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Affinity products for Linux


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OMG I wish I could use Affinity Photo on Linux. I'm not a developer, I'm just a photographer. I would pay even a higher price than I've payed for affinity on windows. Affinity is the only reason why I still use windows. I know there are options to edit images avaliable for Linux but none of them satisfy my needs. Affinity is the only true alternative to PS when it comes to my work, but unfortunately it keeps me stuck to windows. Not all people who use Linux are nerds or developers and no, we don't use Linux just to give a longer life to old computers. My computer is pretty new and powerful. 

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4 hours ago, VanessaS said:

OMG I wish I could use Affinity Photo on Linux. I'm not a developer, I'm just a photographer. I would pay even a higher price than I've payed for affinity on windows. Affinity is the only reason why I still use windows. I know there are options to edit images avaliable for Linux but none of them satisfy my needs. Affinity is the only true alternative to PS when it comes to my work, but unfortunately it keeps me stuck to windows. Not all people who use Linux are nerds or developers and no, we don't use Linux just to give a longer life to old computers. My computer is pretty new and powerful. 
 

 There's no shortage of competent RAW editors for Linux, e.g. Darktable, Rawtherapee, Lightzone and Aftershot Pro.

The problem lies with the next step of image editors, i.e. Gimp 😮 and nothing else. If you dig a bit deeper though, there are some more useful options such as Pixeluvo (a Photoshop Elements equivalent that I like and use a lot) and Fotoxx (I think it is easier to use than the standard Gimp menu).

The professional PhotoLine works very well with Wine and certain versions of Photoshop, Photoshop Elements and Paintshop Pro can also work well with Wine. WineHQ is the place to go to find out what Windows software is compatible with Linux + Wine. For all I know, Serif's older PhotoPlus products might turn out to work well with Wine too but I haven't personally investigated that matter.

Finally, it is worth pointing out that Gimp itself can be civilised with the addition of the the PhotoGIMP patch for Gimp 2.10+ created by developer Diolinux that mimics the tool organisation and shortcuts of Adobe Photoshop. Just search online for Diolinux / PhotoGIMP.

 

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On 1/10/2021 at 10:27 PM, Isolus said:

Count me in for Linux support too. I own Publisher, Designer and Photo. They are the only reason I still have an extra Mac. I would buy all three again for Linux and even pay in advance (like on Kickstarter or so).

Unfortunately, none of the good Affinity products are coming to Linux because of Linux's small market share that just makes it uneconomic to develop their three main products for all three PC operating systems. That might change if Linux's market share significantly grows though.

Until that happens, the Serif Affinity group is quite rightly working on other priorities such as recompiling their softwares so that they work well on ARM Apple Silicon Macs where there will be a guaranteed large user base to sell their products to.

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On 1/10/2021 at 4:23 AM, manumanu said:

Hi, I bought Affinity Publisher in September and just get my new computer. I only run Linux Ubuntu 20.04 on it.

Is there at least a tutorial to use it with a virtual machine such as Wine in order to use the product ? Thanks

What you would have to do is install either the VMware or Virtual Box virtualisation software, then install a Windows operating system inside that virtualisation software and then install Affinity software on that virtual copy of Windows and go from there. Depending upon the age and specifications of the computer concerned, it could be resource intensive operation.

Just type in 'Run Windows on Linux' in the Youtube search box to get relevant tutorial results.

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On 1/9/2021 at 11:23 PM, manumanu said:

Hi, I bought Affinity Publisher in September and just get my new computer. I only run Linux Ubuntu 20.04 on it.

Is there at least a tutorial to use it with a virtual machine such as Wine in order to use the product ? Thanks

I don't think you will find official how to guides from Serif on how to run their software on virtual machines as that is not really something they need to think about or worry about honestly. That being said as others have pointed out you can run Windows virtually and I am sure there is more than enough people on this forum who would happily walk you through installing Windows as a virtual machine on Linux. Once Windows is installed that way it is just like running Windows on a normal PC, you install your software and off you go!

