Affinity Designer - resize object using metrics?

[zenmom]

Dear Collective Wisdom, here's my next question: I've got an object. It's just a smidge too short.

So I looked up resizing. This is what I found:

"From the Document menu, select Resize Document. Ensure the Resample option is switched on. Enter your new document dimensions in the Size boxes—left box for width, right box for height. To resize the width and height independently, click the lock icon (to unlock) between the Size boxes."

Seems straightforward enough, but I don't see the Document menu. That word isn't on the basic Mac menu bar across the top of the screen. I don't see it as one of the formatting panels to the right of my document.

Another article mentioned some controls in the lower right corner. I don't see them either. (The various formatting panels go all the way to the bottom of the window.)

I can grab a corner of my object and drag (constrained or unconstrained), but sometimes, as in this case, I'd like to see a box where I can type in an exact measurement, and that's the part I haven't been able to find yet.

I'll add that although the discussions on different types of "resizing" are interesting (resampling etc), in this particular case I need a real-world dimension to match some labels I'll be printing, once I get this Affinity Design document tweaked. So right now scalability isn't a concern for me - being able to enter a specific real-world measurement is.

Looking forward to your reply,

Marcia Morrison
in Salem, Massachusetts

 

[R C-R]

8 minutes ago, zenmom said:

Seems straightforward enough, but I don't see the Document menu.

Just guessing but I think you were looking at something referring to Affinity Photo, not Affinity Designer. In AD, I think what you want is File > Document Setup...

[Nowave]

Hello Zenmom,

When selected, an object can be easily moved, resized and sheared by adjusting the values in the Transform panel.
You can find the documentation here: https://affinity.help/designer2/en-US.lproj/index.html?page=pages/Panels/transformPanel.html?title=Transform%20panel

(if you don't see this 'Transform panel', you can open it in the 'window' menu)

[zenmom]

Dear R C-R and Mark L,

Thanks for your replies. I don't think Document Setup is what I'm looking for in this case. I used the Document Setup screen to set the basic parameters for my project, but I'm not sure how that affects editing one specific object (and not the document as a whole).

The Transform panel looks like exactly what I'd been seeking, but when I pop down the Window menu, I don't see an item called Transform. I've attached a screen shot below for reference.

However, some rummaging through the area to the right of the document window revealed it as one of those tabs (panels?). So, Yay! Huge help to be able to specify size & position exactly!

I'll be back when I trip over the next thing I don't understand.

Much thanks,
M.

 

[R C-R]

7 minutes ago, zenmom said:

The Transform panel looks like exactly what I'd been seeking, but when I pop down the Window menu, I don't see an item called Transform. I've attached a screen shot below for reference.

Since it is now obvious from your screenshot that you are using Affinity Designer version 1, you will find Transform panel listed in the View > Studio sub-menu. In version 2 it is in the Window menu.

[zenmom]

Ah! Well, I expect to catch up with v2 shortly after Christmas, so that will eliminate this kind of mismatch. Thanks for letting me know.

M.