Quality of Life Features, Request!: promise it's not PS inspired but AF-Photo Inspired

[EaZy5D]

Hi I'll start by saying I thought Hated Affinity Photo Cuz I tried AF-Designer, and it was A really Good Alternative to illustrator, but Photo was just not up to standard to PS.. That was A bad decision making on my part and I apologize to the affinity team even though you had no idea 🤣.

I just want to say I still believe if you are coming from PS as a hardcore user don't switch, it'll be the worst experience of your life 🤣 at least if you think of this as a replacement or an alternative.

I spent the last 3 months Using exclusively AF-Photo and AF-Designer for all my design needs and I have to say this is in a league of it's own IT'S BETTER THAT WHAT THE CURRENT STATE OF PS IS IN PERIOD.  This is not an alternative this is its own "thing" and I regret not Figuring that out sooner. I took my time to understand your software because I had soo many pain points and now I'll be giving my own opinion on a better way to fix up soo many annoying things you have to offer 🤤 ummm.... Here we go!

I'll arrange them based on Priority from top being higher to bottom being lower.

 

I want to make this clear I have not touch PS in months hence I am confident 90% of everything am saying is just based on my AF-Photo experience and for the good of your software not making it another Photoshop! I am a developer myself though more into developing tools for developers and advancement of 3D and don't appreciate it when someone does the same comparison in my line after months of work.

 

Features that are bugs to designers:

1. Selections: The way selection works in affinity is painfully annoying, Take alignment of this image for instance tell me how does snaping help 🤷‍♂️🙄. Tell me how to align the text in AF-SUIT without it moving the position of both the gray rectangle and the text. the yellow sure 100%. ask any designer here if they don't want control over this and see what they say. pls add selection to the mix

- Selection tools Pls see tablet first approach, so I don't repeat 

2. Ability to switch from text mode to hand tool or move tool without having to go the long way around with the mouse tool.

3. Tablet First Approch: This Sucks! I love it I use it about 80% of the time this is actually my reason for looking for a PS alternative in the first place. but IT JUST SUCKS! when using it in Desktop mode you guys just made my life hell by giving me the same experience as when I have a pen and no keyboard. I want shortcuts to work when am on desktop mode and probably on tablet mode. E.G. Selection tools WHy should I go up there Just to add more selection when I have CTRL, SHIFT, ALT, ETC already on my keyboard? 😭😭😭

4. Cycle tools same shortcut: I love this but it sucks with your current implantation, Say I was on move tool and I press M it swiches to round tool sometimes it's super annoying

5. Eraser tool: it just SUCKS! IT SUCKS!! pls fix it. you are designers yourself take a guess. 😤😤

6. Better glyphs editor:

    Pls fix this I don't want to have to scroll to the letter before using the glyph when I highlight a letter, I want to see it there.

 

Requested features:

1. Better touch support on windows I know Microsoft does an extremely BAD! job of letting you have an easy time with this... but please invest some time in making a custom solution even if I have to turn of gestures in windows it'll be worth it.

2. Some functionality of smart object. I get it PS has patents on this, but this feature is extremely obvious and extremely useful, here all you need to make your experience better, you already have image layers Great Now all we need is the bare bones a way to have Mutiple images updated at once this is a really important feature for mockups and for noob clients when I make Tailored templates its a pain to use AF-Photos pls just add that one feature and we are GOOD!

3. Linked services, More options, + Font support

    it'll be great if you allowed us to add our own custom servers, or at least provide us the option to add other apart from Dropbox, G-Drive, One Drive and most importantly custom.

- Font support! This solution should not be a pain to implement and does not have any legal issues since it's not counted as distribution if all you do is allow the user to seamlessly link there AF-SUITE FILES, AND FONT from one system "computer, tablet, etc" to another. and if you allow your source file to embed fonts iPad should not be an issues, I think 🤔  donno never tried it 🤣

 

5. support for AI Files in designer at least the ability to save over it like PSD?

