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Python/Javascript support in the future?


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First of all, I'd like to say how impressed I am with Designer so far. Using it is a breath of fresh air compared to Illustrator. I'm very excited to see some actual competition for Adobe in the vector area.

 

I couldn't seem to find a roadmap anywhere, so forgive me if this question is redundant--

 

Will scripting support be added at some point after the initial release? Inkscape is currently a letdown, but the one thing it really has going for it is the Python scripting support. If you do end up adding scripting to Designer, I'm really hoping it's Python-- but for love of god please don't make Applescript the only supported language. Applescript does an okay job of simple tasks, but using it for more complicated scripts is like pulling teeth (I won't go into all the reasons that Applescript is a well intentioned but ultimately terrible scripting language). Please, please consider Python or Javascript.

 

Having said that, I'm sure everyone has an "essential feature" they want to see in Designer. I understand that scripting support is probably one of the more complicated requests to make, though.

 

Thanks, and keep up the great work.

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I have been testing out AD and more and more I feel that it should have scripting abilities.
This way, lots of additional specialty tools could be created by users and you guys (the developers) would not have to worry about adding so much stuff in the future.

Of course, this would be more useful for the geeky users, like myself ;-)

But even those that can't code anything, could use the tools created by others (free or commercial, let the coder decide ;) )

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Hi, new user here. I wanted to weigh for this feature request because it is essential to my work.

 

I'm coming from architecture and urban design where the must common workflow us to bring vector data from 3d modeling and mapping software into illustrator and then later into print layout software. A lot of the work is repetitive, and illustrators automation features never quite offered enough flexibility. The 3d modeling programs and GIS are all offering scripting languages (typically Python) that are being adopted heartily by designers, but the ability to script style information and print document creation is not so great.

 

Illustrator has alienated a significant user base by repeatedly breaking their scripting APIs in new versions. There is a small but very active group of users who would like to have a scriptable vector art software. The author of scriptographer has recently shifted away from illustrator towards making paper.js perhaps in part due to the breaks in the illustrator API.

 

In sum, I know tons of professional designers that would love an app like this with a scripting API, and scripting would likely be a decisive factor in switching platforms.

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+1 for javascript scripts / modules / plugins / macros :)

 

I think however its important to provide constraints. for example one of the reasons why firefox became less popular was due to plugins slowing it down. On the plus side you can build a whole community of people that would help to improve and add to this software. This would make it extremely powerful. 
After effects is a nice example for plugins. I just can't use after effects without my plugins, productivity is just too slow.

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My first feature request: Scripting. That's how important I know it to be.

 

I'm not too sure why people are so down on Applescript. You can quibble about the aesthetics of the syntax, but AFAIK there's nothing else with the same scope on the Mac where you can bring multiple applications together in one integrated workflow. Specially when you start using AppleScriptObj-C where you make fully fledged standalone applications that can control a whole raft of applications at the push of a button. Pretty powerful stuff.

 

Of course, I don't know what the future holds for scripting on the Mac platform. They have announced support for Javascript, but that will only cover Yosemite.

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+1 For Scripting Support

 

It is one of the main reasons I still stay with Adobe is the scripting support.

 

But for the love of god, if you add scripting support, add something like a console or a script testing environment.

 

The current script writing workfow is pretty horrible in all the graphic design apps… 

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This way, lots of additional specialty tools could be created by users and you guys (the developers) would not have to worry about adding so much stuff in the future.

 

Scripting support is not a replacement for new features. Every useful feature that a lot of people might need should eventually be in affinity designer so every artist (which is the target group here) can use it without having to download some plugin first.

But with built in features you can only do about 95% of the things you might want to do. The last 5% is usually some niece functionality that very few people need.

 

I personally would need it to do "mathematical" drawing. Power duplicate is cool but what about geometric sequences, logarithmical/exponential ones, or animating certain properties? This would be only a few lines of code but not something worth including in the app itself.

 

I can see why scripting is not that high on their priority list, but should they get to 95% it would be happy to have it in affinity designer.

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+ 1 for Scripting

 

I don't care about the language - AppleScript/JavaScript/Phyton - everything would be really appreciated. 

I do a lot of work with AppleScript in Illustrator and love it.

 

It must be possible to place all kind of objects (including text) at precise positions, modify their attributes like color etc. and i am fine ;-)

 

BTW Great Work! I bought Designer and Photo, both are wonderful programs. There is always room for improvement, but both are already very useful in my humble opinion.

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Frankly, I was very surprised that Affinity didn't think of implementing scripting in their applications from the beginning, particularly, since they developed common engine for all applications (Designer, Photo, Publisher) over the last 5 year. Surely, they know how popular it is in Adobe products. I don't want to second-guess why this happened. These guys are smart and know what they are doing. Having said that I would hope/expect/pray, (add your own words) for the following to happen:

 

1. DOM accessibility through a scripting language like JavaScript

2. Affinity to open up their APIs so that other small companies, resourceful users can fill the gap with features that Affinity doesn't want to support.

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