Grouping Layers Affects Print

[Designer123]

Take a photo and make a print.  Then adjust the photo with Levels, Curves and masks and make a print.  Then group all the adjustment layers together and make another print.  You will notice that the print done after all the adjustment layers are grouped matches the print that was done without any adjustments.

 

That is the problem

[Old Bruce]

When I group like this:

I get your problem with export, however when I group like this:

I don't get your problem when I export.

I tend to not print so you may still see the problem when actually printing.

[Designer123]

I tried making the adjustment layers a child of the background but that did not work for me.  My workaround is to make the background layer a Child layer in the adjustment group I use for printing.  Thank you for your response.

[Gabe]

Hi both,

Sorry, but I cannot replicate this issue here. Can you please attach a document so we can have a look?

Thanks

Gabe.

[Designer123]

Here is the file.  thanks for looking at it.

test_layers.afphoto

[Gabe]

This is expected. You have a hidden pixel layer inside that group. Adjustment layers inside groups would only "Pass-through" if you don't have any other objects inside the group apart from those adjustments. Otherwise, the adjustments will be contained within the group, regardless of the layers' visibility. 

[Designer123]

I placed the pixel layer in the group so as to make the group work.  Without the Pixel layer in the group.  

 

To test, remove the pixel layer, select the adjustment layers in the group named printing and run a print.  Now turn off Printing group and run another print.  You will see that both prints look identical.

[Gabe]

Thanks. I managed to replicate it now. The workaround, for now, is to use the build-in mask of the adjustment layer instead of the mask layer. 

[Designer123]

Thanks Gabe.  Glad you say "for now".  Not being able to use the mask layers is tough :-).