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Designer file compatibility issue Mac - Windows


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I am using Affinity Designer 1.4.2 on Mac/El Capitan and have several design files on Dropbox. Having to work on a logo for the office, I installed the Windows Beta on my Dell/Win8 at work and edited one of the files on Dopbox. Then I had 2 issues:

1. Export to .eps left me with a file with a less then VGA resolution. Shame, but since I should be able to export from the Mac I can live with that, the Windows version still being beta

2. Exporting from Mac is a no-go however because, and this is serious, the now edited file which is saved from the Windows PC can not be opened by the Mac version anymore!

File failed to open:  The file version is not supported by this version of Affinity.

 

What can be wrong? Are the two versions not yet compatible? If so, when will they be? If not, how to solve this?

 

 

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Hi peterjmw,

Welcome to Affinity Forums :)

You can only exchange files from version 1.5 of the Windows and Mac versions. You cannot open files created in version 1.5 in older versions, no matter the platform.

So to be able to open the file you have created on Windows (1.5.0.7) you must install Affinity Designer 1.5 Beta 6 which you can download from here. Remember to keep the Mac App Store version installed (1.4.2) since it's required to validate and run the Beta on the Mac.

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Is it always going to be impossible to open newer files in older versions of the program? In particular, will AD 1.x be unable to open files saved from AD 2.x?

Alfred spacer.png
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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Thanks for confirming my suspicions! It would be good if the older version could be updated to ignore any new features that it doesn't understand, so that newer files would still be mostly readable.

Alfred spacer.png
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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Thanks for confirming my suspicions! It would be good if the older version could be updated to ignore any new features that it doesn't understand, so that newer files would still be mostly readable.

I doubt this would have enough practical value to justify the development time it would require (which I think would be better spent on development of the newer version).

 

For one thing, it is likely that ignoring new features will result in documents with missing content, so for example it would make it confusing to download & try to use a new format document for learning purposes with an older app version.

 

Besides, once the new version leaves beta status & becomes the retail version, there is not much point in keeping the older version of the same app on your computer. Also, as it is, opening an old format document using a beta that would save it in the new format displays a warning about the incompatibility & gives you a choice of working on a copy, the original, or canceling. Assuming this feature is retained in the retail version, if for some reason you do want to keep the old app version on your computer, working on a copy lets you keep the two format versions separate.

All 3 1.10.8, & all 3 V2.4.1 Mac apps; 2020 iMac 27"; 3.8GHz i7, Radeon Pro 5700, 32GB RAM; macOS 10.15.7
Affinity Photo 
1.10.8; Affinity Designer 1.108; & all 3 V2 apps for iPad; 6th Generation iPad 32 GB; Apple Pencil; iPadOS 15.7

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Thanks for confirming my suspicions! It would be good if the older version could be updated to ignore any new features that it doesn't understand, so that newer files would still be mostly readable.

 

You will most likely always be on the latest version so this issue never becomes a problem. It's just more apparent this time around because the only Windows version is the beta which is base on 1.5 technology. Also I want to take this chance to say that the betas should never really be used for serious work as technology is still in flux, even though we will try our hardest to keep it all stable.

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You will most likely always be on the latest version so this issue never becomes a problem. 

I think the only point where this is an issue is when a paid upgrade comes out, at which point some people will be stubborn but given your high level of support and as of this time, more than 1 year in between upgrades, I don't think you should have to worry about having to support older versions, if affinity moves to yearly paid upgrades then I would recommend support in the most recent 2 versions. jmo  ;)

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Thanks for confirming my suspicions! It would be good if the older version could be updated to ignore any new features that it doesn't understand, so that newer files would still be mostly readable.

 

 

You will most likely always be on the latest version so this issue never becomes a problem. It's just more apparent this time around because the only Windows version is the beta which is base on 1.5 technology. Also I want to take this chance to say that the betas should never really be used for serious work as technology is still in flux, even though we will try our hardest to keep it all stable.

 

I understand about the 1.x point releases, Andy. What I meant is that AD 1.x should ideally be able to open files saved from 2.x, albeit with a warning, in much the same way as DrawPlus X6 can open files saved from DPX8.

Alfred spacer.png
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 understand about the 1.x point releases, Andy. What I meant is that AD 1.x should ideally be able to open files saved from 2.x, albeit with a warning, in much the same way as DrawPlus X6 can open files saved from DPX8.

 

Ah, I understand. I don't see why not and it will be a point to consider, but as of now version 2.x is still a way off that you won't need to worry about it for some time yet. :)

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