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Split the forum to app related???


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PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE split the forum into separate sections for each app. I only use APhoto and have to trawl through reams of posts relating to the other apps to find posts relating to AP. I know the argument is there are lots of similarities between the apps, but after the latest updates there is so much stuff about subjects and functions that simply have no relevance to me. I also use other firms apps where they have several different apps and they are split neatly into app specific sections, so it can’t be hard to do and would make life SO much easier to browse questions relating to AP. I just want to keep up to date and see what other folk are doing, using and problems and solutions to AP related matters.

Thanks...

 

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I would support this. The commonality between the apps is small in practise, and I'm sure a solution to the multi-app question can be found.

John

Windows 10, Affinity Photo 1.10.5 Designer 1.10.5 and Publisher 1.10.5 (mainly Photo), now ex-Adobe CC

CPU: AMD A6-3670. RAM: 16 GB DDR3 @ 666MHz, Graphics: 2047MB NVIDIA GeForce GT 630

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1 minute ago, Old Bruce said:

'Tis already.

... for Bugs, yes, and for Suggestions & Feature Requests, – but not for Q & A and "How to...".

Whereas I guess, the possible learning effect for the user, especially in Q & A / How to..., is larger if they are all together, than it would be in Bugs.

macOS 10.14.6 | MacBookPro Retina 15" | Eizo 27" | Affinity V1

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1 hour ago, tonyt said:

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE split the forum into separate sections for each app. I only use APhoto and have to trawl through reams of posts relating to the other apps to find posts relating to AP. I know the argument is there are lots of similarities between the apps, but after the latest updates there is so much stuff about subjects and functions that simply have no relevance to me. I also use other firms apps where they have several different apps and they are split neatly into app specific sections, so it can’t be hard to do and would make life SO much easier to browse questions relating to AP. I just want to keep up to date and see what other folk are doing, using and problems and solutions to AP related matters.

Thanks...

 

Well, I  support this for the full 100%.
This has been suggested several times ...


e.g.

 

Sorry, but I'm tired of struggling through all these discussions that I'm not interested in ! 
And that is why I have stopped trying to be helpful for the time being.
 

Affinity Photo  2.3.1

Laptop MSI Prestige PS42
Windows 11 Home 23H2 (Build 22631.3007) - Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-8565U CPU @ 1.80GHz   2.00 GHz - RAM 16,0 GB

 

 
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One solution could be to keep the current "Affinity on Desktop Questions (Mac and Windows)" section but when a user is submitting a question they have to choose from a pull-down titled "Choose relevant product" that includes 'Designer', 'Photo', 'Publisher' or 'All', and this automatically places (for example) an [Affintiy Designer] tag in front of the person's question. Colour code these tags for easy browsing.

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10 hours ago, John Rostron said:

The commonality between the apps is small in practise ...

On the contrary, in practice there is a very large amount of commonality among the apps:

Tools: All 3 have the same View, Zoom, Move, Node, & Pen tools; the same 19 vector shape tools; the same Frame & Artistic Text tools, the same Color Picker Tool, & (except for the name) the same Fill/Gradient tool. All 3 offer the same method of customizing the Tools Studio panel & the same option of combining some tools into one fly-out or not. Each of the tools has almost identical context toolbar options, including the various new enhancements introduced in the 1.7.x versions.

Studio Panels: All 3 have the same Layers, Transform, Navigator, Color, History, Swatches, Assets, Styles, & Snapshots panels. Only Photo lacks the Stroke & Appearance panels; only Designer lacks the Stock panel. All 3 apps use the same method for combining Studio panels into floating or docked tabbed group or individual panels, the same method for collapsing a panel or group into just its header, the same method for controlling panel widths & where applicable their heights. All 3 offer at least one left & one right Studio group -- here the difference depends on the OS, not the app.

Workspace: All apps support the same document ruler options, including units & origin changes; the same color space & profile options; the same guides & grids options; a status bar that dynamically shows tool options; the same method for customizing the Toolbar; & many of the same app preferences.

Troubleshooting: All 3 apps have the same method of invoking a reset & most of the reset options apply to all 3 apps. Tips about how to resolve problems encountered installing one of the apps almost certainly applies to the others as well.

Other: All 3 apps share a common native file format, so any of them can open a document created by any of the others. All support every feature of the others in some way even if they cannot create them, which means those who currently only own one or two of the apps can still open & (with permission) use files created by someone who owns the other(s). The same is true for assets, brushes, styles, etc. The licensing terms for all the apps are the same except for minor differences in the terms of the 3 stores they can be purchased from.

