Clone Tool - problem cloning areas with transparency

[JM72]

Hi

I'm having problems with the Clone Tool - it would be great if someone could help...

I've set up an example file with only one layer to demonstrate the problem. I'm sure I'm just missing something really simple, but for the life of me I can't find the problem...

Basically, I'm trying to use the Clone tool on a layer with transparency. I select the source location with the Alt key in the usual way, but when I start cloning elsewhere on the same layer, the existing image in the destination area is not deleted. Rather, the source image is being overlaid with its transparency, and the existing image underneath remains in place unchanged.

As you can see in the example file, I am trying to clone from a light area to delete the dark spot on the right. There is only 1 layer in the file, Opacity, Flow and Hardness are all at 100%, Source is set to Current Layer, and the blending mode is set to Normal. Just so you know, black is the pixels, and white is the transparency (white background)

This is extremely annoying because I often need to Clone areas along with their alpha information, deleting what's already there (exactly as what happens when there's no transparency). In Photoshop, the Clone tool always works as expected.

Am I missing something obvious, or is this a software limitation? Any help would be gratefully received.

Cheers guys

Jens

[MEB]

Hi @JM72,
Welcome to Affinity Forums
It's possible it's an issue with the brush being used. Make sure you select one from the Basic category. Let me know if it doesn't fix the issue.

[JM72]

Hi - cheers, and thanks for your reply.

Yes, I forgot to mention, it was a basic brush I was using. I tried hard ones, soft ones, big ones, small ones - same result... the cloned image is added on top of the existing image, rather than replacing it...

[Old Bruce]

Check the brush you are using and make sure the Accumulation is set to 100%. To check this select the brush you want to use and double click on it. This setting of 26% will give me a similar result to what you show.

[JM72]

Hi Old Bruce - thanks for your reply.

Same result, I'm afraid... I'm using a Basic brush with Opacity, Flow and Accumulation all at 100% (and no brush dynamics), but the existing image at the destination area is completely unchanged, and the cloned image is simply overlaid with its transparency.

While playing around trying to find an answer, it kind of felt to me like my problem I'm experiencing is what the Affinity Photo actually does in all situations (i.e. simply overlay the clone on to the original, without replacing the original), but when the cloned image is 100% opaque, you don't notice because the clone covers the original.

As I said, this is only a problem on layers with alpha/transparency...

But surely that can't be the case? That would make Clone useless for all but 100% opaque layers.

Cheers

[MEB]

Hi @JM72,
I've reproduced this here. I believe this is working as intended/designed but i see why i would be useful if it worked as you want as well. Let me check with the dev team. Thanks for raising this issue.

[Old Bruce]

I find it odd that I haven't noticed this before. Thanks for pointing it out.

[JM72]

Thanks so much for investigating, guys - really appreciate it. Sorting this would be a wonderful and incredibly useful tweak, as I think that's how most people (myself included) would expect the Clone tool to work.

Cheers

Jens