Jump to content
You must now use your email address to sign in [click for more info] ×

Affinity Designer - Layers vs Groups?


Recommended Posts

Question has been asked countless times. Most answers reflecting the best efforts of people to provide an explanation, but hardly the official position or Serif's intended purpose for the two elements (Layers and Groups in Affinity Designer). If there is a clear explanation, I clearly missed it.

*I AM AWARE YOU WISH TO HELP, But if your answer is only relying on assumptions, or what you *think* it may be an explanation, please do not reply to this question. The reason for this request is that there is a lot of confusion in this area, so is time for a clear and definitive explanation. Thank you for your understanding.

My findings so far:

- both layers and groups can hold objects inside.

- a group can have layers under, and a layer can also have groups under

- when a grouped set of objects is selected and manipulated on the screen, it acts like an object (moves together, scale together).

- when an object on a layer is selected on the screen, it is being selected separately from the rest of the objects on the same layer. However, when the layer is being selected in Layers Panel, all elements are being selected and the selection behaves like it was a group.

- both layers and groups seem to respond the same to effects and other modifiers (unless I omitted to try certain features which may be specific only to one of the two)


Questions:

1. What are the punctual differences between Layers and Groups in AD?
2. When to use Layers and when to use Groups? - of course, the answer to this question will be logically derived from the first one.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Link to comment
Share on other sites

58 minutes ago, derei said:

Questions:

1. What are the punctual differences between Layers and Groups in AD?
2. When to use Layers and when to use Groups? - of course this second question will be logically derived from the first one.

There are no functional differences that I have come across.

I use layers for organizing and groups for gathering together those items I feel should be together all the time. 

Here is a quick graphic to show how I could use layers and groups.

2124056499_ScreenShot2020-09-29at9_22_42AM.png.7d9ed665eadd736b85c3701972859797.png

Mac Pro (Late 2013) Mac OS 12.7.4 
Affinity Designer 2.4.0 | Affinity Photo 2.4.0 | Affinity Publisher 2.4.0 | Beta versions as they appear.

I have never mastered color management, period, so I cannot help with that.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

18 minutes ago, telemax said:

The layer allows you to edit objects within itself, isolating them from others.

Great finding, thank you. I understand how this could be useful. So far, when I needed such functionality, I used to lock all other groups that might interact with my work. Bit tedious to go all locking and unlocking.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You can also assign colors to a (Layer) layer in the Layers panel, which will be inherited by objects contained within it. That may help you visually organize the Layers panel content.

image.png.dd9ea810906edd3aa2e940ec0282bf10.png

-- Walt
Designer, Photo, and Publisher V1 and V2 at latest retail and beta releases
PC:
    Desktop:  Windows 11 Pro, version 23H2, 64GB memory, AMD Ryzen 9 5900 12-Core @ 3.00 GHz, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 

    Laptop:  Windows 11 Pro, version 23H2, 32GB memory, Intel Core i7-10750H @ 2.60GHz, Intel UHD Graphics Comet Lake GT2 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU.
iPad:  iPad Pro M1, 12.9": iPadOS 17.4.1, Apple Pencil 2, Magic Keyboard 
Mac:  2023 M2 MacBook Air 15", 16GB memory, macOS Sonoma 14.4.1

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, derei said:

Serif's intended purpose for the two elements

 

 

 

Affinity Store (MSI/EXE): Affinity Suite (ADe, APh, APu) 2.4.0.2301
Dell OptiPlex 7060, i5-8500 3.00 GHz, 16 GB, Intel UHD Graphics 630, Dell P2417H 1920 x 1080, Windows 11 Pro, Version 23H2, Build 22631.3155.
Dell Latitude E5570, i5-6440HQ 2.60 GHz, 8 GB, Intel HD Graphics 530, 1920 x 1080, Windows 11 Pro, Version 23H2, Build 22631.3155.
Intel NUC5PGYH, Pentium N3700 2.40 GHz, 8 GB, Intel HD Graphics, EIZO EV2456 1920 x 1200, Windows 10 Pro, Version 21H1, Build 19043.2130.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The layer system in affinity designer and affinity publisher are a bit messy and cumbersome to use, this must be improved. Don't get me wrong I've been using these two products for a month and I am really enjoying working   with them, but the layers are cumbersome to use and having the pages in the same area of the layer is really confusing.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Guidelines | We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.