decision to make no round corners where wrong! It is no problem to make it, so please do it!!!!!

For me, it is a game changer!

How does rounded corners affect the app?

[imagodespira]

First, it is a cosmetic kind. It seems that it is not important for developers of a software which is aimed to professional designers (if you look at the affinity promotion). People who are creative the whole day and makes graphics in any style pays attantion of visual styles. And if it fits seamless in windows 11, it is very useful. 

But second is maybe more important: It separates better from other windows. Look into my images above. It is often hard to see the activated window or the content. Is it Photo or is it designer? Round corners and shadow are not only cosmetic choices. They are helping to separate content from each other. Some people does not understand it.. maybe they are not creators, more coders or what else. 

In the public version of affinity it is sometimes also hard to see the windows within the app, especially it one makes UI Designs, maybe in a gray color... Now it is much better, because the round corner and the shadow helps. The round corner around windows 11 have a slightly lighter line to separate it better. On top the drop shadow. It is the same in Macos (here a better visuall line around, they have a second more darker line... again, it is not only because it is nice!!!). 

With the tool, it works better. The app itself but also within the app the tool windows. A problem is left: The drop shadow seems to be only the "disabled window" one, a much lighter version than in other apps. The Affinity Apps itself have no shadow, so it is maybe not better to make for this "hack" tool. But better than nothing. It could be better if Serif would use the Windows 11 Design guidlines instead of this Hack  It is strange, a third party mini tool can do it and the coders of a professional Design Software not. I know it was a decision and not a bug. But it was not the right one!

For my workflow it is much better now. But it could be better if the Apps would have its own round corners and drop shadows (the shadows could be more visible, not possible with the "hack"). 

 

[RNKLN]

As a Mac user I'm not affected by this 'bug' but I support every Windows user's request for Affinity products to respect the characteristics of the OS (as much as possible. 100% will be difficult).

[Pšenda]

36 minutes ago, imagodespira said:

It could be better if Serif would use the Windows 11 Design guidlines

At least for me, it is completely incomprehensible that Serif boasts of winning the title of "Windows Developer Awards", while its products (including the award-winning application) do not meet the basic rules for applications running on Windows. Whether it is the consistent use of hints/tooltips (in version V2 it is again significantly worse), or the discussed appearance of windows (the very basic meaning of the OS, where all applications should look the same) and new functions for the distribution of application windows on the desktop.

[imagodespira]

Thanks @all who understand my little fight

@Serif: it does not mean that i don´t enjoy to use your products. But i think it is, beside the also big list of bugs, worth to discuss.

[Brian_J]

I agree... I think apps should accommodate the UI design principles of the OS they run on. Windows 11 automatically applies rounded corners to top-level app windows, so maybe the Affinity apps were designed in a way that prevents rounded corners from being applied. I'm not aware of the complexities involved, but it would be nice if Serif could address this at some point.

From Microsoft documentation: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/apps/desktop/modernize/apply-rounded-corners

Quote

Rounded corners are the most immediately noticeable feature of Windows 11 Geometry. On Windows 11, the system automatically rounds top-level window corners for all inbox apps, including all UWP apps, and most other apps.

[François R]

Yet another post of well-argued feedback to Serif from a paying and professionally serious customer met and mired in opposition and nonsense from a small group of fanboys offering unfactual opposition in this and many, many other threads.

I also noted the departure from the Windows 11 design guide with genuine annoyance, @imagodespira, and I was puzzled that Serif Software missed the chance to discover that they've done it wrong (In fact, their answer is tragicomic and unprofessional), but I'm fortunate enough that I rarely switch programs once I'm up and running with the program maximized and being creative. And by the way, I'm retiring Windows soon in my workflow, so I miss the hassle of these design choices (MSIX too) that weren't good enough.

In short: You are totally right @imagodespira and thank you @Brian_J for the above link to actual facts!

[Omgitsdose]

Wondering if there had been any official feedback in regards to this. 

[GlacierFox]

Just created an account to ask if we're actually gonna see any action on this. Just moved over to Windows 11 and was met with an out-of-place UI. I'd expect this state of the art graphic design application to at least follow the UI guidelines of the operating system it's running on. I mean, I don't have any distinguishing visual problems with it like the OP bit it kinda just looks.... unprofessional.  
 

Confused at the other 'Well it works fine with sharp corners' characters in this thread too - like there's a problem with someone who values visually appealing and consistent software.

also thanks @bitegr, MicaForEveryone seems to be a workaround for the time being.

Cheers, Danny.

Edited August 4, 2023 by GlacierFox

[edge261]

hi, wondering if someone of the dev team is going to pay attention to this...

[walt.farrell]

11 hours ago, edge261 said:

hi, wondering if someone of the dev team is going to pay attention to this...

If by "pay attention" you mean "respond here", then probably not. The Feedback section is for us to express and discuss our requested improvements. Serif reads those requests/discussions, and factors them into their plans. But generally, as they do not want to disclose future plans, they do not respond here. Even if they respond, the usual responses are often "we would like to do it someday" or "we don't like to say no, but we are not considering it at the moment". So you won't get a yes, or a no, or a timeframe, usually.

If, though, you mean "implement the changes discussed here", we can only wait and see if they ever happen.

[edge261]

On 1/5/2024 at 7:05 AM, walt.farrell said:

If by "pay attention" you mean "respond here", then probably not. The Feedback section is for us to express and discuss our requested improvements. Serif reads those requests/discussions, and factors them into their plans. But generally, as they do not want to disclose future plans, they do not respond here. Even if they respond, the usual responses are often "we would like to do it someday" or "we don't like to say no, but we are not considering it at the moment". So you won't get a yes, or a no, or a timeframe, usually.

If, though, you mean "implement the changes discussed here", we can only wait and see if they ever happen.

I meant the second option. I share the same sentiment of the people here, looking for a better look (and usability) for this software. It's hard to distinguish different windows sometimes because they lack a border... rounded corners and shadows. I get it, it's a tool... but it's built for design professionals. The least expected is to have a decently designed UI/UX.

[fde101]

On 12/22/2022 at 4:49 PM, François R said:

Yet another post of well-argued feedback to Serif from a paying and professionally serious customer met and mired in opposition and nonsense from a small group of fanboys offering unfactual opposition

Who is offering opposition to this?  I only see one post that even comes close, and the comment was one of classification (not a bug) rather than one of opposition (saying it should not happen).  The vast majority of posts have been supportive of the request.

[maxoakland]

As a Mac user, I'd also like Affinity to fit in better with the standard MacOS interface. When you "float" a window, it gains a weird square style that is odd on MacOS since it also uses rounded windows

Another thing is these custom windows float above some other windows in affinity and it seems like a bug

[_Th]

I would never have known about the complaint/suggestion here, but I get it.

For apps like Affinity, I always run them full screen (i.e., maximized), so rounded corners and drop shadows don't matter to me, though I'm a tiny bit surprised they're not there. I'll confess to being baffled by users who 'float' their app windows. Personally, I want all the screen real estate I can get! In fact, I won't do any serious projects without two (or more!) monitors with all my panels undocked and meticulously positioned on the second screen. But preferences vary and I agree that Affinity apps should honor each OS standards and conventions as much as possible without interfering with functionality. It wouldn't be my top priority by any means, but I'd have it on the board.