Drawing layers have disappeared.

[gscarr3]

Hello,

I have recently 'upgraded' to Affinity Designer (PC desktop) but find that my files from DrawPlus x8 no longer contain the layering, not even when re-opened in DrawPlus. As typing a keyword into the 'Help' section just details all the wonderful things that it can do, but not where to find out how to do them, I am a bit stuck. Please can someone help?

Thanks,

Graham

[walt.farrell]

Designer and DrawPlus are entirely unrelated, and as far as I know Designer cannot open DrawPlus files, so it would be good to have more information on how you're doing that

In any case, if the Layers in your DrawPlus files have disappeared even in DrawPlus, that's not something that Designer could cause. 

[John Rostron]

Have you tried exporting your DrawPlus files as pdf, then importing them into Designer? What happens to your layers then?

John

[gscarr3]

Thanks Walt and John,

I should have said that it was the eps files (and now pdf) that I was opening but in both cases the layering has disappeared, and I know this because the layers were an essential requirement when submitting the drawing for publication. I should also say that I am very much an amateur in this.

Thanks,

Graham

[Gabe]

Hi all,

Since you've exported the original files from Drawplus, I suggest you either:

Post on the correct forum: https://community.serif.com/ or 
Raise a support ticket: http://support.serif.com/Main/frmNewTicket.aspx

On this forum, we only support the Affinity products. 

Thanks,

Gabe. 

[gscarr3]

Thanks all,

So, forget DrawPlus but even Designer created pdf's don't contain the layers when imported back in - am I not clicking something that I should be?

Graham

[walt.farrell]

9 minutes ago, gscarr3 said:

So, forget DrawPlus but even Designer created pdf's don't contain the layers when imported back in - am I not clicking something that I should be?

Well, as exported PDFs that I make have all the layers I'd expect when I reopen them in Designer, perhaps you're not doing it right. But I'm new enough at this that I can't predict what that might be. Sorry. You could provide a sample .afdesign file, and the PDF export, so we can see it, and a screenshot of your export options inclucing all of the More panel.

Or maybe someone more well-versed than I in PDF exporting from Designer will know the answer immediately. I just just made a design, and exported it, and it worked.

[gscarr3]

Hi there,

Sticking purely with Designer, I have attached the original .afdesign and exported pdf created from it, and as you will see, no layers. The print screen button doesn't do anything either so can't help there.

I admit to being an amateur at this drawing thing but any insights would be most helpful...

Thanks,

Graham

Platonics.afdesign

Platonics.pdf

[R C-R]

15 hours ago, gscarr3 said:

Sticking purely with Designer, I have attached the original .afdesign and exported pdf created from it, and as you will see, no layers.

When I open your pdf file in Designer, it does have layers.

[gscarr3]

Okay, I admit that it was my terminology that was misplaced but still have an issue. In the original drawing all the dark blue lines are grouped together in a layer on top of the grey line's layer, which is on top of the light blue shape's layer. The same relative layering does appear in the pdf, and I see now that it is the groups that have disappeared and not the layers. It is only an issue because when exporting to a professional (who uses Adobe Illustrator) to polish up the sometimes much more complicated drawings, keeping the layered groups would presumably make his job easier.

So, my question should have been how can I keep the objects in layered groups when exporting?

Thanks for your help,

Graham

[Gabe]

Unfortunately, you cannot always keep the exact layer hierarchy when exporting to PDF.