Bug in placing text in the artistic text tool?

[Zero1]

When I try to place text (from the File-Place menu) in a text layer (created by the artistic text tool), it does not use the current text properties but always falls back to the (last used/default) font properties of the text frame tool. Is this by design or is this a bug? I am guessing this is a bug

 

[thomaso]

If I place text the style of the placed file gets used (unless its plain text, .txt). The current properties set in Affinity get used only if I type text instead of placing or pasting. That means, if your last used style gets used while placing then your placed file might have this style.

If you type in a new text object (not place/paste) without changing the style attributes, the last used style may be used. This is by design and has been discussed in the forum various times: For some users and situations it's a helpful feature but it may be undesirable for others, a few users requested an option to choose from.

[Zero1]

I was referring to plain text. When placing a plain text file in an artistic text, i believe it should use the current or last used text style, however it always defaults to used last text frame style, and i can't image this should be default behaviour as artistic text and frame text have different default.

On the matter of default text style (while using artistic or frame text) using the last used text style, that is totally fine and as you mentioned it might not be desirable but it kind makes sense, but the issue I am referring to is not related to this. 

Currently it is mixing the last used text styles of 2 different tools, hence my idea that this is a glitch or bug. I am assuming that placing text (from a plain text file) in an artistic text, is using the same code as placing into a frame text. Hope this clarifies my point a bit.

[MikeTO]

I can't duplicate this issue. If I create a new Text Frame or Art Text object and paste plain text, it uses the session defaults for the respective tool.

Please note that Affinity has separate session defaults for Text Frames and Art Text which makes it somewhat confusing:

1. Create an art text object and format text as Garamond 24
2. Create a text frame and format text as Arial 12
3. Create an art text object and, unless you drag to create it which to define the font size, pasted plain text will be Garamond 24 and not Arial 12

If this isn't what you are experiencing, could you please share a screen recording to demonstrate the issue? Or at least specific steps.

[Zero1]

13 minutes ago, MikeTO said:

I can't duplicate this issue. If I create a new Text Frame or Art Text object and paste plain text, it uses the session defaults for the respective tool.

Please note that Affinity has separate session defaults for Text Frames and Art Text which makes it somewhat confusing:

1. Create an art text object and format text as Garamond 24
2. Create a text frame and format text as Arial 12
3. Create an art text object and, unless you drag to create it which to define the font size, pasted plain text will be Garamond 24 and not Arial 12

If this isn't what you are experiencing, could you please share a screen recording to demonstrate the issue? Or at least specific steps.

I am not referring about pasted text but placing text from the File-Place menu.

You should be able to reproduce by adding the following steps:

1. Create text frame and format Arial 12
2. Create art text and format Garamond 24 and type text
3. While art text is active, use file, place and select a plain text file
4. Placed text in art text is in Arial 12 and not Garamond 24

Optionally you can place a new art text (and it will be in Garamond 24, as this was the last used style), place text from file again and it will be arial 12.

It is not logical that the last text frame style is being used for art text..

[Old Bruce]

1 hour ago, Zero1 said:

1. Create text frame and format Arial 12

With no text in the text frame there is nothing to be formatted. It may appear that Text Frames can have/hold formatting but only text can have formatting. When you place a plain text text file in the newly created text frame the Paragraph and Character text styles will be used.

[MikeTO]

Just for clarity for others, text frames have default formatting so entering text into an empty frame will use its formatting.

[MikeTO]

2 hours ago, Zero1 said:

I am not referring about pasted text but placing text from the File-Place menu.

You should be able to reproduce by adding the following steps:

1. Create text frame and format Arial 12
2. Create art text and format Garamond 24 and type text
3. While art text is active, use file, place and select a plain text file
4. Placed text in art text is in Arial 12 and not Garamond 24

Optionally you can place a new art text (and it will be in Garamond 24, as this was the last used style), place text from file again and it will be arial 12.

It is not logical that the last text frame style is being used for art text..

You are completely right, my apologies.

Placing plain unformatted text into an Art Text object (empty or one with text) will use the session text frame defaults. This is a bug.

For now as a workaround, I suggest you paste it instead of placing it.

[NathanC]

I can confirm this has been logged internally with the developers. 🙂

[Zero1]

On 5/9/2025 at 4:19 PM, NathanC said:

I can confirm this has been logged internally with the developers. 🙂

Thank you very much!