Generate PDF from multiple files in Affinity Photo

[polle]

Hello. I have 10 files and I want to export them as one PDF, the same that can be done in photoshop automation.

I see batch jobs to add all files, but I can't find a way to export all as one PDF.

How to do it in Affinity Photo?

Thanks.

[Callum]

Hi Polle,

Welcome to the forums

As far as I'm aware there is no way to do this I'm afraid.

Thanks

Callum

[polle]

Hi Callum.

Any recommended solution for this?

This was my previous workflow in PS.

1- Create a PSD with 10 group layers. (Each layer group is a page)

2- Export each page (group layer) as PSD.

3- Automate > Generate PDF > Select 10 files > Export.

Done, I have a PDF with all the pages as needed.

What can be a workflow to achieve this with Affinity Photo?

Thanks.

[walt.farrell]

That process seems cumbersome. You start with 1 file. Break it into 10 files, then recombine into 1 PDF?

However, if I were doing that with Affinity applications, I would probably use Designer. In one .afdesign file I would make each of your 10 layer groups an artboard, and then simply use File > Export to create the PDF. Much simpler workflow, in my opinion.

Photo doesn't have artboards, and is designed more as a single canvas application, so isn't really the appropriate choice for the need you describe.

Publisher would also be a possibility when it's available, as it is a mult-page application, but it's probably overkill for that particular need. And might still need assistance from either Designer or Photo to do some of the editing work.

[polle]

1 minute ago, walt.farrell said:

That process seems cumbersome. You start with 1 file. Break it into 10 files, then recombine into 1 PDF?

I need them separately for other kind of work as well for the complete process I do (it is not just the mentioned above) and as I have them like that anyway, I can just process them in photoshop to make things happen.

3 minutes ago, walt.farrell said:

However, if I were doing that with Affinity applications, I would probably use Designer. In one .afdesign file I would make each of your 10 layer groups an artboard, and then simply use File > Export to create the PDF. Much simpler workflow, in my opinion.

How can I:

1- From Affinity Photo export to designer and have all layer groups as artboards?

or at least

2- From Designer import all files as artboards?

Thanks for your help.

[walt.farrell]

2 minutes ago, polle said:

How can I:

1- From Affinity Photo export to designer and have all layer groups as artboards?

or at least

2- From Designer import all files as artboards?

For 1, from Designer, you can simply File > Open your .afphoto file (or your .psd file). Or from Photo you can File > Edit in Designer.

However, getting all the layer groups as artboards is a small manual effort.

1. Select a group in the Layers panel.
2. Select the Artboard Tool.
3. In the Context Toolbar, change Size to Selection, and click Insert Artboard.
4. Repeat.

For 2, I don't think you can do that. However, you could create Artboards, and then use File > Place to put one of your files on top of the artboard as an embedded file. I'm not sure that would do everything you want, but for simply exporting as a PDF it should.

[walt.farrell]

Note that if you were starting with 1 file and wanting to split it (for other purposes) or export as a PDF you can do either of those using Artboards in Designer. To export individual files you could use the Export Persona, and to export as a multi-page PDF you would use File > Export.

But if you're starting with separate files then there's going to be manual work to assemble them into a single .afdesign file.

[polle]

Editing or opening in designer does not generate dartboards for each layer, so I had to do everything manually.

Thank you for your help Walt, that showed me  the way to go.

[Fixx]

You can use some PDF app to combine the files. Apple Preview does this easily, just stack source pages to sidebar thumbnails.