My Big Reasons I'm Looking to Switch from InDesign to Publisher

[rjvela82]

• Fun Factor

This shouldn't be number one but it stands out very much for me after hours and hours of work in InDesign and replicating much of my project in the Publisher Beta. With InDesign getting through a single page can take much longer than it does in Publisher because you have to be careful with every step you take. Checking and double checking your elements is a time consuming part of the workflow in InDesign you just can't neglect or else you're going to be sorry sooner or later. Publisher on the other hand feels so design friendly that it keeps me engaged but more importantly I feel like I make steady progress.

 

• Layers upon Layers

The layers panel of your InDesign project will always show all Layers from all pages. The only way to keep your sanity is to create a layer for each page, but with every page you add, you must consider your Layers panel again and again because if you're not careful, you will be adding layers in the wrong place. Think about that when you're 100, 200, pages into your publication. I'm super glad Publisher only shows the layers for each page even though soon Global Layers will be possible. However in InDesign you only get global layers. 

 

• Text Frame Options Not a Panel

In InDesign hen you want to handle your text frame's insets or vertical alignment, you need to right-click your text frame and click an option to open a separate window. So glad Publisher is doing it right with a studio panel!

 

• No SVG Support

My gosh InDesign, when will Adobe add this?!

 

• Table of Horrors

Serif has done a wonderful thing with the tables by allowing you to manage your table's borders and basic style properties from the Table Studio which automatically creates Cell Styles that inherit those styles. Moreover, there in the same Preference window. This is brilliant because in InDesign you have to manage your Cell Styles completely separately from scratch in a different window. The process feels so disjointed, especially when your expected changes fail to apply for whatever unknown reason.

 

• Dude Where's my Asset (or Symbol)

Seriously, no asset panel in InDesign so you can store a project's reusable assets. They must think you want to link every little shape in your publication from somewhere.

 

While InDesign is a rock for designing and publishing layouts in any type of user environment, it does have a habit of getting in the way of itself and that's why using InDesign feels alot more like work than it does designing. Every step feels like it takes more energy it should. If you're in the Serif team and you're reading this, I can't tell you how encouraging it is for me to be able to look forward to working in an app like Affinity Publisher. Please work hard and keep up the good work to make this an outstanding design tool.

 

Oh and a feature request:  One of my most used functions in InDesign is the Presentation Mode feature which lets me quickly see my work in all its glory. I use it alot because it motivates me and let's me make more decisions on edits I should make. The Presentation Mode is something that would beyond hiding the UI, as it also hides all guides. Essentially, the function includes Hide All Guides, Toggle UI, Hide Rulers, and Zoom to Fit all in one. I really think all the Affinity apps should include a Presentation Mode but especially Publisher. Please consider this request.

Thanks

 

Edited September 21, 2018 by rjvela82
Edited for clarity

[dorkboycomics]

I wonder if those display modes could work with the affinity split screen slider?

That would be awfully nice to scrub and see one side of the spread in presentation, while working on the other side in normal working view with guides and bleed and such!

[Aaron Martin]

i also agree with Presentation mode feature request, i believe they are working on something like that alongside designer's prototyping mode or persona. but for now a workaround i use is to press tab to hide the tools than command+0 to make it fullscreen. its not really like a presentation mode, but it allows me to view my work without any distraction.

[Jowday]

13 hours ago, Aaron Martin said:

i also agree with Presentation mode feature request, i believe they are working on something like that alongside designer's prototyping mode or persona. but for now a workaround i use is to press tab to hide the tools than command+0 to make it fullscreen. its not really like a presentation mode, but it allows me to view my work without any distraction.

+1

[BigBadD]

Also agree with request for a presemtation mode to simply view overall look of work without any formatting or tool distractions. 

Just want to add that I am loving the Publisher Beta. Still hoping and sure we will see many new features and improvements, but great start.

[Bad_Wolf]

+1 for the presentation mode.

I agree, Affinity Publisher is great, even in beta. Keep up the good work!

[musiberti]

On 9/14/2018 at 11:26 PM, rjvela82 said:

The layers panel of your InDesign project will always show all Layers from all pages. The only way to keep your sanity is to create a layer for each page, but with every page you add, you must consider your Layers panel again and again because if you're not careful, you will be adding layers in the wrong place. Think about that when you're 100, 200, pages into your publication. I'm super glad Publisher only shows the layers for each page.

No, the opposite is the case. In a document with many pages you will lose the overview quickly when you are working only with the existing local layers. Almost every professional Layouter works with "global layers", otherwise you will have to unnecessarily perform many simple actions several times . Luckily, Affinity has already announced in the forum that they are working on global layers. As I understand it, the "local" layers will remain as well. So everyone has the opportunity to use his preferred workflow. In the end, we would have even more options than in InDesign.

[Seneca]

14 minutes ago, musiberti said:

Luckily, Affinity has already announced in the forum that they are working on global layers.

I missed that announcement. Could you please point me to that post please.

[musiberti]

9 minutes ago, Seneca said:

I missed that announcement. Could you please point me to that post please.

TonyB has announced it here:

 

[Seneca]

24 minutes ago, musiberti said:

TonyB has announced it here:

Thank you.

[rjvela82]

On 9/16/2018 at 9:37 AM, musiberti said:

No, the opposite is the case. In a document with many pages you will lose the overview quickly when you are working only with the existing local layers. Almost every professional Layouter works with "global layers", otherwise you will have to unnecessarily perform many simple actions several times . Luckily, Affinity has already announced in the forum that they are working on global layers. As I understand it, the "local" layers will remain as well. So everyone has the opportunity to use his preferred workflow. In the end, we would have even more options than in InDesign.

I'm not trying to refute you here because obviously InDesign has purposely made the layers to work this way, but in my head all you need to do in such cases is update the original master where your layer resides for it to flow to all other masters and pages. Feel free to shed some light.

[music2bmade]

I love the page specific layers. It allows a lot more creativity on each page without elements getting lost. Each page is like a new Designer file  

Global layers sounds like a master page to me and master pages are easy to create and apply in Publisher. 

[Fixx]

3 hours ago, music2bmade said:

Global layers sounds like a master page to me and master pages are easy to create and apply in Publisher. 

They are two totally different things. I seldom use layers in layout work but it is often essential in making language versions. 

[fde101]

I'm trying to imagine what global layers would be and thinking of a group that is on all pages even though the content of the group is distinct for each page?

[music2bmade]

11 hours ago, Fixx said:

They are two totally different things. I seldom use layers in layout work but it is often essential in making language versions. 

Interesting. Until you said this I couldn't think of reason we NEED global layers. They could be very useful in multi language docs, especially large ones. (Eg. Turn the English text layer off, turn the Spanish text layer on and print.... etc.)

[rjvela82]

17 minutes ago, music2bmade said:

Interesting. Until you said this I couldn't think of reason we NEED global layers. They could be very useful in multi language docs, especially large ones. (Eg. Turn the English text layer off, turn the Spanish text layer on and print.... etc.)

Yes it make sense. So taking a step back, how do you setup InDesign to not use Global Layers being that both ways are beneficial? I have never figured it out if there is a way.

[music2bmade]

6 minutes ago, rjvela82 said:

Yes it make sense. So taking a step back, how do you setup InDesign to not use Global Layers being that both ways are beneficial? I have never figured it out if there is a way.

I haven't seen a program that had anything OTHER than Global layers. I am very excited about this feature in Publisher.