Can't customize toolbars to see favorite icons, now hidden as of Affinity 2

[Louise Cloutier]

Excited to be using the newest version of Affinity Designer and Photo. Unfortunately, in some ways, I'm finding the user interface to be much LESS useful. They've now hidden some of my favorite tools under layers and layers of menus.

I know I can go to View ; Customize Tools to open up a menu of icons to drag onto the toolbar. But only one of the now-hidden tools is available in that menu. My other favorite tools aren't in there at all.

For example, that menu doesn't include the Smudge Brush Tool. As of Affinity Photo 2, that's only available if I click a double arrow... then a menu... then another menu.  Likewise, I can't get to the text justifying tool anymore without first clicking a double arrow next to the paragraph symbol to get to that tool.

This is a bug, not an improvement, IMHO. Really hoping someone can suggest a way to put those tools back on top again.

[markw]

The Smudge tool is still there in v2 on my Mac.

Can you post a screenshot of the Text Justifying tool from v1 that you mention, as I’m not too sure what you mean by this, sorry.

[AlainP]

You are right, some tools seem to be missing when you want to set up the tools bar to your liking in the Windows version. I think only a future update could change that.

[Louise Cloutier]

The Smudge Brush tool showed up again when I made the window bigger. I moved it up to the top so it wouldn't disappear any more. The same thing is happening on the horizontal menu bar. I can only see the text justifying tool (Justify Left, Justify Right, etc) when I use the software in full screen mode. That's not really a solution for me, since I frequently keep more than one window open on my screen at a time.

Is there some way to shift around the position of items on the horizontal menu bar, like we can do with the left-hand tool menu?

[MEB]

Hi @Louise Cloutier,
Welcome to Affinity Forums
Regarding customizing the toolbar, quite a few icons have changed in V2.
Is it possible you may not be recognizing some of them? For example the Smudge Tool you mentioned (which didn't change that much visually) is available by default as a group (Blur Brush Tool, Sharpen Brush Tool, Median Brush Tool and Smudge Brush Tool) but also as an independent tool (same happens for the other 3 in that group - they are all available as independent tools). Can post a screenshot from V1 showing/marking the tools you think are missing from V2?

Regarding the context toolbar and text controls: there's no way to display the context toolbar vertically. If there's not enough width to display all tools/options we hide the rest under the "double arrow" on the rightmost edge of the context toolbar.

[Louise Cloutier]

I have found those groups of tools. I've been looking for ways to put individual tools that used to be on the top level of the menu, back into their previous positions. Being able to access them without having to move through several menus.

I have managed to do that with some. The only one I haven't yet successfully done that for is the tool for text justification. That's on the top right, and --as of version 2-- only visible when I open up the window to fill my whole screen. To get to it, I have to click the double arrow at the top right hand corner.

Hoping there's some way to customize the position of icons on the *horizontal* tool bar, in a similar way to doing that with the left hand tool bar.

[MEB]

Hi @Louise Cloutier,
Regarding the context toolbar and text controls: there's no way to display the context toolbar where these commands appear vertically. If there's not enough width to display all options/controls we hide the rest under the "double arrow" on the rightmost edge of the context toolbar, so yes, you have to click the "double arrow" to access the hidden controls.

[Old Bruce]

18 minutes ago, Louise Cloutier said:

Hoping there's some way to customize the position of icons on the *horizontal* tool bar, in a similar way to doing that with the left hand tool bar.

The "*horizontal* tool bar" is the Context toolbar and I doubt that will ever be customizable.

[Louise Cloutier]

I know how to find it, that's not the problem. I'm saying that it's now much less convenient to get to it, since the "upgrade".

So once again, I'm asking: is it possible to customize the horizontal toolbar, like the left-hand one. Is there any way to do that?

 

[Louise Cloutier]

1 minute ago, Old Bruce said:

The "*horizontal* tool bar" is the Context toolbar and I doubt that will ever be customizable.

Thanks for that clarification. That's what I've been asking.
 

[walt.farrell]

Just now, Louise Cloutier said:

So once again, I'm asking: is it possible to customize the horizontal toolbar, like the left-hand one. Is there any way to do that?

View > Customize Toolbar, just as in V1, if you really mean the Toolbar.

But if you mean the Context Toolbar, no, you can't.

It would help to have a screenshot of what you're seeing and what's bothering you, to make sure we understand and that you're using the right terms.

[Louise Cloutier]

Thanks, I was indeed talking about the Context Toolbar.

