AFDesigner Outline gets rasterized after export and import, why?

[jweitzel]

Hello out there!

I digitized the logo of a local caritative institution and constructed it as an outline in AFDesigner. The elements contain 2 layer effects: Outward Shadow and Inward Shadow.

It all looks great in AFDesigner and I'm very happy.
However, when I export the graphic to PDF (even X-4), .eps, or import the original designer file into AFPub (for a letter layout), the same graphic is pixelated. The outline is gone.
What am I doing wrong? Or is there a bug in the AF Designer?

Thanks for help or hints!

Greetings from Johannes

Pictures:
1. Screen shot in AFDesigner (origionall sharp-edged. ,
2. Screen shot of the PDF, .eps and in AFPub.

[Dan C]

Hi @jweitzel,

34 minutes ago, jweitzel said:

The elements contain 2 layer effects: Outward Shadow and Inward Shadow.

I can confirm that the Layer FX in Affinity apps are rasterised when exported in order to preserve an accurate representation of the file, unfortunately these are not fully vector compatible at this time, my apologies.

39 minutes ago, jweitzel said:

or import the original designer file into AFPub (for a letter layout)

However saving a document in the Affinity format should preserve the 'live' versions of your FX and show these applied to vector objects, including when placing an .afdesign file within your .afpub document. Though again when exporting this .afpub file, rasterisation is expected.

I hope this clears things up!

[jweitzel]

Hello Dan,

thanks for your rapid answer and clearing information! To hear that is really a pity ... Even with PDF/X-4, which is said not to need rasterizing effects!?

Will future versions of Affinity support "original" .ps-4 / layer FX?

Thanks again

Johannes

[Dan C]

No problem at all

2 hours ago, jweitzel said:

Even with PDF/X-4, which is said not to need rasterizing effects!?

Unfortunately any export format will rasterise the FX applied currently, as these are only retainable when using the Affinity Document format.

2 hours ago, jweitzel said:

Will future versions of Affinity support "original" .ps-4 / layer FX?

It's certainly something that we may look to address in the future, though as I understand it this is no small task as the PDF format doesn't natively understand 'FX' and therefore would need to be re-written completely.

[jweitzel]

This is an aspect I never thought about - because I never thought it would become a problem! The FX functions are now extremely arbitrary in the design of ads, books and advertising. In German, strict typographers (like me ) have a saying: "If I have no design imagination/no fantasy, I'll put a shadow on it!" (Fällt mir nichts ein, mach' ich einen Schatten drein.)
And now this: The shadow does not go onto the paper in original, but only as a pixel graphic. I'm in the process of banning the company with the "Ad***be" from my hard drive altogether. But now I have to ask: Why or how do they succeed in doing this?

Oh well. Having said that, I am nevertheless *very* happy to have the Affinity Suite and to be able to use it very well for commercial production.

Thanks to you all at the keyboards!

Johannes