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Can someone please help me to work around a problem that I keep running into while using Affinity Desygner?   While I love the program, every time I need some work done (graphics, printing, etc.), the person that I send a file to, will tell me they can't open the file and to please send it in Adobe Illustrator, or some other format!  

I'm new to this app, but could use A FIX!  Thank you for your assistance!

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  • Staff

Hi popncorn,

Welcome to Affinity Forums :)

By default Affinity Designer saves your project in our native file format .afdesign in order to keep all Adjustements, Layer Effects (basically all program features) etc editable. Only Affinity apps are able to read this format.

If the person you want to send your files to don't have Affinity installed you must export the file in other format like PDF, SVG etc.

If they are using Illustrator i advise you to export your files in PDF format. You can do so going to menu File ▸ Export then select the PDF tab.

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@evtonic3

 

Interesting idea… matter of fact, I'd be very curious to know how many people on these threads work in print houses themselves that use or are just aware of Affinity software………… anybody?! 

 

All we really hear from are creatives. Would love to hear print vendor success stories of jobs produced with PDFs made directly from Designer or Photo…  should this topic be it's own dedicated thread as it will be ever more important once Publisher is ready for prime time?

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I give classes in a school where Adobe software is also taught.

In my classes (Cinema 4D) I always talk about Affinity Designer and Affinity Photo.

During the pauses, sometimes I even show them Affinity Designer and Affinity Photo, when I take my laptop to classes.

They are blown away!! :D

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Thank you MEB!  I will try sending them the info in a pdf format, but most insist on AI.  I would think it's a simple save for them, but people will be people!  Thanks again!

 

Rename copies of your *.pdf files to *.ai and send them the renamed versions. They'll probably never know! whistling.gif

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Affinity Designer/Photo/Publisher 2 for Windows • Windows 10 Home/Pro
Affinity Designer/Photo/Publisher 2 for iPad • iPadOS 17.4.1 (iPad 7th gen)

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I'm one of those elusive printers and we're just starting with Designer.

 

Awaiting Publisher as this is where we impose and send work to the platemaker. Most of our files come in pdf, so as long as you outline your fonts there shouldn't be a problem. 

 

A seperation preview is a must for Publisher (please note) - it's annoying not being able to see a file's colours - cmyk or pantone.

 

I know a few printers who would love to say goodbye to paying the monthly subs to Adobe, especially since we have to buy the kit to print and finish on top of it all

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  • 4 weeks later...

Rename copies of your *.pdf files to *.ai and send them the renamed versions. They'll probably never know! whistling.gif

Will the quality be the same?  I haven't tried PDF printing yet, but I'm about to open a store and need prints, menu's and pictures galore.  Thus far, everyone wants Adobe something!   I don't know Photoshop or Illustrator that well, so trying to learn both programs becomes confusing...which leads to frustration!  Seems like this could be a simple fix.  They should add a link for this program, just for printing purposes, etc.  Printing from Affinity could only become another stream of income for Staples, Office Depot, etc.!  A little extra money never would never hurt your bottom line no matter how small the job!  

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Will the quality be the same?  I haven't tried PDF printing yet, but I'm about to open a store and need prints, menu's and pictures galore.  Thus far, everyone wants Adobe something!   I don't know Photoshop or Illustrator that well, so trying to learn both programs becomes confusing...which leads to frustration!  Seems like this could be a simple fix.  They should add a link for this program, just for printing purposes, etc.  Printing from Affinity could only become another stream of income for Staples, Office Depot, etc.!  A little extra money never would never hurt your bottom line no matter how small the job!  

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Will the quality be the same?  I haven't tried PDF printing yet, but I'm about to open a store and need prints, menu's and pictures galore.  

All the online printing service companies I used to use only accept PDF ( PDF (PDF/X1a or PDF 1.3), JPG, TIFF, EPS, PS (not to mention CMYK-colors are essentially required) - but no open documents.

 

Cheers

P.

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Yes, I know printing services are limited, unless you save as a PDF file.  Even my web designer asked that I not use this, because she can't open anything that I send her.   :huh: Would make life a whole lot easier if I could just print from ANY file.  Thanks for all of your comments and suggestions!  

