Suggestions for improving the handling of placed images

[iPeter]

I have the following suggestions for improvement to make working with placing and editing images easier and more efficient:

• When doing layout, you actually always work with images that are in frames. Until now it is always unfortunately the case that images placed by drag-and-drop are always inserted as a pure image without frames. Therefore, it is always necessary to convert them awkwardly via context menu as picture frames. This is somehow very cumbersome. Couldn't a user preset be included that makes the image placement similar to e.g. InDesign or QuarkXPress (images are automatically in frames)?
• Also, unlike InDesign and QuarkXPress, determining the image section in a frame is still far too cumbersome in Affinity Publisher, unfortunately. I know there is an image fit feature that is somewhat similar, but you still have to select the correct frame point position in the image options each time so that when you draw the frame closed, you don't accidentally move the inside image inside the frame. There better be an option that you really can close or open the frame from any side without moving the position of the image inside.
• It also wouldn't be bad if you could preset the different image fitting functions in the preferences as well (how you prefer to work). The manual switching between the different modes could still be left as it is (so that you can still change the mode in between).

I hope that some of these things can be implemented in newer versions. 

[loukash]

41 minutes ago, iPeter said:

convert them awkwardly via context menu as picture frames

Why "awkwardly"?
Simply assign a keyboard shortcut to Layer → Convert to Picture Frame, and you're set. Works on multiple images as well.

On the other hand, removing images from picture frames that you never wanted in the first place is awkward…

57 minutes ago, iPeter said:

There better be an option that you really can close or open the frame from any side without moving the position of the image inside.

I don't understand this. Can you provide an example screencast please?

[iPeter]

1 hour ago, loukash said:

Why "awkwardly"?
Simply assign a keyboard shortcut to Layer → Convert to Picture Frame, and you're set. Works on multiple images as well.

On the other hand, removing images from picture frames that you never wanted in the first place is awkward…

But wouldn't it be better if you didn't do that already when inserting the images, as it is already possible in InDesign and QuarkXPress? Then you could save the additional step. Of course, only if the user wants it that way and has set it in the preferences (for former InDesign and QuarkXPress users as an additional option). Of course, this makes sense only for Affinity Publisher.

1 hour ago, loukash said:

I don't understand this. Can you provide an example screencast please?

Sorry for the not so good DeepL translation. I mean with image cropping (set crop in frame) only the behavior what you have in InDesign and QuarkXPress. I would also like to have that very much in Affinity Publisher. Now, unfortunately, it is only possible in a limited way. You have to change the frame reference point every time to be able to expand or shrink the right frame page. If the right frame reference point is not chosen, the frame content moves, although you don't really want that. The content of the frame (image) should always stay the same, no matter which side of the frame you touch and drag bigger or smaller. Unfortunately I don't have my virtual machine with InDesign at hand to show this.

[PaulEC]

3 hours ago, iPeter said:

When doing layout, you actually always work with images that are in frames.

It depends on what you’re doing and how you prefer to work. Quite often I just place an image and don’t want to use a frame. I would not be happy if I always had to create a picture frame and then add an image to it, rather than just placing the image.

[iPeter]

8 minutes ago, PaulEC said:

It depends on what you’re doing and how you prefer to work. Quite often I just place an image and don’t want to use a frame. I would not be happy if I always had to create a picture frame and then add an image to it, rather than just placing the image.

I just meant that this should be an additional option in the preferences. So everyone would have the opportunity to configure it according to their own requirements. In the preferences, for example, you can already specify for some time, whether you want to embed images or only insert as a link. Here, the user has also been given the option to do so. Why not in this case as well?

[MikeW]

I think the concept terminology similarity between APub and ID and especially QXP is misleading simply because image handling is different between them. At least with a blank "frame." For instance, in QXP one can draw out an explicit image box (box is QXP's terminology, whether for text, image or "none") however, it can be a text box too. Same with an empty text box--it can solely hold an image instead of placing text. ID's and QXP's image frames/boxes are more akin to APub's empty text frames as regards the look on the surface than APub's explicit two-tool system for images (Picture Frame tools--rectangular/oval, and or the explicit Place image tool that is/isn't a Picture Frame).

ID and QXP have an equally useful ability to manipulate a placed image as APub's Picture Frame tool in a single box/frame concept without the need to convert an image that has used to Place Image tool--i.e. no need to Convert to Picture Frame.

[fde101]

5 hours ago, iPeter said:

images placed by drag-and-drop are always inserted as a pure image without frames

True unless you create the frames in advance and drop them into the existing frames.

 

5 hours ago, iPeter said:

an option that you really can close or open the frame from any side without moving the position of the image inside.

When using the Move tool ("V" shortcut), enable Lock Children on the context toolbar.