Please please please...

[zBernie]

Add a button that can be clicked to view the original photo before edits and layers are added.

[Pšenda]

"Please please please...." - a very useful topic name.

[John Rostron]

@zBernie, first let me comment on your suggestion. You could use the history panel and alternate between looking at your document in its ready-to-print and pre-edit state. If you create a Snapshot, that would make it even easier. If you had a button, how would it know how far back in your History to go? A button to revert to your last Snapshot would be relevant.

@Pšenda does have a valid point. Using meaningful names such as (in your case) "Button to view pre-edit document" helps others to see if your post is of interest. In particular, if I came back to your posting next time and saw that there had been a response, I would be able to see if it was on a topic that I was interested in following. (Note that I could tell that I had replied to your posting because the message would be flagged with a star in the left margin rather than a round bullet.)

You can change your message title by using the Edit link at the end of your original message.

John

[fde101]

50 minutes ago, John Rostron said:

If you had a button, how would it know how far back in your History to go?

It is kind of curious how many requests on this forum are for functionality that belongs to non-destructive editing tools (such as this particular request).  Affinity Photo is by nature a destructive editing tool, so the "original" photo is lost after it is edited, making this feature request contrary to the nature of the software.

As per your suggestion, you could pull the data via the history/undo/snapshots mechanism, but that too will only go so far back as history exists, which means that unless the user has the option enabled to save history in the document file (making the document file that much larger in the process), the data will only exist back to where the document was most recently opened.

What might work out a bit better would be a feature to compare the image with a selected snapshot, or possibly with the oldest available historic version of the image, either by flipping the entire view between the historic version and the current one by splitting the display with a movable divider, similar to the one currently available in the Develop persona.

[carl123]

Please see zBernie's previous recent post where he has already had many suggestions/replies

I think this new post is just his feature request for "a button" - so probably no need to reply with "workarounds" in this thread

 

[dominik]

On 1/13/2021 at 12:34 AM, zBernie said:

Add a button that can be clicked to view the original photo before edits and layers are added.

Hello @zBernie,

I want to suggest the following workflow:

• Once you opened your original photo duplicate the layer by pressing CTRL+j.
• Then untick it's visibility checkbox in the layers panel.
• Make all your adjustments (distructive or non distructive) you want. Just make sure the copy of the original photo is at the top of the stack of layers.
• For comparison of your edits with the original just tick the visibility checkbox of the original photo.

This is close to a single button you are asking for and overcomes all eventualities with saved or not saved history of your file.

d.

[Pšenda]

19 minutes ago, dominik said:

Then untick it's visibility checkbox in the layers panel.

I would also recommend locking the layer to prevent unwanted modification of the original. Unfortunately, Affinity still can't protect the contents of a locked layer.

 

 

[zBernie]

On 1/17/2021 at 1:28 PM, dominik said:

Hello @zBernie,

I want to suggest the following workflow:

• Once you opened your original photo duplicate the layer by pressing CTRL+j.
• Then untick it's visibility checkbox in the layers panel.
• Make all your adjustments (distructive or non distructive) you want. Just make sure the copy of the original photo is at the top of the stack of layers.
• For comparison of your edits with the original just tick the visibility checkbox of the original photo.

This is close to a single button you are asking for and overcomes all eventualities with saved or not saved history of your file.

d.

Thanks for your suggestion.  I've done what you suggested, and it works.  The only problem is once you are dealing with a lot of layers there's a lot of unchecking and checking to perform.

[PaulEC]

On 1/12/2021 at 11:34 PM, zBernie said:

Add a button that can be clicked to view the original photo before edits and layers are added.

One of the easiest things is to work on a copy and look at the original if you want to compare them!

[zBernie]

1 minute ago, PaulEC said:

One of the easiest things is to work on a copy and look at the original if you want to compare them!

Thanks, I've done that too.

[dominik]

45 minutes ago, zBernie said:

The only problem is once you are dealing with a lot of layers there's a lot of unchecking and checking to perform.

Hi @zBernie,

not if you keep the original at the top of the layer stack. If turned on with on click it covers all other edits and layers below.

Another hint: you can mark (highlight) multiple layers in the layerpanel and with one click on one of the marked layers they are all switched on and off together.

d.

[walt.farrell]

7 minutes ago, dominik said:

not if you keep the original at the top of the layer stack. If turned on with on click it covers all other edits and layers below.

You can also leave it at the bottom, and just Alt-click on its layer thumbnail to enter isolation mode when you want to view it.

[Jowday]

On 1/13/2021 at 12:34 AM, zBernie said:

Add a button that can be clicked to view the original photo before edits and layers are added.

I think you are asking for something like this - screenshot from Photoshop - an easy way to return to the initial file before the editing started. In Photoshop it is the highlighted area - hard to miss with the mouse - and a one click operation:

In Affinity you have to scroll the history slider to the left - or click all the way to the left - the Photoshop way just makes it more intuitive.

Well, you are probably asking for a compare button. Would make sense in Photo. Not so much in Designer.

[zBernie]

2 hours ago, Jowday said:

I think you are asking for something like this - screenshot from Photoshop - an easy way to return to the initial file before the editing started. In Photoshop it is the highlighted area - hard to miss with the mouse - and a one click operation:

In Affinity you have to scroll the history slider to the left - or click all the way to the left - the Photoshop way just makes it more intuitive.

Well, you are probably asking for a compare button. Would make sense in Photo. Not so much in Designer.

Yes.  Similarly in Photo Studio there is a "Show Original" button.  You can click it anytime to quickly see the original before edits.  Affinity Photo maintains a history, it should not be too difficult to implement.

[Jowday]

21 minutes ago, zBernie said:

Yes.  Similarly in Photo Studio there is a "Show Original" button.  You can click it anytime to quickly see the original before edits.  Affinity Photo maintains a history, it should not be too difficult to implement.

Probably. Would make even more sense if it could (also) compare to a user defined step in the edit history (similar to how you select undo brush source).