Affinity Photo Customer Beta (1.5 - Beta 7)

[Andy Somerfield]

Status: Beta Release

Purpose: Features, Fixes, improvements

Requirements: Purchased Affinity Photo

Mac App Store: Not Submitted

Download: 1.5 Beta 7 Here

 

This is a beta of a substantial change to our codebase and as much as we have tried to ensure the quality of the code, it should be considered to be not suitable for production use. This means that you should not attempt to use it for commercial purposes or for any other activity in which you may be adversely affected by the application failing. In addition it is definitely worth noting that files created in Affinity Photo 1.5 cannot be opened in Photo 1.4 so always make a copy of your important documents before opening them in 1.5 to ensure you do not accidentally overwrite them and are unable to open them in your 1.4 version.

 

To use this beta, simply download the file from the link given above and double-click on the file to open the installer. Follow the instructions to install the beta version. The beta sits alongside the Mac App Store version and will not interfere with it.

 

It's also worth noting that this beta is completely file-format compatible with the recently released Affinity Designer 1.5.1 in the Mac App Store - although the above disclaimer still applies!

 

Features, Improvements & Fixes

 

- Implemented magnetic selection tool.

- Implemented polygonal selection tool.

- Improved Apply Image - now support arbitrary channel equations.

- New "Equations" distortion filter.

- PSD import and export of 32bit RGB documents has been implemented.

- Full support for layered OpenEXR files (import and export).

 

- Finished OCIO implementation - Photo now support end-to-end OCIO workflows.

- Improved usefulness of 32bit mode when editing ICC based documents.

- Fixed 32bit preview gamma (wrong way round).

- Re-written how LUTs work - everything should work properly now.

- Fixed crash when pressing "Q" with library panel open.

- Proper ICC support in 32bit.

- Fixed weird pattern problems when using Live Equirectangular Projection in 32bit documents.

- Documents now store their 32bit preview settings when they get saved.

- Focus page cosmetic tweaks.

- Improved how certain metadata items are presented in the UI.

- The assistant options button is now always available.

- Improved macro support for a number of commands.

- Fixed some macro crashes.

- New splash screen.

- Simplified library panel.

- RAW improvements.

- Minor 32bit improvements.

- Function key fixes.

 

- Numerous other small fixes and improvements.

 

We are working on the Linked Layers functionality at the moment - it will be released soon. At that point, we will enter the release candidate phase for Photo 1.5.

 

Thanks again for taking the time to use this beta!

 

Affinity Photo Team   :ph34r:

[paolo.limoncelli]

Awesome

[DavidMac]

LOVE the new lasso tools. Especially the polygonal - very clever implementation without need of modifier to switch from straight line to curve and magnetic available if wanted on a modifier. You almost don't need the other two types. I've been waiting for this one and I am delighted.  :)  :)

[kirkt]

Thank you for retooling the Apply Image dialog - is there any chance you can provide a brief explanation of its new features - specifically the tokens used to access various image elements in the Equations for modifying each channel?  For example, what do "D[channel]" and "S[channel]" represent?  "D" -> "document" and "S" -> "source layer" or something like this?  Are there other tokens?

 

Also, how does one actually apply the changes?  The Apply button is grayed out and inactive after I modify the equations (for example, using the Lab model and making Da = Sb and Db = Sa, channel switching). 

 

Thank you!

 

kirk thibault

berwyn, pa

[DavidMac]

Any documentation on the new equations filter anywhere? Can't find anything in the help files or new tutorials. Tried playing but only getting nonsense. I definitely need some help here please ..........  :unsure:

[Andy Somerfield]

Hi,

 

The Equations filter hasn't been documented as yet, but here is a quick synopsis:

 

By default, x = x and y = y.. So, this means that, for example, the output pixel at x = 100, y = 100 will be read from the input pixel at x = 100, y = 100. Hence, the image does not change..

 

So, let's change some stuff - try:

 

x = x + 100

y = y + 100

 

We are now telling Photo that for output pixel x = 100, y = 100, read from x = 200, y = 200.. This has the effect of shifting the whole image.

