Save Designer V2 files back to V1 files?

[Andi_CostaRica]

Hello,

Is there any way to save/export Affinity Designer version 2 files back as version 1 after working on them with the new version 2.

When opening with version 1, I get a message that the file contains version 2 features. It is not possible to open it.

I tried to work with Designer V2, but after two days of work I give up.

Besides many crashes, I now give up, especially after discovering problems with duplicate ghost objects in the Layer panel...

I think I better wait for version 2.1...

[walt.farrell]

No, there isn't.

You might have success by:

1. Opening both V1 and V2.
2. Opening a V2 file in V2, selecting everything, and doing a Copy.
3. In V1, either create a new empty document and Paste, or use File > New from Clipboard.

[Andi_CostaRica]

@walt.ferrell: Thank you very much. Good idea! I will give it a try!

@all: I would have really liked to work with the new version. Too bad version 2 is more of a quiet plop than a loud bang. In the last 2 days I felt more like an alpha or beta tester than a customer 'testing' a new version of a software...

[Andi_CostaRica]

I tried to copy and paste. Works kind of. I can see the objects in the layer panel, but not in the document 🤥. All objects are invisible, when you select one in the layer panel you can see the object without stroke and fill until you select the next one.

 

the file in Version 2 looks like this:

 

[MikeTO]

The actual problem is you've drawn a v2 illustration of a sunny Costa Rica resort with a pool and view of the ocean and you're trying to copy the pool house into v1 while the rest of us are dealing with snow. 🙂

Seriously though, while I know very little about artboards this is exactly what you'd see if the pasted object was off the current artboard. First try copying something simple like a rectangle from v2 to v1 - does it show up when pasted to the same location? I tried copying a shape, a group of shapes, a group of groups, rotated objects, etc, and everything pasted from v2 to v1 correctly, with and without using artboards.

[walt.farrell]

I'm curious whether that V2 document uses DXF or DWG elements?

If so, those are not supported in V1, which might be your problem.

[Andi_CostaRica]

1 hour ago, walt.farrell said:

I'm curious whether that V2 document uses DXF or DWG elements?

As far as I know none. Just very simple line art (pen tool) and 2 bitmap files as background and templates. 😀

[Andi_CostaRica]

I was now able to copy and paste all the elements back into a version 1 document. Did not create an art board, just a simple A3 document. I am relieved. Thanks to all for the help! 😁

[AlessioFB]

Hi guys, I was wondering if this practice is considered safe by the devs.

Like @Andi_CostaRica, I went back to V1 because V2 is still unusable for serious work. But I'd really love to use the warp every now and then...
Can I copy paste to V2, use the warp, apply the changes (of course) and copy paste the vectors back to V1?

I want to be 100% sure that it will be safe for the project, because it's a very big project spanning over many months of work and I don't want to corrupt the file or anything.

@walt.farrell I see you are a senior here on the Forums do you know who I may ask about this?

[walt.farrell]

5 hours ago, AlessioFB said:

I see you are a senior here on the Forums do you know who I may ask about this?

(At least I've been around awhile, and post a lot  )

Generally for questions the Serif Staff get to topics eventually, and if they see a need to comment beyond what the forum members have said they will respond. It's considered impolite to "tag" one of them to pull them into a conversation they aren't already involved in.

If you're asking about copy/paste: if it works I don't see that it could be unsafe. I think they've been involved in other conversations where that was mentioned, and may have even suggested it themselves, and never discouraged it.

[GRH]

How about exporting the V2 document as an SVG and opening it in V1?

I did a test and it seemed to work just fine.

Edit: If it's all vectors, any images seem to be handled differently.

[AlessioFB]

30 minutes ago, GRH said:

How about exporting the V2 document as an SVG and opening it in V1?

I did a test and it seemed to work just fine.

Thank you for the idea. I would probably lose some information, but it would also probably reduce the probability of importing bugs.

 

3 hours ago, walt.farrell said:

If you're asking about copy/paste: if it works I don't see that it could be unsafe. I think they've been involved in other conversations where that was mentioned, and may have even suggested it themselves, and never discouraged it.

I think it could be unsafe if the imported data brings bugged or not compatible stuff to the project. I know it sounds paranoid, but I already found bugs in V2 that are imported to V1 when copy pasting (the problem with fill losing transparency when applying an outline).

[pissedoffuser]

Why can't we save v1 format files from v2???

This is a real adobe level bait and switch. Absolutely crazy that there is no way to pass files between the versions.

[Komatös]

41 minutes ago, pissedoffuser said:

Why can't we save v1 format files from v2???

