rnbutler87 Posted November 29, 2018 Share Posted November 29, 2018 I have many artboards in Affinity Designer (more than 50) Each artboard will be a single page in a PDF document that I will export. As I understand it there are two routes to exporting PDFs: File > Export > PDF Make a slice for each artboard, and export each page as separate PDF The first option is problematic because in the exported PDF, artwork from one artboard, if larger than the artboard itself, is showing up on neighbouring artboards (i.e. pages). See the PDF attachment: the maroon rectangle overlaps the second artboard and (and the same in reverse for the green rectangle overlapping the first artboard). I'm aware that the obvious answer to this is move the artboards further away from each other but this isn't ideal for a few reasons: As I say, this document has over 50 artboards representing pages in the exported document so spacing them far enough apart from each other such that photos and other artwork don't overlap other artboards isn't feasible, especially as the artboards masks the artwork beyond the edge of the artboard; its impossible to see where the bounds of the artwork is to mitigate overlap on other artboards I'm actually trying to place two artboards side by side to represent each spread in the book in order to actually visualise what the art looks like together as a spread without a gap. So, I was wondering if there is an option I'm missing somewhere in File > Export > PDF that I can turn off artwork from separate artboards overlapping and appearing on other artboards (i.e. pages) in the export? At a push I'm aware that I can use option 2. above as a work around for this problem i.e. slicing up the artboards using export persona and exporting each board as a separate PDF document. But of course this leaves me with the hassle of having to combine all the PDFs back into one document using some third party program every time I want to export a version of the PDF document for preview. I'm also not sure what effect another round of compression will have on the document and am therefore reluctant to use this method especially as this will be going for print. Any help would be greatly appreciated! test5.pdf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staff Dan C Posted November 29, 2018 Staff Share Posted November 29, 2018 Hi rnbutler87, Welcome to the forums As standard, Artboards should act in the way you require, any objects should only export to the artboard (and therefore PDF page) that they're on in the document. I created a test file, with an object on each artboard that overlaps onto the next and then exported to PDF (for export) and as you can see the objects remain on their artboards- Could you please provide the test file that you've used to create the attached PDF, and a screenshot of your export settings, including the More section? Quote Please note - I am currently out of the office for a short while whilst recovering from surgery (nothing serious!), therefore will not be available on the Forums during this time. Should you require a response from the team in a thread I have previously replied in - please Create a New Thread and our team will be sure to reply as soon as possible. Many thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rnbutler87 Posted November 30, 2018 Author Share Posted November 30, 2018 Hi thank you for the reply. It's great to know that the artboards should work as I expected them too! I've attached a test file with screenshots but I think I've managed to diagnose the problem: I created a new document as you did, and under the More section, when 'Include Bleeds' is left unchecked, the export works as expected, i.e. no overlap of artwork on neighbouring pages However, when 'Include Bleeds' is checked (in 'Document Settings', I'm using a 3mm bleed), this is when the problem arises with the overlapping artwork rendering on disparate artboards. As this is a PDF for print I need the bleed functionality so I'm hoping this is a bug and can be fixed! I'd prefer not to go down the route of removing the bleed from 'Document Settings' and adding a 3mm to the dimensions of each artboard (and thereby needing to use a rectangle guide as my dummy trim area.) It would solve the problem of the export because I wouldn't need to check 'Include Bleeds' but I wouldn't be able to place 2 artboards next to each other to visualise the spread because of the manually added visible bleed areas. Many thanks for your help and assistance in advance. Richard test7.afdesign test7_bleed.pdf test7_no-bleed.pdf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staff Dan C Posted November 30, 2018 Staff Share Posted November 30, 2018 Thanks for the further information and your test files Richard, this is more than appreciated. I've looked through our development log and this is a previously known issue in regards to artboards and bleed. The good news is that is has been fixed for 1.7, and is available now in our current beta! I've opened your test file in the beta and used the export options provided in your first screenshot (including bleed) and the PDF is exported correctly. You can download the beta from here, this should allow you to export your file without having to change any settings or artboard spacings Quote