Bottom line: The apps are far more alike than they are different. Questions about how to use the features of one of them, or how to resolve issues with one of them, are just as (if not more) likely to apply equally well to all of them.

All 3 1.10.8, & all 3 V2.4.1 Mac apps; 2020 iMac 27"; 3.8GHz i7, Radeon Pro 5700, 32GB RAM; macOS 10.15.7
Affinity Photo 
1.10.8; Affinity Designer 1.108; & all 3 V2 apps for iPad; 6th Generation iPad 32 GB; Apple Pencil; iPadOS 15.7

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16 hours ago, John Rostron said:

The commonality between the apps is small in practise, 

 @R C-R I  was basing my assertion on the frequency of questions in the Questions Forum.

John

 

Windows 10, Affinity Photo 1.10.5 Designer 1.10.5 and Publisher 1.10.5 (mainly Photo), now ex-Adobe CC

CPU: AMD A6-3670. RAM: 16 GB DDR3 @ 666MHz, Graphics: 2047MB NVIDIA GeForce GT 630

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6 minutes ago, John Rostron said:

 @R C-R I  was basing my assertion on the frequency of questions in the Questions Forum.

I do that as well. But I also consider how many questions, answers, tips, etc. that refer to one app are also applicable to the others, in whole or in part. That has always turned out to be far more of them than not.

Even in the first few weeks following the launch of a new app (like Publisher) or a new version (like the 1.7.x ones), when as expected the forum is flooded with questions about them, it is still true of many of them, just not as many as at other times.

It is perhaps also worth mentioning that requests to split the forum are nothing new. They first started appearing when Photo was released. By the time there were both Mac & Windows retail versions -- a total of four apps -- suggestions for a four way split, with or without a fifth split for general questions that apply to them all, started appearing.

However, to date none of them has ever managed to get widespread support from the user community. I can only guess about the reasons for that, but I suspect one of them is that there are considerably more users who either already own more than one of the apps, or plan on buying more than one eventually, than not. I also suspect that all the buzz about StudioLink will generate a lot more interest in learning about features unique to Publisher, if for no other reason than to ask if or when some of them will be coming to Designer or Photo.

Maybe I am wrong about that, but either way it remains true that the 3 Affinity apps share so many of the same features, many more than some might think.

All 3 1.10.8, & all 3 V2.4.1 Mac apps; 2020 iMac 27"; 3.8GHz i7, Radeon Pro 5700, 32GB RAM; macOS 10.15.7
Affinity Photo 
1.10.8; Affinity Designer 1.108; & all 3 V2 apps for iPad; 6th Generation iPad 32 GB; Apple Pencil; iPadOS 15.7

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2 hours ago, R C-R said:

On the contrary, in practice there is a very large amount of commonality among the apps:

Tools: All 3 have the same View, Zoom, Move, Node, & Pen tools; the same 19 vector shape tools; the same Frame & Artistic Text tools, the same Color Picker Tool, & (except for the name) the same Fill/Gradient tool. All 3 offer the same method of customizing the Tools Studio panel & the same option of combining some tools into one fly-out or not. Each of the tools has almost identical context toolbar options, including the various new enhancements introduced in the 1.7.x versions.

Studio Panels: All 3 have the same Layers, Transform, Navigator, Color, History, Swatches, Assets, Styles, & Snapshots panels. Only Photo lacks the Stroke & Appearance panels; only Designer lacks the Stock panel. All 3 apps use the same method for combining Studio panels into floating or docked tabbed group or individual panels, the same method for collapsing a panel or group into just its header, the same method for controlling panel widths & where applicable their heights. All 3 offer at least one left & one right Studio group -- here the difference depends on the OS, not the app.

Workspace: All apps support the same document ruler options, including units & origin changes; the same color space & profile options; the same guides & grids options; a status bar that dynamically shows tool options; the same method for customizing the Toolbar; & many of the same app preferences.

Troubleshooting: All 3 apps have the same method of invoking a reset & most of the reset options apply to all 3 apps. Tips about how to resolve problems encountered installing one of the apps almost certainly applies to the others as well.

Other: All 3 apps share a common native file format, so any of them can open a document created by any of the others. All support every feature of the others in some way even if they cannot create them, which means those who currently only own one or two of the apps can still open & (with permission) use files created by someone who owns the other(s). The same is true for assets, brushes, styles, etc. The licensing terms for all the apps are the same except for minor differences in the terms of the 3 stores they can be purchased from.

