affinity designer transparent background by default

[Affuser1]

Is it possible to turn transparent background always on? I've never needed a background and for every file that I didn't create I have to manually click 4 tabs to finally disable it. Is there a way to disable it or toggle with a shortcut? It can be tedious to use this if I have to turn off the transparency for every drawing I edit instead of just having transparency turned off in Affinity Designer by default (or at least a with a toggle).

[loukash]

There's no direct method or keyboard shortcut in Designer.
But if you also have Photo, it takes only three keyboard shortcuts:

1. File > Edit in Photo
2. Document > Transparent Background
3. File > Edit in Designer

Additionally, you can automate the above as a global macro triggered by a single shortcut.
On Mac I'm using Keyboard Maestro which can directly execute any app's menu commands, but it will also work by using Automator, AppleScript UI scripting and the like.

[NotMyFault]

When creating new documents, use template files with transparent background. The setting works per document and is preserved during its life.

[loukash]

39 minutes ago, NotMyFault said:

use template files with transparent background

You don't need to use templates. Presets will do just as well.
But that's obviously not the issue here:

4 hours ago, Affuser1 said:

for every file that I didn't create

[v_kyr]

Under MacOS it's easy to do via the defaults system ...

Quote

Reading out the actual associated defaults setting value for NewDocTransparentValue :

> defaults read -app "Affinity Designer" NewDocTransparentValue
0

The returned 0 means, here that NewDocTransparentValue is actually set to False/No and thus the checkbox is disabled (not checked) for new created docs!

Quote

Writing and changing the Designer defaults setting value for NewDocTransparentValue to True (aka enabling it):

> defaults write -app "Affinity Designer" NewDocTransparentValue -bool True

This enables the transparent checkbox default setting for creating new documents.

Usage is as always on own risk and thus making first a backup copy of the "com.seriflabs.affinitydesigner.plist" file is recomended!

[loukash]

2 minutes ago, v_kyr said:

NewDocTransparentValue

Good catch!

4 minutes ago, v_kyr said:

it's easy to do via the defaults system

For the less nerdy individuals, it's even easier with Prefs Editor.