Lost add layer icon

[Vitaly Ne...]

Hello.
Thanks to the help of forum users and support, I got a trial version and am now exploring the possibilities.
Found the following:
- I don’t have the "Add Layer" button in the interface, but it is in the instructions.
Tell me how to display it? maybe where does it turn on? I have not found...
In PS, you can drag the layer onto this icon and it is duplicated, and here I have to go through the menu ... which is not very convenient ...
I know the combination of Ctrl + J ... but I'm used to it with the mouse ...)))

[walt.farrell]

16 minutes ago, Vitaly Ne... said:

I don’t have the "Add Layer" button in the interface, but it is in the instructions

Photo does not have an Add Layer icon.

Perhaps you're looking at instructions for Designer, rather than Photo?

In any case, you can't drag anything onto that icon in Designer to duplicate a layer. You'd have to use the Layer menu or the right-click context menu.

[Vitaly Ne...]

2 hours ago, walt.farrell said:

Photo does not have an Add Layer icon.

Perhaps you're looking at instructions for Designer, rather than Photo?

In any case, you can't drag anything onto that icon in Designer to duplicate a layer. You'd have to use the Layer menu or the right-click context menu.

Thanks.
It is a pity that there is no icon, I will get used to using hot keys or through the menu ...)))

  the instruction looked from the file: affinity-quick-start-guide-171020191359.pdf
(I can upload it here or into the cloud, for example, if necessary) - it seems to be according to the Photo

p.s. I decided to show here))) (there on page 15 this picture)

affinity-quick-start-guide-171020191359.pdf

[GarryP]

That document seems to be just a ‘taster’ for the Affinity range as a whole and uses examples from all three of the Affinity applications.
I don’t think it’s meant as a proper “quick start guide”, or a set of instructions, as it doesn’t really tell you how to use anything. It’s more like just a bit of marketing.
As Walt said above, the icon you are looking for is only available in Designer and Publisher.
If you want to learn how to use the applications you can start by watching the official videos https://affinity.serif.com/en-gb/learn/ and then doing a web search for the application you are using, e.g. “affinity photo tutorial”.

[walt.farrell]

2 hours ago, GarryP said:

If you want to learn how to use the applications you can start by watching the official videos https://affinity.serif.com/en-gb/learn/ and then doing a web search for the application you are using, e.g. “affinity photo tutorial”.

Or by selecting Help > Tutorial... from any Affinity application.

[R C-R]

On 3/26/2020 at 9:06 PM, Vitaly Ne... said:

It is a pity that there is no icon, I will get used to using hot keys or through the menu ...

In the Affinity apps, a "(Layer)" -- note the capital "L" -- is a type of container layer, sort of like a "(Group)" container layer. They are useful for organizational purposes & you will often see them in files you import from other apps, but you do not have to use them in your own work (& of course you can't create them in Affinity Photo anyway).

So for example, if you create a new document in Affinity Photo, you can immediately start adding vector shapes or text to it. They will each appear on their own layer in the Layer panel automatically, without any need to create a "(Layer)" layer first to put them in. You can also set the Assistant to automatically add a "(Pixel)" layer if you begin using a paint tool with no layer selected:

Likewise, you can add "(Fill)" or "(Image)" layers directly to the document.

If you open a file in Affinity Photo that has its layers contained in a "(Layer)" like this Layers.afphoto one & you do not want to keep its layers organized into that 'parent' layer, you can do that as well. The easiest way is on the Layers panel to expand the "(Layer)" so its child layers are visible, select all of them, right-click to pop up the context menu, & click "Release."

Once you get used to this way of working, you may wonder why certain other apps make you put everything into layers.

[Vitaly Ne...]

3 hours ago, R C-R said:

In the Affinity apps, a "(Layer)" -- note the capital "L" -- is a type of container layer, sort of like a "(Group)" container layer. They are useful for organizational purposes & you will often see them in files you import from other apps, but you do not have to use them in your own work (& of course you can't create them in Affinity Photo anyway).

So for example, if you create a new document in Affinity Photo, you can immediately start adding vector shapes or text to it. They will each appear on their own layer in the Layer panel automatically, without any need to create a "(Layer)" layer first to put them in. You can also set the Assistant to automatically add a "(Pixel)" layer if you begin using a paint tool with no layer selected:

Likewise, you can add "(Fill)" or "(Image)" layers directly to the document.

If you open a file in Affinity Photo that has its layers contained in a "(Layer)" like this Layers.afphoto one & you do not want to keep its layers organized into that 'parent' layer, you can do that as well. The easiest way is on the Layers panel to expand the "(Layer)" so its child layers are visible, select all of them, right-click to pop up the context menu, & click "Release."

Once you get used to this way of working, you may wonder why certain other apps make you put everything into layers.

Thanks for the clarifications.
It will be useful for me to know these features of the editor for the future.
How to ungroup layers and how to assemble them into a group is familiar to me.
For all the time I worked in editors, I never accustomed myself to using the "hot keys", alas ...
In the same PS, for example, it was easier for me to drag a layer onto the icon with a “+” than to press Ctrl + J. I also used to create new layers myself if necessary, either through the menu or to the same button with “+” ...
It's just that everyone gets used to some kind of operations and actions, and then, if the interface is different in another program, then you experience inconvenience.
I understand that automatic layer creation is sometimes useful, but I think more for those who are engaged in design and layout ... I’m exclusively processing photos (without texts ... without collages ... etc.)
Therefore, the lack of this button in the interface was embarrassing ... because. She is constantly in demand with me.
Of course I’ll try to adapt to the new interface and chips, but so far with difficulty ...)))

