Vector/pattern fill

[Dazmondo77]

1 hour ago, Otto Manuel said:

came looking for info about making and using vector pattern fills in Affinity Designer, and was surprised to learn it is only a wished for feature.

For people that need this feature now, I'd recommend VectorStyler as a companion app - it has practically all missing standard features that are missing from designer such has highly editable live vector pattern fills, Real vector brushes and all manor of non destructive vector distortions just to name a few features that I use regularly - the interface isn't has user friendly as Affiinity but we could be waiting another seven years for some of these features to make it to Designer. for me, VS paid for itself in a couple of uses, just used it today to distort a logo for a Vinyl LP record label in a few minutes   

[typeglyph]

VectorStyler looks very useful. It is an extra US$$ 95.00. 

[evtonic3]

I've used VS and it's pretty amazing and I agree with you that the wait is going to be forever (It's almost getting close to 10 years after this year, 2014 is Designers birth year) and that is something that a lot of people probably can't stick around for to get features that we've been waiting patiently for. Personally, I am really at a crossroads with Affinity suite. Love it but I can't stand to see others make leaps over and over it. From UI, smart tools, sky replacements, AI tools, warping, pattern making, Text distortions, etc. we've seen all these things, some in even the seemingly smaller companies making strides-see Vectornator, Amadine, heck Polarr even has a simple AI engine. I'll get off my soapbox now. For the record I've been a loyal supporter of Affinity since the beginning and continue to be.

[D. Main]

48 minutes ago, evtonic3 said:

I've used VS and it's pretty amazing and I agree with you that the wait is going to be forever (It's almost getting close to 10 years after this year, 2014 is Designers birth year) and that is something that a lot of people probably can't stick around for to get features that we've been waiting patiently for. Personally, I am really at a crossroads with Affinity suite. Love it but I can't stand to see others make leaps over and over it. From UI, smart tools, sky replacements, AI tools, warping, pattern making, Text distortions, etc. we've seen all these things, some in even the seemingly smaller companies making strides-see Vectornator, Amadine, heck Polarr even has a simple AI engine. I'll get off my soapbox now. For the record I've been a loyal supporter of Affinity since the beginning and continue to be.

I can't afford two separate packages (time or $ wise) - so am on the path to transition off of Affinity Designer (AD).  Wanting to try VS but so far Norton's antivirus intervenes and says untrustworthy and removes from downloads.   But AD's days are numbered in my shop.

[Otto Manuel]

I would gladly buy a VectorStyler license but I am still rocking Win7 x64 and can't get the demo to launch on my laptop because specific info in my USER32.dll is missing. Numeric Path says they will only support Win 10+, although I wonder why it would be hard to include a copy of the required .dll in the installer, so I look forward to running it when I finally upgrade my OS.

In the mean time I very much enjoy drawing with Affinity Designer.

[D. Main]

I tried again under Windows 10 with Norton's Antivirus and it still intervenes

 

Anyone else have this issue?

[Boldlinedesign]

@D. Main I installed VS on my windows laptop without issue but there have been some hiccups with that over the last year. I got the same message months ago when I had tried it  - as I said, it's working now for me. I would go visit the Vectorstyler forum and make a post there about your struggle

If you don't want to do that, at the very bottom of the main vectorstyler.com page is an envelope icon that sets up an email to the developer. He is very responsive and very interested in improving VS and would certainly help you.
Vectorstyler has been an amazing app to use and while it has some rough UI and could use some speed increases, it offers all the things Affinity still lacks

[Dazmondo77]

21 hours ago, evtonic3 said:

I am really at a crossroads with Affinity suite.

I really love Affinity and have no intension of switching to anything else, I love StudioLink, for me it is a total game changer, I know if I went back to Adobe I'd hate it because theres too much flitting around between apps now that I've been spoilt by StudioLink, I'm producing work now (with the addition of VectorStyler) that would be a real struggle to do in Adobe, yes there are bugs and niggles, but at least serif listen to their users and I do believe we'll get all or most of the missing features at some pointing the future, I'm just happy I have VectorStyler to help me crack on and get stuff done without having to have a top moan about the wait for missing features  

[Boldlinedesign]

On 10/12/2021 at 1:29 PM, evtonic3 said:

a lot of people probably can't stick around for to get features that we've been waiting patiently for.

I don't think anyone was expecting we'd be waiting close to a decade to get standard features in Affinity Designer. Illustrator and Corel for example, have had pretty solid complete vector apps going back even further and it was easy to get spoiled with that. We didn't always know the tools we would soon "need" until they were released in an annual update. Today we/Affinity have the benefit of hindsight and seeing what tools worked best and what were simply "shiny trinkets" Adobe added to sell more upgrades.