Please note - I am currently out of the office for a short while whilst recovering from surgery (nothing serious!), therefore will not be available on the Forums during this time. Should you require a response from the team in a thread I have previously replied in - please Create a New Thread and our team will be sure to reply as soon as possible. Many thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rnbutler87 Posted November 30, 2018 Author Share Posted November 30, 2018 This is so good to hear! I knew it would be worth asking on the forum, so happy about this, thank you! I've read through the 1.7 beta post and just a couple of further questions: - The post says: '...the beta will install as a separate app - alongside your store version'. Therefore if I start using 1.7 to gain the benefit of the corrected artboards PDF export, when the beta gets finished and becomes the new default for the store version, will my store version (1.6.5) update automatically to 1.7 and therefore I'll be able to delete the beta install? And furthermore, will the subsequently updated store version be able to open the files of the 1.7 beta and therefore allow me to continue working as normal? - Secondly, I also own Affinity Photo 1.6.11. I love the feature File > Edit in Photo... (or vice versa). Will this functionality still work OK between the programs if I begin working in the Designer 1.7 beta? If I'm in Photo, will it open the beta or my store bought version? I could just try it I suppose but I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on the use of this functionality. Many thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staff Dan C Posted November 30, 2018 Staff Share Posted November 30, 2018 No problem at all! 25 minutes ago, rnbutler87 said: will my store version (1.6.5) update automatically to 1.7 and therefore I'll be able to delete the beta install? That's correct, when we release the retail version of 1.7 your store version will upgrade. Very occasionally we end the beta cycle before releasing the retail version, but this isn't a regular occurance. 25 minutes ago, rnbutler87 said: will the subsequently updated store version be able to open the files of the 1.7 beta and therefore allow me to continue working as normal? We absolutely try to make this possible, but as it's a beta we can never guarantee it. If at any time during the beta cycle we change or add major features, this can affect our file serialisation and then the files would not open. This isn't something we're planning, or will definitely happen during the beta cycle, but as we can't guarantee it not happening we always recommend that the beta is not used for any critical or production work at this stage. If everything goes to plan however, this should be possible! When opening 1.6 files in the 1.7 beta, it will ask if you'd like to make a copy of the file, so that your original file is unaffected and can always be edited in your store version 29 minutes ago, rnbutler87 said: File > Edit in Photo... (or vice versa). Will this functionality still work OK between the programs if I begin working in the Designer 1.7 beta? Only if you also download and install the Photo beta, as the serialisation is different between the retail and beta version, File > Edit in... won't work from a retail build to a beta build, but does work between betas! Quote Please note - I am currently out of the office for a short while whilst recovering from surgery (nothing serious!), therefore will not be available on the Forums during this time. Should you require a response from the team in a thread I have previously replied in - please Create a New Thread and our team will be sure to reply as soon as possible. Many thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rnbutler87 Posted November 30, 2018 Author Share Posted November 30, 2018 Thank you, this is all great to know. Finally, do you have any indication of when the end of the 1.7 beta cycle will be? Any suggestion on time scale will be good as I'm starting a new major project in the new year and would be great to know if 1.7 will be available. Many thanks for your help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staff Dan C Posted November 30, 2018 Staff Share Posted November 30, 2018 No official indication currently, it will simply be when the app is ready... sorry I can't be more specific! If printing is the only issue however, I'd recommend continuing to create files in 1.6, then migrate a copy file over to 1.7 beta for printing to guarantee no loss of work! Quote Please note - I am currently out of the office for a short while whilst recovering from surgery (nothing serious!), therefore will not be available on the Forums during this time. Should you require a response from the team in a thread I have previously replied in - please Create a New Thread and our team will be sure to reply as soon as possible. Many thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rnbutler87 Posted December 1, 2018 Author Share Posted December 1, 2018 Ah yes, this is a great idea! Many thanks once again for all your help, really appreciate it and great that there is a readily available fix! Richard Dan C 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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