Bottom line: The apps are far more alike than they are different. Questions about how to use the features of one of them, or how to resolve issues with one of them, are just as (if not more) likely to apply equally well to all of them.

I understand your point but I have to give 100% yes for split forum. How many time you start reading to realize its for Designer or Publisher or Photo, because it wasn’t stated in the title which app was it for, its like every morning there’s 8 new pages of new threads, how many are for AP in those? Because I don't have Designer and no needs of Publisher, now I don’t care about pass the 2nd page, also because Publisher just been released... that’s getting more thread than AP & AD together.

just simple please, 3 apps, 3 forum sections.

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31 minutes ago, mikerofoto said:

just simple please, 3 apps, 3 forum sections.

If only it were that simple! There are three Mac apps, three Windows apps and (currently) two iPad apps. Although many posts about APh are also relevant to AD users, many are not because they relate to features such as filters or perspective correction. Similarly, posts about Separated mode are only of interest to Mac users.

I can’t speak for other users, but I personally don’t want to hunt through eight or ten different forums because of an arbitrary split being imposed.

Alfred spacer.png
Affinity Designer/Photo/Publisher 2 for Windows • Windows 10 Home/Pro
Affinity Designer/Photo/Publisher 2 for iPad • iPadOS 17.4.1 (iPad 7th gen)

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2 hours ago, mikerofoto said:

I have to give 100% yes for split forum. How many time you start reading to realize its for Designer or Publisher or Photo, because it wasn’t stated in the title which app was it for, its like every morning there’s 8 new pages of new threads, how many are for AP in those?

A forums split, or even splits of splits, would not reduce but rather increase the user input issue of not describing a topic useful and unambiguously and into its according forum. As less topics appear in a forum as less there seems to be seen a need to text clear and specific.

Topics like "Help!", "Does not work" or "Print", "Fonts", "Line spacing", "Find and replace text", etc. are not very meaningful and do not distinguish between Apps nor between problem and How-to... .  AfPublisher is a good example: From its first day after retail release the amount of topics in the Bug section increased massive towards the Beta. Many writers of them did not care at all whether their text is related to a application issue or a user bug.

User with more willing before writing to do a search or think a bit more what they are actually got stuck in and in detail right now, would make it easier for everybody. At least by mentioning "How to" or simply use a "?" for questions for instance. In very most topics there is a lot of unused space in the title of the topic. Purposely? Panic, stress? Or listless- and laziness?

It is more in the hands of the user to keep the forum clear and easy to navigate, as it depends on the number of forum sections.

   

macOS 10.14.6 | MacBookPro Retina 15" | Eizo 27" | Affinity V1

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11 minutes ago, Alfred said:

I can’t speak for other users, but I personally don’t want to hunt through eight or ten different forums because of an arbitrary split being imposed.

Same for me.

Besides, there have always been lots of topics about things I have no interest in, even back when there were just two apps, or later when as now there are topics about things relevant only to Windows, which I do not use. Titles often do not provide any clue about that, & often topics that start out being about something relevant only to one app branch out to include things relevant to others.

So while I agree that it would be nice if there was some practical way to split the forums up so that people could see only the topics they wanted to see, in practice they all have about the same chances of doing that as herding cats.

All 3 1.10.8, & all 3 V2.4.1 Mac apps; 2020 iMac 27"; 3.8GHz i7, Radeon Pro 5700, 32GB RAM; macOS 10.15.7
Affinity Photo 
1.10.8; Affinity Designer 1.108; & all 3 V2 apps for iPad; 6th Generation iPad 32 GB; Apple Pencil; iPadOS 15.7

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2 hours ago, Alfred said:

I can’t speak for other users, but I personally don’t want to hunt through eight or ten different forums because of an arbitrary split being imposed. 

Agree. I even would not mind to merge some forums:

Currently one has the choice between up to 10 forum sections to look for a solved issue, for an answer or to post a question to a specific application.

For instance Affinity Photo:

  1. Affinity Support & Questions

  2. Feedback for Affinity Photo on Desktop
  3. Feedback for the Affinity Suite of Products
  4. Older Feedback & Suggestion Posts
  5. Tutorials (Serif and Customer Created Tutorials)

... furthermore:

  1. Share your work
  2. Resources

... and last but not least:

  1. Report a Bug in Affinity Photo

  2. Resolved Photo Bugs

... not to mention:

Affinity Photo Beta Forums

macOS 10.14.6 | MacBookPro Retina 15" | Eizo 27" | Affinity V1

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3 minutes ago, haakoo said:

Yes the search facility isn't used to its potential
Maybe put a big bold red sticky post to search first, then post might work.