This is a real adobe level bait and switch. Absolutely crazy that there is no way to pass files between the versions.

It makes no sense to bring files into the old format, because in V2 many functions and effects are new and you would get a completely different result than expected. Yes, Adobe's new formats can be opened in older versions, but often not with the expected result. Once new features or effects stumble even older Adobe programs with files from a new program version.

[dominik]

1 hour ago, pissedoffuser said:

Why can't we save v1 format files from v2???

This is a real adobe level bait and switch. Absolutely crazy that there is no way to pass files between the versions.

Hello @pissedoffuser and welcome to the forum.

The main reason is because Serif decided so. One of the reasons fellow forum member @Komatös already mentioned. In regard to the relatively reasonabley priced upgrade cost I would hesitate to call this a bait. But to each his own.

Can you perhaps provide a use case which explains why someone would stay with version 1 and seriously has to interchange version 2 files? I know about some users who still are at version 1 on purpous. But I never heard from them that they are missing this feature. If compatibility is a serious issue (e.g. in a commercial scenario) an upgrade should not be too hard.

d.

[pissedoffuser]

Anyone who works in a large distributed team in different orgs or over different machines without a site license or fixed upgrade cycle? I have Designer on 2 of my own machines (only Mac upgraded to version 2) and work with between 5-10 colleagues, most of whom are still on V1. It seems the answer in this case is everyone has to keep using v1 until everyone has v2, just utterly bizarre to me compared to every other piece of software I've used (not just adobe, but also any office program, any program with its file format I can think of actually can save old versions: matlab, autocad, etc. )

 

 

[dominik]

48 minutes ago, pissedoffuser said:

Anyone who works in a large distributed team in different orgs or over different machines without a site license or fixed upgrade cycle? I have Designer on 2 of my own machines (only Mac upgraded to version 2) and work with between 5-10 colleagues, most of whom are still on V1. It seems the answer in this case is everyone has to keep using v1 until everyone has v2, just utterly bizarre to me compared to every other piece of software I've used (not just adobe, but also any office program, any program with its file format I can think of actually can save old versions: matlab, autocad, etc. )

Thankyou for this use case. If you are working together with this many collaborators (which is a very promising example of the spread of the Affinity suite) you are either working in a commercial context or in a non profit context. A commercial context should sooner or later make it possible to upgrade everyone involved.

I do understand that this may not be (easily) possible in a non profit or volunteer context. I see that this can be a problem.

In some cases it is possible to exchange content between V1 and V2 files by copy and pasting layers. That way someone who is on V2 could copy layers to V1 and provide this file to collaborators on V1. I admit this is a poor workaround but at least 'something'.

d.

[Pšenda]

3 minutes ago, dominik said:

it is possible to exchange content between V1 and V2 files by

... export/import to pdf.

[dominik]

8 minutes ago, Pšenda said:

... export/import to pdf.

Yes, this is another option, thanks. I assume some of the content will not be as easy to edit as with copy and paste. I never tried it.

d.

[Pšenda]

Just now, dominik said:

Yes, this is another option, thanks. I assume some of the content will not be as easy to edit as with copy and paste. I never tried it.

d.

Yes, a lot will depend on the type and structure of the document, because in many cases unwanted changes will occur when transferring via pdf.

[webde5igner]

Too bad experience... I've tested the new version and I'm obliged to buy it? 

[Komatös]

10 minutes ago, webde5igner said:

I'm obliged to buy it? 

No, if you are not satisfied with the Affinity programs, uninstall them and that's it.

[webde5igner]

28 minutes ago, Komatös said:

No, if you are not satisfied with the Affinity programs, uninstall them and that's it.

I like the new version but I can't buy it now, I still have the old version, until I buy it I will have to use alternative methods to reuse one or more files created in the new version, so next time I am already aware that I will only do tests until I make the purchase if I don't have this bad experience.

[Komatös]

@webde5igner

Ok, now I understand! But as a piece of good advice; NEVER use trial versions for productive use. And secondly, next time please try to express yourself more clearly. This will help you avoid misinterpretations. Like mine.

If you still have the trial version installed, you can copy layers from V2 to V1 (does not work with all effect and adjustment layers). 

[webde5igner]

9 minutes ago, Komatös said:

@webde5igner

Ok, now I understand! But as a piece of good advice; NEVER use trial versions for productive use. And secondly, next time please try to express yourself more clearly. This will help you avoid misinterpretations. Like mine.

If you still have the trial version installed, you can copy layers from V2 to V1 (does not work with all effect and adjustment layers). 

Ok thank you!