Convert shapes and containers

[Jeremy Bohn]

In my first small project in Publisher in which I was recreating a layout of boxed photos originally from InDesign, I drew all the boxes and afterwards realized that they didn't work like InDesign. Is there no way to convert between shapes and containers? InDesign has a menu command to, for example, convert a regular box into a text or graphic box. In my case, I had to redraw the boxes using the correct too in order to place photos in them. Thanks!

[mac_heibu]

Place a shape, right click onto in and choose „Convert to picture frame“. Now you can use the „Place …“ command to place images into the frame.

Additionally, you can drag an image in the „Layers“ panel onto a frame layer.

[Jeremy Bohn]

Thanks, I'll have to check that out later. I was looking in the menus and thought I looked in the contextual menu. I haven't even bothered with the layers panel at all yet.

I'm finding a lot of stuff I need is there but it's just not where I would think to look for it. It took me awhile last night - couldn't find rounded corners for boxes and item spacing/distribution but eventually I did almost by accident. Seems like many things are kind of scattered around the UI instead of in one place.

[mac_heibu]

No. It simply is a different UI philosophy. If you want all to be the same as InDesign – well – just stay with InDesign.

[Jeremy Bohn]

I'm allowed to have my opinion using this app for the first time sir.

[mac_heibu]

Nobody has forbidden this!

But I think: If you want to use a new application, just get involved with it. Don‘t compare every item with the apps you are used to — just engsnge withthe new way of working.

I for myself have worked with many — if not most — professional layout application available (QXP, InDesign, Calamus, iCalamus, DA‘s Layout…), and all of them are useable, if one give them a fair chance and tries to overcome habits, muscle memories  and a certain „I’ve always done it this this way“-mentality.

But this is my approach to a new application, nobody is trying to discredit your opinion.

[Jeremy Bohn]

I'm not comparing to InDesign, I'm just giving my opinion/first impressions in using Publisher for literally my first actual project. I know it's a new app, and I'm saying as a new app that I find some features are not logically grouped and are rather scattered. There are several places where I feel they could combine things into one place to save on space. Document and Spread setup is a big one for me - I'm not seeing the purpose of breaking these features into 2 small windows with tabs when they could be one larger window with tabs. I can see myself have to switch back and forth between the 2 often, meaning more clicks and more time spent. I'm also finding tools that only appear to be in the toolbar and don't have a panel or menu command of their own. it took me awhile to see that some features I couldn't find were there (rounded corners and item spacing/distribution are 2 examples). Maybe they are elsewhere too but I didn't see them. But I will get used to this in time. I'm sure over the years the UI will be refined. I've only used the app for a few hours, but I do like the promise of this app and not having to subscribe to InDesign once CS6 stops working for me.

I came from using QuarkXpress for years (high school / trade school / start of career) and then took the plunge to InDesign when I started working for a printing company. I found the change frustrating too, but eventually discovered that things were more logically ordered in the UI. So you see I have experience using a new design app.

Back to the actual topic... this might be why I missed the convert feature, from the release notes of today's new build:

Convert to Picture Frame/Text Frame missing for right-click on any selected shape.
 

[walt.farrell]

15 minutes ago, Jeremy Bohn said:

this might be why I missed the convert feature, from the release notes of today's new build:

Convert to Picture Frame/Text Frame missing for right-click on any selected shape.
 

Perhaps, but you will need to get used to looking for things in a mixture of places: right-click menu for an object, right-click on a layer in the Layer panel, or one of the application menus (Layer, in this case). Some information is in one of those, some in two, perhaps some is in all three (I haven't really checked).

By the way, yes, Publisher is a new application. But it shares many of the UI characteristics of its sister applications, Affinity Photo and Designer, which have been around for several years. One of your challenges in switching from a different product will be learning the UI philosophy of this different application suite, and where to find things

[Jeremy Bohn]

2 minutes ago, walt.farrell said:

Perhaps, but you will need to get used to looking for things in a mixture of places: right-click menu for an object, right-click on a layer in the Layer panel, or one of the application menus (Layer, in this case). Some information is in one of those, some in two, perhaps some is in all three (I haven't really checked).

I had already looked in the menus and by right-clicking, so I think the commands weren't showing up when I right-clicked. I will try after I get the update.

[Jeremy Bohn]

Confirming that the convert shape feature is there in the contextual menu in today's new build.