Outlined Text into Compound Path

[BusterK]

Hi,

was wondering if it's possible to create a compound path of NOT overlapping elements like outlined text in Affinity Designer?

In Illustrator the layers look like that after the command - reduced to one layer

 

Rather than that in Affinity Designer - every letter is a layer

 

 

 

[Alfred]

Welcome to the Serif Affinity Forums, @BusterK.

Go to the Layers panel, click on the first layer in the group and then Shift-click on the last layer so that those two layers and all the layers in between are selected. Option/Alt-clicking on the ‘Add’ button in the Geometry section of the toolbar will create a Compound object from the selected layers.

[BusterK]

Hi Alfred,

 

that's awesome!

Thanks for your quick support! 🙌

[Grozev]

2 minutes ago, Alfred said:

Welcome to the Serif Affinity Forums, @BusterK.

Go to the Layers panel, click on the first layer in the group and then Shift-click on the last layer so that those two layers and all the layers in between are selected. Option/Alt-clicking on the ‘Add’ button in the Geometry section of the toolbar will create a Compound object from the selected layers.

Hey, Alfred

What's the difference between this and selecting all of the objects and using Add without holding Option/Alt? If using your example, does it need to be converted to a single curves layer before exporting or is it good to go?

[Alfred]

1 hour ago, Grozev said:

What's the difference between this and selecting all of the objects and using Add without holding Option/Alt?

The OP specifically asked about creating a compound path, but even if (as in this case) there are no overlapping objects you get a less flexible result when you use ‘Add’ on its own. Although you can ‘Separate Curves’ to split up the objects again, it’s all or nothing, unlike a Compound object where you can release individual components.