Ways to add an outline on text in Affinity Photo

[CaroleA]

In affinity Photo, when I create some text and I want an outline, although I can set a color for the outline in the Color panel, it does not show. I found that if I activate a vector tool (Shape tool?), then the line style and thickness settings will appear. So far, that is how I added a stroke.

Is that the "best" way to do that? It seems a bit illogical not to have the stroke thickness/style available when I can change its color in the Color Panel.

I also know that I can use the Outline in the FX but that gives more rounded corners.

What is the "best" way to add an outline to text? And why?

[Oufti]

Menu Window > Text > Character: Decorations. Click on the line at left (Stroke style), so you have plenty of choices.

[AffinityJules]

Try using the effects window and choose outline.

Don't know if it's the best way but it works.

[CaroleA]

9 minutes ago, AffinityJules said:

Try using the effects window and choose outline.

Don't know if it's the best way but it works.

Yeah, I knew about this but it didn't give me the flexibility that an actual stroke would. Plus, the corners seem more rounded than I wanted. I think the Character panel might be what I was looking for.

[Oufti]

21 minutes ago, AffinityJules said:

Try using the effects window and choose outline.

Don't know if it's the best way but it works.

It depends what the text is for:

Using FX on text will cause it to be rasterized at export (green). Using the CharacterDecorations (red), as presented above, should not. 

So if the goal is to create a rasterized image (a banner for web for example), FX are probably more powerful in colors effects. But if it needs to remain vectorial, it's probably better to use the Character decoration (and that allows to change the corner shape).