Smart objects?

[photoshop1.0]

Is there a way to create a "smart object" from two pixel-based layers in Photo? This option does not seem to exist by right-clicking layers in the layers panel.

[walt.farrell]

The equivalent of a Smart Object in Photo is an embedded native Affinity file (that is, a .afphoto, .afdesign, or .afpub file).

And no, you can't get that by right-clicking in the Layers panel.

You could (though it is clearly more cumbersome):

• Select both layers
• Copy (or Cut)
• File > New from Clipboard
• File > Save As a new .afphoto file.
• Switch back to the original document, and (if you used Copy above) delete the two layers.
• File > Place the .afphoto file that you saved above.

[telemax]

Initially, each pixel layer in Affinity behaves like a Smart Object in Photoshop. It is not rasterized automatically when re-scaling.

[walt.farrell]

24 minutes ago, telemax said:

Initially, each pixel layer in Affinity behaves like a Smart Object in Photoshop. It is not rasterized automatically when re-scaling.

Which may be the ultimate answer to another of @photoshop1.0's posts:

 

[photoshop1.0]

On 5/8/2020 at 3:51 PM, telemax said:

Initially, each pixel layer in Affinity behaves like a Smart Object in Photoshop. It is not rasterized automatically when re-scaling.

That's good to know — thanks.

I look forward to experimenting with that capability.

[photoshop1.0]

On 5/8/2020 at 2:19 PM, walt.farrell said:

The equivalent of a Smart Object in Photo is an embedded native Affinity file (that is, a .afphoto, .afdesign, or .afpub file).

And no, you can't get that by right-clicking in the Layers panel.

You could (though it is clearly more cumbersome):

• Select both layers
• Copy (or Cut)
• File > New from Clipboard
• File > Save As a new .afphoto file.
• Switch back to the original document, and (if you used Copy above) delete the two layers.
• File > Place the .afphoto file that you saved above.

That is worth a try — thanks.

I really do hope that Serif will build in a right-click menu option for this capability, though. It only makes sense, given how useful it is in the competitor's app.

[telemax]

You can work much faster, using symbols. You can edit layers without going to another document.

Symbol_1.afdesign