 

For a fancier example try:

 

x = x + sin(y)*100

y = y + sin(x)*100

 

This will give a weird "waves" effect.

 

The three sliders below are available in the expressions as "a" "b" and "c" - they control a value between 0 and 1.. so, let's try:

 

x = x + sin(y)*100*a

y = y + sin(x)*100*b

 

This will still look wavey, but when we move sliders A and B, we will see that we can control the strength of the wavey effect in both X and Y.

 

You can write pretty much any expression you want in the boxes - and recreate pretty much any "transform" style effect..

 

Other constants are available, other than x,y,a,b,c - for example ox and oy refer to an "origin", which you set by clicking or dragging on the canvas - and w and h are set to the width and height of the document.

 

I'll try to post some more interesting example of the Equations filter soon - but if anyone else can think of any - please share!

 

Thanks,

 

Andy.

[Andy Somerfield]

kirkt,

 

Yes, here goes:

 

SR = Source Red

DR = Dest Red

SB = Source Blue

DB = Dest Blue

 

and so on..

 

You can use any of the channels anywhere, so for example,

 

DR = (SR+DR)*0.5

DG = 0

DB = SR

DA = 1

 

This would set the output red channel to the average of the source and dest red, set output green to 0, set the output blue channel to 0 and output alpha to 1.

 

You can use it to simply rearrange channels, or any other expression you desire - there are even things like power operators so for example -

 

DR = SR^2.2

DG = SG^2.2

DB = SB^2.2

 

.. would be an approximation of linearisation, etc.

 

And yes - the "Apply" button is broken - we are rebuilding Beta 7 with it fixed - I will advise when that is done :)

 

Thanks,

 

Andy.

[Flaz]

Great magnetic and polygonal selection tool!!  :lol: 

Any way to constrain a segment of polygonal selection to an angle? (like to have vertical straight segment, horizzontal or 45°) 

[kirkt]

Thank you for the excellent explanation - one dumb question - how does one explicitly define the "source" and "destination"?  I assume the source is the active layer (the one that is highlighted in the layers list).  What is the destination - a new layer to be created by the Apply Image operation?  Is it possible to mix multiple layers in the stack in a single expression, or, say the RED channel from Layer 1 and the GREEN channel from Layer 2?

 

Say I had a layer stack like this:

 

Layer2

Layer1

Background

 

Could I write an expression that was something like:

 

DR = 0.5*[Layer1]R + 0.5*[Layer2]G

 

or something similar, where the tokens in the square brackets are the layer names, or layerIDs.  

 

Even better:

 

[Layer1]M = [Layer2]G

 

for example, where "M" is a (perhaps newly created) mask for the layer defined in the expression.  This would be a powerful way to combine existing layer channels to create layer masks.

 

Thank you for the explanation and the incredibly quick implementation of this new Apply Image set of tools!

 

kirk thibault

berwyn, pa

 

 

kirkt,

 

Yes, here goes:

 

SR = Source Red

DR = Dest Red

SB = Source Blue

DB = Dest Blue

 

and so on..

 

You can use any of the channels anywhere, so for example,

 

DR = (SR+DR)*0.5

DG = 0

DB = SR

DA = 1

 

This would set the output red channel to the average of the source and dest red, set output green to 0, set the output blue channel to 0 and output alpha to 1.

 

You can use it to simply rearrange channels, or any other expression you desire - there are even things like power operators so for example -

 

DR = SR^2.2

DG = SG^2.2

DB = SB^2.2

 

.. would be an approximation of linearisation, etc.

 

And yes - the "Apply" button is broken - we are rebuilding Beta 7 with it fixed - I will advise when that is done :)

 

Thanks,

 

Andy.

[Andy Somerfield]

kirkt,

 

It it similar to how you describe, but sort of inverted.

 

The "Destination" is the layer which you had selected before you entered the Apply Image filter.

 

The "Source" is the layer that you load - using either the "Load from file" or "Load from current layer" buttons.

