Please add EXE/MSI installer

[vdreams]

I can't stand it when applications can't be installed in definable paths.
I want full control where what is installed.

Please provide the usual installers again (EXE or MSI).

Thanks

[walt.farrell]

34 minutes ago, vdreams said:

I want full control where what is installed.

In case you're not aware, you can control which drive MSIX packages are installed on, via Windows Settings: Settings > Storage > Change where new content is installed.

And you can Move an installed MSIX app from one drive to another. Settings > Apps & Features, click on the App, and choose Move.

But no, within that drive, you can't control where the application goes.

[vdreams]

20 minutes ago, walt.farrell said:

In case you're not aware, you can control which drive MSIX packages are installed on, via Windows Settings: Settings > Storage > Change where new content is installed.

Yes, I am aware of it, but is not what I want.

[walt.farrell]

OK. Just wanted to be sure you knew.

[Patrick Connor]

1 hour ago, vdreams said:

I want full control where what is installed.

As a matter of interest do you never use app stores on for example Android, iPads, Macs, or even install anything from the Microsoft Store ?

[Fred5738]

Also, in Stream Deck, you have to select an 'exe' file, but that doesn't work with the WindowsApp-folder.
So how do I link AD 2 in Stream Deck?

[walt.farrell]

46 minutes ago, Fred5738 said:

So how do I link AD 2 in Stream Deck?

I would suggest creating a helper .bat file that will invoke the App Execution Alias. I've used a .bat with this content for Photo 2:

start /b affinityphoto2.exe %1
exit

The equivalent for Designer 2 should be:

start /b affinitydesigner2.exe %1
exit

 

[Fred5738]

 

19 minutes ago, walt.farrell said:

I would suggest creating a helper .bat file that will invoke the App Execution Alias. I've used a .bat with this content for Photo 2:

I do not want to open AD2; Stream Decks needs a reference to AD2.exe,
Stream Deck wants you to manually select AD2.exe in a browse window,
so it gets 'linked' to it.

[walt.farrell]

25 minutes ago, Fred5738 said:

 

I do not want to open AD2; Stream Decks needs a reference to AD2.exe,
Stream Deck wants you to manually select AD2.exe in a browse window,
so it gets 'linked' to it.

Sorry; I misunderstood. 

You can directly reference the App Execution Alias, but users are reporting issues doing that in other contexts so it would be better to wait before trying that.

 

[jussi]

3 hours ago, Patrick Connor said:

As a matter of interest do you never use app stores on for example Android, iPads, Macs, or even install anything from the Microsoft Store ?

no. I've never used and try never use Microsoft Store. the app shall have its own installer that allows me what and where to put on my disc.

the analogy with Google play or Apple store is not valid here.

[8BitCerberus]

4 hours ago, Patrick Connor said:

As a matter of interest do you never use app stores on for example Android, iPads, Macs, or even install anything from the Microsoft Store ?

For Android and iPad, sure. Not much choice in the matter. As a general rule for my desktops and laptops, however? No.

[Graphite Addict]

4 hours ago, Patrick Connor said:

As a matter of interest do you never use app stores on for example Android, iPads, Macs, or even install anything from the Microsoft Store ?

I know the question wasn't directed at me, but no, no, no and again no. And even if the answer were yes, only the last one on the list relates to Windows users - who generally view the Microsoft store with not-unwarranted, even entirely deserved contempt.

From the end user perspective taking a thing away, such as user control of installation, that was previously available is a bad move.

I appreciate there were factors to why Serif chose the path they did; I'm guessing not having to manage different versions of the same program and all that comes with that is a bonus.

The Affinity products are good products, but I feel many Windows users and the some of the competent tech reporters will view UWP only as a strong negative and extremely unprofessional. It's an immediate no-sale for some. Had I known that UWP was the only Windows installer I certainly wouldn't have bothered upgrading immediately if at all.

I would not expect Serif to release a proper installer version immediately, but it is something you need to consider with some urgency and if you do make the decision to make one then announce that you are doing it.

