File preview STILL not working in explorer or Affinity with OneDrive saved files (works with CorelDraw)

[dre.]

file preview not working in explorer or Affinity

I back up my all my work using a OneDrive folder and I cannot see the preview thumbnails for any of my Affinity Designer or Photo files. I recall this being blamed on OneDrive. 

However, I went back to an old version of CorelDraw (2019) and files in the same folder have viewable thumbnails. 

So, if Corel can sort this out, why can't Affinity?? 

It's a royal PITA when I have to guess sometimes which file is which because I haven't given it a description that's 1000's of characters long. 

It makes no difference if I change the size/view of the directory, they still appear as blue and pink icons, NOT as a file preview. I'm not the only person to have encountered this. It's been an issue with files backed up to OneDrive since V1. If COREL can get it to work with CorelDraw files then there is no excuse for Affinity not getting it to work with Designer/Photo etc. 

Affinity tried to blame Microsoft in the 2021 posts (I forgot I had replied to those). 

TWO+ years have passed, this is just laziness on the part of Affinity. 

Open File in COREL

 

[Ron P.]

Your folder with the afdesign files, appears that the View mode is set to Details. At the top of the Explorer window, go to the View menu, and check. IF it's set to Details, change it to one of the Icon sizes (Small, medium, large or extra large).

[dre.]

13 hours ago, Ron P. said:

Your folder with the afdesign files, appears that the View mode is set to Details. At the top of the Explorer window, go to the View menu, and check. IF it's set to Details, change it to one of the Icon sizes (Small, medium, large or extra large).

It makes no difference if I change the size/view of the directory, they still appear as blue and pink icons, NOT as a file preview. I'm not the only person to have encountered this. It's been an issue with files backed up to OneDrive since V1. If COREL can get it to work with CorelDraw files then there is no excuse for Affinity not getting it to work with Designer/Photo etc. 

Affinity tried to blame Microsoft in the 2021 posts (I forgot I had replied to one of those). 

TWO+ years have passed, this is just laziness on the part of Affinity. 

 

 

 

[dre.]

I have also found that while Serif are trying to blame Microsoft (because I use ondrive), WHY can "recent" can show the file previews but "open" cannot? I am looking for a needle in a haystack amongst file versions that are not in the "recent" list. It clearly can be made to work. 

RECENT

OPEN

[walt.farrell]

2 hours ago, dre. said:

WHY can "recent" can show the file previews but "open" cannot? I am looking for a needle in a haystack amongst file versions that are not in the "recent" list. It clearly can be made to work. 

Have you checked the files in both lists to determine whether they are fully stored on your local drive, or whether OneDrive has only left a placeholder "stub" file, and migrated the rest to the cloud? 

Possibly, in those Affinity-managed dialogs, you can get the thumbnail when the file is fully present, but not when it is only partially present.

[dre.]

5 minutes ago, walt.farrell said:

Have you checked the files in both lists to determine whether they are fully stored on your local drive, or whether OneDrive has only left a placeholder "stub" file, and migrated the rest to the cloud? 

Possibly, in those Affinity-managed dialogs, you can get the thumbnail when the file is fully present, but not when it is only partially present.

They are the same file, same folder, all stored on the same local drive (just backed up to the cloud using OneDrive). Serif have tried to blame Microsoft, this has been going on since the launch of Affinity and OneDrive being part of the Windows OS (10.x). Corel files work. Serif can clearly get it to work, they just need to change the "open" function to mimic/copy the "recent" behaviour. 

[walt.farrell]

Thanks. I think I misinterpreted your screenshot; sorry.

The point is that Recent (from that dialog) is generated by the Affinity application; it is not a File Explorer window. Therefore it helps prove Serif's point. When Affinity displays the file (Recent, from that dialog), the logo is present. When File Explorer displays it (Open), the logo is not present. File Explorer and OneDrive are responsible for showing it when using Open, not Affinity.

Just a guess, but if you use File > Open Recent, rather than using Recent from that dialog, you probably won't see them either. Again, that dialog (from File) is managed by File Explorer and OneDrive.

[dre.]

My point is if Serif can get the file preview to work in "recent" then they CAN get it to work in "open".......They also need to be pro-active and complain to Microsoft and the EU as this is anti-competitive behaviour by Microsoft with the built-in cloud storage within Windows and that (serifs claim) they are working with Corel to get CorelDraw files to work when OneDrive is being used to backup files to the cloud (same for local or online). 

[NotMyFault]

21 minutes ago, dre. said:

They also need to be pro-active and complain to Microsoft and the EU as this is anti-competitive behaviour

You know that Serif is a Company located outside EU? And MS has a legal department larger than small EU states.

