Cannot activate and run Designer and Publisher simultaneously

[robotriot]

Since today, I cannot run Designer and Publisher at the same time. Once I start one of the programs, and then run the other one, the 2nd program launched asks for activation. It will however not activate until I close the other software. If I then launch the first program again, I am being asked for activation once more. How do I get out of this loop?

[walt.farrell]

Welcome to the Serif Affinity forums, @robotriot.

What OS are you using, and what release of Publisher and Designer?

If you're on Windows, did you use the default MSIX-based installer for both Publisher and Designer, or the alternative EXE/MSI-based installer?

[robotriot]

I'm using Windows 11, both versions should be 2.0.4

I used MSIX to install 2.0.3 for both programs, and then updated at a later date from within the software to 2.0.4. 

[walt.farrell]

44 minutes ago, robotriot said:

I used MSIX to install 2.0.3 for both programs, and then updated at a later date from within the software to 2.0.4.

In that case you should still be using MSIX for both, and I don't understand what's happening. I've only seen your problem (and Serif has only documented an issue with) trying to run an MSIX-based application and an EXE/MSI-based application at the same time.

If I understand your pror posts, this is a new problem? Previously you were able to run both programs at the same time? If the problem is recent, what changes did you most recently make to the applications or to your system?

[robotriot]

I'm pretty sure I was able to run both simultaneously in the past, but I haven' tried it for a couple of weeks. Maybe I only ran them simultaneously on my other PC? Can't be sure anymore.

I don't think I changed anything with the applications besides updating them to 2.0.4 recently.

[NathanC]

Hi @robotriot welcome to the forums,

The scenario you have described in your original post with the apps asking for activation when trying to have both open concurrently is exactly what happens when you have a mixture of the .MSI and the .MSIX apps installed as they are not intended to be run side by side. It's not typically obvious that this is the case as they are tricky to tell apart, so for simplicity's sake I would suggest uninstalling both apps and then going through a fresh install via the .MSI or .MSIX only for both  and then see if this continues.

For testing purposes I have both the .MSI and .MSIX versions of the apps installed on my devices so I run into this on a fairly frequent basis.

More info on .MSI:

 

[walt.farrell]

1 hour ago, NathanC said:

It's not typically obvious that this is the case as they are tricky to tell apart,

The best method to tell them apart, that I've found, is via Task Manager. You can expand the entry for the application, then right-click on the middle entry and choose to Open File Location. If you get a File Explorer window showing something in the WindowsApps folder it's the MSIX version.

[lucasrato]

I have only MSIX version for all apps and I'm facing the same issue. 

If I have Designer opened, when I try to open Publisher, it asks me for my login, but the login doesn't work.

If I have Publisher opened, I can open Designer, but not Photo.

[robotriot]

On 4/17/2023 at 11:29 AM, NathanC said:

Hi @robotriot welcome to the forums,

The scenario you have described in your original post with the apps asking for activation when trying to have both open concurrently is exactly what happens when you have a mixture of the .MSI and the .MSIX apps installed as they are not intended to be run side by side. It's not typically obvious that this is the case as they are tricky to tell apart, so for simplicity's sake I would suggest uninstalling both apps and then going through a fresh install via the .MSI or .MSIX only for both  and then see if this continues.

For testing purposes I have both the .MSI and .MSIX versions of the apps installed on my devices so I run into this on a fairly frequent basis.

More info on .MSI:

 

Thanks Nathan, that seems to have done the trick. Weirdly, I didn't have to log in/register again after uninstalling and reinstalling, I was still logged into my account in both programs.