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Copy with a click, node aligning, and other things that Corel Draw has gotten right.


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Hello everyone,

As a user of Corel Draw, there’s a couple of little features/tricks that I’d like to see in Affinity (because I’m switching). The following are really more “tricks” than features (at least in the strict sense). I added gifs so you know exactly what I’m talking about.

 

 

1. When dragging an object, right-click to copy it.

This one is a life saver. I use it all the time. I drag using the left-click, and when you see the + sign it's because I right-clicked.

post-42166-0-46482900-1484576546_thumb.gif

 

2. Right-clicking a color sets it as stroke.

And if you really need to right-click the color to access options or whatever, you just have to hold it for 2 seconds or something.

post-42166-0-34509100-1484576548_thumb.gif

 

3. Contour tool

If there’s such a tool in AD, I completely missed it. That tool isn’t very useful for circles and squares, but they are for every other shape.

post-42166-0-97557000-1484576544_thumb.gif

 

4. You can adjust kerning and leading using the Node tool.

This is much quicker than changing the value in the typography menu. 

post-42166-0-38606600-1484576542_thumb.gif

 

5. In every menu where you can increase or decrease the value with two little arrows, you can click and drag to change the value.

I know you can almost do that in AD, but it requires two clicks or more.

post-42166-0-16503700-1484575724_thumb.gif

 

6. When you want to align an object to another, you can select the node you want.

This is very useful when you don't necessarily want to align something to the edge of another object.

post-42166-0-70096300-1484576540_thumb.gif

 

So if I’m mistaken is any of that, or if what I say is not available actually is available, please accept my apologies. I’d love to spend all day exploring that wonderful program but I have other things to do.. such as working to feed my family y’know.

 

I am saying all of this because I think that there's not that many people using Corel Draw compared to those using Illustrator. I wanted to underline a couple things I think Corel Draw have done right. 

 

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@the.legend

 

1. it is possible to do it with holding the <Alt> key while dragging. It is not so easy with one-button mouse on MacOS.

+1 for suggestions 2-6.

All the latest releases of Designer, Photo and Publisher (retail and beta) on MacOS and Windows.
15” Dell Inspiron 7559 i7 Windows 10 x64 Pro Intel Core i7-6700HQ (3.50 GHz, 6M) 16 GB Dual Channel DDR3L 1600 MHz (8GBx2) NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960M 4 GB GDDR5 500 GB SSD + 1 TB HDD UHD (3840 x 2160) Truelife LED - Backlit Touch Display
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Hi!

 

I'd love to see an offset path tool/command too.

 

1. When dragging an object, right-click to copy it.

This one is a life saver. I use it all the time. I drag using the left-click, and when you see the + sign it's because I right-clicked.

attachicon.gifright click to copy.gif

 

As Petar said you can use ALT and drag your copy.

@Petar: We gained the second mouse button option more than a decade ago...  :P

 

 

5. In every menu where you can increase or decrease the value with two little arrows, you can click and drag to change the value.

I know you can almost do that in AD, but it requires two clicks or more.

attachicon.gif drag to change.gif

 

 

You can do the same in AD just holding the little arrow and dragging left/right.

Never checked on Windows, but on macOS it works.

 

 

 

The white dog, making tools for artists, illustrators and doodlers

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5. In every menu where you can increase or decrease the value with two little arrows, you can click and drag to change the value.

I know you can almost do that in AD, but it requires two clicks or more.

attachicon.gifdrag to change.gif 

 

 

You can do the same in AD just holding the little arrow and dragging left/right.

Never checked on Windows, but on macOS it works.

 

When I tried that on this Windows system it only made small changes and it didn't seem very controllable. An alternative method which works much better for me is to 'scrub' over the text label.

Alfred spacer.png
Affinity Designer/Photo/Publisher 2 for Windows • Windows 10 Home/Pro
Affinity Designer/Photo/Publisher 2 for iPad • iPadOS 17.4.1 (iPad 7th gen)

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Hi!

 

I'd love to see an offset path tool/command too.

 

 

As Petar said you can use ALT and drag your copy.

@Petar: We gained the second mouse button option more than a decade ago...  :P

 

 

 

You can do the same in AD just holding the little arrow and dragging left/right.

Never checked on Windows, but on macOS it works.

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for the info, :(  but here in Macedonia the mice are one-button by deffault. I never asked, but I suppose the you can buy two-buttons mice without problem.

All the latest releases of Designer, Photo and Publisher (retail and beta) on MacOS and Windows.
15” Dell Inspiron 7559 i7 Windows 10 x64 Pro Intel Core i7-6700HQ (3.50 GHz, 6M) 16 GB Dual Channel DDR3L 1600 MHz (8GBx2) NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960M 4 GB GDDR5 500 GB SSD + 1 TB HDD UHD (3840 x 2160) Truelife LED - Backlit Touch Display
32” LG 32UN650-W display 3840 x 2160 UHD, IPS, HDR10 Color Gamut: DCI-P3 95%, Color Calibrated 2 x HDMI, 1 x DisplayPort
13.3” MacBook Pro (2017) Ventura 13.6 Intel Core i7 (3.50 GHz Dual Core) 16 GB 2133 MHz LPDDR3 Intel Iris Plus Graphics 650 1536 MB 500 GB SSD Retina Display (3360 x 2100)

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 I never asked, but I suppose the you can buy two-buttons mice without problem.

 

The "single button" or better called "0 button" is a design thing.

Since Mighty Mouse (2005) all Apple mice have been two buttons, maybe even Pro Mouse had two button option but can't remember correctly...

After the teardrop (ADB Mouse II) I've been always using Logitech 

 

UkUzZaM.jpg

The white dog, making tools for artists, illustrators and doodlers

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Hey Paolo,

thank you for the reminiscence of Mighty Apple Mice through history. You really did a hard work to make this exibition.  :D

I had the 2nd mouse in the 2nd row (1993). Those were the days...

All the latest releases of Designer, Photo and Publisher (retail and beta) on MacOS and Windows.
15” Dell Inspiron 7559 i7 Windows 10 x64 Pro Intel Core i7-6700HQ (3.50 GHz, 6M) 16 GB Dual Channel DDR3L 1600 MHz (8GBx2) NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960M 4 GB GDDR5 500 GB SSD + 1 TB HDD UHD (3840 x 2160) Truelife LED - Backlit Touch Display
32” LG 32UN650-W display 3840 x 2160 UHD, IPS, HDR10 Color Gamut: DCI-P3 95%, Color Calibrated 2 x HDMI, 1 x DisplayPort
13.3” MacBook Pro (2017) Ventura 13.6 Intel Core i7 (3.50 GHz Dual Core) 16 GB 2133 MHz LPDDR3 Intel Iris Plus Graphics 650 1536 MB 500 GB SSD Retina Display (3360 x 2100)

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Hey Paolo,

thank you for the reminiscence of Mighty Apple Mice through history. You really did a hard work to make this exibition.  :D

I had the 2nd mouse in the 2nd row (1993). Those were the days...

 

 

Just picked a Wikipedia picture I guess....  :P

The white dog, making tools for artists, illustrators and doodlers

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