Decorations messed up after v2.0.3 update?

[Aleksandar Kovač]

This is a strange one.

I cannot explain.

A file contains some text frames rotated upside down. Text has some decorations applied. A file was made in Publisher v1. It was edited successfully in V2.0.0. After updating to Publisher v2.0.3 decoration setup in text styles went wonky. As if Bottom and Top definitions were switched or multiplied by -1. Styles were not touched during that time.

Anyone else noticed this? Really strange.

 

For example: my textbox looked like this after the update. This is not what is wanted.

 

After removing minus from decoration's Bottom distance, it went back to normal.

Here, Top decoration became Bottom decoration. Dotted line should run between stars and "Sample text to show..." line.

After exchanging Bottom to Top spacing values, it reverted back to normal.

 

 

Really strange.

 

[Gabe]

Thanks. We are aware of this issue. 

[Babelfisch]

Same problem here. It can simple reproduced with the default Box style.

v1 and v2.0.0

 

v2.0.3

[Aleksandar Kovač]

Thanks @Gabe, but this is not good at all.

Scolding is in order here. Can you see in what kind of problem Affinity is putting me/us here?

• forced to use decorations to fake tables because tables have not been scaling properly for ages,
• v2 file does not open in v1, so no way back,
• production ready hotfix level update broke key functionality, (How? Hotfixes address known issues only.)
• I can waste my time fixing styles by hand, and risk seeing those corrections reversed with the next hotfix...
• ...or, I can waste my time downgrading and using previous buggier version of a "production ready" v2?

I hope you will understand how deeply problematic this situation is for me and Affinity.  @Gabe, please, where can I download v2.0.0 and downgrade on Mac, and could you instruct me where to prepare myself about return and refunds? Exporting to v1 would be a decent and proper thing to have until v2 gets out of beta/RC phase. We need a safe way out. Until Affinity can deliver a production ready tool, we NEED it.

I wish these words would mean something to Affinity: "You used to be revolutionary. Why this pop-isation? Whoever is helping Affinity in business decisions and market planning/strategies, fire them. Appears they are not doing their homework and did not take into account the realities of software production and use. It appears that, instead of a solid delivery and quality, strategy is betting it all on a shamanical pop smoke-and-mirrors mix of elastic user loyalty, hype fluff, elusive ads, social network viral whatever, too-cheap-to-complain, facelift in lieu of substantial improvement, buyers-are-testers, release-on-a-big-date with a discount kind of strategy. One can sell a pop-star, trendy beverages or fast-fashion that way. They are short-term consumer goods. But a production software? Now, you (great) mods are scrambling to address a flood of issues on the forum, but issues are many and it is bleeding users's patience. Your (exceptional) devs are forced to scramble to make fixes and obviously entangle and break stuff in the rush."

Excuse my Croatian: Affinity, get your $#it together. Prettiest please with no-sugar added whip and cherry on top. User loyalty can get you a step further, but this is a leap of faith.

I am a miserable old fart, right? Yes I am. Still, I do enjoy masterful delivery. What a concept, huh? I will have a coffee now and think how transient problems in something called Affinity Publisher are. How beauty and mastery can be found everywhere and elsewhere. I will worry about my job and timewaste later.

 

 

[Aleksandar Kovač]

@Gabe if I could ask you... You say you are aware of this issue. Could you, please, state this with 'known issues' regarding this version? It is only polite to warn users to not make the mistake of updating to v2.0.3 if their project depends on this feature.

[Patrick Connor]

This issue was found but was not fixed before 2.0.3 had to be released, sorry I agree in hindsight we could have mentioned it.

If you wish to go back to 2.0.0 Publisher macOS in the meantime you can get it from the link on this page

[Aleksandar Kovač]

Thank you @Patrick Connor. Yes, to deliver this to client I have to go back.

Hats off to you Moderators. I know it is not pleasant reading that stuff above while not being those responsible. My hypothesis is that the stuff above will make into some analysis once and maaaaaaybe influence company policy in the future. As it is well known, in space, noone can hear you scream. So it must be written here. 😉

My admiration.

Frustration, ahoy! 😃🙃

[Aleksandar Kovač]

For completeness, this error manifests itself in Designer and Photo v2.0.3, too, when opening Publisher file.

[Patrick Connor]

Sorry that you have experienced this problem with the 2.0.3 release of the Affinity Suite. 

We have now released 2.0.4 on all platforms, and using those builds this problem no longer occurs.

Unfortunately while the Text Frame "Bottom" decoration UI was broken in 2.0.3. If you actually used that field to adjust your frame decoration, then when loaded into 2.0.4 your document will look different to the way it drew in the (incorrect) 2.0.3 version. Please tweak your decoration bottom value in 2.0.4 and it should look correct again (as it did in 1.10.x or 2.0.0)