 

6. Actual AFFINITY PLUGINS PLEASE!!! 

 

[fde101]

First of all, this post violates the principle of ONE REQUEST PER THREAD which is spelled out clearly here:

https://forum.affinity.serif.com/index.php?/forum/52-feedback-suggestions/

 

9 hours ago, EaZy5D said:

you are designers yourself take a guess

They most likely did and designed the tool accordingly.  Not everyone works the same way or wants their tools to work the same way.  You will need to be more specific if you want this to have any chance of going anywhere.

 

9 hours ago, EaZy5D said:

a way to have Mutiple images updated at once

If I am correctly interpreting this there are a few options already:

• In Designer you can use symbols.  You can also access these from within Publisher by using the Designer persona (if you have Designer), and if you also have Photo, you can access most of the tools of the Photo persona by switching between them within the same app.
• In Photo (possibly only on the desktop versions) you can save the common parts in a separate file, set your placement policy to Linked, then place the file within the intended document.  Updating the original file will then cause those updates to apply to all of the linked instances within the document where they are placed (but you obviously need to keep the linked-to document along with the one in which it is placed).
• If the "thing" you want to keep copied is a single layer and not a group or other compound object, you can also use "Duplicate Linked" in Photo to create a copy that will be linked back to the original, and use the Links panel to identify which of various types of properties are kept in sync between the linked copies.

[loukash]

10 hours ago, EaZy5D said:

Features that are bugs to designers

1. I have no clue what you are talking about.
2. press Escape once – or twice if you have a text selection – then press any tool shortcut you want.
   Alternatively hover the pointer over the frame border to change it to a temporary Move tool.
3. can't comment, I don't use my Wacom that often to bother
4. There is a longstanding bug with tool keyboard shortcuts as of 2.2.1. (It's been finally fixed in current beta 2.3.0 which is still plagued by many other bugs, like betas usually are, so use it at your own risk.) But in general as of 2.2.1, as long as you work in the primary persona, you can change the tool shortcuts to whatever you desire. The specific bug affects "only" the secondary personas.
5. You're soooooo helpful. (No, you're obviously not. )
6. Use the search field.

11 hours ago, EaZy5D said:

Requested features

1. —
2. In Affinity, every object/layer is already a "smart object".
3. This has been discussed elsewhere. Search the forum and add your vote there. 
4. ?
5. *.ai per se is a proprietary format that would require reverse engineering. Some other apps have apparently done that already, with varying success and results. Use those if you need the crack open an *.ai without PDF stream, or (as I do) keep a pre-subscription Illustrator CS installation on a compatible computer for Justin Case.
6. Search the forums

That all aside:

2 hours ago, fde101 said:

this post violates the principle of ONE REQUEST PER THREAD

Yep.

[EaZy5D]

ohh I just remembered 2 more things:

Merging selected layers should just work without a care in the world if I have a pixel layer and a group or an image layer

 

Duplicating should also work with selection on either pixel layers or image layers it'll just save time and is notconfusing if I have selections and press CTRL+J it should duplicate that area on the selected image CTRL+SHIFT+C does not do the trick what if I have images above that one already???

[EaZy5D]

6 hours ago, fde101 said:

In Photo (possibly only on the desktop versions) you can save the common parts in a separate file, set your placement policy to Linked, then place the file within the intended document.  Updating the original file will then cause those updates to apply to all of the linked instances within the document where they are placed (but you obviously need to keep the linked-to document along with the one in which it is placed).

LMAO, Sorry about the multiple posts I just thought It'd be more organised in one place Anyway am laughing my life off here Do you see the amount of steps??? That's a real pain!

 

1. I have to create a new folder somewhere on my hard disk to stay organized to have all those external affinity photo files in, in-order to then be able to use them as embedded documents then have to clear them up when am done, Then duplicating does not have a "Via Copy" Mode that allows it to create another embedded document with new inks so basically another of the same 6 step process just to get an embedded layer pls...