[Pšenda]

6 hours ago, dre. said:

WHY can "recent" can show the file previews

Because it's part of the Affinity app? - so it would be quite strange if the application couldn't read and display its own files.

6 hours ago, dre. said:

but "open" cannot?

For the Open dialog, the standard dialog from the OS is used, in this case it is part of the Windows (Microsoft) operating system. So it is a matter of the OS (Microsoft) whether it understands the file format and therefore whether it provides their thumbnail.

P.S. Although I don't have a problem with the file preview for locally located *.afsuite files, when opening from the OneDrive folder, the preview is not displayed - this function is not implemented in the OS (specifically in the OneDrive application), and it needs to be added/developed by Microsoft.

Edited June 13, 2023 by Pšenda

[dre.]

Just now, NotMyFault said:

You know that Serif is a Company located outside EU? And MS has a legal department larger than small EU states.

Again with the trolling??? If you don't have anything positive to say, please move on!

Notwithstanding your ridiculous statements, Serif operates in both the EU and US and can complain about anti-competitive behaviour by a Monopoly. The EU love taking on Microsoft when they act in such a way.  

[dre.]

2 minutes ago, Pšenda said:

Because it's part of the Affinity app? - so it would be quite strange if the application couldn't read and display its own files.

For the Open dialog, the standard dialog from the OS is used, in this case it is part of the Windows (Microsoft) operating system. So it is a matter of the OS (Microsoft) whether it understands the file format and therefore whether it provides their thumbnail.

 

Thanks for your reply but that's not helpful (or accurate). I am using the application to "open" a file. The Application cannot see it's own files when using the "open" option whereas it could when using "recent" . 

Notwithstanding this, the issue is when files are in a Windows folder that is backed up using the operating systems cloud backup, the thumbnails disappear. The same is not true for CorelDraw which Serif say is down to a deal the 2 companies did many years ago.

My point is that while in the short term (i.e. if/when Serif actually bothers to take this matter up with the EU/Microsoft) they could use the same viewer within their applications when using "open" as it does when using "recent" so I could see the Affinity files I am looking for while I am using the app.  

[walt.farrell]

2 minutes ago, dre. said:

Thanks for your reply but that's not helpful (or accurate). I am using the application to "open" a file. The Application cannot see it's own files when using the "open" option whereas it could when using "recent" . 

When using Recent, your Affinity application is drawing the window, and providing all its content. That is why the thumbnails work there.

On the other hand, when using Open, File Explorer is drawing the window, and providing all its content, in conjunction with OneDrive. If File Explorer and OneDrive don't try to display the thumbnail, it won't be displayed.

[Ron P.]

You're only reading and accepting what would serve you. It's been posted, the Recent aspect of AP, is part of the application. The Open dialog is not, it is the OS explorer or finder, whichever platform is being used. It's just that simple!! Windows (MS) for unknown reason(s) is not seeing the thumbnails, once Onedrive seizes it.

You think that Serif really wants to spend the tremendous amount of money, a lawsuit against MS would bring? Really? Then why have they not? I really don't think they can justify that expense to satisfy you, as you seem to be about the only one complaining.

[Pšenda]

22 minutes ago, dre. said:

they could use the same viewer within their applications when using "open" as it does when using "recent" so I could see the Affinity files I am looking for while I am using the app.  

But you may have noticed that the explorer whose services Open dialog uses offers other services that Recent dialog does not. Whether it is the display of document properties, different preview sizes, etc. So, apart from the fact - that this is not the right step, because properly applications "should" use OS services to the maximum extent possible, so a lot of users will be very disappointed with this proposal of yours.

You may have also noticed that Affinity will display a preview of a file located in the OneDrive folder, but always at the cost of downloading it locally from the cloud. So if someone uses the "Free up space" method, they will be very disappointed with your solution.

 

Edited June 13, 2023 by Pšenda

[NotMyFault]

23 minutes ago, dre. said:

Again with the trolling??? If you don't have anything positive to say, please move on!

Respect, please. Ignore my posts if you don’t like them (this is the official advise from Serif how to deal with the situation).

[dre.]

29 minutes ago, NotMyFault said:

Respect, please. Ignore my posts if you don’t like them (this is the official advise from Serif how to deal with the situation).

Respect, is not trolling my posts, I'm not trolling you.....you are trolling me. Please show me some respect and stop. I don't believe Serif condone trolling either. It's not the first thread you've trolled me on either. Please stop. 

