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Photo: Cannot select mask layer anymore


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Hi!

In the previous versions of Photo, I was able to double click on a mask layer (underneath an existing layer) to select it and to paint in that layer.
Now I am not able anymore. I cannot select just the layer, only the parent layer. What's wrong? I also tried all those key control hacks, but none worked.

How can I re-select a mask layer again to paint in?
Thanks.

Affinity Photo/Designer/Publisher V2
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Hi,

There seems to be something odd and confusing with the selection color/background color.


If you add a new mask, the entire background color of the entry is selected (not the parent layer, this is still dark grexy).
There is this grey-blue background in the mask layer:
01.jpg.39511be0a647f535373f548398650477.jpg

 

If you unselect the layer (for some work on other layers) and
then skip back to the mask by simple clicking on the mask thumbnail (I do not want to only see the mask, but work on the mask layer while seeing the effect on the parent layer),
then the parent and the mask are selected (grey-blue background color) which is kind of confusing:
02.jpg.5bc363e0a42021ed287176de0dcae21f.jpg


I expected the same selection/effect when coming back to the mask as depicted in the first picture. I am sure this was in previous versions of Photo.

Affinity Photo/Designer/Publisher V2
Windows 10 Pro, 64 GB RAM
AMD Ryzen 9 3900X (12x 3.8 GHz), MSI X570 Unify
GeForce RTX 2070 Super 8 GB, NVIDIA driver version 471.41 (Studio)

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When you add a mask it becomes immediately active = blue background color.
Then use a black or white or grey brush to conceal or reveal parts of the parent layer.
To refine the mask itself,  ALT click on the mask thumbnail.
When you're done refining the mask, click on the parent layer.
 

 

 

 

Affinity Photo  2.3.1

Laptop MSI Prestige PS42
Windows 11 Home 23H2 (Build 22631.3007) - Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-8565U CPU @ 1.80GHz   2.00 GHz - RAM 16,0 GB

 

 
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34 minutes ago, JeffreyWalther said:

I expected the same selection/effect when coming back to the mask as depicted in the first picture. I am sure this was in previous versions of Photo.

Just checked 1.6 and it's the same as it is in 1.7 and 1.8 (beta)

To save time I am currently using an automated AI to reply to some posts on this forum. If any of "my" posts are wrong or appear to be total b*ll*cks they are the ones generated by the AI. If correct they were probably mine. I apologise for any mistakes made by my AI - I'm sure it will improve with time.

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28 minutes ago, carl123 said:

Just checked 1.6 and it's the same as it is in 1.7 and 1.8 (beta)

Behaviour makes no sense at all. It should look the same.
That's what happens at the moment:
First time:
B.jpg.9b7031f51f20af5bbacf2fc5932f23ab.jpg

Re-selected:
A.jpg.ff11e533e5098942be823bc3d9fa236f.jpg



It should look the same for first time creation, also the same when re-selected.
If you work 30min on a mask, painting in it while only the mask layer has this gray-blue tint, you get used to it.
But if you re-select the mask by clicking the thumbnail to continue painting, you see this gray-blue tint on both layers (parent + mask).
So you think all the time that you haven't properly selected the mask and you think you are going to paint on the parent layer.

I criticize the visual feedback.

 

Affinity Photo/Designer/Publisher V2
Windows 10 Pro, 64 GB RAM
AMD Ryzen 9 3900X (12x 3.8 GHz), MSI X570 Unify
GeForce RTX 2070 Super 8 GB, NVIDIA driver version 471.41 (Studio)

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25 minutes ago, JeffreyWalther said:

I criticize the visual feedback.

When you first add the Mask it stands out as it is the only highlighted item in your layers stack, which makes it easy to see where you just put it.

When you reselect the Mask it highlights other layers that are affected by, grouped with, that Mask so you can immediately see what you are affecting.  In a busy layers panel this looks advantageous to me.

Likewise, If you subsequently drag an existing  Mask to another position it will initially be the only item highlighted which again makes it easy to see what you are moving and to where.

I see what you are saying but for me, I prefer the way the Devs have designed it now

I salute the visual feedback.

 

layers.png

To save time I am currently using an automated AI to reply to some posts on this forum. If any of "my" posts are wrong or appear to be total b*ll*cks they are the ones generated by the AI. If correct they were probably mine. I apologise for any mistakes made by my AI - I'm sure it will improve with time.

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Well.... so for grouping (affected layers) it would make sense to also give the parent entry that gray-blue background from the beginning (when creating a mask). The mask itself is already highlighted by bright blue background. But having this, I would not be confused by the double tinted backgrounds anymore (as they do not exist by the first time I create the mask).

Affinity Photo/Designer/Publisher V2
Windows 10 Pro, 64 GB RAM
AMD Ryzen 9 3900X (12x 3.8 GHz), MSI X570 Unify
GeForce RTX 2070 Super 8 GB, NVIDIA driver version 471.41 (Studio)

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On 10/21/2019 at 5:13 AM, carl123 said:

I see what you are saying but for me, I prefer the way the Devs have designed it now

I would agree with this except for one thing: when reselecting the mask using the Dark UI option the highlight on the other affected layers has such low contrast that it is practically invisible. >:(

All 3 1.10.8, & all 3 V2.4.1 Mac apps; 2020 iMac 27"; 3.8GHz i7, Radeon Pro 5700, 32GB RAM; macOS 10.15.7
Affinity Photo 
1.10.8; Affinity Designer 1.108; & all 3 V2 apps for iPad; 6th Generation iPad 32 GB; Apple Pencil; iPadOS 15.7

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  • 10 months later...
36 minutes ago, mraebraun said:

I try this and get the background layer with it. The two won't separate

You must click on the thumbnail of the mask layer in the Layers panel. Clicking anywhere else will select both the parent & the mask child layer.

All 3 1.10.8, & all 3 V2.4.1 Mac apps; 2020 iMac 27"; 3.8GHz i7, Radeon Pro 5700, 32GB RAM; macOS 10.15.7
Affinity Photo 
1.10.8; Affinity Designer 1.108; & all 3 V2 apps for iPad; 6th Generation iPad 32 GB; Apple Pencil; iPadOS 15.7

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  • 1 year later...

I have Mac OS Big Sur and I couldn't select the mask layer only, whenever I tried the alt+click it always selected both the parent layer and mask layer. I tried several other key combinations and clicks and nothing worked. What I did was to go to the history and select the mask application where only the mask could be selected, from there I deselect with command + D and work with what I needed. This definitely needs to be fixed.

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2 hours ago, Karlita said:

I have Mac OS Big Sur and I couldn't select the mask layer only, whenever I tried the alt+click it always selected both the parent layer and mask layer.

Alt clicking is not how it works. You must click on the thumbnail of the mask, the one with the small mask layer icon in its lower right corner. It sounds like you are clicking on the thumbnail of the parent object. That will select it & its children.

All 3 1.10.8, & all 3 V2.4.1 Mac apps; 2020 iMac 27"; 3.8GHz i7, Radeon Pro 5700, 32GB RAM; macOS 10.15.7
Affinity Photo 
1.10.8; Affinity Designer 1.108; & all 3 V2 apps for iPad; 6th Generation iPad 32 GB; Apple Pencil; iPadOS 15.7

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