Issues with Assets and Symbols

[CaroleG]

I recently purchased Affinity Designer and have been following the tutorials.   I saved some Christmas trees from the resources file.   Not sure if these were for the desktop version.   I have ipad 9.7” Retina model.   I can open the christmas trees file and then select one and save as a symbol, but I cannot import the file.   Also when I close this christmas tree file, and open a blank file to use the symbol for a design, it is no longer there.   Also, I immediately on downloading the app set my preference to save to icloud.   But although I made a test document and closed it has not saved to cloud neither is there a Designer folder in icloud - which I would have expected.

Can assets created in desktop version be used on apps?   Are they they same file extension.   What’s the point of assets if you can’t use them in new projects?   Please enlighten me as this seems such a super design programme and I only just purchased it and am already a little disappointed that it doesn’t behave.

[DM1]

34 minutes ago, CaroleG said:

Also, I immediately on downloading the app set my preference to save to icloud.   But although I made a test document and closed it has not saved to cloud neither is there a Designer folder in icloud - which I would have expected

When you 'close' the document by returning to the project screen, the file is only saved to Designers 'sandbox'. You need to either use the Document menu in the workspace (with the file open), tap Save a Copy, which will open Files app and allow you to select a save location or; from the project screen, tap the Hamburger menu bottom right of image icon and tap Save. This saves a file to the default storage location. (iCloud in your case). Now delete the file on the Project screen (it’s the original and only accessible via sandbox), then use 'Open from Cloud' to navigate to your saved file. Now you can edit the file and now have a 'Save' option in the workspace Document menu, or tap Save the hamburger on the Project screen to save the changes. Using this method create a .afdesign file and will save changes to the stored file location as well. 

 

[DM1]

38 minutes ago, CaroleG said:

Can assets created in desktop version be used on apps?   Are they they same file extension. 

Yes. 

[DM1]

45 minutes ago, CaroleG said:

I cannot import the file.

Import assets using import category. Files should be .afassets 

[DM1]

57 minutes ago, CaroleG said:

can open the christmas trees file and then select one and save as a symbol, but I cannot import the file.   Also when I close this christmas tree file, and open a blank file to use the symbol for a design, it is no longer there. 

Select an object and go to Symbol studio. Tap the hamburger menu and tap add symbol from selection. Tap the symbol and tap insert to place it in document.

[CaroleG]

Thank you.    I have now found the save and the app has created a file for me in my icloud.    The christmas tree file is .afdesign.    I open in affinity and select a tree and save to symbol.    My problem is then that I cannot used this saved symbol because when I open a new document it is no longer there.   Only there when the trees.afdesign document is open.    I presume that I could not import to assets because it is the wrong file type.   I am more concerned about saving a symbol and being able to use it again in another document.   Maybe if I Save the .afdesign file it will save my symbol ?    Thanks for the other explanations which have been really helpful in lessening my confusion - would be grateful if you could answer the query about symbols please.   Thank you again.

[jmwellborn]

23 minutes ago, CaroleG said:

Thank you.    I have now found the save and the app has created a file for me in my icloud.    The christmas tree file is .afdesign.    I open in affinity and select a tree and save to symbol.    My problem is then that I cannot used this saved symbol because when I open a new document it is no longer there.   Only there when the trees.afdesign document is open.    I presume that I could not import to assets because it is the wrong file type.   I am more concerned about saving a symbol and being able to use it again in another document.   Maybe if I Save the .afdesign file it will save my symbol ?    Thanks for the other explanations which have been really helpful in lessening my confusion - would be grateful if you could answer the query about symbols please.   Thank you again.

Why not save the Christmas tree as an asset rather than a symbol?   The assets are available in each new document.   You should open the .afdesign document, and then go to your Assets Panel and create a new category, then highlight the tree, click on the arrow next to the word Assets, and then choose Add from Selection.  I always export a new Asset category into an Assets file elsewhere on my computer so I have a backup.   I am sure there are differences between how to do this on an iPad and an iMac, but the results should be the same.  I hope this helps.

[CaroleG]

Thank you for this suggestion, however I have created a new category in Assets, highlighted one tree to save, pressed on the hamburger menu and I have no option to save selected - see screen shot below.

Edited September 22, 2019 by CaroleG
See Update beow

[CaroleG]

Thank you!    When I looked at your image again I realised that I had not created a subcategory in Assets.   When I did that, magically the menu option save from selection appeared.    thank you so much!      This now saves my assets and I can use in another document.   Thanks again!