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Just now, msdobrescu said:

Man, I can't help myself, but to clarify one thing... Most of the guys here are asking for a Linux solution, not for a Windows solution, because they want to get rid of Windows completely, so virtual machines are out of question.

The reason people are mentioning Windows VMs are out of despair. Most people really want Affinity on Linux, but some people don't have that much of hope. Because this is page 57 on a single thread where all these people are asking for it for years on and on...

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On 1/8/2021 at 7:54 PM, SrPx said:

Have you tried Fusion 17 from BlackMagicDesign ? I've read some pros on the field saying they have been able to adapt to it...

Yes! Fusion, Natron and Nuke, they're all proper industry tools, so they run on Linux, and it's great! I use those for compositing, but they all suck for motion graphics, which is where After Effects really shines IMO.

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Actually, what I meant is that I've read pure 2D motion graphic  professionals adapting their workflow to Fusion, coming from After Effects. It takes some adaptation effort, tho.

Probably for a heavily AE based workflow, with a client using it in an established pipeline... nope... but for freelancing stuff that does not require it (a lot of that)... I'd do it even with Blender and/or Synfig.. .There's a bunch of people already doing 2D motion graphics with just Blender, annoying as it sounds, it ends up being and looking like pure 2D motion graphics (there are very good tuts about it, specially how to set up Blender for it. It's a must watch if going that road). Besides , for 3D (or mixed) ones I'd rather do them with Blender than with any other tool (IMO more flexibility, it's a pure 3D tool, not some trick embedded in a monster 2D tool that eat loads of RAM.... (AE)).  I'd consider seriously giving a shot first to 2D motion graphics tuts with Fusion (latest), but also with Blender and other tools. After all, motion graphics is basically animation (of certain characteristics)...

AD, AP and APub. V1.10.6 and V2.4 Windows 10 and Windows 11. 
Ryzen 9 3900X, 32 GB RAM,  RTX 3060 12GB, Wacom Intuos XL, Wacom L. Eizo ColorEdge CS 2420 monitor. Windows 10 Pro.
(Laptop) HP Omen 16-b1010ns 12700H, 32GB DDR5, nVidia RTX 3060 6GB + Huion Kamvas 22 pen display, Windows 11 Pro.

 

 

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On 1/14/2021 at 5:46 PM, Snapseed said:

 There's no shortage of competent RAW editors for Linux, e.g. Darktable, Rawtherapee, Lightzone and Aftershot Pro.

The problem lies with the next step of image editors, i.e. Gimp 😮 and nothing else. If you dig a bit deeper though, there are some more useful options such as Pixeluvo (a Photoshop Elements equivalent that I like and use a lot) and Fotoxx (I think it is easier to use than the standard Gimp menu).

The professional PhotoLine works very well with Wine and certain versions of Photoshop, Photoshop Elements and Paintshop Pro can also work well with Wine. WineHQ is the place to go to find out what Windows software is compatible with Linux + Wine. For all I know, Serif's older PhotoPlus products might turn out to work well with Wine too but I haven't personally investigated that matter.

Finally, it is worth pointing out that Gimp itself can be civilised with the addition of the the PhotoGIMP patch for Gimp 2.10+ created by developer Diolinux that mimics the tool organisation and shortcuts of Adobe Photoshop. Just search online for Diolinux / PhotoGIMP.

 

As I said, none of the alternatives for Linux meets my needs. I've tried all of those editors, I know Diolinux's patch as well. I've had the same conversation countless times throughout the years and every time people think they're suggesting me something new I haven't tried before. 

I'm not saying the applications available for Linux aren't good. They are great for many photographers. What I'm saying is, they are not suitable for **ME and MY work.** I'm not a photographer who offers photo sessions and deliver small digital images. I sell prints through an art gallery. I print, sell and work on the same images for many years. They must match perfectly, it doesn't matter if I've printed them today or 5 years ago. They must be exactly the same. 

