Pencils, brushes, etc...

[Petar Petrenko]

Hi,

I noticed (on Windows) that you have a "Common" folder where Affinity apps are installed, but there are only .DLL files inside. So, I would like to suggest if possible to add all 3rd party pencils, brushes and other similar files in that folder (maybe in subfolders?) regrardless the application that use them. The benefit of this will be:

 

1. No need to install them separatelly between final and Beta versions;

2. Easy for back-up, installing new ones (by simply copying them in appropriate folders) and reinstalling when needed.

[Petar Petrenko]

Eventually PS and other kind of plug-ins to be added in "Common" folder.

[Lee D]

Hi Petar,

 

The Common folder would also be removed if you uninstalled the app from the system, unless you had both installed. Then it will only be removed if both apps where uninstalled. Another potential issue is if any of the files in the folder get deleted by mistake, you then have to go through the trouble of replacing them.

 

My personal approach is to have a "Affinity Resources" folder sitting in my Documents folder or the root of my HDD. Within this I have other folders for each resource such as Brushes, Palettes, Macros, Stock images etc. that I may use and I copy or move the folder if needed to another system.

[Petar Petrenko]

Hi Lee,

can you tell me where in my post I mentioned deleting or removing "Common" folder?

I think you totally misunderstood my post.  ;)

[Lee D]

Hi Petar,

 

You didn't mention it, my understanding is that you want to use the Common folder to store third party addons such as brushes. What I stating is that folder is removed if the apps are uninstalled from the system. Basically that folder wasn't designed to be used as storage for other items apart from the files it contains by default. This is why I also mentioned the method I use to store/organise third party addons and any extras.

[Petar Petrenko]

But affinity team can make it as a storage folder and put all 3rd party add-ons inside and group them in subfolders. Once they are there you can easily "install" other plug-ins by drag and drop them in appropriate folder and you can easily save them for future use (backup, install, reinstall...).

[meinbier]

Hello, I have another question about brushes.
No matter what brush tip I choose, the line always looks the same. Only color and line strength I'm able to control. I like to draw a line with a variable line thickness (I hope I have expressed myself comprehensibly?)
For the sake of clarity, I have attached a screenshot. Am I doing something wrong, or is there possibly a bug in the German program version? I'm looking very forward to your help!

Thanks in advance!

[Lee D]

Hi meinbier,

 

Welcome to the forums.

 

Are you using a graphics tablet and pen or touchpad as those brushes are designed to be controlled by pressure. If you're using a mouse, you can change this option on the Context toolbar, with the Brush tool and the brush selected click the Controller drop down menu. Change it to Velocity for example, this means the quicker you move your mouse the thinker the line becomes.

[R C-R]

Change it to Velocity for example, this means the quicker you move your mouse the thinker the line becomes.

At least on my Mac, with the Kensington trackball I normally use or the other mouses (mice?) I have available, there is almost no change in line thickness, unless maybe I move the pointer at insanely fast speeds. I have tried various different global user preference mouse tracking sensitivities & the per app acceleration tweaks provided by the Kensington software, but there is no setting that does much, even when set so high even small movements send the pointer uncontrollably from one end of the screen to the other.

 

Is there any way to increase the velocity range/sensitivity just for brush thickness or other parametric controls?

[meinbier]

Thank you very much. I tried every option before without success. Designer (Mac) unfortunately ignores all settings.

[gdenby]

You can hand tweak strokes, tho' it is not much like using a tablet. After the stroke is drawn, the stroke attributes panel allows variations pressure width and properties such as opacity to be added. Fx and transparency can be used to modify the look for a more organic touch.

 

[meinbier]

I do not know if the following fact plays any role. But for the sake of completeness: I use a wacom pad "intuos". Regardless of the pin setting it also does not work with the mouse. No matter what I presetted.

[meinbier]

Thanks gdenby! I also tried that. Without success.

 

[gdenby]

I do not know if the following fact plays any role. But for the sake of completeness: I use a wacom pad "intuos". Regardless of the pin setting it also does not work with the mouse. No matter what I presetted.

 

I don't have a Wacom anymore, but my recollection is that you may need need to use a pen on the tablet, even though it works at the same time as using a mouse.  

 

Thanks gdenby! I also tried that. Without success.

 

I do get a brush stroke variation from choosing velocity and using a mouse. Not easy to use, but there is an effect on the brush.  I'm using an Apple wireless mouse.

 

Your case is different. Try this. If the stroke was created w. a brush, not a pen or pencil, select the object and go into the stroke dialogue. Along the top you will see that the brush icon is highlighted. Change that to solid line, then change the properties and continue by changing the pressure. The pressure curve controls both the line weight and opacity. When I finished, I see that the brush stroke icon is re-activated.

[meinbier]

Thanks again gdenby! I tried everything as described, unfortunately without the desired effect.
Meanwhile I resetted all settings to get back to the original settings of the app – without any effect.

Maybe I should delete the app and then try an new installation?

[Petar Petrenko]

@meinbier

please, don't change the subject. I expect answers to my posts. If you want to ask something different, please start your own topic.

[meinbier]

Excuse me Petar, I did not want to disturb you. I'm already gone.  ;-)

[R C-R]

Petar, what more do you want than the answers Lee already gave you? Basically, they are saying you can do what you suggest but it is not recommended or supported, that the folder is not designed to be used for anything other than what is in it by default, & that if anything unexpected happens if you do this, you are on your own.

[Petar Petrenko]

Petar, what more do you want than the answers Lee already gave you? Basically, they are saying you can do what you suggest but it is not recommended or supported, that the folder is not designed to be used for anything other than what is in it by default, & that if anything unexpected happens if you do this, you are on your own.

 

As I can see Lee is moderator (of the forum I presume?) and as such, he is not(?) app developer. I expect somebody of Affinity dev team to exactly answer my question without "I think...", "I suppose..." or something like that.  :)

[R C-R]

Lee is a member of the Affinity staff, located in Nottingham, the same city as Serif headquarters. There is no supposition in his reply about this point: the folder was not designed to be used for anything besides what it contains by default.

[Petar Petrenko]

Lee is a member of the Affinity staff, located in Nottingham, the same city as Serif headquarters. There is no supposition in his reply about this point: the folder was not designed to be used for anything besides what it contains by default.

 

If you read my #1 post you would see that I just suggested this folder to be used for something more. It could save time installing all add-ons once instead of 4 times. Soon it will be 6 times when Publisher comes out.  :D

[R C-R]

Then you should have posted this to the feature request section ... right?