No grid lines in V2.0.0 Affinity Photo

[Miguel del Rio]

1) Had grid lines enabled when loading a JPG image for Affinity Photo 1.10.5.1342.

2) Install version 2.0.0.

3) Select neither "Reinstall" nor "Launch" when install complete.

4) Launch Affinity Photo 2 from File Explorer with JPG file selected.

5) JPG file displayed without grid lines.

6) Select View menu, Grid Lines are check.

7) Uncheck Grid Lines, then check Grid Lines.

8) No grid lines displayed.

Good thing you didn't replace Version 1 when installing!

Edited November 26, 2022 by Miguel del Rio
8) shows as smiley emoticon.

[walt.farrell]

Welcome to the Serif Affinity forums.

Just so you know: You posted this in the Designer 2 bugs on Windows forum. Photo 2 has it's own forum for buts. Don't worry; a moderator will move it for you, but you might want to check that before submitting in the future  

By default you have an Automatic grid, and the Automatic grid in Photo 2 is a Pixel grid. It will not show up until you are zoomed in far enough, at least 800% when I tried, though I've seen reports requiring more. You probably need to use the Grid Manager and configure a different grid style, such as (I think) Standard. You should find Grid... under the Window menu, I think.

[Miguel del Rio]

My grid is the same in Photo 2 as Photo 1 as shown in the photos with a 10px separation between grid lines. 

Thanks

 

[GarryP]

The Spacing and Divisions options for the Automatic grid Mode are irrelevant in V2 (and disabled) because the Automatic grid is now a pixel grid, as mentioned above – it only puts a grid between the pixels.

[Miguel del Rio]

My pixel grid is supposedly 10px, however, I see that Affinity 2 only paints 1px grid lines at 800% arbitrary zoom, regardless of my settings. 

At 100%, my photos are already 3359 X 4000px.

Can't manipulate an image that is effectively 26872 x 32000px.

Dependence on an arbitrary 800% zoom is a bug rather than a feature.

[walt.farrell]

49 minutes ago, Miguel del Rio said:

Dependence on an arbitrary 800% zoom is a bug rather than a feature.

It is an intentional change in Photo 2, and the behavior is documented. Help: https://affinity.help/photo2/en-US.lproj/pages/DesignAids/grids.html

Quote

Grids can be automatic or fixed—the former (as default), displays a pixel grid that displays automatically at higher zoom levels; the former aids accurate editing, especially when there is little color or contrast differences between pixels in the area you are working; the latter creates a configurable grid that can be based on pixels or on any other supported unit of measurement (mm, cm, inches, etc.).

... 

 

 To use the automatic pixel grid:

• With the Zoom Tool selected, zoom in until you to see the pixel grid.

If you want different behavior, then in Photo 2 you need to choose a different Grid type, such as Basic.

[Miguel del Rio]

The automatic grid has been effectively disabled with Affinity Photo 2 choosing a hardcoded 1px grid, ignoring my 10px subdivisions.

Replicated my settings under "Advanced," though I fail to see how making such a hardcoded change to the "Automatic" mode benefits anyone.

With the advanced setting, one can specify a 1px grid line with 1 subdivision and get results at 100% zoom rather than the arbitrary 800% zoom.

The 800% zoom limit makes the program appear to have a bug, and since there is no good reason for it, it is a bug.

For example, if at 100% zoom the grid lines appear too crowded, then the user has the choice of specifying courser grid lines or greater zoom level.

On the other hand, if at 100% zoom no grid lines appear, the user supposes that grid lines don't work, and justifiably so. 

 

 

Edited November 26, 2022 by Miguel del Rio
Trapped white space in photos.

[GarryP]

15 hours ago, Miguel del Rio said:

rather than the arbitrary 800% zoom

There isn’t an “arbitrary 800% zoom” limit.
That just happens to be the approximate zoom level at which some large images start to show the Automatic grid.
If you have a smaller image the Automatic grid will start to show at a lower zoom level.

15 hours ago, Miguel del Rio said:

it is a bug

This is not a “bug”. It was a deliberate change which, as has been mentioned above, has been documented in the Help.
If you want to specify a certain grid and control how it is displayed then, as has also been mentioned above, you need to use a Basic grid or an Advanced grid.

It's just a change in how the software works; something that we just have to get used to.

[jungianLaura]

I've been using Affinity Photo for many years. Just purchased and installed Affinity Photo 2. Everything worked well. Now, all of a sudden, I cannot see the grid! It was working just fine in the new Affinity Photo 2, but now it doesn't display when I check Show Grid. I went through all of the settings multiple times and everything is set correctly. Please help. I don't know how to fix this. Thank you.

Edited December 9, 2022 by jungianLaura

[Ron P.]

8 hours ago, jungianLaura said:

I've been using Affinity Photo for many years. Just purchased and installed Affinity Photo 2. Everything worked well. Now, all of a sudden, I cannot see the grid! It was working just fine in the new Affinity Photo 2, but now it doesn't display when I check Show Grid. I went through all of the settings multiple times and everything is set correctly. Please help. I don't know how to fix this. Thank you.

Welcome to the forums

Did you read any of the posts above yours? This is by design, Automatic is a Pixel grid. You need to use a different grid which you can access through View>Grid & Axis. Select the Basic grid unless you need a more complex one.

[hy13]

@Miguel del Rio

As we got to know in between, Serif changed the behavior of the grid function. Automatic mode in V2 now shows the new "pixel grid" which is so tiny that you don't recognize it in a normal zoom state. This pixel grid did not exist in V1. OK so far. But what does not work properly on my computer is the "Basic" mode. In this mode you can define your own grid spacing and color. But Photo V2 does not keep this setting. When you load another picture, than Photo V2 automatically sets the mode back to "automatic" which is again the not wanted pixel grid.

At present, the only solution for those who want to use the V1 grid function as known before is to write a macro which sets the "basic" mode each time you need it on a one click basis. V2 can keep the user defined color and spacing values, but not the mode setting, what I classify as a bug because it hinders the workflow.

[GarryP]

7 minutes ago, hy13 said:

But Photo V2 does not keep this setting. When you load another picture, than Photo V2 automatically sets the mode back to "automatic" which is again the not wanted pixel grid.

The grid settings are ‘per-document’ – i.e. the settings are for the document you are currently editing.
If you want to use the same grid in different documents you can save and re-use a Preset.

There have been requests for the user to be able to say which Preset should be used upon creating/opening new documents.

[hy13]

As far as my checks showed: The preset is forgotten too when changing pics or closing the application. Grid presets and other settings are stored 'per document' as noted above. But that is useless when you intend to edit a series of new pics. Best may be to wait until V2.1 will be released and then test again.

[Dan C]

 I'm happy to confirm that the latest beta version, Affinity Photo 2.3.0.2114 has made the following improvements:

1. The default behaviour of View > Show Grid has been returned to match Affinity Photo V1's behaviour - meaning the 'Automatic' Grid will be applied, which changes the frequency of grid subdivisions as you zoom in/zoom out.
    
2. A new separate Pixel Grid option is available in all Affinity apps, under View > Show Pixel Grid. You can  find out more about this feature here .

If you wish to test these changes, you can sign up for our beta program using the information below:

Many thanks for your feedback here, as it helps us to continue to improve the Affinity Suite