Having trouble clipping to vector layer

[Stanley]

I’d appreciate some guidance with a problem I’m having with Designer. I’m trying to copy the effect described in Designer Help, to clip a pixel layer to the outline of a complex vector shape:

Here”s the pixel layer above the vector layer I want to clip it to:

 

Here’s what I want the result to look like:

 

But when I drag the pixel layer (to be clipped) into the vector layer (to do the clipping) I get this, which doesn’t do any clipping (same with Paste Inside):

 

Am I doing something wrong? 
 

I can clip the pixel layer to a single vector shape. Just not to a vector layer.

 

[walt.farrell]

You do not have a "vector layer", @Stanley. You have a Layer (capital L), which is merely a container for the things within it.

Your Layer contains some vector shapes, and your pixel layer. This is not clipping, but merely the Layer containing things.

Try selecting the 3 rectangle shapes, and then Adding them together using Layer > Geometry > Add to get a (Curve) layer. Then drag the pixel layer over the (Curve) layer, to the right of the thumbnail. You should see a light blue vertical highlight just to the right of the thumbnail. Then drop it.

[loukash]

Something like this?

[Stanley]

Aaah, I see. Thank you Walt and Loukash.

[loukash]

To get this exact form:

1. duplicate the two front rectangles
2. use them to subtract from the back rectangle
3. select all three curves
4. Layer > Geometry > Merge Curves to get a single merged rectangle object
5. drag the image inside the object in Layers panel, or cut the image > paste inside

(@Serif staff: Why is "Merge Curves" buried inside a submenu and doesn't have its own toolbar button?!)