Designer 1.6 Beta – when?

[nezumi]

Let me get back for a second to the subject of monitoring Affinity's Twitter/Facebook accounts instead of forum. Clearly it is better solution to anybody who wants to read useful news about development instead of... this ⌃

[retrograde]

Let me get back for a second to the subject of monitoring Affinity's Twitter/Facebook accounts instead of forum. Clearly it is better solution to anybody who wants to read useful news about development instead of... this ⌃

Ouch!

[Mithferion]

I tried the 'operation cwal' cheat code but nothing happened. :(

[ronnyb]

My guess is 1.6 is taking extra long because it's so related to the upcoming APub beta, which will undoubtedly implement A LOT of changes into Designer and Photo. Patience, young Padewans...

[Alfred]

Patience, young Padewans...

 

[A_B_C]

… and I hope the delay is related to the upcoming iPad versions … so obviously everyone has their hopes …  ;)

[v_kyr]

Yep.

 

Are you a dev btw? What do you do exactly? Or where does your extensive knowledge come from? :)

 

Well I'm a long time software eng/dev, but not in the graphics domain.

 

 

Related to possible new Designer betas, it would be first nice to have all existing bugs resolved, so to say to have a code and actual feature stable version, before any new features are introduced.

[MikeW]

...it would be first nice to have all existing bugs resolved...before any new features are introduced.

 

Uh. Just about anything beyond "Hello World" is going to have a bug or ten.

[v_kyr]

Therefore you have to correct code early so that "Hello Bugs" do not increase/inherit over software lifetime. Later when code gets even bigger with time and so more complex, it's always harder to find and fix deep burried errors inside of code.

[Bri-Toon]

My guess is 1.6 is taking extra long because it's so related to the upcoming APub beta, which will undoubtedly implement A LOT of changes into Designer and Photo.

 

That is a good point because Affinity files can be edited in all Affinity application, so if that's the case, 1.6 will need it's updated compatibility.

[rubs]

Related to possible new Designer betas, it would be first nice to have all existing bugs resolved, so to say to have a code and actual feature stable version, before any new features are introduced.

 

I completely agree. AD has way too many bugs, crashes, UI quirks and other problems. So it must be stabilized first. I really hope they are prioritizing bug fixes instead of adding new features.

[nezumi]

You honestly think guys that MADE that great software are unaware of how they should treat bugs, and that they need advice from forum on that? I am sure Affinity programmers are now face-palming and saying "dammit, I knew I forgot something! Thanks God we have forum!"
Or you just stating the obvious for whatever reason?
A rhetorical question.

[rubs]

@nezumi: Assuming you answer was directed to me, this is a place where people like us can express ouselves freely as long as we respect each other. Don't you think so? Stressing some "obvious" points is sometimes useful so that other people know our opinions. In my case, since I'm using AD professionally on a daily basis, I'm annoyed by its bugs and crashes and I expect to see them fixed asap. Nothing wrong with that.

[Bri-Toon]

Rubs, refresh my memory. Do you use the Windows or Mac? I use Mac, and the only bug I am catching is a problem with the layers.

[retrograde]

I'm using the mac version as well and I don't think any version of Designer has ever crashed on me that I can recall.  The only thing that happens to me occasionally is after creating a new document sometimes the first time I hit tab to hide the panels the whole screen goes blank, hitting tab again brings everything back, hitting tab a 3rd time works as it should by hiding all of the panels. This is the only "weirdness" I have encountered.

 

bleduc, what's the layers problem you're having?

[Bri-Toon]

bleduc, what's the layers problem you're having?

 

Well I should probably explain it in a separate topic, but since you asked, the layers at random times disappear if they are expanded and then collapsed, but they are still actually there. There is blank spot where the layer should be. If I expand other layers so the blank one is out of shot, then it comes back.

[rubs]

I use Windows. I'm keeping a personal record of maybe a couple hundred bugs, crashes, UI problems and other issues.

[retrograde]

Well I should probably explain it in a separate topic, but since you asked, the layers at random times disappear if they are expanded and then collapsed, but they are still actually there. There is blank spot where the layer should be. If I expand other layers so the blank one is out of shot, then it comes back.

 

Wow that sounds bizarre. I've never experienced that.

 

____________

 

rubs, that sounds pretty nasty. A couple hundred bugs?

[Bri-Toon]

Rubs,

Man I hope things work out for you. I guess the best advice to give is to make sure you keep informing Affinity of the problems you're facing and to stay up to date with the latest version. And I'm no computer genius, but I know that the Windows version uses something Microsoft Frame .NET, and Retrograde and I, who are Mac users, are not facing too many bugs on the Mac version. I'm not making assumptions, but maybe Frame .NET was installed incorrectly or something? When I used the Windows version, I did have quite a few issues with that.

