Affinity Photo ,exe File not Easily Available

[Digital Nigel]

I'm also disappointed that I have re-specify my preferences, including plug-ins. There should be an option to inherit them from the v1 installation.

When I installed Affinity Photo 2 last night, it gave me some option to copy preferences (or something like that) from my Affinity Photo 1.10.5 installation. I chose that option, and it seemed to work. I haven't investigated whether it worked fully.

It copied assets, but not preferences. So I've had to re-create my keyboard shortcuts, and links to plug-ins.

 

[Haddington]

Hmm ... I've tried everything in this thread without success. Running Windows 10 Home. Both of my other apps (ACDSee Pro and DxO Photolab) insist on an .exe so the batch file workaround doesn't work.

At least from ACDSee I can drag the image thumbnail onto the Affinity Photo icon on the taskbar. In DxO, even that doesn't work.

Given my overall disappointment with Affinity Photo 2 - even ACDSee has AI functionality in its Ultimate version - at this stage I'm seriously considering the much more straightforward workflow offered by the Adobe photography plan.

If I'm thinking that, I'll bet others are too. I don't say this lightly but if this isn't sorted in 2.01 it feels very much like a deal-breaker for me.

 

[grsnovi]

I had to update yesterday from Windows 8.1 to Windows 10. The update left me with Windows 10 Home 22H2 build 19045.2251

Using Annie's sequence I found the app in this folder:

C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\SerifEuropeLtd.AffinityPhoto2_2.0.0.1640_x64__3cqzy0nppv2rt\App

 

[Len Philpot]

What version of Windows as this doesn't appear to work on Win 10 Pro 21H1.

Ian

You can find the true executable location with this process:

Loading…

forum.affinity.serif.com

Whether or not that solves your problem(s), dunno...

 

[hampshirejohn]

I have Photoshop Elements, which requires browsing to a .exe to specify an external editor. I'm not really willing to try all that's needed to get access to the .msix version, and because it demands a .exe the batch file method does not work.

However in another thread

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www.dpreview.com

rbl suggested renaming the .msix as a .zip and extracting from there.

All I can say at this stage is that is does give me a photo.exe file that I can browse to from PSE, specify it as the external editor, load a file into it, make an adjustment and then save it back. All this after having previously done an install from the .msix.

No further testing done at this stage, so it's offered up as something that might move the problem forwards.

 

[Trevor Carpenter]

What version of Windows as this doesn't appear to work on Win 10 Pro 21H1.

Ian

You can find the true executable location with this process:

https://forum.affinity.serif.com/in...start-exe-file/&do=findComment&comment=978644

Whether or not that solves your problem(s), dunno...

didn't work for me but I now do have two Affinity Photos in my PureRAw drop down list. The second one doesn't work and I have no idea how to delete it.

 

[Jestertheclown]

I've found a way in.

Because the folder's hidden and not accessible to mere mortals (God only knows why), you'll need to own it and give yourself permission to access it.

This explains it and it does work.

It's a bit of a performance and there are quicker ways in but if you follow those instructions, you'll be able to access the folder.

"It's good to be . . . . . . . . . Me!"

 

[Len Philpot]

I've found a way in.

Because the folder's hidden and not accessible to mere mortals (God only knows why), you'll need to own it and give yourself permission to access it.

This explains it and it does work.

It's a bit of a performance and there are quicker ways in but if you follow those instructions, you'll be able to access the folder.

"It's good to be . . . . . . . . . Me!"

Yeah I decided against dorking with the folder rights. TrustedInstaller is the owner and changing that will probably break updates.

 

[Bunjo]

I found the same way to access the files by poke and hope in the security settings (and a certain amount of cursing). You can then identify Photo.exe and copy the path or point other programs to it.

A handy option in Windows 11 is to pin Affinity Photo 2 (or Designer or Publisher) to the Start Menu or other Start utility like Start 11. You can then pin it to the Taskbar if you wish.

But it is very much a fiddle that some bright spark could create a utility for.

 

[Jestertheclown]

Yeah I decided against dorking with the folder rights. TrustedInstaller is the owner and changing that will probably break updates.

Quite possibly.

