NotMyFault

There is a workaround possible. Load the attached file "9 slice tutorial" Export your "to-be-resized" pixel layer as PNG (assuming square aspect ratio) choose the layer "Constrain group" in the layer stack, expand it now select all 9 rectangles (child layers to constraint group) choose fill tool, set mode to "bitmap" select your file exported in step 2 if required, move nodes to adjust size, aspect ratio, and position now you can select the "constraint group" and resize the 9 slices. corners are fully constraint, edges constraint to 1 axis, centre tile will scale in both axis. If you need different aspect ratios for the 9 tiles, duplicate it, adjust size, and save as asset. I know this is a weak workaround, and fully support your feature request to get a better function. 9 slice tutorial.afdesign

This is much simpler and makes it redundant to use a group layer. Thank you. The main UI issue is that gradient fill does not show correct rendering of multiple layers are selected. you need to touch any node and move it to get correct rendering. These (many) UI bugs consume so much time and distract from the essence.

The basic question is why do you edit the alpha channel in first place. Probably you want to achieve some kind of effect. If you can explain what effect you are after, we can show a way to achieve the same result - and most often without editing the alpha channel. Affinity has the key concept of non-destructive editing - meaning to stack lots of filters and adjustment, and put every edit step on a new layer, to allow changing any of these steps later without using undo history. It takes some time to adapt to these workflows. Directly editing alpha is a kind of no-go. But it requires to learn new workflow techniques more in line with non-destructive editing. Alpha in Photo is kind of locked down, not a first class citizen like the regular colour channels. So to become friends with Serif Products better don't try to edit alpha directly. If you really need to edit an alpha channel like a RGB channel: destructive workflow: simply convert it it via channels panel into a greyscale layer, and back when finishing. non-destructive workflows are possible, but really require some advanced tricks (workarounds) like linked layers, using blend mode erase etc which could break compatibility to PDF exports. Again, explain what effect or result you want, and we will find a way.

What I try to achieve is generate a template (with constraints) that can be filled with any bitmap fill to allow a 9-slice resize. You can use the move tool to resize the constraint group, the 8 edge tiles will be constraint to the edges and 0 or 1 axis, whereas the centre tile scales in 2 axis. I created the file below on iPad, and there it works. Unfortunately the process to get there is too tedious and cannot be saves as asset / template. I tried to reproduce the same process on Mac and stumble from one bug to the other (fill, style, constraint etc) 9 slice template.afdesign

Side node: I used swatches during my tests. It seems that swatches are total unreliable when using groups with rectangles, and a bitmap fill or gradient fill. In many cases the fill won't get applied at all. In case of gradients, you need to activate the gradient tool and click on one of the nodes to get correct rendering.

together we are strong 😂

In Designer: Right-Click on the style symbol to get the context menu allowing to rename.

Hi, [LOW PRIORITY - @N.P.M. showed that the grouping is not required to slice a fill. Never the less, these UI inconsistencies irritate and distract you from getting things done. If something is labeled "group", it should behave like a group.] of you create several rectangles (e.g. 3x3, distributed with no gap) and group them, you can assign a fill on the group which gets transferred to the individual member layers: every rectangle gets a portion of the fill. This is a great function to create puzzles etc. If you add constraints to any member of the group (before using fill tool), it is no longer possible to use the fill tool in this way. The fill will be assigned to the constraint group itself, not to the members. Even after ungrouping, removing constraints, grouping again (which gives a "group" instead of "constraint group" as label) it is still impossible to get the fill assigned to child layers. This bug makes it impossible to create assets or symbols with pre-determined constraints (before fill). In the image below, please have a look at the layer thumbnails, showing the difference.

Another Option: Merge Visible Activate Tone Map Persona Activate "Clamp to SDR" set Tone Compression to 0 - then adjust to taste. Yet Another Option Export to JPEGXL Next gen Option: Add levels or exposure adjustment Reduce Exposure by 1 stop (-1) merge visible Activate Tone Map Persona Set Tone Compression and local Contrast to taste

Old Pro models are OK, even with Pencil 1. but Performance of M1/M2 models is about 10x better for certain operations (More relevant in Photo and Publisher than in Designer).

I bet this thread will have >250 replies within hours 😂 Use the pro models. The Pro Display is a bit better then non-pro. Use large 12.9 screen. Small 10.5 screens will cut off some UI elements, slowing you down. Use Models supporting Pencil 2 (except used ones) Take a model with as much RAM as possible. But this gets very expensive, as RAM is bound to storage seize, so you have to get the 2TB model to get 16 GB RAM. The models with 8GB are ok. Apple does not list RAM for all models, so maybe consult Wikipedia or other sites to find information about RAM size. If budget limit is a factor: you can use any model supporting Pencil 2.

How do you want to reduce brightness? the sketch is more like a black and white image. Do you want to increase contrast, making dark parts darker, but bright parts (paper) brighter?

The preview is shown at 10% zoom level. To evaluate how the file will look, you need to zoom to 100%. Your image shows a very special case of thin dark grey lines. The perceived brightness depends severely on zoom level.

You need Designer Persona to access „Appearance Panel“ to add multiple strokes. Next, add this as „Style“ to style panel (on iPad under Layer FX). You can use this style directly in Publisher.

And keep it as feature : layers which don’t get exported.