I've been an Affinity fan since around 2015 and have always seen the potential and hoped for it to be the answer for those unwilling to overpay with a subscription for bloated Adobe software. Much like a car without gauges installed still functions as a car, Affinity has "functioned" as a vector app for so many years in this way and has seemed more interested in the "paint job" (account registration to share assets across multiple devices, ability to zoom in and edit 10,000 layers without lag, etc) than making sure it has the basic necessities first. I have high hopes that between 1.10 and 2.0, however many iterations there end up being, that we get those essentials - the things all of us have been endlessly clamoring for - text warp, vector eraser, vector trace, blog brush equivalent, 100% vector brushes, smooth tool, vector symmetry to name a few. I am wondering if many of these are already being developed behind the scenes in anticipation for a big 2.0 rollout. I'm hoping the speed and efficiency updates of the most recent update were done in preparation for 2.0 and all the tools requested. 

Using Vectorstyler over the last two years has really opened my eyes to what a powerful vector app can do. The sheer number of options, controls, tools and customization of the app may scare novices but will amaze veteran vector designers. The more I've used it for professional work, the more options and customized workflows I can create - the higher the bar of expectations for a professional vector app have gone. It needs more work and polishing to be sure - but the groundwork already laid has made me rethink my vector workflow and temper my expectations for Designer. I don't ever see Designer being on the same level of Vectorstyler in terms of sheer vector power. Rather, Designer is becoming the vector app that compliments it's Publisher and Photo siblings - the niche of Affinity is the trinity that can/will soon do what a majority of typical users want. Vectorstyler to me, is not competition or an "either-or" choice but an additional tool for those who need more power and options for their vector work.

I don't anticipate Affinity will ever get Designer to the level Vectorstyler is at in terms of sheer vector control and tools - I don't think that is their goal. Equally, I don't see Vectorstyler getting into a pixel persona or building a complimentary raster app and publisher app. Just as I use specialized apps for my vector tracing (Vector Magic) and my halftone vectors (Vectoraster), I can see specific uses for Designer and still other uses for Vectorstyler to help me achieve my ideal workflow. 
Because of Vectorstyler, I'm more at peace with the snail-speed update pace of Affinity. I'm still bothered some that things have taken this long - but it's no longer forcing me to cling to my copy of Adobe CS6
Just my thoughts

[D. Main]

Been trying out VectorStyler.... great functionality...  On a lark I made a pattern-filled object in VectorStyler (VS) and them copied/pasted into Affinity Designer (AD)...

...Guess what!?!? 

The VS pattern-filled objects were editable in AD!  i.e., they were not images but real editable objects.

AD vector edits respected the original pattern fill and I could also apply AD Effects to the VS Objects!

This suggests some underlying pattern fill capability in AD after all!?!?

 

 

 

[Dazmondo77]

6 hours ago, D. Main said:

Been trying out VectorStyler.... great functionality...  On a lark I made a pattern-filled object in VectorStyler (VS) and them copied/pasted into Affinity Designer (AD)...

...Guess what!?!? 

The VS pattern-filled objects were editable in AD!  i.e., they were not images but real editable objects.

That's the beauty of it - I needed to distort a logo and text around a circle for a LP label and first tried the Arc tool in VectorStyler which was pretty ropey looking, so went on the VS forum to query the problem and within a few minutes I was recommended the text on a path tool which I initially thought wouldn't get the results I was after, but had a mess about and found a bend setting that distorts around the path, with lots of settings which helped me achieve what my idea, the end result is really accurate and would be near impossible (unless you want to spend an age) to do in Affinity, all just copy pasted between Affinity Pub and VS and even retaining exact CMYK percentages   

[Dalibor Puljiz]

+1 from me too

[2989]

AFFINITY - Can we Please get an Official word, here and now, on this forum on When we will get the ALL Important Vector fill !

Will it be in the next release ?

Are you actually working on it ?

I have always wondered, Why has Serif never sent a Questionnaire with the top 20  requests that people want, that we - Your paying customers, Need from your software?

It would give you a roadmap of what to work on next, not just what you think we want or what is hip/cool with the other engineers at Serif.  In the 25+ years I have used Serif products, You have never done basic marketing and asked your customers what type of design we use, the industry we work in, the jobs we use your programs for, and the things we need added. I find that astounding.  And why do some of your MUCH older products have features that your new Software is sorely lacking?  You obviously had the Skills and Technology Years ago to produce these features, So where are they ? 

You have this superb forum, people have asked for YEARS for things (like Vector Fills) and yet they never seam to appear.  

Why not?

I (and I am sure many others), Look forward to your reply.

Thank You.

[fde101]

19 hours ago, 2989 said:

Can we Please get an Official word, here and now, on this forum on When we will get the ALL Important Vector fill !