 

34 minutes ago, Pšenda said:

But you may have noticed that the explorer whose services Open dialog uses offers other services that Recent dialog does not. Whether it is the display of document properties, different preview sizes, etc. So, apart from the fact - that this is not the right step, because properly applications "should" use OS services to the maximum extent possible, so a lot of users will be very disappointed with this proposal of yours.

You may have also noticed that Affinity will display a preview of a file located in the OneDrive folder, but always at the cost of downloading it locally from the cloud. So if someone uses the "space saving" method, they will be very disappointed with your solution.

 

I am unclear as to what your point is? I have shown that my "recent" files show their thumbnail. What I have said is that Serif can use the same functionality for "open" so I can see the thumbnails of the other files that I may have worked on previously (or on another machine). All my files are stored LOCALLY and in the CLOUD

[dre.]

25 minutes ago, Ron P. said:

You're only reading and accepting what would serve you. It's been posted, the Recent aspect of AP, is part of the application. The Open dialog is not, it is the OS explorer or finder, whichever platform is being used. It's just that simple!! Windows (MS) for unknown reason(s) is not seeing the thumbnails, once Onedrive seizes it.

You think that Serif really wants to spend the tremendous amount of money, a lawsuit against MS would bring? Really? Then why have they not? I really don't think they can justify that expense to satisfy you, as you seem to be about the only one complaining.

My point is that Serif can show the thumbnails, they just need to change the "open" to mimic "recent" file browsing. The EU fund all and any complaints, not the company complaining, that's how the US trade commission and EU work. Serif claim that one of their biggest rivals (Corel) has a competitive advantage when customers use the Windows built-in Cloud service but they do nothing? Serif could receive compensation from the EU/FTC. Plus, they could also get Microsoft to act which they clearly aren't going to do with the apathy being shown by Serif at present. 

[dre.]

43 minutes ago, walt.farrell said:

When using Recent, your Affinity application is drawing the window, and providing all its content. That is why the thumbnails work there.

On the other hand, when using Open, File Explorer is drawing the window, and providing all its content, in conjunction with OneDrive. If File Explorer and OneDrive don't try to display the thumbnail, it won't be displayed.

Sure, my point is what is stopping Serif from using the same browser for "open" then? You seem to be confusing matters. If serif can show thumbnails (within the application) for "recent" then why not use the same for "open". I am talking about WITHIN the APPLICATION and this is SEPARATE from file explorer which is Windows. While I would like to see thumbnails in the latter, if it can work in the former then clearly all Serif needs to do is modify the "open" viewer to work using the same viewer as they use in "recent" and NOT use Windows explorer. 

[Pšenda]

10 minutes ago, dre. said:

then why not use the same for "open"

It is obvious that you do not understand the content of this post - see, 

but try to read it again, or try to ask someone who would explain it to you.

[dre.]

6 minutes ago, Pšenda said:

It is obvious that you do not understand the content of this post - see, 

but try to read it again, or try to ask someone who would explain it to you.

You misunderstanding (confused reaction) of the feedback to ask Serif to use the same file browser for "open" and "recent" is clear......there is no need for sarcasm.

[walt.farrell]

18 minutes ago, dre. said:

Sure, my point is what is stopping Serif from using the same browser for "open" then?

Because, as others have already mentioned, the Open dialog benefits from the additional File Explorer functionality that the Recent dialog doesn't have and doesn't need.

[dre.]

Just now, walt.farrell said:

Because, as others have already mentioned, the Open dialog benefits from the additional File Explorer functionality that the Recent dialog doesn't have and doesn't need.

I'm sure that Serif can get the viewer to work (within the Affinity Applications) If Adobe, Corel and others can find a way to make it work in theirs. There simply isn't any additional File Explorer Functionality that trumps being able to see a thumbnail at times. All you have is a file name, that's why thumbnails are so important in design, especially when working on alterations/variations/colaborations etc. 

[Pšenda]

8 minutes ago, walt.farrell said:

Because, as others have already mentioned, the Open dialog benefits from the additional File Explorer functionality that the Recent dialog doesn't have and doesn't need.

I think any argument is futile here. I don't know if it's a language problem or a problem with understanding the meaning of the operating system dialogs, but unfortunately some of the information mentioned here many times remains completely unanswered, so the discussion keeps going round and round.

[Pšenda]

11 minutes ago, dre. said:

especially when working on alterations/variations/colaborations etc. 

Since it looks like you are opening work files directly on OneDrive, keep in mind that Serif has repeatedly recommended here on the forum (always in connection with the problem of damaged and lost files) to work on local drives, and to the cloud saves only for backup or file sharing.