Consistency between Affinity applications

[Michael Lloyd]

To learn applications I sometimes create a shortcut to the online documentation within my Windows Start menu. While setting this up I noticed an inconsistency within Serif Affinity applications. All Affinity applications have an 'index.html' file in the same location (Affinity Publisher slightly different, as the directory reference is Beta specific).

The inconsistency I discovered is that running the 'index.html' file for Designer and Photo runs the integrated help in the default web browser. When running Affinity Publisher 'index.html' file presents a web error message 'file not found'.

What this tells me is that there are inconsistencies in conventions used in developing the applications.

Inevitable divergence in thinking and approach happens as development groups focus on solving problems, and implementing improvements for a particular application without deep and consistent consideration for handling similar issues across a brand.

My suggestion:
A Serif team (representatives from Affinity development groups) meet on a consistent schedule to discuss differences in conventions used between Affinity applications and determine consistent conventions in application behavior, development approach, directory structures, terminology, UI, etc. to ensure consistent development, documentation and user experience between Serif Affinity applications. This team would also be responsible for reviewing application improvements to identify implementation concerns with other applications, leverage efforts, and help determine best approach across applications.

This effort should provide the following benefits:

• Help ensure development approach is consistent and therefore ideal between applications
• Code maintenance is simplified
• Improved user experience and consistent interface interaction between applications and platforms
• Increase Serif Affinity application perception as a polished and professional brand
• Speed overall fixes and improvements across all applications by proactively sharing and leveraging efforts

Thank you for considering my suggestion.

 

[Wosven]

Hi,

For now the help only contains English version and only work when opened from APub.

If you want to open it in a broswer, you need to modify the Javascript file that search for your language, since there's no other one.

 

To modify javascript in a text editor like notepad, you need to delete or add between "/*" and "*/" the part that search for other files than English.lproj. The only usefull one is "default: … break;". After this, you'll be able to open it in your browser (you can copy the help files in another folder before modifying it).