Vector Layers Show Unwanted Edge Lines

[Mitch R]

Hello,

I have noticed a problem in Affinity Designer where layers will suddenly have a 1-2 pixel border that shares a color with the next lower layer. It almost looks like aliasing in a raster layer, however I am seeing this problem with vector layers. The "border" is not a real border that would be added with the border menu (I have that set to no border), and it changes thickness when zooming. It is most apparent when zooming out.

This occurred for me after some extensive use of the color picker tool.

Details:

• Are you using the latest release version?
  • Yes, according to the pinned forum post that tells how to check. 1.7.1.404.
     
• Can you reproduce it?
  • This happens occasionally, seemingly only if I work on projects for a long time and change the colors frequently.
  • When this happened I was using the Color Picker Tool for trial-and-error color testing, and when I finally found colors that I deemed satisfactory, this problem started.
  • It almost looks like aliasing, but this is a vector project.
  • It should be visible in the project I attached. The screenshots give an idea of what to look for.
     
• Does it happen for a new document? If not do you have a document you can share that shows the problem?
  • This happens seemingly at random. I haven't noticed a pattern yet.
  • If I copy and paste affected layers into a new document, sometimes the problem carries over, and sometimes it does not. The document setup seems to make no difference.
  • I included an example project file that on my computer definitely has the issue, as well as screenshots.
  • My usual non-print document settings (including for this one) are 72 DPI and RGB-8.
  • If I start a completely unrelated project, the problem does not occur.
     
•    What is your operating system and version?
  • Windows 10 Version 17763.615
  • GPU is an AMD Radeon Vega FE.
  • CPU is an AMD Ryzen 1700x.
  • Monitor is an HP Pavilion 22cwa.
  • 16GB RAM.
     
•    What happened for you (and what you expected to happen)
  • Small 1-2 pixel borders appeared around layers that reflect the colors of the layers underneath. These borders grow thicker as you zoom out, and thinner as you zoom in, but they are always there.
  • Normally, this would not happen, and shapes that have the same color will look like they are one piece, and shapes that are different colors will not have traces of each other.
  • I am certain that for the black shape in the example project, the shapes meet exactly. I made them simply by copying layers and deleting unrelated nodes.
  • For the tan layers in the example project, the colors are identical. They should look as if they are one piece.
     
•    Provide a recipe for creating the problem (step-by-step what you did).
  • I was just using the color picker tool somewhat frequently to try out different color combinations on different layers.
  • After a while this problem appeared and could not be reverted.
  • None of the layers are supposed to have borders of any kind. The border option is set to none.
     
•    Any unusual hardware (like tablets or external monitors or drives that may affect things) or relevant other applications like font managers or display managers.
  • No, but I listed my GPU and CPU above just in case.
  • This is a desktop PC (not a laptop).
     
•    Did this same thing used to work and if so have you changed anything recently?
  • I have experienced this issue before seemingly at random on earlier releases of Windows 10.
  • I've been using Affinity Designer since January. 
  • Nothing about my PC has changed, software or hardware, for at least a few weeks.

 

I have seen threads about a similar issue in Affinity Photo (not Designer), however it seems as though the problem could not be reproduced. Hopefully my attachments will help.

• Older threads of a very similar-looking issue in Affinity Photo:
  • https://forum.affinity.serif.com/index.php?/topic/83340-all-images-get-a-visible-border-when-at-certain-zoom-levels/
  • https://forum.affinity.serif.com/index.php?/topic/87790-all-images-get-a-transparent-border/

ProblemExample.afdesign

[Gabe]

Hi @Mitch R,

Welcome to the forums. 

It looks fine on my end. Try this please: 

Go to Edit > Preferences > Performance > Enable Precise Clipping. 

Also, what happens when you toggle Pixel view on/off while you see that line? Does it disappear? 

Thanks,

Gabe. 

[Mitch R]

11 hours ago, GabrielM said:

Hi @Mitch R,

Welcome to the forums. 

It looks fine on my end. Try this please: 

Go to Edit > Preferences > Performance > Enable Precise Clipping. 

Also, what happens when you toggle Pixel view on/off while you see that line? Does it disappear? 

Thanks,

Gabe. 

Hi, 

Just enabled precise clipping, however the lines are still there, in both vector and pixel personas. Exported PNG's and JPG's still show them too.

I am currently just using a workaround of dragging out top layer shapes very slightly to cover the lines, which works well enough for now. For more precise things it could still be a problem.

Thanks.

-Mitch

[Gabe]

I'm not entirely sure how you get a line there, because I don't

 

[Max_G]

Hi,

I encounter the same issue. The first image shows the vector view and the second one the pixel view.

At first I used "Insert inside the selection" to place some shadows onto my objects, but this edge was visible. Now I am overlaying those layers over the other layers and this edge still appears. If two areas with the same color meet, I just overlap them a little, so that the edge is hidden.

I am using Windows 10 Pro, version 10.0.18362 Build 18362, and the latest version of Affinity Designer 1.7.1.404 with precise clipping turned on.

Thanks,

Max

[Gabe]

Hi @MGFCF,

Welcome to the forums. 

I'm not entirely sure what I'm looking at here. Can you attach the document in question?

Thanks,

Gabe

[Max_G]

Hey @GabrielM,

I assume you are talking about the designer-file? If you select some shadows or highlights, you can see that I made them overlap or just in one big piece, to prevent the edge from showing up. If you undo the overlapping and align the elements edge to edge you should see the edge again. The part of my screenshots is the top of the light stand arm.

Thanks,

Max

in_progress.afdesign

[Max_G]

The same edge appears, if I fit the background to the canvas and have the zoom just right so it appears. Sometimes it is only visible on the top line and not on the left one.

Edited August 9, 2019 by MGFCF
Spelling

[Gabe]

When you overlap 2 different layers that do not have straight edges, some anti-alias will occur at the edges to feather them. Even if your objects are perfectly on top of each other, that feathering will "bleed" through, because they are transparent pixels. This is the correct and expected behaviour. See this thread for more info:  

 

[Max_G]

I see. I have read the thread and understand the point you are making.

My assumption was, that vectors overlap as vectors, because otherwise they are kind of a mix between real vectors (interacting with other vectors as vectors) and pixels (interacting with other vectors as rasterized pixel layers).

It seems, that the discussion on that topic is already in progress. I cannot say anything about the behavior of Illustrator, but argue for real vectors.

Edit:

"interacting with other vectors as vectors" is supposed to mean something like the boolean operators (add, subtract) and afterwards they can be rendered as pixel layers, without unwanted transparency bleeding issues.

Edited August 9, 2019 by MGFCF
Added explanation