Since I don't want to use Adobe products anymore, I will stick to Affinity, even though it's a pity they will not develop a Linux application. Maybe in the future there will be something I can use on Linux, but for now, that's not an option. 

Edited by VanessaS
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9 minutes ago, VanessaS said:

I sell prints through an art gallery. I print, sell and work on the same images for many years. They must match perfectly, it doesn't matter if I've printed them today or 5 years ago. They must be exactly the same. 

Yeah, if you need to adhere to exacting CMYK specifications, then Linux really isn't for you. I don't think there's a single application on the platform that's geared for that particular scene, and it isn't something that any distro supports well straight out of the box.

Though I made the jump from Windows again recently, and this time, I've had nothing but positive experiences from the move. I've got Blender, Substance Painter, and Substance Designer immediately available, which is where I spend a good 90% of my computer time these days. I'm making due on the 2D front with Krita and Inkscape, which are solid enough, but...

...I really do miss my Affinity programs. They feel like home.

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Krita allows fully working on real CMYK mode and exporting with the color profile, if I am not wrong (I don't know for sure in every detail as in Windows,  I just export from CSP or Krita to any Affinity app, to export the final thing from there. Or work fully on Affinity apps, which are covering quite what I need). You can also use Scribus (export from wherever to Scribus) as it works with CMYK and color profiles. The "exact", color-accurate workflow depends heavily on how you would handle the color profiles and export/import operations (and monitor calibration, etc). Gimp supports a kind of preview, and exports as an actual CMYK file,  while is not using a true CMYK  work mode, the export is a correct CMYK file. When you are preserving the same color profile, unless you change the colors in the file manually, due to some wrong visualization (due to a problem in the app or monitor/calibration), it should be safe.  This year with the GEGL library they were to finally add a true CMYK mode, but I have not seen that yet (checking now the wiki roadmap, seems is WIP yet, but that's something!). To be 100% fair with them, neither PaintShopPro ever had it, nor Art Rage, Rebelle 3 (neither 4), neither even the huge old Corel Painter, unless they've added it very recently. And Clip Studio Paint actually does sth similar to Gimp, it's a proof preview, although you export as a real CMYK file, but neither has a real CMYK mode. Inkscape was going to have a true CMYK mode in 1.0, but it became to buggy in my Windows as to even test it (I got notified here that also happens in Mac), while 0.9x had been "kind of" stable always.   That's a royal pity, as I use Inkscape to "help" Affinity Designer in certain features (nothing stops anyone to keep installed a 0.94 or so, it's open source, many repositories of older versions).

Or use one of the less visual methods: Ghostscript, imagemagik, CMYKTool.

There is a free engine, LittleCMS, but one thing I can't try as I have no Linux installed (neither time) anymore, and what might be extremely interesting is the tool that this group or company has made (20$ , but if it works smoothly, it's well worth it). Is a visual app, so might be very convenient for many, Little CMS Color Translator 3 . For all I know, that engine (and surely, everything based on it, like this app) is about the most reliable path to go in Linux about this matter. But again, I haven't tried any of this :

https://www.littlecms.com/translator/

I've cried for a much greater attention to CMYK in several linux related forums like since 2002.... But I kept reading even in the apps main faqs and roadmaps, that CMYK was 'not needed, that was redundant, innecessary, tied to "proprietary" formats, or simply, not a priority at all' . It was funny to see the roadmaps and how they pushed it even after animation, on inskcape, for example. Thing is, they are somewhat realizing now, most apps devs on Linux, how key it is, and how much it has not gone away as some predicted. I work in RGB and do a final conversion to CMYK ( if needed, if not, I just do some checks to not get out of usual print ranges, but leave the conversion to the RIP, in a PDF/X-4).