[R C-R]

8 minutes ago, Vitaly Ne... said:

I’m exclusively processing photos (without texts ... without collages ... etc.)
Therefore, the lack of this button in the interface was embarrassing ...

Why would you need that button (or any extra layers) if you are just processing photos? If your photos are in any supported RAW format or JPEGs, just open them with Affinity Photo -- there is no need to create a layer to put them in.

[Vitaly Ne...]

By the way, in PS, I’m also used to creating a copy of the layer myself before each action. And on it already carry out a certain operation (on each one) and then constantly group them.
For example: Group - skin retouching, Group - tinting, Group - Dodge and burn, .. etc.
  But what is implemented here is not very convenient for me yet ...
All the same, it seems to me that editors are more for designers than conceived for photographers.
Perhaps I’ll work a little longer and get used to the nuances.)))

[Vitaly Ne...]

30 minutes ago, R C-R said:

Why would you need that button (or any extra layers) if you are just processing photos? If your photos are in any supported RAW format or JPEGs, just open them with Affinity Photo -- there is no need to create a layer to put them in.

I'm talking about the fact that when the photo is already open, and for example I need to make a duplicate of the layer ... in the PS, I just dragged the layer with the mouse on the "+" icon and that’s it ... but here you have to get used to the hot keys through the menu or (Ctrl+J)....)))

It’s just that if for years I’ve gotten used to certain buttons ... actions ... then in the new editor their absence or another implementation causes discomfort ... maybe at first ...)))

[RNKLN]

1 hour ago, Vitaly Ne... said:

but here you have to get used to the hot keys through the menu or (Ctrl+J)....)))

Or use the right mouse button and select Duplicate.

[R C-R]

Affinity Photo is designed first & foremost for editing photos, & to do so non-destructively where possible.

For example, Live Filters & Adjustments are implemented as layers which can be reselected at any time to change their properties, or to turn them on or off. They also have built-in masks that can be used to confine their effects to just certain parts of the document or to the layer(s) they are applied to. See for example the Masking adjustment layers & Live filter layers video tutorials to watch demonstrations of how this works. 

This by itself will greatly reduce the need to constantly make copies of the photo layer or group them, which not only is a cumbersome, inefficient workflow, it also bloats the file size greatly.

Of course, using the brush tools is destructive, so for that you will have to duplicate the photo layer (& get used to using the keyboard shortcuts or menu commands for that) but there are several ways of duplicating only parts of the photo & layering the document that also help simplify & organize your documents.

There is even a Snapshot feature & an Undo Brush Tool that selectively allows you to revert parts of the photo to any previous 'snapshotted' state.

It does take getting used to but if you spend a little time experimenting with these techniques, you may discover it is a simpler, faster way to work.

P.S. All the links above are to the Russian language versions, which I hope will be most useful to you.

[Vitaly Ne...]

1 hour ago, RNKLN said:

Or use the right mouse button and select Duplicate.

Oh sure. There are always alternatives))). Simply, time is needed to understand and get used to it ...

[Vitaly Ne...]

1 hour ago, R C-R said:

Affinity Photo is designed first & foremost for editing photos, & to do so non-destructively where possible.

For example, Live Filters & Adjustments are implemented as layers which can be reselected at any time to change their properties, or to turn them on or off. They also have built-in masks that can be used to confine their effects to just certain parts of the document or to the layer(s) they are applied to. See for example the Masking adjustment layers & Live filter layers video tutorials to watch demonstrations of how this works. 

This by itself will greatly reduce the need to constantly make copies of the photo layer or group them, which not only is a cumbersome, inefficient workflow, it also bloats the file size greatly.

Of course, using the brush tools is destructive, so for that you will have to duplicate the photo layer (& get used to using the keyboard shortcuts or menu commands for that) but there are several ways of duplicating only parts of the photo & layering the document that also help simplify & organize your documents.

There is even a Snapshot feature & an Undo Brush Tool that selectively allows you to revert parts of the photo to any previous 'snapshotted' state.

It does take getting used to but if you spend a little time experimenting with these techniques, you may discover it is a simpler, faster way to work.

P.S. All the links above are to the Russian language versions, which I hope will be most useful to you.

Thanks for the detailed and detailed answers. I agree with you that if at first it seems uncomfortable and unusual, then eventually understanding of convenience will probably come ...
p.s. Thank you for the links. I think that many are more comfortable if there are manuals and instructions in their native language). This is also a "plus" to the creators of the program, which is sympathetic to users.

Thanks to everyone who responded and gave advice. As a newcomer, I am pleased that there is such a friendly and active support from the community.
All success, good health and good mood! and I went to learn the editor)))

[R C-R]

31 minutes ago, Vitaly Ne... said:

Simply, time is needed to understand and get used to it ...

There are a lot of resources available that will help reduce the time needed, including the built-in & online help, the official & third party video tutorials, paid & free online training classes, & of course this forum.

I think the biggest problem for a lot of new users is figuring out how to find the resource(s) that will be the most helpful for them. For that, the support this forum offers, both from the staff & a lot of other users, is the best way to go.