When saving a multi layered image as PSD file, it does not save the Blend Options settings

[DaleL]

I have tested this multiple times now with different photos, and when I change the blending options ranges to what I want, after exporting it as a PSD file and then reopen it, the settings in blending options are gone, but the image still looks like I had wanted it.  I just cannot change it or even get it back to how it was originally.   I've tried this with the file settings of (preserve editability) and (preserve accuracy), and both lose ability to change the blending option ranges when it is reopened.  If I save the images as the afphoto type, then the blending ranges are there to edit as expected when I reopen the image.  

[Ldina]

@DaleL Just an educated guess...PSD file format doesn't support a number of Affinity Photo features, filters, etc, So when you export to PSD, unsupported layers and features will be ignored, discarded or possibly will be merged into a pixel layer. I've exported some multi layer afphoto files to PSD format to share with a friend who has Photoshop (but not Affinity). Affinity Photo supports Live Filters, which I use a lot, but PSD format doesn't support them. For example, if I use a Live Unsharp Mask, the PSD file doesn't know what to do with it. It works the other way around too....afphoto file format doesn't support all Photoshop features, so Affinity doesn't always know how to handle them when opening a PSD file created in PS. Also, the two programs sometimes do things differently, so even though a feature might be supported in both programs, e.g., gradients, they are structured differently and the translation suffers. 

Anyway, I suspect blend ranges fit into this category, and Serif probably chooses to merge Blend ranges into a pixel layer (or something equivalent) when exporting to PSD so the appearance will be preserved when opening the PSD in Photoshop (or reopening the PSD in AfPhoto). If you want to preserve all the features and layers when editing in AfPhoto, save your file in Affinity's native afphoto file format, and export a copy to PSD if needed. But, don't expect everything to translate perfectly between programs. Many features do, but some don't. PSD is designed to support ALL PS features, and afPhoto file format is designed to support ALL Affinity Photo features.

Someone on the forum will have a definitive answer, but I believe that's what's happening based on my own experience.

[walt.farrell]

Is there some particular reason you need to Export as PSD? You will find there are other issues with doing that, such as rasterized Text.

Only .afphoto (or another native Affinity format) is guaranteed to save a complete representation of your work for later use.

[DaleL]

Since I switched from adobe several years ago, I purchased Affinity to replace photoshop, but needed something to do the job that lightroom did.  Mostly to handle the downloading of images from my camera, cataloging them, culling latest downloads and doing the large majority of the raw file processing.   I found On1 photoRaw to do that job well.  But afPhoto types are not recognized in ON1, but PSD files are.  I have many .afphoto's in my folders, but can only find them through  windows file explorer.  I don't mind the afphoto type, but it leaves me in the dark when trying to find files by keyword or what folder they are in.   If there is an app out there that can do that job, then I would not need to use PSD files.

[Ldina]

Check out XnView. It will display all Affinity formats. I'm sure there are others too.

[walt.farrell]

30 minutes ago, Ldina said:

Check out XnView. It will display all Affinity formats. I'm sure there are others too.

Or specifically XnViewMP, rather than classic XnView.

[Ldina]

@walt.farrell Thanks for the correction! You're right.

[DaleL]

Adobe bridge could work as well, but still lacks what I want in having something to replace all the work that Lightroom could do.   Guess only option is to output a jpeg of the image every time I save it as afphoto with something in the naming of the it that I know there is a afphoto image also.