Character Style changing and saving / deleting and replacing not possible

[Red Al]

Affinity Publisher has imposed the following hurdles on us:

 

1.) the Character Style cannot be changed in the panel: if I select the drawing style and then make changes in the panel, it should be easy to save / update it.

2) the Character Style cannot be deleted and replaced by an existing one. Why can't I just delete a drawing style and the program asks me which style I want to replace it with? Like any other program in the world? Preferably with the right mouse button. 

 

Why does Affinity always make everything so complicated?

[NathanC]

Hi @Red Al,

4 hours ago, Red Al said:

1.) the Character Style cannot be changed in the panel: if I select the drawing style and then make changes in the panel, it should be easy to save / update it.

Within the 'Text Styles' Panel if you right click the Character style you wish to edit and select 'Edit Style Name' this will open the Text Style Editor menu where you can update the style properties and then press 'Ok' to update all instances of the applied style.

If any character styles have local formatting applied indicated by the '+' icon next to the style name, then the locally formatted properties won't be updated. You'll need to select the text frame(s) and right click the character style and select 'Apply Style Name to characters' or alternatively go to Text -> Reapply text styles to override the local formatting.

4 hours ago, Red Al said:

2) the Character Style cannot be deleted and replaced by an existing one. Why can't I just delete a drawing style and the program asks me which style I want to replace it with? Like any other program in the world? Preferably with the right mouse button. 

This just isn't a feature that exists at the moment, deleting a character style will remove it from all instances where it has been applied to text. However, prior to deleting a character style you could replace it using the Find and Replace panel. The cog wheel next to the Find and Replace search fields can be used to find and replace Paragraph and Character Styles throughout a document.

https://affinity.help/publisher2/English.lproj/pages/Text/find_and_replace.html

[Red Al]

Within the 'Text Styles' Panel if you right click the Character style you wish to edit and select 'Edit Style Name' this will open the Text Style Editor menu where you can update the style properties and then press 'Ok' to update all instances of the applied style.

Right klick is not Possible

If any character styles have local formatting applied indicated by the '+' icon next to the style name, then the locally formatted properties won't be updated. You'll need to select the text frame(s) and right click the character style and select 'Apply Style Name to characters' or alternatively go to Text -> Reapply text styles to override the local formatting.

local formatting? What do you mean. Is this the same confusing system like with the clours?

Even your explanation is confusing. I don't understand why you don't set up this process as follows:
- Create style:--> apply to text field and done
- Change style:--> change the style in the style sheet and all text menus formatted in this style are automatically reformatted.
- Delete style:--> all formatting is deleted or the program asks whether it should replace the style with another existing style

Why do you make the world so complicated when it can be so simple?

Please change that. Thank you

[NathanC]

9 minutes ago, Red Al said:

Right klick is not Possible

Simply right-clicking on the Character style should prompt the context menu, but if not you can left click the context menu button highlighted below to access these options.

9 minutes ago, Red Al said:

local formatting? What do you mean. Is this the same confusing system like with the clours?

Local Formatting refers to a change made (such as the font or colour) made directly to the text on the page rather than the character style that's applied to the text, please refer to the help guide below for a detailed explanation. 

https://affinity.help/publisher2/English.lproj/pages/Text/textStyles.html

9 minutes ago, Red Al said:

Even your explanation is confusing. I don't understand why you don't set up this process as follows:
- Create style:--> apply to text field and done
- Change style:--> change the style in the style sheet and all text menus formatted in this style are automatically reformatted.
- Delete style:--> all formatting is deleted or the program asks whether it should replace the style with another existing style

Why do you make the world so complicated when it can be so simple?

Please change that. Thank you

If you have any feedback on how existing functions can be improved or any new features please create a new post on the relevant 'Feedback' section of the forums, linked below.

https://forum.affinity.serif.com/index.php?/forum/122-feedback-for-the-affinity-v2-suite-of-products/

[Red Al]

as i said Simply right-clicking on the Character style is not possible.

 

 

I find your whole system way too complicated. You need to think much simpler. Every time I try something new, I immediately run into problems that cost me a lot of time. Don’t you do usability testing?

Now I understand what you mean. There’s another panel that also shows text styles. You have this duplicated. Just put everything into the Character panel. The text styles are already there.
Why can’t I just change the style directly there with a right-click?

You really need to clean up this program.

You have one panel too many - the Text Styles panel. Either I change the style partially with the Character panel, or I control the whole paragraph with the Paragraph panel. So why do you still need the Text Styles panel?

Anyway, thanks for explaining.

[Oufti]

15 hours ago, Red Al said:

the Character Style cannot be changed in the [Character] panel: if I select the drawing style and then make changes in the panel, it should be easy to save / update it.

One click in the contextual toolbar is enough, as shown below…

9 hours ago, Red Al said:

You have one panel too many - the Text Styles panel.

It's true that much can be done by simply changing the (local) format of some text – be it through the Character or Paragraph panels, or via the contextual toolbar – then updating respectively Character or Paragraph styles by just clicking the corresponding button (Update the [paragraph/character style]) in the contextual toolbar, on the right of the Character or Paragraph style name field: 

However, the not so useless Text style panel offers you more: various views on all the Text styles you created (alphabetical, hierarchical or grouped view), and you can access to more precise options on how to apply or modify styles with the ꠵ "burger" button on the right side of each style name.

(Yes, it's complicated — but I see that as the ransom of a powerful tool…)

[Pedantic]
The Character and Paragraph panels only apply local formatting.
The Text Styles panel (and its Edit style dialog) offers you to systemise it.
But you can do all of this quickly with buttons or menus on the contextual toolbar.
So there are various ways to achieve what you want.

Thus you have to:

1. Learn which ways there are to do something
2. Choose the one you prefer
3. Customise it to your taste, if possible…

Hence I agree with you: Affinity is definitely not an easy tool that you could use only randomly without taking the time to tame it. 

But I'll add: it's pretty powerful, if you take that time.

[Red Al]

It may be fun for someone who developed it, but it's no use for the user, as it's much clearer to put these features in one panel.
The same problem exists with the colors, there is also far too much offered globally, not globally, etc. If you don't pay attention you will go crazy. 
That's why I'm in favor of deleting the many unnecessary features and only deciding on one clear path instead of being able to change the same thing in a thousand different places. 
Less is more, especially when working and operating. Cheers, Stephan