Line styles

[jackamus]

Is it possible to create various dotted line styles as in DP?

[MattP]

The beta version lets you use dashed lines - they adhere to the PDF/SVG standard for compatibility so have adjustable 'dash, gap' pairs and phase offset. Give it a try in the beta version and see if there's enough flexibility there for you :)

[jackamus]

The beta version lets you use dashed lines - they adhere to the PDF/SVG standard for compatibility so have adjustable 'dash, gap' pairs and phase offset. Give it a try in the beta version and see if there's enough flexibility there for you :)

I only have the latest version of Affinity. I did have the Beta version but I assumed it would have been overwritten by the retail version. What can I do about it?

Will this facility be added to the current version?

[MEB]

If you have bought the MAS version, you can download and install the beta from here. Both versions can be installed simultaneously without one overwrite the other.

 

Yes, dashed lines will be available in the next update of the MAS version.

[jackamus]

Have downloaded the BETA version but unable to make the dash feature work. I did get a dotted line but as soon as messed with the setting it stopped working. Can you give me an example of a setting?

[MEB]

Take a look at the image below:

On the left example i'm defining a simple dashed line that alternates between 1 unit dash, followed by 3 units of empty space (marked in red). Then the entire block (marked in blue) repeats itself. There's no more variation because i left the third and fourth input fields at 0.

 

On the right example the pattern is a little more complex but follows the same logic: 1 unit dash, followed by 3 units of empty space, followed by a 6 units dash, followed by 2 units of empty space (marked in red). Then the block repeats itself (marked in blue).

[retrograde]

Question for you MEB on the beta vs the purchased app.  

 

I noticed the number on the beta (1.0.20213) is lower than the app number (1.1.3). Yet the beta has some features not yet in the purchased version... Isn't the version with newest features supposed to be a higher number in the development chain?  I have been using the purchased version thinking I had the latest based on the numbers.

 

Do I have this wrong?

[MEB]

Yes in theory the highest the number, the more recent the app is. In this case i think this is happening because the MAS version and the Betas are coming from different development trunks.

 

Just to clear things, the MAS and trial version are based on the same code and offer similar functionality (apart the time limit in the trial).

The betas are always more advanced in functionality - that's why they are being tested (despite the numbers), before being made available to the public through the MAS.

 

So if you want to have the latest and greatest (and probably the buggiest version too), go to the Beta :)

You can have both installed simultaneously if you want.

[retrograde]

Thanks MEB, glad that I wasn't losing my mind over that... and good to know. Now I can play in the beta a bit more.

 

I can't help thinking though that the number order might be confusing others... perhaps someone should make that a little clearer that they are 2 separate dev timelines?

[jackamus]

Cheers MEB however I doubt whether many people would have been able to work that out.

[jackamus]

Once a line style has been determined is there a way of using that line style for other lines?

[MEB]

Yes, you can save it as a Style. Select the line with the style you want to save, go to Styles panel, click on the menu icon on the right and select Add Style from Selection. You can also create a new style category from that menu, if you want it separated from the default styles. To apply the style you just created, select a line a click on that style from the Styles panel.

 

If you want to apply it just once to another line without creating a Style as described above, select the line, go to Edit -> Copy (or cmd+c) and then Edit -> Paste Style (or shift+cmd+v).

[jackamus]

Thanks MEB.

My only comment about this is that the gear wheel shape that adopts the style is not the best shape when it comes to viewing line styles. Why not include it in an extra 'Line Style' menu rather like DP used to have? Could it be a feature that would be included with dimension line features when that is eventually added?

[MEB]

I believe the styles panel is intended to be used to store "complete" styles, that is, styles that include fill, stroke, fx etc.

I'm sugesting you to use it to store lines because currently that's the only option i can think of, where you are able to save line styles. It's in this context that i replied to your question if "there's a way of using that line style for other lines?"

 

We are still building the foundations of the app. This is just the first version. With time, most of the features will be expanded and refined to cover a wider range of uses/workflows. While it doesn't happen we have to use some workarounds to get around some situations.

