How do I undo "convert to curves".

[Salem1113]

I'm having trouble with undoing this task in version2. I used a font of my choice, grouped text, convert to curve, ungroup, and then add to export as SVG. I need to move text closer together but it's not working because all letters are curves. I have only been playing on AD for 2 days so I hope that makes sense.

[Komatös]

Hi @Salem1113 and welcome to the forum.

You can use History to undo steps when Ctrl + Z doesn't work. If you don't see the History Studio tab, you can activate it in the Window menu.

[walt.farrell]

Why do you need to convert to Curves in the first place?

[Salem1113]

Thank you, Komatos. I have used the history panel many times as well as Ctrl + Z. When I undo the steps on the history panel I lose everything that I have done, right? Like if I did 20 more steps, I have to do those all over again also? I guess I'm looking for a quick fix - lol. I did another also and exported. I opened it again to change the text spacing and couldn't because of the curve(s).

[Salem1113]

Walt, I convert to curves so I can export as an SVG and then bring into another program to cut out.

[walt.farrell]

Ok, but can't you just use the Export option to export text as curves?

[Salem1113]

Hmmm, will it do the same? The videos I have watch are telling me to do it the way I was doing it. 

[walt.farrell]

14 minutes ago, Salem1113 said:

Hmmm, will it do the same? The videos I have watch are telling me to do it the way I was doing it. 

I have no idea, but it should be easy enough for you to try.

[Salem1113]

Walt, I just tried your suggestion and it didn't work.

[walt.farrell]

10 minutes ago, Salem1113 said:

Walt, I just tried your suggestion and it didn't work.

For my education, how did it fail?

[Salem1113]

Sorry Walt. I didn't save it. I remember the letters didn't look correct and were out of place. Thanks for your help anyway.

[Oufti]

On 6/24/2023 at 2:11 AM, Salem1113 said:

When I undo the steps on the history panel I lose everything that I have done, right? Like if I did 20 more steps, I have to do those all over again also?

You could use the Save As... command to retrieve the desired original elements and replace them in the document that has since been modified.

• In the History Panel, you go back to the step just before converting the text to curves, and you choose File > Save as… under another name (like my_doc_Old). 
• In this old version, you select and copy the elements you want to retrieve (let's say the original text frames).
• In the File menu, you choose Open recent… and select your previous document my_doc, the one with the text converted to curves. Back in this document, you restore the whole history (so you don't loose the subsequent work) and finally paste the original text frames in place of the converted curves. 
• You can then get rid of the my_doc_Old intermediate file. 

[Hangman]

On 6/24/2023 at 1:11 AM, Salem1113 said:

When I undo the steps on the history panel I lose everything that I have done, right? Like if I did 20 more steps, I have to do those all over again also?

Logically, converting the text to curves should be the very last thing you do just prior to exporting your file to SVG, that way, if you do need to make changes you're not going to lose everything you did after you outlined your text. A couple of thoughts...

• If you enable Save History with Document from the File menu you can then at least go backwards in the History panel to the point just prior to converting your text to curves even if you've closed your Affinity file in the interim.
   
• You could also look at the Cycle Future option in the History panel which allows you to set History branches which may or may not help.

Personally, if I know I'm going to end up outlining text in a file I always make a duplicate of the non-outlined text and hide the layer knowing I may need to come back to it to make changes, so my file will have both non-outlined text layers and outlined text layers or, as @Oufti has suggested, I would make a duplicate copy of my Affinty file once complete and just prior to exporting, naming one with an 'outlined' text suffix and the other with a 'non-outlined' text suffix so should I need to go back and make changes post-converting to curves I can simply open the duplicate version, make my changes and apply the same logic again prior to exporting any text to curves.

[Salem1113]

Oufti and  Hangman, thank you. All that information is helpful and I will start using it.  I have one question - where is the  Cycle Future option in the History panel.  I'm not seeing this option.

[walt.farrell]

3 minutes ago, Salem1113 said:

where is the  Cycle Future option in the History panel.  I'm not seeing this option.

Help: https://affinity.help/designer2/en-US.lproj/pages/Panels/historyPanel.html

[R C-R]

19 minutes ago, walt.farrell said:

Help: https://affinity.help/designer2/en-US.lproj/pages/Panels/historyPanel.html

FWIW, enlarged version of the cycle icon, more or less suggesting that it offers a side branch (the arrow) from the 'main' branch (the straight line):

  

[thomaso]

On 6/24/2023 at 2:11 AM, Salem1113 said:

I guess I'm looking for a quick fix - lol. I did another also and exported. I opened it again to change the text spacing and couldn't because of the curve(s).

Another option would be to copy the object before converting it to curves, and hide the original until you want to use it again. I prefer this way since years especially for text (which often needs to get changed for content reasons, not just appearance, at any later "final final" state by a clients decision).

On 6/26/2023 at 12:02 AM, Salem1113 said:

I remember the letters didn't look correct and were out of place.

That should not happen and might be worth more investigation. Converting text to curves before or during export should not result differently. You mention a 2 day experience with V2 – did you use V1 before and experience it there, too?

[Salem1113]

Thank you, walt.farrell. I just learned a whole lot for these pages. Enjoy the weekend.

[Salem1113]

Thank you, R C-R. I found it and will definitely be using it. Enjoy your weekend.

[Salem1113]

thomaso, no, I never used version 1. Maybe it was something I forgot to do? I like your option and will keep it in mind. Thanks.

[MiloW]

I have just found this behaviour... this is UNACCEPTABLE and I don't give a damn about whether I should do it on export or when.

CTRL+Z is UNDO so MAKE IT UNDO stuff!!!!!!

How many more idiotic changes of the tools that are standard, have been standard in the creative world, will the Affinity team try to impose on us?

BTW The cookie consent shouldn't refresh the page.

  

On 6/24/2023 at 2:16 AM, walt.farrell said:

Ok, but can't you just use the Export option to export text as curves?

Why would you care? Why do you want to change the way people work?

[R C-R]

3 minutes ago, MiloW said:

CTRL+Z is UNDO so MAKE IT UNDO stuff!!!!!!

Are you saying that repeatedly using Undo or the History panel does not undo the conversion for you?

If so, can you post an example with File> Save History with Document enabled so we can see what might be causing this?

[walt.farrell]

8 minutes ago, MiloW said:

Why would you care? Why do you want to change the way people work?

Because Undo can't work as the OP wanted, but doing it during Export will (a) work and (b) remove the need to Undo.

The OP's problem was that they used Convert to Curves, then did more work, then wanted to get back to before they converted to curves but without losing the other work they'd done after that.

[Patrick Connor]

16 minutes ago, MiloW said:

I have just found this behaviour... this is UNACCEPTABLE and I don't give a damn about whether I should do it on export or when.

CTRL+Z is UNDO so MAKE IT UNDO stuff!!!!!!

Please can you give a step by step account of what you are doing, and when CTRL+Z does not undo.

[firstdefence]

As @walt.farrell has said previously, there is no need to convert text to curves prior to export, use the option to export text as curves from the SVG export panel.