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Link instead of embedding image


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Again, as has been stated so many times in this thread, this feature (i.e., ability to link an eternal image) is no mere nicety, but rather an imperative.

 

Inkscape is a fine example of a design tool that has implemented this feature quite well.

 

Please add it to Affinity Designer.

 

 ~

 

That this feature remains missing - even after all the betas and an actual public release - might mean that the feature is being 'saved' for implementation elsewhere.

 

It's been stated in this very thread that Publisher will 'need' an Embed/Link feature, which seemingly implies that Designer doesn't 'need' it.

 

I'd argue that both programs 'need' it.

 

My suspicion here is that a certain sales tactic is being used, where certain key features are withheld from one title - and implemented in another - to ensure that anyone wanting said feature shall need to purchase an additional design tool to obtain said feature.

 

Tactics like this may please your accountant, but do little to engender loyalty or support from a user base.

 

I'm certain - given the value you've already provided with Designer and Photo - that Publisher will likely have many features that make it a good buy on it's own, even without selectively including or restricting features in Designer to ensure the sales viability of Publisher.

 

As noted, the 'selective inclusion of features' tactic may please your accountant, but your users will recognize it for what it is, given that most of us have already been introduced to such tactics by the other 'A' place.

 

Given that many arrive here looking for an alternative to the other 'A', you might consider avoiding the temptation to follow its lead.

 

Or something.

 

~

Edited by Garish
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Dear developers and moderators, first of all thanks for your hard and impressive work!

 

Linking external assets (at least afdesign and afphoto files) is extremely useful feature. Thinking about that all the time working in every each file. As a result we have to replace separated files all the time. It's not effective/productive, not right option.

 

Dear developers, can you implement that in the nearest future without waiting Publisher launch (saw some comment somewhere) etc?

Please hear us, make that the very first feature in 1.6. Every Designer/Photo user will be extremely happy. Or at least tell me when that linking feature will be implemented? Within month? 3 months? 6 months? Year?

 

Dear members, am I right? Do you all want that feature? Let's ask dear developers to force implementing this extremely required feature.

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+1.    Although that very same feature in Photoshop  is hardly usable since it takes forever to save and update such linked documents, especially if they are 16 or 32 bit and big enough, even with compression off.      The  huge advantage of AP embedded docs is that they are updating instantly.    Those linked smart objects in Photoshop, and non linked too,  just drive me crazy , how slow and inconvenient they are.

 

Imo we need something like  "Re-embed" and " re-embed everything "   working pretty much the same as " replace document" button  does currently.

 

Another very annoying feature of Photoshop is that once you replace, re-scale or crop the source document , every linked copy would change its scale too.  In AP they keep one side scale at least.   And one more supper annoying , you can't make a copy of smart object and then replace only that single copy to other file, and In AP you can.

 

So please don't copy Phototshop approach , do it better please

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+1.    Although that very same feature...

I agree that PS Smart Objects linking is not optimal but it is possible to avoid the issues you have mentioned. For example if you save your document already scaled to similar dimensions you will use in the document where you are going to embed it, then the updating is quite fast and the main document is also smaller then.

Also there is a workaround for relinking only one SO copy - you can make it unique by rasterizing it and convertingto Smart Object again, then you can re-link only this one Smart Object (layer) .

But as I said, I agree that this behavior is not optimal...

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  • 1 month later...

Image linking already sort of exists in Affinity Designer & Photo. If you use the File -> Place command, or drag+drop an image file into a document, you'll see the said image is listed as <Filename> (Image) in the Layers panel.

 

Now, if you look at the Context Toolbar you'll notice a button called Replace image, using it yields the result you'd expect, the image is replaced by whatever new image you chose while retaining any live transformations you've already applied. If the "new image" you choose is the same you've already placed, then Affinity will just update the existing image.

 

So linked images already exist, what is missing is the ability to have changes automatically detected and the layers updated.

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Image linking already sort of exists in Affinity Designer & Photo. If you use the File -> Place command, or drag+drop an image file into a document, you'll see the said image is listed as <Filename> (Image) in the Layers panel.

 

Now, if you look at the Context Toolbar you'll notice a button called Replace image, using it yields the result you'd expect, the image is replaced by whatever new image you chose while retaining any live transformations you've already applied. If the "new image" you choose is the same you've already placed, then Affinity will just update the existing image.

 

So linked images already exist, what is missing is the ability to have changes automatically detected and the layers updated.

Hello,

 

this is is not the same, the image is not linked, it is incorporated into the document. If you change the original image, which is placed in the document is not changed.

 

Excuse me for my English, I'm french

Forum Français Affinity Designer, Affinity Photo : www.affinity-forum.fr

Affinity Designer 1.5 / Affinity Photo 1.4

Très impatient d'utiliser Affinity Publisher (Gros utilisateur d'indesign)
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Hello,

 

this is is not the same, the image is not linked, it is incorporated into the document. If you change the original image, which is placed in the document is not changed.

 

Excuse me for my English, I'm french

I know that, I'm just pointing out that the groundwork for linked files already exists and it's functional, it's just not automatic. That seems to be the only part missing?

 

The NEXT version, we hope!  :)

As I mentioned above, the bulk of the work seems to be done, so let's hope it really is coming in the next version. Along with a Mesh Distort live filter. ;)

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  • 2 weeks later...

