Text antialiasing options for export (e.g. smooth, crisp, sharp)

[Dave Dennis]

As a former Adobe subscriber, this is a feature that I miss and the absence of which really lets Affinity down, let's us designers down, when creating images for pixel export formats. Adobe software has various options for what algorithm is used to render text antialiasing and for outputting typography within diagrams etc, the 'sharp' option is very desirable for getting clear text with minimal blurring on horizontal and vertical sections of type. When a line is horizontal or vertical it should be sharp, not blurred, as currently happens when exporting text. I'm guessing this is part of the rendering engine trying to approximate the position of a vector between pixel boundaries. However, Adobe seems to have worked out a good way to do this. PLEASE try and improve this. I hate sending images with blurry type to clients.

Here's an example of the adobe options I ripped from another web page. It is so obvious that 'sharp' works well for smaller pixel text.

[debraspicher]

3 hours ago, Dave Dennis said:

I hate sending images with blurry type to clients.

I hope that you don't mind that I took the time to add on some thoughts to your suggestion.

We could normally adjust Coverage Map for adjusting the AA in text, but currently it's not working as intended. I agree with you. We need fine, quality control over AA for typography. Maybe that requires CM be fixed and implemented more widely. Or, it requires some type nerd at Affinity to handmake custom algorithms. Whatever the case, it needs improvement for screen works.

One could try to play with Coverage Map to see if it can achieve what they need for dear clients, but as shown below (please click to image at scale), it's very finicky for typography and is not helped that the CM curve is broken... and so the result is less than ideal and should be improved... though this function exists, while it is not easy to implement across an entire document, it could theoretically solve the problem... why shouldn't it? We could adjust the AA as we intend.

 

As it is, the current AA being a simple 45deg curve (imo) is no different than adding a glow effect at a subpixel level set to black with a normal blend. It's effectively a linear gradient. Unless Affinity has written in alternative logic for their AA under the hood. (which could explain the awkward curve panel) We don't know.

I remember keenly Adobe's drop-down implementation with these options and while I do agree they are necessary to help us to achieve better pixel-hinting across document for type, I don't necessarily like Adobe's implementation either (Boring drop-down with only 4 options. No customization...)

I also wonder if Adobe has maybe done other things under the hood that is more than a custom AA ramp. Maybe not? It would be ideal if Coverage Map worked the way it was intended, that we could implement presets created there across the app with ease that would solve the problem. Also, that these presets could be made available to *all type* within our document with little fuss. No Ctrl/Shift + Selecting of layers, clicking the cog... no more please. A way to select our presets someplace in the typography panel/topbar where the user would most likely benefit... make it possible to manage these AA presets easily when we are working with our chosen text/styles. It would be game-changing.

But, for starters, they could simply fix CM and we can get more desirable results. Large text is easier to adjust for me, but I find with small text, it needs more fine control than is currently present as it feels like it "hops" around. (Edit: Do try to use the functionality for yourself, OP. You may feel differently)