Affinity Photo: How to convert layers/groups to embedded without saving them?

[Christoph Werner]

Hi.

I have installed version 1.9.0.932 on my Windows 10 pc.

What I miss is the ability to convert selected layer/groups to embedded. Is there a way to do this by one click?

 

I know we have the link function now, bit it's not that flexible like embedded files.

Before you answer: I already know the workaround to save a file temporary and import it back to have it embedded or linked. But I would like to avoid all the steps to save some layers to a file, just to make them embedded.

Actually I miss the Smart Objects function, known from Adobe Photoshop. In my opinion Affinity has already implemented all the needed tools to offer a "Convert selected layers/groups to embedded" function to users.

Best wishes
Chris

[Joachim_L]

Maybe I am getting not your point here. You can turn any linked resource to embedded and vice versa (except for some file types). With APu in Document >> Resource Manager or with AD / AP in View >> Resource Manager.

Please explain more, if this is not what you need.

[telemax]

Hi

51 minutes ago, Christoph Werner said:

Is there a way to do this by one click?

No

 

[walt.farrell]

However, in Publisher you can convert a pixel layer into an Embedded (Image) layer via the new Layer > Convert to Image Resource function.

[Christoph Werner]

On 2/8/2021 at 2:47 PM, walt.farrell said:

However, in Publisher you can convert a pixel layer into an Embedded (Image) layer via the new Layer > Convert to Image Resource function.

Thank you, but I meant Affinity Photo.

[Christoph Werner]

On 2/8/2021 at 11:14 AM, Joachim_L said:

Maybe I am getting not your point here. You can turn any linked resource to embedded and vice versa (except for some file types). With APu in Document >> Resource Manager or with AD / AP in View >> Resource Manager.

Please explain more, if this is not what you need.

Thank you for the answer, but that's not what I need.

As I explained I need a way to convert several existing project layers or an existing layer group into an embedded object, so you can use the embedded layer for instancing. The same way like creating Smart Objects in Adobe Photoshop, for example.

To explain the possible steps:

1. Select a layer group or multiple layers

2. Convert the selection to one single "embedded layer"

-> Now you are able to duplicate the embedded layer to use it at several locations inside your project and have an nondestructive instance.

[prophet]

This sounds like what symbols are used for, no?

[Christoph Werner]

3 minutes ago, prophet said:

This sounds like what symbols are used for, no?

I don't know the symbols function in Affinity Photo. Where I can do this?

[Joachim_L]

1 minute ago, prophet said:

This sounds like what symbols are used for, no?

This is thoughts theft! Just what I thought. "Unfortunately" you need ADesigner as well to create symbols.

[Christoph Werner]

Thank you guys. So it seem not to be possible in Affinity Photo, yet. Maybe in the future.

So I will use the known workaround and save the needed layers into a temporary file and import them back embedded.

[redmermark]

Yes, yes, yes, I understand your pain. I was waiting alternative of smart objects in Affinity Designer for TWO YEARS, but it's still not here, which is a huge disappointment for me. This feature is THE ONLY reason, why i'm staying in this buggy and heavy Photoshop. Smart objects allow me to create interesting mockups, interesting hard compositions and do not loose the quality. While Affinity would not have 100% alternative for the smart objects unfortunately I will stay with photoshop. That's very sad, cause PS became toooo buggy.

And smart objects allows to use interesting, fresh and complicated mockups. 

Come on, Affinity! This is must-have killer feature for you! Lot of designers needed this! We're begging you!

[Graphic74]

I was searching the same thing, the only solution I found to replicate smart objects is to delete every layers you don't need (keep only those layers you would inside the smart object) then save the file as an independent afphoto file. Once you done that reopen your original file and drag into it the afphoto file you just created, you will get your smart object or embedded file as you wanna call it and now you can works with it like you can do in photoshop. I hope this help you a bit and let's hope this will be something easier in future.

 

My dream is the ability to link 2 different layers in order to move them together also when they are in a different group.