If there's an update within the next thirty days and it works, I'll let you know.


"It's good to be . . . . . . . . . Me!"

 

[IanYorke]

I've found a way in.

Because the folder's hidden and not accessible to mere mortals (God only knows why), you'll need to own it and give yourself permission to access it.

This explains it and it does work.

It's a bit of a performance and there are quicker ways in but if you follow those instructions, you'll be able to access the folder.

"It's good to be . . . . . . . . . Me!"

Many thanks, useful info, I will wait and see how things develop as the security of the folders is obviously significant.

Ian

 

[Digital Nigel]

I've found a way in.

Because the folder's hidden and not accessible to mere mortals (God only knows why), you'll need to own it and give yourself permission to access it.

This explains it and it does work.

It's a bit of a performance and there are quicker ways in but if you follow those instructions, you'll be able to access the folder.

"It's good to be . . . . . . . . . Me!"

Many thanks, useful info, I will wait and see how things develop as the security of the folders is obviously significant.

The short batch file method works fine, with both DxO and FastStone. No need to fiddle with security settings or risk the link breaking if the exe file gets renamed with a future update. Even though PhotoLab says it wants the name of an exe file, it'll happily accept a '.bat' file as well.

Loading…

forum.affinity.serif.com

 

[Trevor Carpenter]

I've found a way in.

Because the folder's hidden and not accessible to mere mortals (God only knows why), you'll need to own it and give yourself permission to access it.

This explains it and it does work.

It's a bit of a performance and there are quicker ways in but if you follow those instructions, you'll be able to access the folder.

"It's good to be . . . . . . . . . Me!"

Many thanks, useful info, I will wait and see how things develop as the security of the folders is obviously significant.

The short batch file method works fine, with both DxO and FastStone. No need to fiddle with security settings or risk the link breaking if the exe file gets renamed with a future update. Even though PhotoLab says it wants the name of an exe file, it'll happily accept a '.bat' file as well.

https://forum.affinity.serif.com/in...oto-2-from-dxo-xnviewmp-art-and-raw-therapee/

Does the short batch file method work with Win 10 or just win 11.. When I tried it with Win 10 and PureRAW2, I couldn't get it to work.

 

[Digital Nigel]

I've found a way in.

Because the folder's hidden and not accessible to mere mortals (God only knows why), you'll need to own it and give yourself permission to access it.

This explains it and it does work.

It's a bit of a performance and there are quicker ways in but if you follow those instructions, you'll be able to access the folder.

"It's good to be . . . . . . . . . Me!"

Many thanks, useful info, I will wait and see how things develop as the security of the folders is obviously significant.

The short batch file method works fine, with both DxO and FastStone. No need to fiddle with security settings or risk the link breaking if the exe file gets renamed with a future update. Even though PhotoLab says it wants the name of an exe file, it'll happily accept a '.bat' file as well.

https://forum.affinity.serif.com/in...oto-2-from-dxo-xnviewmp-art-and-raw-therapee/

Does the short batch file method work with Win 10 or just win 11.. When I tried it with Win 10 and PureRAW2, I couldn't get it to work.

It works fine in Win 10. DxO PhotoLab asks for an exe file, but if you choose the right folder, then paste in the batch file name, it works. I assume PureRaw will also accept a.bat file name.

 

[IanYorke]

I've found a way in.

Because the folder's hidden and not accessible to mere mortals (God only knows why), you'll need to own it and give yourself permission to access it.

This explains it and it does work.

It's a bit of a performance and there are quicker ways in but if you follow those instructions, you'll be able to access the folder.

"It's good to be . . . . . . . . . Me!"

Many thanks, useful info, I will wait and see how things develop as the security of the folders is obviously significant.

The short batch file method works fine, with both DxO and FastStone. No need to fiddle with security settings or risk the link breaking if the exe file gets renamed with a future update. Even though PhotoLab says it wants the name of an exe file, it'll happily accept a '.bat' file as well.

https://forum.affinity.serif.com/in...oto-2-from-dxo-xnviewmp-art-and-raw-therapee/

Thanks, I will get that sorted.