[nezumi]

@rubs - no it wasn't directed to you specifically, just a general thought. I decided to exercise the very same freedom of expression (oh oh, the Big Words) you have mentioned. I never said you shouldn't do it. By all means - do post whatever you like. I will do the same, and its all good. I mean no disrespect to anybody but if I find something funny I may say so :)

 

In any case - I am using both AD and AP professionally on a daily basis on Windows. By "professionally" I mean I make a living doing so, its not some sort of a hobby thing for me. I did experienced some crashes on Photo, but AD is solid and stable for me. In fact - that was the reason why I have abandoned Adobe in a first place. In couple months of daily work I had experienced about 4-5 crashes, I have always found what caused it and posted here for devs to review.

I dont know what do you mean by "I'm keeping a personal record of maybe a couple hundred bugs, crashes, UI problems and other issues.". You have found couple of hundred bugs but kept it to yourself? I hope you have posted at least some of those issues in appropriate place for devs to review. And if you did - thank you because people helping to find bugs are helping all of us to have better next version.

 

Every single time when I have posted bug report here I got an answer. Personalized, real answer regarding specific subject. When I was using Adobe all I got (if anything) was copy/paste "Our team is aware of the issue and is working hard to fix it". Or something along those lines. Once I had to wait couple months for fix of an issue that was turning simple write tool a nightmare to use. Anyways, its all water under the bridge now. Lets wait for next Affinity version that - I have no doubt about it - will have longer bug fix log that I have seen in at least 3 versions of Adobe "industry standard".

[rubs]

I do have a personal record of bugs, crashes, performance problems, errors and important omissions, and my list does have more than 200 entries now. Many of them are already fully described here in the forums by me and dozens of other Windows users, so I'm surprised you guys don't know about them yet. Just take a look at the forums for Windows users and you'll know what I mean.

 

However, most bugs haven't been fixed, some of them already are. I participate in the forums whenever I can (just look at my topics in the forum), and I already helped the devs to find new bugs and even to pinpoint a couple they weren't able to reproduce. Unfortunately their response is not what it was like some months ago, so I'm not logging new problems at the time.

 

But don't get me wrong... AD is the best illustration tool I've come across yet, and I'm betting a lot in it. Of course I understand the team has lots to do, but at least the crashes should be promptly fixed.

 

@Leduc: no .NET installation problems, of course. I use .NET myself for coding and I use other .NET tools..

[A_B_C]

Sure, rubs, the developers’ response is a bit muted at the moment, but nonetheless, I think it would make sense, if you published this list or sent it directly to Serif. Just as nezumi said, all the other users would be thankful as well … it is surely better to report a bug twice than let it go unnoticed …  :)

 

Hope that makes sense …  :)

Alex

[Bri-Toon]

When I was using Adobe all I got (if anything) was copy/paste "Our team is aware of the issue and is working hard to fix it". Or something along those lines.

 

Something like this is definitely worth the awareness. The most commercialized businesses do tend to turn to automation after a while, whereas the better businesses actually listen and respond to a user's feedback. Concern and welcome is the key, and not the robot talk.

 

But don't get me wrong... AD is the best illustration tool I've come across yet, and I'm betting a lot in it. Of course I understand the team has lots to do, but at least the crashes should be promptly fixed.

 

It's good to see you really feel comfortable. And yes, the team does have a lot to do. They take it more seriously than many other software companies I know. I think the problem of the bug fixes and a few others might be related to Affinity having a small crew while there is so much to be implicated. I do hope the bugs get fixed for Windows version, because I can understand that must be frustrating.

[rubs]

It's good to see you really feel comfortable. And yes, the team does have a lot to do. They take it more seriously than many other software companies I know.

 

Yeah, I'm sure about that because I saw it happening a few months ago and was so excited about it. But now something changed, not sure what it is. And I'm concerned because suddenly the team became so quiet.

 

I think the problem of the bug fixes and a few others might be related to Affinity having a small crew while there is so much to be implicated. I do hope the bugs get fixed for Windows version, because I can understand that must be frustrating.

 

Yes, it is frustrating specially when you see the most recent betas didn't address some of the most critical points at all. In my case it keeps crashing several times a day (and they are pretty aware of this via the forum).

 

Porting a big application to Windows is a complex task, but I'm sure this is no news to Serif. Maybe they are running into some development problems, which is pretty common in these cases. IMHO they should come clean about it instead of being silent (which is most software companies do). This would make us trust their brand, not otherwise, don't you agree?

[MikeW]

If your experience was common in the slightest the forums would be inundated with bug posts.

 

I don't run AD more than perhaps an hour a day most days. Sometimes a few hours of continuous running. I haven't had a crash since...I cannot remember. When the last one was. I choose to not use AD much for other reasons.