Modify a 'target' object by destructively 'clipping' with a second object

[BrettD]

Hi Serif,

 

I am switching to AD/AP and I am not quite grasping the logic associated with 'clipping', nor understanding the behaviour of objects in a layer when performing boolean operations. I have been a Corel Draw (CD) user for many years, so my brain is perhaps too hard wired to see the obvious. A couple of things:

1. An important part of my workflow is the need to 'clip' (cut-out) complexly shaped objects from a 'target object'. In CD the logic is: move the object to use as the 'clipping' object over a 'target' object, select both objects (the target always second), then simply click on the appropriate button to perform the clipping, which is destructive. The only way I can see to do this in AD is to place the new object over the target (in the wanted position), copy the clipping object to the clipboard, then select both objects, perform the Subtract boolean operation, then paste the original object back. This basically doubles the amount of work I have to do and adds considerably to the time it takes to complete a graphic element, especially where the latter is (often) very complex. My question is: is there a quicker way to do this?
2. When performing the boolean operation as described above, the 'target' object changes position in its host layer - upwards. Why does this happen? Surely the position of an object in the hierarchy shouldn't change relative to any other ('younger') daughter objects once it has been drawn. Once I worked out what was happening it became clear that even more clicks were required to complete a complex graphic/layer. 
3. I can clip in one click using the Divide boolean operation if the object I'm clipping with overlaps the edge of the target object. If it doesn't, then Divide simply duplicates the object being used to clip target object and places it behind that target, leaving the latter intact. So two different things happen using the same boolean function. Not understanding this. Can I make Divide destructive on the first go, if I want to use a smaller object 'internally' within the target object?

What am I missing here? In AD the 'clipping' process is very cumbersome, and somewhat irritating to be truthful, compared to CD, but I am persisting with it. I would love to see this functionality streamlined and basically made simpler. I have attached an image that graphically illustrates points 1 & 2 above. 

 

Thanks for your patience in reading all of this and I look forward to being educated. Again.

 

Cheers

Clipping issue.afphoto

[A_B_C]

Hi Brett,

 

as far as I understand you want to subtract the circles from the rectangle in your example, but keep the circles themselves. Well, I believe you should be able to do this using the Divide operation. But there are reports that Divide is broken when applied to shapes that lie completely within the boundaries of other shapes:

 

https://forum.affinity.serif.com/index.php?/topic/1319-unexpected-results-using-divide/

 

But as far as I know, Matt is currently reworking the Boolean operations, so I guess you should be able to use Divide for your use case in the future, unless I am completely mistaken …

 

When performing the boolean operation as described above, the ‘target’ object changes position in its host layer - upwards. Why does this happen?

 

Please have in mind that the result of a boolean operation is always a new object (at least in the cases when an object is created at all), and this new object will assume the place of the topmost of the combined objects in the layers hierarchy … does that make sense? Please correct me, when I am wrong about this …

 

Cheers, Alex  :)

[BrettD]

Thanks Alex.

 

Yes, you understood correctly and thanks for the link.

 

I figured that there was something wrong, because the Divide operation does two different things depending on where the object you want to use to cut the target object lies (across the target object's boundary, or within the boundary of the target object). I hope that AD gets this right - would help me big time.

 

By extension from your comment, in Corel Draw I assume that the 'new' object is the one that has had something 'cut out' of it, not a completely new one. The position of the target object does not change, even though it has been modified. I'd like to see an option that allows the preservation of the position of the object that had the boolean operation applied to it in its original position in the layer hierarchy. It must be possible, as CD manages to do it.

 

Thanks for taking the time to reply! Cheers!

 

Brett