 

Regarding your last couple questions, i'm not aware of the development details of those features to be able to give you a concise answer. I know the dimension lines/snapping is being worked on, but that's it... :rolleyes:

[jackamus]

Hi Meb,

Thank you for the explanation and I do understand the current Affinity limitations.

At the moment I'm trying to figure out a way of saving a line style that has an arrow head at each end for using as a dimension line.

[jackamus]

Please can you take a look at the attached file. The image when it is printed, using the BETA version, somehow converts all the continuous lines into the chain-dotted and dotted lines.

Dowel jig dimensions.afdesign

[jackamus]

Hi Meb,

Is it possible to create a dotted line brush stroke?

[MattP]

Hi Jack,

 

Your dowel jig document will print correctly in the next beta version - I had made a mistake in the output path and was over-enthusiastically setting dashed lines on things that shouldn't have them in your beta version, sorry. You can't use dashed lines and brushes together - that's why they're different parent level categories. If you felt you really needed to though, you could make use of Designer's clipping support to mask the brush stroked line against a copy of itself with dashed lines set instead... Like this...

 

 

Thanks,

Matt

[MattP]

In future, the Styles will allow you to select which elements of your selected item are to be used as the style itself (i.e. just take the line style, the fill colour, effects, whatever)

 

With categorisation, this will act as a single place to store your reusable style items.

 

Thanks,

Matt

[jackamus]

Hi Matt,

Thank you for this but I'm afraid I'm not very good with 'Jargon'.

I look forward to the next BETA version but I thought that with the new retail version you wouldn't be supporting the BETA version.

 

I am very interested in knowing how to use 'Designer clipping support' to create dotted lines. I'm afraid will need to have this spelt out for me. Would this be something I could use in the retail version?

[MattP]

...if the retail version had dashed lines then yes, but it does not so you cannot achieve this effect.

 

There are only ever 3 versions of Designer: Mac App Store (MAS), Trial and Beta. MAS and Trial versions are identical code base - you try the product then you buy exactly that version from the App Store. The beta version is always the most up-to-date version. It includes fixes for any issues people have found since we released the MAS version and also includes new features and functionality as and when we're able to release them. One example is that the current beta version has dashed lines that the MAS version does not. When we have made enough progress with the beta version we will submit to Apple and then this will become the MAS version and you will automatically get told there is an update to Designer available to you.

 

The beta and MAS version can run at the same time and do not interact with each other in any untoward manner.

 

I think the best description of clipping/masking is shown in this video here and is something you can do whether you are running the MAS version or beta version.

 

Thanks,

Matt

[jackamus]

Hi MattP,

I looked at the video but I can't see how that will help me with creating dotted lines. Is there not a way creating a piece of artwork that can be used to make a custom paintbrush? I've looked at the various effects to modify an existing paint brush line but nothing I can actually use.

[MattP]

Hi Jack,

 

You can make a new brush from any image. That image could be of a dot pattern and you could set it to repeat along its length - thus creating any result you like... but why do you want a dotted textured brush? What are you trying to achieve - there may be a much better way if we knew what effect you were aiming for.

 

Matt

[jackamus]

Hi Matt,

You need to read the comments between me and MEB regarding how to produce a dotted lines for doing an engineering drawing.

Here is the link https://forum.affinity.serif.com/index.php?/topic/3533-line-styles/?view=getnewpost

 

I was able to do it using the BETA version but it had a bug that converted all solid lines to dotted lines when printed. This will be corrected in the next BETA update.

[MattP]

Hi Jack,

 

I've read this whole thread - I still don't understand how it relates to a requirement to make textured brushes appear dashed? The beta version is stable and fine to use so you now have access to dashed lines, the only problem being that output is incorrectly adding dash patterns when it shouldn't - which I caused and has already been fixed. So when you get the next beta then I'm hopeful that it fulfils your requirements? Is there something else I'm missing that it needs to do that it can't?

 

Thanks :)

Matt