That might work if the forum's built-in search function worked better, but as it is even several of the staff have admitted they resort to a Google or Bing search with a "site:forum.affinity.com" suffix because it does a much better job.

All 3 1.10.8, & all 3 V2.4.1 Mac apps; 2020 iMac 27"; 3.8GHz i7, Radeon Pro 5700, 32GB RAM; macOS 10.15.7
Affinity Photo 
1.10.8; Affinity Designer 1.108; & all 3 V2 apps for iPad; 6th Generation iPad 32 GB; Apple Pencil; iPadOS 15.7

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A lot of people use a workflow and that workflow can have multiple steps, even if you are just doing basic stuff you rarely do this in one click with one tool so, while affinity apps may have commonalities taken as a collective process those commonalities are filtered away.

At the very least it can't be that hard to just type Affinity Designer, Affinity Photo or Affinity Publisher at the start of a post, hell, on Mac you can type in short-hand.

I can type all of this with 3 letters(SWH) "Saved with history so you can jog back and forth in the history panel."

iMac 27" 2019 Somona 14.3.1, iMac 27" Affinity Designer, Photo & Publisher V1 & V2, Adobe, Inkscape, Vectorstyler, Blender, C4D, Sketchup + more... XP-Pen Artist-22E, - iPad Pro 12.9  
B| (Please refrain from licking the screen while using this forum)

Affinity Help - Affinity Desktop Tutorials - Feedback - FAQ - most asked questions

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48 minutes ago, R C-R said:

That might work if the forum's built-in search function worked better, but as it is even several of the staff have admitted they resort to a Google or Bing search with a "site:forum.affinity.com" suffix because it does a much better job.

I agree there. The default search in Affinity for (say) three words seems to be First OR Second OR Third. I note that some other app forums take the subject line and put it through a search action first. Only if this does not help is the user allowed to create a new question. 

John

Windows 10, Affinity Photo 1.10.5 Designer 1.10.5 and Publisher 1.10.5 (mainly Photo), now ex-Adobe CC

CPU: AMD A6-3670. RAM: 16 GB DDR3 @ 666MHz, Graphics: 2047MB NVIDIA GeForce GT 630

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6 minutes ago, John Rostron said:

The default search in Affinity for (say) three words seems to be First OR Second OR Third

That's true, unless you make them a phrase by quoting it.

But once the search is done, you can easily make it an AND by clicking on the suggestion.

 

-- Walt
Designer, Photo, and Publisher V1 and V2 at latest retail and beta releases
PC:
    Desktop:  Windows 11 Pro, version 23H2, 64GB memory, AMD Ryzen 9 5900 12-Core @ 3.00 GHz, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 

    Laptop:  Windows 11 Pro, version 23H2, 32GB memory, Intel Core i7-10750H @ 2.60GHz, Intel UHD Graphics Comet Lake GT2 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU.
iPad:  iPad Pro M1, 12.9": iPadOS 17.4.1, Apple Pencil 2, Magic Keyboard 
Mac:  2023 M2 MacBook Air 15", 16GB memory, macOS Sonoma 14.4.1

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I think a tab at the top alongside the others for FAQ would be a big help, this would need compiling first and not sure if the Serif staff will have the time. Maybe some of the more experienced users could put this together, I would be happy to help, the staff could then check everything before adding it to the site.

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1 hour ago, John Rostron said:

I note that some other app forums take the subject line and put it through a search action first. Only if this does not help is the user allowed to create a new question. 

The only thing I have seen like that still allows users to create new topics regardless of the search results. More to the point, unless the search engine is as 'smart' as Google's or Bing's, the results tend to be very broad & mostly not very relevant unless the subject line is very specific (which it rarely is for new users), so they frequently start a new topic anyway.

All 3 1.10.8, & all 3 V2.4.1 Mac apps; 2020 iMac 27"; 3.8GHz i7, Radeon Pro 5700, 32GB RAM; macOS 10.15.7
Affinity Photo 
1.10.8; Affinity Designer 1.108; & all 3 V2 apps for iPad; 6th Generation iPad 32 GB; Apple Pencil; iPadOS 15.7

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