Ian

 

[s_grins]

I found the same way to access the files by poke and hope in the security settings (and a certain amount of cursing). You can then identify Photo.exe and copy the path or point other programs to it.

A handy option in Windows 11 is to pin Affinity Photo 2 (or Designer or Publisher) to the Start Menu or other Start utility like Start 11. You can then pin it to the Taskbar if you wish.

But it is very much a fiddle that some bright spark could create a utility for.

I've made a shortcut to the desktop, as usual.

 

[Vernon D Rainwater]

There is currently an issue in that AP installs as a "Store" app and that means that the expected .exe file is not readily available. This beaks programs that only allow .exe files to be added for extra functionality eg DXO Photolab "Export to Application", hardware devices like the Stream Deck.

Serif are aware of this issue but have disappointedly come back with "it's up to the other people to find a solution".

Our developers have been investigating this, and have confirmed the following:

Certain applications do not like using the generic %LocalAppData% path, instead please try the following:

• Affinity Photo V2:
  C:\Users\[USERNAME]\AppData\Local\Microsoft\WindowsAppsAffinityPhoto2.exe
• Affinity Designer V2:
  C:\Users\[USERNAME]\AppData\Local\Microsoft\AffinityDesigner2.exe
• Affinity Publisher V2:
  C:\Users\[USERNAME]\AppData\Local\Microsoft\AffinityPublisher2.exe

They have also confirmed that these are 'execution alias' .exe files, and some third party applications don't yet appear to be compatible with these - unfortunately it is down to each third party app to support execution alias .exe files when launching external applications.

I hope this clears things up!

I can't see the path for Affinity Photo on my Win 10 Pro machine and I have show hidden files selected in File Explorer, how many can see this path?

This incompatibility breaks the workflow in many instances and I would have hoped Serif would have been more supportive. Certainly worth checking if this will impact you.

Ian

What is the purpose (Reason) for installing as a "Store" app ?

 

[Digital Nigel]

I found the same way to access the files by poke and hope in the security settings (and a certain amount of cursing). You can then identify Photo.exe and copy the path or point other programs to it.

A handy option in Windows 11 is to pin Affinity Photo 2 (or Designer or Publisher) to the Start Menu or other Start utility like Start 11. You can then pin it to the Taskbar if you wish.

But it is very much a fiddle that some bright spark could create a utility for.

I've made a shortcut to the desktop, as usual.

So did I, but couldn't get apps like PhotoLab to point at that.

 

[Digital Nigel]

There is currently an issue in that AP installs as a "Store" app and that means that the expected .exe file is not readily available. This beaks programs that only allow .exe files to be added for extra functionality eg DXO Photolab "Export to Application", hardware devices like the Stream Deck.

Serif are aware of this issue but have disappointedly come back with "it's up to the other people to find a solution".

Our developers have been investigating this, and have confirmed the following:

Certain applications do not like using the generic %LocalAppData% path, instead please try the following:

• Affinity Photo V2:
  C:\Users\[USERNAME]\AppData\Local\Microsoft\WindowsAppsAffinityPhoto2.exe
• Affinity Designer V2:
  C:\Users\[USERNAME]\AppData\Local\Microsoft\AffinityDesigner2.exe
• Affinity Publisher V2:
  C:\Users\[USERNAME]\AppData\Local\Microsoft\AffinityPublisher2.exe

They have also confirmed that these are 'execution alias' .exe files, and some third party applications don't yet appear to be compatible with these - unfortunately it is down to each third party app to support execution alias .exe files when launching external applications.

I hope this clears things up!

I can't see the path for Affinity Photo on my Win 10 Pro machine and I have show hidden files selected in File Explorer, how many can see this path?

This incompatibility breaks the workflow in many instances and I would have hoped Serif would have been more supportive. Certainly worth checking if this will impact you.

Ian

What is the purpose (Reason) for installing as a "Store" app ?

It's supposed to be the modern way that Microsoft recommends. It's more secure, and allows apps to be updated automatically by Windows, with no user intervention required.

 

[Jestertheclown]

What is the purpose (Reason) for installing as a "Store" app ?

An attempt to stop piracy perhaps?


"It's good to be . . . . . . . . . Me!"