Provided one has the monitor well calibrated and all correct in your Linux (I have not gone far in that path...) I have seen some pros doing work with CMYK export (without a CMYK mode, only preview/proof), but is a difficult territory, at least compared to the Windows/Mac situation, where from the OS to the apps all seems more worked out for CMYK and color management... IMO. So...yep... as I mentioned often... not all the guilt is in the horrible (joking) corporations or companies... that stubborn resistance to implement this key thing for an entire industry, when they (developers of several graphic apps on Linux) were adding much more secondary features, is one of the several factors to the current inconvenient  status quo (one other neither recognized often is the little interest of developers, coding all sort of network, cloud, general code related and system apps every day, and very, very, very few dedicated to graphic apps. I believe Gimp (as of now, the main "photoshop" for an entire OS....) team has only 3 persons, in a permanent basis (which surely aren't  full time, but volunteer work, just that they are kind of permanent. Blender instead, I believe they have full day staff). So, there you have it. Of course, the market share and all is a problem, but (then wouldn't be a factor at all) with the development force of nature that this OS is populated with, they'd be able to create whatever they wanted (I have seen almost no change in the situation in more than 20 years! Blender and Krita are brilliant exceptions), if the desire for such apps would be even slightly common. Yes, users on Linux need it BADLY, and ask for it (not only here!), but devs in the environment, not that much, to say the least (so, that would be an interesting front of action to consider, to make a real change in something bigger than just getting certain graphic apps graciously "ported" or even working with an emulator (versus sth developed fully native and open source, sustainable, etc)).... Anyway, I think Gimp and Inkscape will get there, at some point. Krita already has CMYK support, somehow.

AD, AP and APub. V1.10.6 and V2.4 Windows 10 and Windows 11. 
Ryzen 9 3900X, 32 GB RAM,  RTX 3060 12GB, Wacom Intuos XL, Wacom L. Eizo ColorEdge CS 2420 monitor. Windows 10 Pro.
(Laptop) HP Omen 16-b1010ns 12700H, 32GB DDR5, nVidia RTX 3060 6GB + Huion Kamvas 22 pen display, Windows 11 Pro.

 

 

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On 1/18/2021 at 5:43 PM, Renzatic said:

Yeah, if you need to adhere to exacting CMYK specifications, then Linux really isn't for you. I don't think there's a single application on the platform that's geared for that particular scene, and it isn't something that any distro supports well straight out of the box.

Though I made the jump from Windows again recently, and this time, I've had nothing but positive experiences from the move. I've got Blender, Substance Painter, and Substance Designer immediately available, which is where I spend a good 90% of my computer time these days. I'm making due on the 2D front with Krita and Inkscape, which are solid enough, but...

...I really do miss my Affinity programs. They feel like home.

That's true, for now there's nothing on Linux I can use for my photography. But I use Linux for everything else, such as research for my master degree, small audio and video projects, vectors on Inkscape, and so on. I really enjoy using Linux, and just like you I've had nothing but positive experiences. 

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Another Linux user hoping for native/wine version (I don't want to use VM which is slow and clunky, nor run Windows in VM - supporting MS and also it's probably illegal even with valid "normal" license). In opensource alternatives I personally miss focus stacking and exposure stacking (developing raw files and minor editing work is fine for me). I find interface of GIMP still not great (not that it matters, since it doesn't support those named features). I am just a hobbyist toying with photography and while there are some foss solutions, they are complex and of those I managed to run, results were disappointing (I tried focus stacking on coworker's pc and result in affinity photo was quite good). I am not buying any affinity product until native Linux support is implemented or it runs well in wine. I wouldn't mind paying beforehand (crowdfunding/preorder). Since it's only a hobby, I just won't do macro photography (only bought cheap extension tubes, so virtually no money wasted).

