a fault with selecting on the artboard with the move tool

[jasd]

When I try to select an object on my art-board (or page or canvas) using the move tool, it fails 9 times out of 10. This means the only way I can select an object is within the layers panel, and when you are working on a document with up to a hundred layers and more, this is not only very tedious but also a huge waste of time.

I have only recently moved to Affinity after thirty years or more of using Adobe, so, while they are the same in so many ways, I wonder if I am doing something wrongly.

[walt.farrell]

Welcome to the Serif Affinity forums.

There's an "Edit All Layers" icon/option at the bottom of the Layers panel:

If that option is disabled, and you have Artboards, then selecting items on the workspace will be limited to those items that are on the active Artboard. You will only be able to select other items using the Layers panel.

If it is enabled, you should be able to select items within the workspace as you want to.

[jasd]

Hi Walt, thanks so much for the speedy response. I've always been slightly hazy about what constitutes an art-board; what I mean in case is simply the file/page/image that I'm currently working on: items on a white rectangle surrounded by black.

I've tried enabling and disabling the Edit All Layers icon as you suggest, but this has made no difference either way.

If I move the tool to the object and click it selects that group but not the individual item.

It might be useful to know that I am editing a pdf originally created in Adobe Illustrator, but, while it opens with a whole load of faults (and frankly, I'm impressed it opens at all!), I would be surprised if that affected the workings of the Affinity tool kit.

Sigh.

[walt.farrell]

Possibly you could provide a screenshot to illustrate what you're talking about? Make sure you include the workspace and the Layers panel.

[jasd]

Hi again Walt. Thanks again. Here's a shot of the whole Affinity window. I've just clicked on the pale purple broken line in the center, and, as you can see, it has selected the group but not the object.

Edited April 3, 2021 by jasd

[walt.farrell]

Thanks for the screenshot.

Try Cmd+Click.

By the way: At the moment you are working with a Canvas, which gives you a single design area. Artboards are objects that give you multiple design areas.

https://affinity.help/designer/English.lproj/pages/Artboards/artboards_about.html

[jasd]

Command+click. Brilliant, that's got it.

Thanks so much, it was driving me crazy.l

But, while we're talking, I've met another problem which is that I can't make the Stoke Alignment tools do anything. My line doggedly follows the center line no matter what I try.

And thanks for the clarification about Art-boards and Canvases

[walt.farrell]

8 minutes ago, jasd said:

But, while we're talking, I've met another problem which is that I can't make the Stoke Alignment tools do anything. My line doggedly follows the center line no matter what I try.

You're welcome.

I'm not sure what to suggest about stroke alignment, without seeing a sample document. Perhaps you can create a new, simple, sample document that reproduces the problem and upload it for us to look at? (Assuming no one else jumps in with an answer immediately )

[jasd]

As you can see - I've got the Align to Outside selected, but the line still runs determinedly through the center.

The End Stop, and Corner options all work fine.

 

[jasd]

this might be easier to see

 

Edited April 3, 2021 by jasd

[jasd]

sorry this software has gone mad as well it seems 🙂

 

[walt.farrell]

You actually have Align to Inside selected, not Align to Outside, as I read your screenshots.

Your problem is that you have an open path, not a closed path. Until it is closed, there is no "inside" or "outside", and so the stroke is centered.

[jasd]

Yup - that's got it. Thanks again. I thought I was going mad!

This software is so good, I couldn't believe it was a fault.

JasD