I'm not Serif, but I can all but guarantee based on past responses to similar questions that the answer to this is no:

 

19 hours ago, 2989 said:

Why has Serif never sent a Questionnaire with the top 20  requests that people want, that we - Your paying customers, Need from your software?

 

19 hours ago, 2989 said:

And why do some of your MUCH older products have features that your new Software is sorely lacking?  You obviously had the Skills and Technology Years ago to produce these features, So where are they ? 

 

 

 

Consider:

In order to implement desired feature X, features Y, Z and T must be implemented first as they are required to make feature X work.  If feature Q can be implemented rapidly and will benefit someone while features Y and Z are being wrapped up, but feature T can't make it in time for the next release and feature X is the one that showed up on the questionnaire, then how many people are going to complain that feature X didn't make it but features Y, Z and Q did when they were not prioritized by the survey when feature X was?

Serif has been much more open about their roadmap in the past but has largely stopped doing so due to the pointless complaints that have resulted from what they have revealed before when things did not go exactly as they had hoped.

[aizome]

I'd add a +1 to the need for vector/pattern fill for me but honestly, I'm going back to Adobe. I design for print, creating items that will be scaled by the client. Lack of vector capability kills Designer stone-dead for my work. Bitmap images are totally inadequate; having to pay more than Designer itself for an add-on doesn't cut it: put the basic functionality in the software and charge us more for something that actually works.

I spent *two hours* today searching for instructions to create vector fills because I could not believe something marketed as design software (as opposed to web design software) would not have this feature.  
The Designer forum is full of requests for vector fill and other fundamental functionalities; every time I find a fundamental feature^1 is missing (the ability to designate layers as non-printing at the time they're created; the ability to lock layers to prevent search and other functions operating on those layers; the ability to create greyscale artwork that does not have 'rich black' creeping into it somewhere) I find other people reported the lack, often years ago, and have been begging you to add it ever since.

yeah, I'm a bit annoyed. I've invested several weeks in Designer. Each time I found an issue I began by thinking it was my bad, that I should RTFM. And almost every time I RTFM or ask for help I find the feature has been broken or missing for years. 


^1: This leaves aside other less significant issues: why is there no 'find/change font' for those of us producing artwork that contains text? Why does the eyedropper not correctly copy *all* the attributes of one item to another? etc. 

[D. Main]

On 10/27/2021 at 4:17 AM, fde101 said:

I'm not Serif, but I can all but guarantee based on past responses to similar questions that the answer to this is no:

.....Consider:

In order to implement desired feature X, features Y, Z and T must be implemented first as they are required to make feature X work.  If feature Q can be implemented rapidly and will benefit someone while features Y and Z are being wrapped up, but feature T can't make it in time for the next release and feature X is the one that showed up on the questionnaire, then how many people are going to complain that feature X didn't make it but features Y, Z and Q did when they were not prioritized by the survey when feature X was?

Serif has been much more open about their roadmap in the past but has largely stopped doing so due to the pointless complaints that have resulted from what they have revealed before when things did not go exactly as they had hoped.

My frustration here is that it appears that Affinity keeps addressing things either enterprise users like or that are easy to implement - rather than implementing something BASIC TO THE NEEDS OF MANY USERS.  ('So it becomes less relevant that AI and even Inkscape!!!)

RE an earlier comment re Affinity's likelihood of continuing to ignore this ISSUE:  I ask myself and Affinity - what use is this forum to users, if Affinity ignores, doesn't answer, or doesn't care about its content?

I'm deciding, like some here apparently, that we can hear of better products (that meet our needs) and switch.  I'm now using VectorStyler.  If it ends up meeting all my needs, I'll no longer be an Affinity Designer promoter like I used to do. 

[D. Main]

I should have added to my last comment - this issue is exacerbated by the absence of any information or care from Affinity.   I really do love the Affinity Suite... but I gotta do my job with tools tat meet my needs.  (Affinity - even if you say "No plans to ever address.  Not a priority compared to other Users' requirements", that would be better than silence.) 

[typeglyph]

2 minutes ago, D. Main said:

I ask myself and Affinity - what use is this forum to users, if Affinity ignores, doesn't answer, or doesn't care about its content?

It is not just in the Designer program that Affinity seems to ignore the forum comments. My students constantly ask for alternatives to the Adobe subscription model, I don't think there is one. 

There is a feature that is in the Affinity group of programs that works well, StudioLink/personas, is this enough to keep using the software? I am unsure,
how about the rest of you?

[Dalibor Puljiz]

The truth is that Affinity is indeed missing some important features, and I really think if you think of yourself as super pro you should go back to Adobe. The time invested in searching for some basic functions is definitely worth the subscription fee. As for myself I can live without them, as I don't need those specific functions every day and then on those rare occasions I always find a workaround.

However, the existing functionalities of the Affinity programs are working fast, stable, light (compared to Adobe) and wonderful, and I guess that 90% of the customers who are looking for this type of product are going to find it's very well worth of the investment.