Now imagine I need about 6 embedded layers in a project "Yes I really do 🤣" each different and I have about 30-50 designs to complete in a month, tell me would that be a painless experience 🤤`. Yes, there are alternatives but am sticking cuz Affinity is just better on Windows tablets and it runs extremely smooth with almost no canvas slowdowns on even 1-2 GB files.

[EaZy5D]

7 hours ago, fde101 said:

They most likely did and designed the tool accordingly.  Not everyone works the same way or wants their tools to work the same way.  You will need to be more specific if you want this to have any chance of going anywhere.

Ahh.... take a look at this every time you see the mouse ripple I clicked and dragged now tell me how that is depending on how people work... it's not the end of the world but I don't want to start from inside first... what if I only wanted to fade the edges destructively which I want to 🤣 

[EaZy5D]

7 hours ago, fde101 said:

If the "thing" you want to keep copied is a single layer and not a group or other compound object, you can also use "Duplicate Linked" in Photo to create a copy that will be linked back to the original, and use the Links panel to identify which of various types of properties are kept in sync between the linked copies.

true I did know about this I guess I did not consider it cuz it 'PERSONALLY" did not seem useful to me. I forced myself to use the more basic version in software's like PS and Krita but they very rarely came in handy

the resource manager this is better but can you make embedded documents better instead of a 6-step process can we make it 1 or 2?

 

1. Create a new document

2. Make it the right size after checking it... This = 2 steps 😭

3. open the file

4 and 5. save it with right name in the right folder so things don't mix up

6. import it

7. do it all over again 🙄 

[EaZy5D]

5 hours ago, loukash said:

I have no clue what you are talking about.

Wait!!! Seriously?

I just meant Alignment should also include selections as an option.. DOes that make sense now 🤣😭

[EaZy5D]

5 hours ago, loukash said:

press Escape once – or twice if you have a text selection – then press any tool shortcut you want.
Alternatively hover the pointer over the frame border to change it to a temporary Move tool.

Oops, my bad I did by mistake come across that am just super used to CRTL+Enter which cuz me a great deal of pain in the beginning 😭😭. I sub consciously evaded doing that by keyboard 🤣😭. thank you though I should edit the main post now

[EaZy5D]

5 hours ago, loukash said:

can't comment, I don't use my Wacom that often to bother

I think you should read my pitch again I did not say I like this approch I said It did not make sense for a desktop app to feel like a tablet app when in desktop mode and mentioned examples like selection tool using marquees I have to take ... just re-read it

[loukash]

Just now, EaZy5D said:

Alignment should also include selections as an option.

And it does if you have selected another object. If only one object is selected, then it can logically only align to spread or margin, of course.
Perhaps it's now about time to RTFM…?
https://affinity.help/designer2/en-US.lproj/pages/ObjectControl/align.html

[EaZy5D]

5 hours ago, loukash said:

You're soooooo helpful. (No, you're obviously not. )

My bad 🤣... Umm here is a video

and here is a use case that makes this approch thhe AF-Team has taken much harder than it should BE!

say I wanted to feather the edges from the outside destructively with the eraser tool try it out making sure it's just the edge 🤣😇 see how fun it is. Use case blending multiple objects destructively QUick and dirty

[EaZy5D]

4 minutes ago, loukash said:

RTFM

I did to some extent and when things just don't make sense I point it out and no it does not to selection I don't mean selected layer I ment literal selection the one you make with your lasso/ pen / maquee tool 🙄🙄. and just in case you forgot what the title is "Quality of Life Features / Request!" 

[EaZy5D]

I literally said selection not selected Layer 🤣 

[EaZy5D]

5 hours ago, loukash said:

Use the search field.