[Patrick Connor]

If you have another permanent drive the installation can be moved to it

https://forum.affinity.serif.com/index.php?/topic/167827-is-it-possible-to-change-the-installation-path-when-installing-affinity-v2/

[Graphite Addict]

2 minutes ago, Patrick Connor said:

If you have another permanent drive the installation can be moved to it

https://forum.affinity.serif.com/index.php?/topic/167827-is-it-possible-to-change-the-installation-path-when-installing-affinity-v2/

While that might be useful to some, that isn't even remotely close to what we're asking for which is Full control of the installation path.

The tool is beholden to the user, not the other way around.

[vdreams]

15 hours ago, Patrick Connor said:

As a matter of interest do you never use app stores on for example Android, iPads, Macs, or even install anything from the Microsoft Store ?

On Android/iOS I have no other choice, so yes. But on Windows, I avoid the Windows Store like the plague. I would never buy anything there.
On Windows, there is the freedom to install things where I want.

[vdreams]

10 hours ago, Graphite Addict said:

Had I known that UWP was the only Windows installer I certainly wouldn't have bothered upgrading immediately if at all.

Exactly that. I would never have bought it. And it was not pointed out before the purchase that there is only this installer. Very bad move!

[Pyanepsion]

Not being able to install the application wherever you want is probably for a reason that is considered important, otherwise why has this possibility been removed?
It is true that software such as Microsoft no longer allows the installation location, but this is a bad idea.

This becomes a problem on configurations with limited installation space. In this case, you have to change the mass storage medium and reinstall everything. This is rather prohibitive for the purchase of a simple software.

It is also a security problem when you want to distribute the storage of software in various places to limit the risks of ransomware.

For the record:

• QuarkXPress allowed you to install anywhere, but in practice, if you didn't leave the installation path, it caused a malfunction. My 2020 version could no longer install and required an update of QuarkXPress.
• Game or video editing editors also came back, as their application often requires a lot of space, which made them uninstallable for many users.

[walt.farrell]

5 hours ago, vdreams said:

Exactly that. I would never have bought it. And it was not pointed out before the purchase that there is only this installer. Very bad move!

Perhaps you should have used the 30-day Trial, first?

[Patrick Connor]

6 hours ago, vdreams said:

I would never have bought it.

Sorry to hear that. If you bought from the Affinity Store email AffinityReturns@serif.com 

[vdreams]

26 minutes ago, walt.farrell said:

Perhaps you should have used the 30-day Trial, first?

Maybe. But since I own the previous versions and they have an EXE installer, I assumed that this is still the case. 🙃

[Paul Coddington]

On 11/10/2022 at 9:42 AM, 8BitCerberus said:

For Android and iPad, sure. Not much choice in the matter. As a general rule for my desktops and laptops, however? No.

Ditto. I avoid Store/MSIX apps as much as possible on my Windows desktop workstation.

It is important for me to be able to arrange the Start Menu in subfolders by task/topic so I don't have to memorise all my apps and can find apps when I have forgotten the names, shorten Start Menu names for speed reading legibility, remove brand names to improve alphabetic sorting, have short names on pinned items so there are no extra eye movement zig-zags to navigate text wrapping when speed reading/scrolling them.

I have some neurological problems where I become fatigued quite quickly and can be impacted by clutter, messy text wrapping, and sometimes forget what name I need to type in the search box to launch an app, so for me controlling the Start Menu entries shortcuts for as many apps as possible is an accessibility issue.

If only Microsoft would allow MSIX apps to be given user-defined aliases and be put in sub menus in the advanced options it would not be an issue, but the display name is locked in when the MSIX is packaged and can't be altered after the fact without breaking package certification (so far as I know).

[Andrew S]

On 11/10/2022 at 7:06 AM, Patrick Connor said:

If you have another permanent drive the installation can be moved to it

https://forum.affinity.serif.com/index.php?/topic/167827-is-it-possible-to-change-the-installation-path-when-installing-affinity-v2/

This actually does not work on my Win11 Pro. It was set to D drive and it still installed to C drive and you cannot move them either, they fail so what is the solution?

[Andrew S]

On 11/11/2022 at 12:05 AM, vdreams said:

Maybe. But since I own the previous versions and they have an EXE installer, I assumed that this is still the case. 🙃

The same situation here.