 

[Comet]

I do not consider myself a "super-pro" user but this one feature in particular, vector fills, is so fundamental and essential for what I do mainly, which is drawing plans (not an outlandish use?) that I reluctantly can't commit to swapping to the products from Adobe.

That this basic feature has not been added yet to what is in other respects a very mature product frankly astounds me, and turns what could otherwise be a solidly professional product into a mere toy.

[Dalibor Puljiz]

Just now, Comet said:

I do not consider myself a "super-pro" user but this one feature in particular, vector fills, is so fundamental and essential for what I do mainly, which is drawing plans (not an outlandish use?) that I reluctantly can't commit to swapping to the products from Adobe.

If I were you then, I'd just stick with Adobe - you need the vector fills, they don't have it - the solution is clear.

You may always switch back once they implement the feature, if ever.

 

[Comet]

9 minutes ago, Dalibor Puljiz said:

If I were you then, I'd just stick with Adobe - you need the vector fills, they don't have it - the solution is clear.

You may always switch back once they implement the feature, if ever.

 

That's what I am doing, but it is frustrating that I have to stick with a mega-corporation who are exploiting their effective monopoly to vastly overcharge customers ($5.2bn dollars profit on turnover of $12.87bn). I am not one who criticises their products - they work great for me - but I do resent the excessive fees they extract for using them.

[Dalibor Puljiz]

Everything comes with a price tag I guess. Their business model effectively enabled the Affinity to find her marketing niche. Works for me.

[ra.skill]

+1 for this whole situation!!!!!

I went all in on Affinity about a year ago and bought the whole suite with the plan of never opening any Adobe product again.

Affinity is fantastic... I really like the way they implement the design of their tools and the push to do things differently from how Adobe do it. The software works fantastic and doesn't feel bloated, it's smooth with great UI, Publisher is outstanding and truly walks over InDesign! Generally I'm super satisfied, happy and more than willing to put up with small problems and quirks being that's a younger product than adobe and I don't mind putting up with collaboration issues of using a product than no one else does.

But....

I'm very very very close to binning Affinity and going back to Adobe and it's all down to missing features in Designer. Particularly the ability to create Vector Pattern Fills and Vector Brushes and some basic CAD functionality like the ability to measure a curve, these are essential tools for my work and I would have thought they were all basic functions that are expected in a 2021 vector product. I foolishly thought these things might come during the past year and that I could put up without them till then, but the more I dig into these forums the more I realise I could be waiting forever. Even Inkscape is mostly capable of these things!

Maybe version 2.0 will bring some joy in this area... but in the mean time I sadly don't want to invest more time in Affinity when Designer feels like a forgotten product. I truly am torn because 99% of Affinity is excellent but that 1% is a deal breaker for me.

😞

[Boldlinedesign]

@Comet@ra.skill@Dalibor Puljiz@typeglyph I encourage you to check out Vectorstyler as you wait years for Affinity Designer (AD) to mature. As I wrote a little earlier in this thread, Vectorstyler (VS) is a terrific complimentary application to AD.  VS has all the main vector tools and more that most any professional would need and copying and pasting between VS and AD is very easy. Others on this forum turned me on to VS a couple years ago and over the last year especially, it's really become more stable and productive. The VS developer is VERY receptive to new ideas, issues, bugs, problems, etc. He could use all the help anyone would offer. The forum on the VS site is full of helpful answers and dedicated users. Right now, AD is a little more polished and bug-free than VS, but VS has many times the tools and abilities of AD. VS is also not subscription-based. It's priced around 75-100 dollars and allows a year of updates at least. Like when Affinity hits 2.0, you can pay for the upgrade or keep using the existing purchase in perpetuity.
We all seem to share the same mindset, that AD has been under-developed the last few years with some even wondering if it was being worked on at all.
Right now I'm still using my copy of Adobe CS6 as needed, but doing as much of my work in VS and AD as possible. I kept waiting for AD to catch up and eventually I had to start looking for alternatives and I'm glad I did. I'm still an Affinity fan and will support them as they slowly work toward 2.0. That said, if 2.0 is not including a major upgrade in tools and features for AD, I may wait to purchase the upgrade until they do. Assuming the best, I see the last major upgrade with all the unsexy updates under the hood as the launching pad of new tools and features to come next. Fingers crossed.
I don't see VS as a true rival of AD, more like two artistic weapons in the designer arsenal. I can foresee using a combination of Affinity (all three apps) and VS in the future for all my professional work eventually; because I have my doubts that AD will ever be the equivalent of an Adobe illustrator in terms of features and tools. To be honest, I see VS having surpassed Illustrator in abilities and tool options - though there are a few things it lacks and will be added in the 2.0 releases I'm sure....