[MEB]

12 minutes ago, Louise Cloutier said:

I know how to find it, that's not the problem. I'm saying that it's now much less convenient to get to it, since the "upgrade".

So once again, I'm asking: is it possible to customize the horizontal toolbar, like the left-hand one. Is there any way to do that?

 

Hi Louise,
The upgrade to V2 didn't change anything here. If you reduce the width of the application window (V1) at some point the options/controls will be hidden exactly as it happen in version 2 and so can only be accessible clicking the "double arrow" to display a pop-up showing the hidden controls.
It's not possible customise the context toolbar, nor make it display vertically.

[Old Bruce]

Here on my Mac the Context Toolbar is slightly narrower 

29 minutes ago, Louise Cloutier said:

I have managed to do that with some. The only one I haven't yet successfully done that for is the tool for text justification. That's on the top right, and --as of version 2-- only visible when I open up the window to fill my whole screen. To get to it, I have to click the double arrow at the top right hand corner.

Are we talking about this?

 If so then I have to say that here on Mac OS 11.7 it is actually a few pixels further to the left in the new version compared to the old one. And it is so for all three new versions compared to the old ones.

[Louise Cloutier]

6 minutes ago, Old Bruce said:

Here on my Mac the Context Toolbar is slightly narrower 

Are we talking about this?

 If so then I have to say that here on Mac OS 11.7 it is actually a few pixels further to the left in the new version compared to the old one. And it is so for all three new versions compared to the old ones.

Yes, that's the one I was talking about.
On Windows, lots of tool icons have been moved and hidden. I can only see them again if I customize and shuffle around the icons on the toolbars. That bar of icons you just pictured here is now invisible as of version 2, unless I open up the window to cover my whole computer screen.

 

[walt.farrell]

11 minutes ago, Louise Cloutier said:

On Windows, lots of tool icons have been moved and hidden. I can only see them again if I customize and shuffle around the icons on the toolbars. That bar of icons you just pictured here is now invisible as of version 2, unless I open up the window to cover my whole computer screen.

Those statements are confusing to me, Louise. You cannot customize and shuffle the icons on the Context Toolbar. You could not do it in V1, and you cannot do it in V2.

The screenshot that @Old Bruce showed is the Context Toolbar. So, since you cannot customoze that Toolbar, and those icons, it's not clear to me what you're talking about.

Again, it would help us if you would give us a screenshot of what you're seeing. On Windows, you could use Alt+PrtScrn to save one, then upload it here, or you could use the Windows Snipping Tool. And it would help then if you could annotate it (possibly in Photo) to highlight the areas that are causing you the problem.

[Louise Cloutier]

You've both answered my question: is it possible to customize the Context Toolbar? Apparently, that's not possible.

Thanks.

[Louise Cloutier]

Also, it appears that most folks in this conversation are looking at Affinity products on a Mac. Several icons have indeed been moved as of version 2 on Windows. Another Windows user said they have seen that happen.

I'm doing my best to adapt.

[Old Bruce]

4 minutes ago, Louise Cloutier said:

Also, it appears that most folks in this conversation are looking at Affinity products on a Mac. Several icons have indeed been moved as of version 2 on Windows. Another Windows user said they have seen that happen.

I'm doing my best to adapt.

I am mostly having trouble with the newly arranged Menus. Plus some of the new features are great but I spend a lot of time looking for them. "How did I do that ... Where is...?"

[Louise Cloutier]

1 minute ago, Old Bruce said:

I am mostly having trouble with the newly arranged Menus. Plus some of the new features are great but I spend a lot of time looking for them. "How did I do that ... Where is...?"

Yes, exactly... LOL.

Ahhh progress

[AlainP]

@Louise Cloutier I'm trying to arrange my tools panel the way I had it in the previous version.... I can't find the "Smudge Brush Tool" to put it in its own spot in the panel. Did you find it ?

Merci

 

[Louise Cloutier]

Oui 🙂

[AlainP]

1 hour ago, Louise Cloutier said:

Oui 🙂

Mon cerveau bouille et je ne le trouve pas... ou ne sais pas comment....

I can't find the icon for the Smudge Brush Tool when I try to reorganize my tools.... 

 

[R C-R]

39 minutes ago, AlainP said:

I can't find the icon for the Smudge Brush Tool when I try to reorganize my tools.... 

Make sure you are using AP  & in the Pixel Photo Persona.

Edited December 1, 2022 by R C-R
Thanks Walt!

[walt.farrell]

11 minutes ago, R C-R said:

Make sure you are using AP  & in the Pixel Persona

Photo Persona? 

Pixel Persona is only in AD.