PS: f*** you serif for misleading about registration not required and after submitting suddenly it's required and unless registered the post is discarded. 😠

Edited by quiray
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  • Staff

@quiray

Welcome to the Serif Affinity forums

10 minutes ago, quiray said:

for misleading about registration not required

We use an off the shelf forums and the text is probably generic. Where does it say that please? We have had to use email verification for your forums or the spamming is unmanageable, whereas at the moment it is quite well controlled. Sorry that you feel you were misled

Patrick Connor
Serif Europe Ltd

"There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man. True nobility lies in being superior to your previous self."  W. L. Sheldon

 

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25 minutes ago, quiray said:

Another Linux user hoping for native/wine version (I don't want to use VM which is slow and clunky, nor run Windows in VM - supporting MS and also it's probably illegal even with valid "normal" license). In opensource alternatives I personally miss focus stacking and exposure stacking (developing raw files and minor editing work is fine for me). I find interface of GIMP still not great (not that it matters, since it doesn't support those named features). I am just a hobbyist toying with photography and while there are some foss solutions, they are complex and of those I managed to run, results were disappointing (I tried focus stacking on coworker's pc and result in affinity photo was quite good). I am not buying any affinity product until native Linux support is implemented or it runs well in wine. I wouldn't mind paying beforehand (crowdfunding/preorder). Since it's only a hobby, I just won't do macro photography (only bought cheap extension tubes, so virtually no money wasted).

PS: f*** you serif for misleading about registration not required and after submitting suddenly it's required and unless registered the post is discarded. 😠

I am surprised VM runs so bad on Linux, I run it on my iMac along side all my Adobe apps and it is not even noticeable. VM is a valid way of running apps well, just not one for Linux it seems. Might be a better thing to push for at the moment is improved performance for VM.

It is totally legally to run Windows as a VM. Lots of Windows servers and machines running other Windows VM's as well for various reasons. We have some legacy software running in Windows 2000 that is a virtual machine on our server. 

Completely right move not buying software till it meets your standards and you can run it on what you want to run it on, the other side of it is you are not owed software on Linux. Would be nice for all you Linux users to have it but I think you might have some time to wait on that.

Are there any forums that allow you to post without registration? Seems strange to get mad about something that is standard. Not sure what sites you are on that let you post without registration, would be curious to see one and to see how much spam must be on there. 

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20 minutes ago, wonderings said:

I am surprised VM runs so bad on Linux, I run it on my iMac along side all my Adobe apps and it is not even noticeable. VM is a valid way of running apps well, just not one for Linux it seems. Might be a better thing to push for at the moment is improved performance for VM.

There are ways you can get near native performance out of a VM in Linux, but it's a rather involved process.

I'd do it myself to get my Affinity apps in Linux, but, well...I'm lazy.

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10 minutes ago, Renzatic said:

There are ways you can get near native performance out of a VM in Linux, but it's a rather involved process.

I'd do it myself to get my Affinity apps in Linux, but, well...I'm lazy.

Sounds like some development is needed there. With ease I can install Windows, Linux, Unix, other versions of Mac OS as a VM on my iMac. I use Parallels. I did use VMware Fusion in the past, had no issues with that but have not used it in ages as Parallels runs so great. 

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22 minutes ago, wonderings said:

Sounds like some development is needed there. With ease I can install Windows, Linux, Unix, other versions of Mac OS as a VM on my iMac. I use Parallels. I did use VMware Fusion in the past, had no issues with that but have not used it in ages as Parallels runs so great. 

You do have access to VMWare Workstation and Virtualbox in Linux. From my experiences, they're decent options if all you want to do is test drive an OS, but are clunky at best if you push them any farther than that.

Though to be fair, it's possible I'm just very bad at setting up VMs, and I could get decent performance out of one if I had a better idea of what I was doing. :P

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15 hours ago, Renzatic said:

You do have access to VMWare Workstation and Virtualbox in Linux. From my experiences, they're decent options if all you want to do is test drive an OS, but are clunky at best if you push them any farther than that.

Though to be fair, it's possible I'm just very bad at setting up VMs, and I could get decent performance out of one if I had a better idea of what I was doing. :P

Only speaking from a VM user on Mac, there is no real setup involved. I have 32 gigs of ram, I give Windows VM access to 8 gigs. I also give it access to 4 cores, everything else is default.

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