Export Dialog: Allow Any Export Preset—Validate Name Uniqueness, Skip Param Checks

[bbrother]

In the Export dialog (Ctrl + Alt + Shift + S), Affinity allows users to define and save custom export presets (format, resolution, compression, etc.). Unlike most design tools that enforce only unique preset names, Affinity additionally blocks the Create Preset button when your parameter set matches any built-in preset.

 

Why this is bad UX:

• User control and freedom are violated. Instead of allowing users to name whatever they save, the app forces arbitrary parameter changes to allow naming.
• This wastes designer time hunting for a tweak just to save a preset.
• The lack of explanatory messages makes users think it's a bug rather than an deliberate restriction, which ultimately leads to frustration.
• This breaks good industry conventions that users have become accustomed to over the years (Photoshop, Illustrator, Premiere, Sketch) —none of them block presets based on settings; they only enforce unique names.

 

Proposed solutions:

• Validate only preset names.
• Block saving only if the name already exists. Allow unlimited duplicates of any parameter set.
• Provide Clear Feedback (Messaging).
• On name collision, show: > “A preset with this name already exists. Please choose a different name.”

 

Current UX couples naming to parameter uniqueness, creating needless friction. By switching validation to names only—and adding clear feedback—Affinity would restore user control, speed up workflows, and align with industry best practices. Please update the Export dialog to remove the “Create Preset” roadblock.