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Yes, I know printing services are limited, unless you save as a PDF file.  Even my web designer asked that I not use this, because she can't open anything that I send her.   :huh: Would make life a whole lot easier if I could just print from ANY file.  Thanks for all of your comments and suggestions!  

 

Printers prefer PDF in my experience, it is the only thing they need to print. The only reason some probably want live files, is to make a quick change in lets say black, and they could do it with an editable live file. But unfortunately not everyone has AD or AP yet. That will change! Send your web designer the link to the free trial and tell him or her that they need to also now learn Affinity!

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I tried to get her to at least look at Affinity!  She told me she had no reason to learn a new program when she was perfectly happy with what she has used for years.  She also doesn't mind paying a monthly fee!  I can't argue with her, she's extraordinary at web design!  She DOES NOT point, drag, copy and paste!    

And yes, I usually do want something changed at the last minute!  That sometimes rules out PDF printing!  

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@evtonic3

 

Interesting idea… matter of fact, I'd be very curious to know how many people on these threads work in print houses themselves that use or are just aware of Affinity software………… anybody?! 

 

All we really hear from are creatives. Would love to hear print vendor success stories of jobs produced with PDFs made directly from Designer or Photo…  should this topic be it's own dedicated thread as it will be ever more important once Publisher is ready for prime time?

Well, evtonic3, I am not one of the creative types, and I print fine art representations, or reproductions, with the Epson Pro 9900.   The printer/inks/substrate are all custom profiled by me.  The NEC 27 inch displays are profiled by me..  The shoot and all lighting is profiled by, you guessed it, me.  Maybe you want to label me as photographer and  print house.

 

Now, here is where I have had my color issues.  Nothing, no matter what I try, prints correctly, compared to what I print from LR 6.5.1, PS CS5, or Printao 8.  I am color managed.  "Device independent color management".

 

Since I am "Device independent color managed", I usually can print once, and the results are very good.  Usually right on.  And I can print again for fine tuning, of needed.

 

With Affinity Photo, if I understood correctly, from a comment in this thread, print from AP or AD and then print again after making corrections.  Someone, please correct me if I misunderstood.

 

And I quote:  Posted 04 May 2016 - 05:20 PM

This post makes me wonder if all the Affinity community shouldn't deliberately send their print projects first wrong then how they need it the second time. It would create a buzz with the printers that they may need to add this inexpensive app to their computers. Hmm... Could it work? 
 
Sure, AP is an inexpensive app.  No contest.  I have AP,  and to print from it's .tiff files, I would have to print and reprint, chasing my tail.   That is why I am device independent color managed.
 
I have been told in AP forum, more than once, I ask too many questions...I post too much regarding color issues.  Well, this is still my issue.
 
Let me explain what I have done.  What I have tried. 
 
I digital capture of the X-Rite 24 patch classic target, opened in AP, and use the white balance tool (w), on the third gray patch from my left, fourth row down.  Next I open in develop persona, and again use the white balance tool on the third gray patch from my left, fourth row down.   There is no visible change in the image file.
 
Everything is in ProPhoto RGB.
 
I export the .tiff.   Open this very same .tiff in either LR 6.5.1, or PS CS5, the image does not look like the AP image file.  Using white balance tool in PS CS5, levels, middle dropper, the image file stays the same as when opened in PS CS5.   However, the two image files, AP, and PS CS5 do not look alike.  
 
No point in doing an screen capture, since many will say the 'preview' is not accurate.  And, I am not looking at a preview.   Doing a screen capture may not be accurate, however it does show the caparison.  
 
The screen capture below is the target I use.post-26329-0-99145800-1465087337_thumb.png
 
Kind Regards,
 
David4

 

 

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David4, I am not asking these questions to be sarcastic or disrespectful in any way. I know nothing about color management and next to nothing about the intricacies of printing on a professional level. I have had limited edition reproductions made of some of my paintings so I do know the importance of trying to get it right in as few attempts as necessary. I have no idea what "device independent color managed" means so my question is, if you have complete control over the color management, what difference does it make what file type you print from as long as it is of sufficient resolution? What do you think it is about files produced within Affinity apps that make it so difficult to reproduce the color correctly? Or are you saying that it is the file itself, from the photo shoot and processed in Affinity Photo, that doesn't match the original art and therefore can't be printed correctly?