 

"Load from current layer" is used to apply a layer to itself, if you see what I mean.

 

At the moment, there is no way to reference layers outside the source and destination.

 

Thanks,

 

Andy.

[kirkt]

Thank you for the clarification.  So are you saying that you can only apply a layer to itself using Apply Image?

 

Or can I select Layer1, for example, before I invoke the Apply Image command (to make it the Destination), then, after the dialog opens, select Layer2 and click the Use Current Layer to make Layer2 the Source?

 

kirk

[anon1]

i think the Apply Image is ab bit to nerd like at the moment, maybe add an advanced and easy mode ....I don´t care much but I imagine others would

and it would be really much better if one could save presets in the equation filter (and the custom blur filter) (and maybe also in Apply Image)

 

what about the sampler improvements? especially curves and oickers

https://forum.affinity.serif.com/index.php?/topic/24993-affinity-photo-customer-beta-15-beta-5/?p=122144

 

what about selection of multiple layers using shift click?

 

cheers 

[Puffin]

Hi Andy, 

             Like DavidMac i cannot get the Equations filter to work even, after trying all of the test pieces you kindly set, not sure what to do next so any help at all would be great, thanks.

[paolo.limoncelli]

kirkt,

 

It it similar to how you describe, but sort of inverted.

 

The "Destination" is the layer which you had selected before you entered the Apply Image filter.

 

The "Source" is the layer that you load - using either the "Load from file" or "Load from current layer" buttons.

 

"Load from current layer" is used to apply a layer to itself, if you see what I mean.

 

At the moment, there is no way to reference layers outside the source and destination.

 

Thanks,

 

Andy.

 

I appreciate this remarkable effort, the new Apply Image now allows to cover some masking and channel mixing workflows easily.

Great!

 

My little suggestion might be to think for the future a much more "self explanatory" UI.

As MBd said above the risk is to confine this filter to "super mathematicians" guys  :)

[pruus]

Thanks for the improved beta!

[jeffkovitz]

I have installed Beta 7 but don't see it showing up in photo extensions.

[MEB]

Hi jeffkovitz,

Click the More button on the bottom of the extensions popup menu to open the System Preferences, Extensions section. You may have to enable them there. If they are already enabled, restart your system and check it they appear in Apple Photos.

[Bauke]

Thanks for the new beta! The equations looks promising.

I encountered a bug in the Apply Image screen. When I choose CMYK, and then try to add something in the last channel (DA), the application crashes instantly.

[Andy Somerfield]

Thanks Bauke,

 

I have reproduced this here - it has been fixed for the next beta :)

 

Andy.

[jeffkovitz]

Yes they are there now - but not till I rebooted my computer for some reason.   Ahh technology

[velarde]

Good to see the Polygonal selection tool implemented.

 

This simple tool is THE one that I've been waiting for.  :)

 

A couple of suggestions/requests:

 

1 - Could there be a checkbox/preference to select to hide all the blue dots each point/click creates?

I understand having the blue dot for the first click to guide you to close the selection but all the others are a little distracting.

 

Maybe have it an option to turn it on or off  (for people that don't want to see them).

 

 

2 - Also please have a keyboard shortcut command + H ( or something similar) to hide/show the current selection...

Don't want to see the "marching ants" when I'm retouching.

 

I think this has been in the feature request for a long time... strange people don't bring it up...  I would think this one would be easy to implement?

 

 

Thanks for all the work.

 

fjv

[balor]

Thank you :*

[zamordek777]

Hi Guys,

 

I can't use Affinity Photo Beta because its required from me the last retail version.

But I bought this version already long time ago (I've opened here version 1.4.3).

I do not understand that.

Do you have maybe a solution for this?

 

regards

 

 

 

 

[MEB]

Hi zamordek777,

Welcome to Affinity Forums :)

That Beta has probably expired. Please install the latest one (Beta 7) from the first post of this thread.

Let me know if you still have trouble.

[zamordek777]

Hi, 

 

still the same problem with Beta 7...  :(