That's why it's soo low in my list 🤣 It's not the end of the world But it'll be a great tiny addition

[Frozen Death Knight]

19 hours ago, EaZy5D said:

1. Selections: The way selection works in affinity is painfully annoying, Take alignment of this image for instance tell me how does snaping help 🤷‍♂️🙄. Tell me how to align the text in AF-SUIT without it moving the position of both the gray rectangle and the text. the yellow sure 100%. ask any designer here if they don't want control over this and see what they say. pls add selection to the mix

 

There are non-destructive filters for transforming anything to match an image with perspective. Click the hourglass icon in the Layers panel and there are multiple options for you. Designer also allows you to do these transforms in vector format since V2 released. Photoshop is just straight up worse than Affinity in this area, since Photoshop needs Smart Objects to make transforms non-destructive, but Affinity Live Filters can be used like any other layer.

19 hours ago, EaZy5D said:

2. Ability to switch from text mode to hand tool or move tool without having to go the long way around with the mouse tool.

Hovering around the hitbox allows you to transform the text box without needing the Move Tool. I agree that it might not be the most obvious or intuitive solution. The devs were working on a simpler shortcut for the Move Tool in 2.2, but it was put on hold because of additional feedback. The Hand Tool in Affinity is mostly unnecessary besides changing the units for the document because it is directly accessible from the Scroll Wheel if you press it for a Mid Click command (You can also assign a tablet/pen key to do that if you use those, or press Spacebar when not editing text). Either way, it's not that big of a problem and honestly, Mid click is a very convenient shortcut that not even Photoshop has.

Pressing Esc is an option too, as someone else already pointed out.

19 hours ago, EaZy5D said:

3. Tablet First Approch: This Sucks! I love it I use it about 80% of the time this is actually my reason for looking for a PS alternative in the first place. but IT JUST SUCKS! when using it in Desktop mode you guys just made my life hell by giving me the same experience as when I have a pen and no keyboard. I want shortcuts to work when am on desktop mode and probably on tablet mode. E.G. Selection tools WHy should I go up there Just to add more selection when I have CTRL, SHIFT, ALT, ETC already on my keyboard? 😭😭😭

There are shortcuts for switching modes, but not for Feather and Antialias (a Refine shortcut already exists as well). Shift activates straight line selection. No modifier makes a brand new selection and removes old ones. Ctrl+alt adds to your current selection. Alt just straight up deletes from your selection. Ctrl allows you to move your selection without activating the Move Tool. Esc removes the selection completely (does not work that way in Photoshop from what I remember). The modes at the top only changes what these modifiers do (besides Intersect), so you don't have to touch them. My only complaints about shortcuts for the Freehand Selection Tool are that there is no R click menu that is identical to the one for the Move Tool (I used that menu all the time when I still used Photoshop) and that I can't toggle Antialiasing and change Feather on the fly.

19 hours ago, EaZy5D said:

Cycle tools same shortcut: I love this but it sucks with your current implantation, Say I was on move tool and I press M it swiches to round tool sometimes it's super annoying

Activate "Use shift key to cycle tool groups" to make it work just like Photoshop.

19 hours ago, EaZy5D said:

5. Eraser tool: it just SUCKS! IT SUCKS!! pls fix it. you are designers yourself take a guess. 😤😤

The Eraser Tool is identical to the one in Photoshop. Brushes are what determine how the eraser works. You can get the exact same results in both programs if you have brushes with equivalent settings.

19 hours ago, EaZy5D said:

2. Some functionality of smart object. I get it PS has patents on this, but this feature is extremely obvious and extremely useful, here all you need to make your experience better, you already have image layers Great Now all we need is the bare bones a way to have Mutiple images updated at once this is a really important feature for mockups and for noob clients when I make Tailored templates its a pain to use AF-Photos pls just add that one feature and we are GOOD!

Embedded Documents exist as an equivalent, but I agree that there are limitations to them. For one, you can't create them without already having another Affinity file to link them to the new document. R clicking layers to create them like in Photoshop is a must. Also, I noticed that Embedded documents can't use its Alpha as a way to mask by clipping other layers to it, which is something I used to do all the time in Photoshop. There are some advantages to how Affinity does this as well, but I still prefer Photoshop Smart Objects still.

