Affinity Publisher Tutorials

[Alfred]

5 minutes ago, Wosven said:

Since for now APublisher only accept page of the same size, you'll have to work on a cover on a different document, not made with 3 pages, but only one (which width = backcover width + slice width* + cover width)

Depending of the final number of pages in your book, your printer should tell you the expected with for the slice (= I hope it's the right word!).

The standard English term is spine (definition 2 on the linked page).

[Wosven]

1 minute ago, αℓƒяє∂ said:

The standard English term is spine (definition 2 on the linked page).

Thanks! How strange we can't find our words when needed, I'll edit my post.

[Alfred]

6 minutes ago, Wosven said:

How strange we can't find our words when needed

Not strange at all! It happens frequently to many of us, even in our native language.

[walt.farrell]

17 minutes ago, Wosven said:

Since for now APublisher only accept pages of the same size in a document,

I think you'll find that's not true. When you create a page it will have the size you specified at document creation. But you can adjust the Spread Settings of that page and change it's size to something else.

[Wosven]

29 minutes ago, walt.farrell said:

I think you'll find that's not true. When you create a page it will have the size you specified at document creation. But you can adjust the Spread Settings of that page and change it's size to something else.

I was able to modify the spread width, but not the page with, even when I choose it in the menu, it was modifying the 2 pages of the spread.

I wasn't able to have 3 pages in a row, the center one being smaller since it should be the spline.

[Interior Book Design]

4 hours ago, zorica3000 said:

What most of you missed is the fact that Serif NEVER had good documentation.  What I fear is that Affinity Publisher won't either.  This will make it very hard for me -- a non-professional -- to use advanced features.

That is your opinion, I like their range of videos and stuff. Furthermore, there is a big variety of books and video lectures out now from different sources. So, I think, it is a learner's paradise.

[walt.farrell]

3 minutes ago, Wosven said:

I was able to modify the spread with, but not the page with, even when I choose it in the menu, it was modifying the 2 pages of the spread.

I wasn't able to have 3 pages in a row, the center one being smaller since it should be the spline.

Thanks for the clarification; I now understand the context of your comment better  

That's different, though, from "not being able to have pages of different sizes in a document". You can have them in the document, you just can't have two pages of different sizes in the same 2-page spread. And the beta does not yet support spreads with more than 2 pages.

[Wosven]

16 minutes ago, walt.farrell said:

I now understand the context

Sorry for the confusion Walt, the post was long but I should have added this explanation as a postscriptum.

[Patrick Connor]

oooh, different page sizes in a single spread, I look forward to writing that test script 

20 hours ago, zorica3000 said:

What most of you missed is the fact that Serif NEVER had good documentation.

 User guides (printed and PDF); built in help file; tooltips; written tutorials; video tutorials. What more could the Plus range have had? I hope the docs team don't see this  You do know we are real people right?

[kazrbutler]

Quote

19 minutes ago, Patrick Connor said:

 User guides (printed and PDF); built in help file; tooltips; written tutorials; video tutorials. What more could the Plus range have had? I hope the docs team don't see this  You do know we are real people right?

 

Well, I have not had any formal training, but I have picked up an incredible amount of knowledge for both the Serif Plus and Affinity ranges from their video tutorials, help files, written tutorials etc. I've found that if there is something I want to achieve which the software is capable of, I can providing I am willing to spend a little time researching (including any background knowledge I need), trying things out and giving it a go.

It's taken me time, as I don't use the software even every week, but I try to increase my skills whenever I get the chance.

Occasionally, I look elsewhere for extra information to improve my background knowledge on topics such as file types.  But, the information from Serif has been invaluable, and the language and instructions have been detailed enough without being overwhelming. If I don't know exact terms to search for, I just look through the help files index for likely sections.

If I can make sense of the instructions and use the information effectively, then as far as I am concerned the docs team are doing an excellent job.

[MikeW]

53 minutes ago, Patrick Connor said:

oooh, different page sizes in a single spread, I look forward to that test script ...

I know this isn't directed to me.

But you do know it is possible in ID, right?

[DavidEW]

I am not a graphic artist and I have never used any DTP program.  In fact I am a retired physician.  We a going to have a lecture by a visiting scientist from the U.K. here in the western U.S.A. so we needed an advertising poster.  

I downloaded AP one evening and watched several tutorial films, then the same evening I composed an advertising poster ( it isn't professional) and saved it as a PDF file.  

That same evening I sent it to the scientist in the U.K. and later that same evening he emailed me and said that the poster was O.K.

I am sure that Serif will do much in the future to improve this DTP program, but I am ecstatic with this program now.

[Merde]

18 hours ago, zorica3000 said:

What most of you missed is the fact that Serif NEVER had good documentation.  What I fear is that Affinity Publisher won't either.  This will make it very hard for me -- a non-professional -- to use advanced features. 

