cooloox Posted December 20, 2022 Share Posted December 20, 2022 All 3 programs (Photo 2, Designer 2 and Publisher 2) were opening just fine when first installed. After an update to 2.0.3 the original desktop application shortcuts stopped working and so I created new shortcuts to the updated versions of the software. These do not work! The actual .exe files in the program folders do not work! This is absolutely unacceptable and is definitely the last time I ever buy this software. Now, the ONLY way I can open my software is by clicking on the actual installation files. That results in a dialog box opening, saying the software is already installed... and asking if I want to reinstall or launch? Clicking 'launch' actually works. This means I need about 1.6GB of files sitting on my desktop that I do not want there!!! just to be able to use the software I paid for. ThiloL 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cooloox Posted December 20, 2022 Author Share Posted December 20, 2022 Just adding to the above.... I could not do an uninstall as there is no mention of the software in Programs and Features, so I reinstalled 2.0 without uninstalling anything. That version would no longer open either, so I updated to 2.0.3 again and still no luck. The fact that this program does not even update its desktop shortcuts after performing a version update (which renames files, causing the old shortcuts to stop working) is a real amateur hack. Who would program applications to break their shortcuts with every program update.. which is exactly what Affinity software does. Now I know why I used Corel and Adobe for decades. They work and they keep working after updates. I am super frustrated now after wasting so much time on this nonsense software. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walt.farrell Posted December 20, 2022 Share Posted December 20, 2022 14 minutes ago, cooloox said: Now, the ONLY way I can open my software Have you tried using the Windows Start menu? 9 minutes ago, cooloox said: I could not do an uninstall as there is no mention of the software in Programs and Features, Windows Settings app (Start > Settings, or right-click on Start and choose Settings), then Apps, (or Apps & Features). Quote -- Walt Designer, Photo, and Publisher V1 and V2 at latest retail and beta releases PC: Desktop: Windows 11 Pro 23H2, 64GB memory, AMD Ryzen 9 5900 12-Core @ 3.00 GHz, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 Laptop: Windows 11 Pro 23H2, 32GB memory, Intel Core i7-10750H @ 2.60GHz, Intel UHD Graphics Comet Lake GT2 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU. Laptop 2: Windows 11 Pro 24H2, 16GB memory, Snapdragon(R) X Elite - X1E80100 - Qualcomm(R) Oryon(TM) 12 Core CPU 4.01 GHz, Qualcomm(R) Adreno(TM) X1-85 GPU iPad: iPad Pro M1, 12.9": iPadOS 17.7, Apple Pencil 2, Magic Keyboard Mac: 2023 M2 MacBook Air 15", 16GB memory, macOS Sonoma 14.7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cooloox Posted December 20, 2022 Author Share Posted December 20, 2022 Hi Walt, that is so obvious it is hilarious I didn't even think of it. I almost never touch the Start menu anymore, I just have desktop shortcuts to what I use most and Start menu tiles for lesser opened software. The links in the Start menu work fine! I have pinned them to the Taskbar now and those links work fine too. Thank you so much for your prompt assistance and reminding me to go back to basics when there is an issue. I used to be the one helping everyone else, 10 years ago. Things have run so smoothly for so many years that I rarely have to troubleshoot anything at all these days. Have a wonderful Christmas. 🙂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staff Patrick Connor Posted December 20, 2022 Staff Share Posted December 20, 2022 Sorry that you are having a problem starting the applications. 5 hours ago, cooloox said: After an update to 2.0.3 the original desktop application shortcuts stopped working I think I know what is happening, and I am including this explanation for other readers of this thread. Did you make your own desktop application shortcuts somehow? MSIX installs do not do this, and your shortcuts will stop working because MSIX installs move each time you patch (as it includes the build number in the folder path so 2.0.3 is not in the same hidden folder as 2.0.0). We will shortly provide "launcher" applications that act like desktop shortcuts to avoid this problem going forward. Quote Patrick Connor Serif Europe Ltd Latest V2 releases on each platform Help make our apps better by joining our beta program! "There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man. True nobility lies in being superior to your previous self." W. L. Sheldon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dangerous2a Posted January 14, 2023 Share Posted January 14, 2023 Hi, I am used to affinity programs having shortcuts and although the start menu does show the icons, I could not get desktop shortcuts for any of the recently install v 2.03 programs. These are my first upgrades to the new version, having run with V1 since it was in beta. The V2 programs install in Windows/Program Files/WindowsApps, unlike the earlier versions that sat in Windows/Program Files. This new location does not allow access without some work in the registry or changing of permissions. After much messing about, I got access and created shortcuts there, pulled them to the desktop but they didn't work. I then found this tip on Microsoft's website: Open Start menu (make sure you're not using the 'Start Screen' which is the full screen one) > click and hold on an app > drag it out of the Start Menu and choose the location to where you wanna place it > place it there. You should see a 'Link' text inside a box on top of the app tile while dragging it out if you're doing it correctly. "Simples" as a famous advert says. It works fine and no need to get into the registry or anything. Not sure why the shortcuts made in the apps folder don't work, must be a windows thing. Hope this helps someone else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThiloL Posted January 14, 2023 Share Posted January 14, 2023 2 hours ago, dangerous2a said: Hi, I am used to affinity programs having shortcuts and although the start menu does show the icons, I could not get desktop shortcuts for any of the recently install v 2.03 programs. These are my first upgrades to the new version, having run with V1 since it was in beta. The V2 programs install in Windows/Program Files/WindowsApps, unlike the earlier versions that sat in Windows/Program Files. This new location does not allow access without some work in the registry or changing of permissions. After much messing about, I got access and created shortcuts there, pulled them to the desktop but they didn't work. I then found this tip on Microsoft's website: Open Start menu (make sure you're not using the 'Start Screen' which is the full screen one) > click and hold on an app > drag it out of the Start Menu and choose the location to where you wanna place it > place it there. You should see a 'Link' text inside a box on top of the app tile while dragging it out if you're doing it correctly. "Simples" as a famous advert says. It works fine and no need to get into the registry or anything. Not sure why the shortcuts made in the apps folder don't work, must be a windows thing. Hope this helps someone else. Will the drag 'n' dropped shotcuts work, even if the Affinity program gets an update? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeTO Posted January 14, 2023 Share Posted January 14, 2023 2 hours ago, dangerous2a said: Hi, I am used to affinity programs having shortcuts and although the start menu does show the icons, I could not get desktop shortcuts for any of the recently install v 2.03 programs. These are my first upgrades to the new version, having run with V1 since it was in beta. Here's Serif FAQ for desktop shortcuts. Quote Download a free PDF manual for Affinity Publisher 2.5 Download a quick reference chart for Affinity's Special Characters Affinity 2.5 for macOS Sequoia 15.0, MacBook Pro 14" (M1 Pro) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dangerous2a Posted January 14, 2023 Share Posted January 14, 2023 Even if they don't work, it is only a moments task to drag & drop a new one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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