curves disappear after trying to use the add tool

[Rachel75]

I have been having this problem a lot. I make designs that will be cut with a laser. This will be a sign and I need the words to connect to each other where the t and the m are touching and I need both words to connect to circle. When I select the layers, and click the add tool, my words disappear. Like I said, this happens to me often when I attempt to do this, so I must be doing something wrong or I am missing a step in the process. 

[Gear maker]

40 minutes ago, Rachel75 said:

I have been having this problem a lot. I make designs that will be cut with a laser. This will be a sign and I need the words to connect to each other where the t and the m are touching and I need both words to connect to circle. When I select the layers, and click the add tool, my words disappear. Like I said, this happens to me often when I attempt to do this, so I must be doing something wrong or I am missing a step in the process. 

Could your selection also include the circle?  Can you make sure only the letters are in the groups selected?

[Rachel75]

@Gear maker Yes, only the word is included in the groups. The letters have all been added together already for each word, so within the group is just the word as a whole. The letters are no longer individual. So now I just need to add both words and the circle so that it is one connected piece. 

[Alfred]

Instead of selecting the ‘Group’ layers, expand the groups in the Layers panel and select the letters within those groups. Then add the selected letters to the elliptical outline layer.

[Old Bruce]

I  am not certain that you want to Add the letters to the Ellipse. I think you want to subtract the letters from the Ellipse. Then just give the object a stroke and no fill.

[Rachel75]

@Alfred that is what I originally wanted to do, but it wouldn't allow me to select the word within the group (it is no longer individual letters within the group because I added them together so the letters are all connected now, so the only thing in the group is the entire word). When I would try to select the word within the group, it would automatically highlight the group instead. 

[Rachel75]

@Old Bruce it doesn't give me an option to subtract. I'm sure I am doing something wrong, but I just can't figure it out. Is there a way that I can upload the file to where anyone on the forum can work with my actual file and figure this out. I don't know how to do that with Affinity. What kind of file would I have to upload it as?

[Rachel75]

@Old Bruce also, maybe the way I explained it was confusing, but the parts of the letters that intersect with the ellipse, and the parts of the letters that intersect with other letters, those are the parts that I want to add together. I need the words and the ellipse to all be connected. 

[G13RL]

@Rachel75, make "Expand Stroke" with the ellipse before making "Add" between it and the words.

[Rachel75]

@G13RL I have already done "expand stroke" on the ellipse. I have a feeling my problem is the fact that I am selecting the group, instead of the word within the group, but it is not allowing me to select the word within the group. It just automatically highlights the group instead. I could be wrong, but that's the only thing I can think of at this point. Do you know why it wouldn't allow me to select the word within the group? Is there a way that I can upload my file so that you or someone else can actually work within my file to find a solution?

[G13RL]

Ungroup the letters before adding them together, "Add" does not work with groups.

 

You can drag your file directly into the blue zone when you write your message or search for it on your computer to add it with "Choose files".
 

[lepr]

17 minutes ago, Rachel75 said:

Is there a way that I can upload my file so that you or someone else can actually work within my file to find a solution?

Yes, use the area with a paper clip icon near the bottom of the message editor.

[ronanski]

I have this problem too! it happens all the time! It only seems to work occasionally if i only select 2 objects, but iv got an image now with about a hundred that i want to unite so cannot do that individually and it keeps disappearing! I know I am doing it right because I do the same thing with just a couple and it works fine. So is this a bug?