Simply put, I want Affinity to put out documentation that is as good as what is available for Quark XPress and InDesign.  For example the QucikStart guides by Peachpit Press:  https://www.amazon.com/QuarkXPress-Windows-Macintosh-Elaine-Weinmann-dp-0321358279/dp/0321358279/ref=mt_paperback?_encoding=UTF8&me=&qid=1535900373

It is hard not to notice that your "example" is a book published by a third party... ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[Merde]

12 hours ago, Patrick Connor said:

User guides (printed and PDF); built in help file; tooltips; written tutorials; video tutorials. What more could the Plus range have had?

I'll tell you: there is no "Affinity Publisher for Dummies".

[Patrick Connor]

12 hours ago, MikeW said:

But you do know it is possible in ID, right?

Sure, but we don't write test scripts based on other applications implementations (other than the customer expectations bits)

[MikeW]

1 hour ago, Patrick Connor said:

Sure, but we don't write test scripts based on other applications implementations (other than the customer expectations bits)

Thanks, Patrick.

I couldn't understand the comment in context is why I asked.

[JPA]

Sorry, I do not speak English, so it's a "google translation"

I quite agree that a test phase is for people with skills in the applications concerned. That said ...
I use Affinity Photo and Designer. I must admit that the absence of books and written documentation in French (excluding French-language forum) is in my opinion very penalizing. Maybe when the "Workbook" - the official guides of Affinity "Photo", "Designate" and later "Publisher" will be translated into French, it will be better! In the meantime, it's very boring.

In any case, congratulations for the pécedentes applications and "publisher" seems very promising.

[jrkay]

To Zorica, PeteV and Merde, I feel that most of our contributors have shown a great deal of patience and forbearance with you and all your negative comments. I have been following serif forums from the earliest version (1), and I have always found the contributors courteous and helpful at all times. The situation has been explained to you correctly and I implore you to have the grace to accept what has been said. I cannot see how any of your remarks can be interpreted as helpful on this forum.

In Friendship

John Kay

[jmwellborn]

On 9/2/2018 at 5:17 PM, Patrick Connor said:

 

 User guides (printed and PDF); built in help file; tooltips; written tutorials; video tutorials. What more could the Plus range have had? I hope the docs team don't see this  You do know we are real people right?

You Affinities are the best of all possible real people!!  So helpful, so polite, and so responsive.  Not 1 millionth of a percent like the jolly types who answer the phone with "Hello, my name is John (usually it is John) and how can I help you?"  Unfortunately John is actually some other name such as Marcos or Sirhan, and he is a) from the Philippines or India, is b) a contract employee,  and c) hasn't got a clue but suggests that if you will just pay up front about $90.00 "our technical support staff can help you."   That is after waiting on Hold for about 3/4 of an hour.   I have created a scroungy interim Publisher Help table of contents, with all of the temporary solutions found on these forums that apply to questions I may have.  And the new Beta 128 is gorgeous!!!   Smooth as silk!   Once the first commercial Publisher version is available, I know that you will have a Help section that is as thorough and clearly understandable as the one for Photo.  (Don't use Designer, because I am as artistic as a gnat/midge.). Thank you for everything so far!!!  

[Duppy Hunter]

It's not about whether there is video tutorials vs printed tutorials. Its about how you learn best. Some of us learn best by watching others - visual, listening to explanations - aural, or by doing - kinetic, or by reading and writing notes.

So whilst I appreciate the videos, because it shows me how to do a thing or provides me with the results or doing a thing, I would also like printed media where I can make notes to myself if I want to in the book with post-its and pencil in the margins. If, I initially missed something whilst watching the videos, the book/pdf enabIes me to flick through the pages  find it and help reinforce my understanding. In a nutshell, there is no one way to learn and aquire knowledge and skills.

So please get the workbook out, I'm looking forward to it.

[Patrick Connor]

@Duppy Hunter

Welcome to the Serif Affinity forums  

You have not missed any official printed version. Our software help is online and we are working on an Affinity Publisher Workbook (made in Publisher), that will be available in English and German later this year. Indeed the Interface Tour chapter is with QA right now.

Our small documentation team (3) and product experts (currently 2) make all our in house content or help, tutorials and workbooks and the company is expanding but at a sustainable rate, so it takes a while to produce new high quality documentation and videos. Thanks for your input and your patience.

[jmwellborn]

@Patrick Connor In the meantime, perhaps something similar to the really excellent "Spotlight" article "Quick Photo Beginner's Manual" might help.   I had watched the video tutorials related to Unsharp Mask about a trillion times (fun evening at home with Apple TV), and each time thought:  "Got it!"   Then a day or two later, I was back to floundering.   One run-through with the affinity-photo-practice-file and I now understand Unsharp Mask perfectly.   For people who need to DO versus just to WATCH, James Ritson's "Beginner's Manual" is surely a delight.    Meanwhile, Photo, Designer, and Publisher are really wonderful!