[Frozen Death Knight]

3 hours ago, EaZy5D said:

ohh I just remembered 2 more things:

Merging selected layers should just work without a care in the world if I have a pixel layer and a group or an image layer

 

Duplicating should also work with selection on either pixel layers or image layers it'll just save time and is notconfusing if I have selections and press CTRL+J it should duplicate that area on the selected image CTRL+SHIFT+C does not do the trick what if I have images above that one already???

Agreed. I found a workaround to this by simply grouping the layers first and then rasterizing the group to merge any layer type, which requires two button presses. You can also make a macro that does this, but sadly there's no way to create custom keybinds for macros in your library.

 

Image Layers are usually protected from any editing, which I agree can be annoying. Rasterizing does solve that problem, but again, the option to auto-rasterize would be appreciated.

[EaZy5D]

On 11/8/2023 at 9:00 PM, Frozen Death Knight said:

There are non-destructive filters for transforming anything to match an image with perspective. Click the hourglass icon in the Layers panel and there are multiple options for you. Designer also allows you to do these transforms in vector format since V2 released. Photoshop is just straight up worse than Affinity in this area, since Photoshop needs Smart Objects to make transforms non-destructive, but Affinity Live Filters can be used like any other layer.

I do not understand How this answers this "1. Selections: The way selection works in affinity is painfully annoying, Take alignment of this image for instance tell me how does snaping help 🤷‍♂️🙄. Tell me how to align the text in AF-SUIT without it moving the position of both the gray rectangle and the text. the yellow sure 100%. ask any designer here if they don't want control over this and see what they say. pls add selection to the mix"

 

I guess my explanation there sucks I meant selections as in the selections you make on the canvas not layer selection the one you make with say your lasso tool or marquee tool.

 

But thank you all the rest are on point 

 

The Tablet first approach selection did surprise me though it was there all along, I keep pressing SHIFT or SHIFT+ALT+CTRL to add and intersect respectively and since they dd not work I kind of got pissed and did it manually thank you again 

 

though if can pitch for a modify key solution for intersecting that'll be helpful.

I think keyboard shortcuts will be helpful all together

 

Thank you for the workaround too for merging.

 

ohh and the eraser tool am not quite sure what you mean it sure does not but your previous answers are so on point I am doubting if am wrong 😳🤣🤣

[EaZy5D]

 

HAha you also do the artboard trick I can't stop using it since I figured it out by accident 🤤🤤

[loukash]

On 11/8/2023 at 9:09 PM, Frozen Death Knight said:

Image Layers are usually protected from any editing

That's for a reason: "Image" type of layers can be either embedded or linked. Would you want an app to destructively modify an external file witout any warning? I don't. Hence the requirement to rasterize first, and thus fully embed as an integral part of your open document.

[Frozen Death Knight]

25 minutes ago, loukash said:

That's for a reason: "Image" type of layers can be either embedded or linked. Would you want an app to destructively modify an external file witout any warning? I don't. Hence the requirement to rasterize first, and thus fully embed as an integral part of your open document.

Photoshop solves this by having a robust locking feature that prevents destructive editing. As much as I like Affinity it has a very simplistic locking system and it doesn't even stop me from editing the layer, just the ability to select and move it. As for Image Layers being protected, I just do not like this at all. If I want to merge an Image Layer with a Pixel Layer or a Vector Layer or whatever, I want it to rasterize and merge everything with a button press. This is why I made macros specifically for overriding this annoying feature since it is a complete waste of my time for my type of workflow. 

Affinity needs a better locking system for layers and the option to destructively edit without the additional hurdles.

[Frozen Death Knight]

4 hours ago, EaZy5D said:

I guess my explanation there sucks I meant selections as in the selections you make on the canvas not layer selection the one you make with say your lasso tool or marquee tool.

 

But thank you all the rest are on point 

Like this?

You're welcome!

5 hours ago, EaZy5D said:

 

HAha you also do the artboard trick I can't stop using it since I figured it out by accident 🤤🤤

Trick?

[loukash]

1 hour ago, Frozen Death Knight said:

Affinity needs a better locking system for layers

Fair enough and +1, but there are enough request threads for this already.