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Since I started this conversation, let me clear a few things.  First, I'm not printing for the heck of it, I'm having professional pictures printed for my store.  That's why I having hard time with AD!  I select a picture from let's say istock.com and want to have it professionally printed...it's not gonna happen!  As well, I designed menu boards on AD and needed to have them professionally printed, I couldn't get it done.  When you go through the trouble of color coordinating, etc., the last thing you want to hear is, can you please change the extension to one that we use.  Again, it's just not going to happen!  Just wanted to drop the info, in case someone thought I was just trying to print a regular document!  This is business!!!  I love the AD app, but....

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So wait a sec.... are you trying to send an .afdesign file to a print house? Why??

I haven't sent an .ai file to a printer in years. YEARS! It's all PDF.

Certainly they will accept .ai. But I've never had anybody catagorically prefer it over PDF or say "no, no PDF... only AI". Sounds like the old Saturday Night Live sketch. "No Coke.... Pepsi!"  :D .

 

Now, if you're having PDF export problems, that's another story.

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jmac, glad you asked your questions.


 


I would suggest you “google” device independent color management.  But first, read what I have written.


 


To start, let’s say I purchase, off the shelf, a color inkjet printer, a new computer, a new display, and 25 sheets of acid free archival paper that will fit my inkjet printer.


 


I look at a digital image file on my new display.  Looks okay.  Send this image file to my new printer and the colors are dismal.  So, I start changing density and color on the display, in order to make the printed image look the way I want.  Or, another way would be to change printer settings, hoping to make the image look they way I want.  This results in wasting ink and fine art paper.  Neither are inexpensive.  Finally after wasting money as well as time, I end up with a printed representation, or kind of, what I am looking for.


 


Now, as Bill Nye the science guy would put it, consider it you will, creating a customization or custom profile with known standards, known characteristics, thoughtout this planet.  So, using a known standard world wide, for this discussion, I use the X-Rite classic 24 patch cardboard target.  It’s sort of 2 inches by 3.5 inches.  I photograph the X-Rite classic 24 patch target and use software to profile my “camera > lens > lighting”.  


 


With software and hardware designed to create custom .icc profiles, I print a target based on this software, in my case, i!Profiler.  I use the i1Pro version D, spectrophotometer, to read this target with it’s software.   NEC’s SpectroView II application will create a target on my display that I read with the i1Pro spectrophotometer.  These readings give me a device independent custom profile for everything I use in digital imaging.


 


So, all equipment I use is now custom profiled.   I can trust what I have digitally captured will print as a representation of the original capture.  This is especially important when creating representations, or reproductions of an artist’s original intellectual property.


 


Getting back to the  X-Rite classic 24 patch target, I include this target during digital capture when of original art.  I then have a “standard”.


 


When doing portraiture, still lifes, and landscapes, the  X-Rite classic 24 patch target in either in the digital capture or captured separately for use during digital development.


 


Speaking of digital development, there is Raw Photo Processor  64 developer which uses the  X-Rite classic 24 patch target for profiling the camera>lens>lighting>.  Marvelous application.  Once processed the file can be opened in AP, LR, PS, or any other program I choose.   


 


I have requested serif be able to read this custom camera profile.  Staff has responded, this profile type will soon be readable.


 


jmac, I have no idea why AP doesn’t reproduce color correctly.  I don’t know code and don’t plan on understanding code.  Sorry.


 


I wrote in an earlier post I am not the creative type.  That’s not really true.  As a photographic artist, I pre visualize what the final print will be.  I choose the lens needed to give the feeling I want in a capture.  I use digital imaging applications to to be able to print what I have captured.  I do dodging, burning in, white balance, luminance.  I don’t create with AP, or PS.


 


Regarding serif and correct color reproduction, you must ask serif.  I have no clue.  I just know the applications I use, do give the correct color reproduction.


 


Write me or call me wrong.  When I first read the Apple/serif promotions of AP, I thought the promotion included something to the effect, good color management was part of the application.   After some of my color issue posts, I failed to see the claims.  