Currently Affinity Designer/Photo only supports embedded images/files. Linked files will be added in a future version.

 

Wasn't this said exactly 3 years ago (see below)? I hope it's not another 3 years before it's implemented. :( This is VERY useful functionality if you don't want to increase files size by using external sources.

 

Hi Jugibur,

Welcome to Affinity Forums.

This was requested a couple of times here in the forums and should be implemented later.

Affinity Photo 2.3.1 for Windows  OS: Windows 10 Pro x64 ver. 22H2  CPU: AMD Ryzen 7950X 16-core  RAM: 64 GB DDR5-6400  GPU: MSI GeForce RTX 3090 Suprim X 24GB / driver 526.98  NVMe SSD Samsung 980 Pro 1 TB  Monitors: 2x Eizo ColorEdge CS2420 24"

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Wasn't this said exactly 3 years ago (see below)? I hope it's not another 3 years before it's implemented. :( This is VERY useful functionality if you don't want to increase files size by using external sources.

 

It's unfortunate we don't know the proper way to persuade Serif to "see the light" as we see it.  Donation of a kidney?  Buy someone an energy drink?  Setup a scholarship in the name of their CEO? Promise that we in America will try not to re-elect Trump for a second term?

 

Seriously, there simply MUST be some way to get development directed in the proper way.  I think development is still happening.  But it's clear they are working on things they feel are important, as opposed to work on things we who have years of experience with Adobe KNOW are important.  

 

It's very disconcerting.

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Maybe the Affinity guys can utilize a system like Zendesk or Uservoice where every user is granted a certain amount of votes to place on features they need. Maybe this will show which features are needed most. Good idea?

Affinity Photo 2.3.1 for Windows  OS: Windows 10 Pro x64 ver. 22H2  CPU: AMD Ryzen 7950X 16-core  RAM: 64 GB DDR5-6400  GPU: MSI GeForce RTX 3090 Suprim X 24GB / driver 526.98  NVMe SSD Samsung 980 Pro 1 TB  Monitors: 2x Eizo ColorEdge CS2420 24"

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Maybe the Affinity guys can utilize a system like Zendesk or Uservoice where every user is granted a certain amount of votes to place on features they need. Maybe this will show which features are needed most. Good idea?

 

Good suggestion.  But I fear it may be another 3 years before that suggestion gets noticed.  :-(

 

It could also just be a matter of culture (either company or country). For more than a decade I've been a major participant on the beta list of another UK-based software company that makes software exclusively for Macs (I cannot disclose the name as I am under NDA), and they take ages to implement new features. If this is not cultural, I hope Serif can prove me wrong. :-)

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Good suggestion.  But I fear it may be another 3 years before that suggestion gets noticed.  :-(

 

It could also just be a matter of culture (either company or country). For more than a decade I've been a major participant on the beta list of another UK-based software company that makes software exclusively for Macs (I cannot disclose the name as I am under NDA), and they take ages to implement new features. If this is not cultural, I hope Serif can prove me wrong. :-)

I don't think it's fair to say that Serif is not adding features. I personally think their programs are quite feature-full if you have in mind how recent they are. Point in case, Photoshop only got linked images in 2014, that's 24 years (!!!) after the initial release!

That said, linked images are one of the two crucial features I need in Photo (the other is Live Layer Mesh Filter) before I can use it in (near) exclusivity.

Thanks!

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I don't think it's fair to say that Serif is not adding features. I personally think their programs are quite feature-full if you have in mind how recent they are. Point in case, Photoshop only got linked images in 2014, that's 24 years (!!!) after the initial release!

That said, linked images are one of the two crucial features I need in Photo (the other is Live Layer Mesh Filter) before I can use it in (near) exclusivity.

Thanks!

Valid point.  But that logic ignores two more critical points:

 

1.  Many of us have grown accustomed to that 2014 feature and now rely on its presence.

2.  Most of us don't want to wait 24 years for this feature to debut.

 

Another point of consideration is the "Ask and ye shall receive" effect.  If we don't ask, and remain persistent in asking, we probably won't receive.  Sometimes, if you ask enough, someone will give you what you want just to shut you up.  Serif, please shut me up!  :-)

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I think this is just a feature that's going to be developed as part of Affinity Publisher and as such is just tied to the Publisher timeline and part of the workload of the Publisher team, who I'm sure have a lot on their plate right now, building a pro-level DTP software more or less from scratch. Just like we got an early version of what I assume will be the foundation of the master page sync and override system in the form of the Symbols feature in Designer, I think we may see linked files earlier as well as we get closer to the Publisher release date.

 

I'm pretty sure the team at Serif are aware of how important this feature is.

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I think this is just a feature that's going to be developed as part of Affinity Publisher and as such is just tied to the Publisher timeline...

I sincerely hope not.  I would assume most Adobe suite users tend to use either Photoshop or Illustrator (or both) over InDesign.  Many content creators use Illustrator over InDesign, even for multi-page publications.  Regardless, the fact remains that even though InDesign exists, the "linked files" feature exists in Illustrator.  No matter what Serif's plans are for Publisher, they still need to add the "linked files" feature to Affinity Designer.

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