 


I never would have purchased AP if the color management was not like LR, PS, or RPP 64.  However, I now have AP and wishing serif would make a positive move toward appropriate color management.  


 


Some of you have Ph.D’s in areas I am not familiar with.  And you folks have been extremely helpful to me!.


 


Me, well, I understand,


                  triprolidine  + sudoephrine.


                                    #30


         Sig:  i po tid for snotty  stuffy, runny nose.  can cause drowsiness.


 


      refil  1


 


 


I started film capture in the late 40’s.  Processed black and white sheet film, 120 film, and 35 mm film, and created black and white prints.  Eventually was processing and printing my own color prints.


 


Somewhere in there, I earned the Doctor of Pharmacy degree, USC, 1963.  During my time at USC, I had the opportunity to take a large format, black and white course from the cinema department.


 


Eventually, here in Bellingham, Washington State, my wife and I operated 2 one hour color labs.   Even then, chemistry had to be kept at a standard that was world wide.  The test strips and chemistry came from various parts of the planet.  This was color management for the one hour lab industry.


 


Custom labs also had to keep their chemistry stable and in line with good practices.


 


Again, I thank those asking questions.


 


Kind Regards,


 


David4

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So wait a sec.... are you trying to send an .afdesign file to a print house? Why??

I haven't sent an .ai file to a printer in years. YEARS! It's all PDF.

Certainly they will accept .ai. But I've never had anybody catagorically prefer it over PDF or say "no, no PDF... only AI". Sounds like the old Saturday Night Live sketch. "No Coke.... Pepsi!"  :D .

 

Now, if you're having PDF export problems, that's another story.

Well now that you mention it, I can't seem to save or export as a PDF file.  Getting a little fed up with this.  I've designed all these menu's that I think I will have to re-design in a different program.  I don't have time to play with this now.  I need to get it done.  Any suggestions are appreciated.  I started with SAVE AS... 

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popncorn, I suggest you get your print jobs printed somewhere else, may sound harsh but you haven't given anymore info as to why the printer won't accept a pdf file for printing. PDF is the standard. Don't know why you say they won't accept it. Now you talk about that you can't export to PDF? Do you know how to do this? Either under the File>Export or with the Export Persona? Why do you say you can't do it? You can't do anything with the SAVE AS other than save your file as a native Designer file which is what has been said- it is a native file that no one really has a way to open it unless they have Designer installed on their mac.

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Well now that you mention it, I can't seem to save or export as a PDF file.

 

Cannot believe that your problems are not solved within a month.  :(

 

If a reset of the app [press and hold ⌃(ctrl) while restarting the application, then select “Clear” from the dialog] does not help, please upload a file to test the export.

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  • Staff

Hi popncorn,

As evtonic3 pointed out sending the file as an afdesign or afphoto file to the Print shop may not be the best solution. Unless they have Affinity programs installed there's isn't much they can do with it. Most print shops accept PDF's for print. If you aren't able to export your file as a PDF can you please upload it using this link so we can take a look? Which PDF preset are you using to export the file?

All files will be deleted after being inspected.

Thanks.

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Cannot believe that your problems are not solved within a month.  :(

 

If a reset of the app [press and hold ⌃(ctrl) while restarting the application, then select “Clear” from the dialog] does not help, please upload a file to test the export.

Oval, I'm opening a store! A million things to do from painting, plumbing issues that keep popping up, electrical, equipment, permits, etc.  It's very hard to get it all done at one time, I'm one person!  After hiring a few contractors, I'm sadly finding that if you want something done properly, you have to do it yourself.  I believe because I'm a girl they think I don't know what's proper!  If it's not right, I will point out what's wrong with the job and then rip it down right in there faces.  It's taking me a little longer, I'm only 5'2" and 125 pounds!  I will carry a 12 foot sheet of drywall, hang it, mud and then paint to perfection!  I will even tackle electric and plumbing!  I'm cute as a button, but I am not a Barbie doll girl!  lol  My daddy taught me more than I really needed to know, which has made me pretty dang independent.  So with that said, I'm pretty much finished with the store itself and now I'm working on the menu boards.  I'm sooooo tired, until I fall asleep with the computer on my lap!  That's why it's taking so long...IF YOU MUST KNOW!!!   L    O    L

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