command J bug

[Artusa]

When you create a selection and hit command J, you are supposed to get a duplicate of that selection on a new layer but instead you just a whole new layer of the entire layer.

[markw]

This sounds to me like you are working on an '(Image)' layer and not a '(Pixel)' layer.
In order to duplicate a selected area, first make sure the layer in question is labeled as a (Pixel) layer in the Layers panel.
If the layer has the word (Image) it will first need to be converted into an (Pixel) layer by right clicking it and choosing Rasterize. This will then allow you to work with the individual pixels that make up the image rather than the image as a whole.
You can read more about Layers in AP here: https://affinity.help/photo/en-US.lproj/pages/Layers/aboutLayers.html

 

[loukash]

4 hours ago, Artusa said:

When you create a selection and hit command J, you are supposed to get a duplicate of that selection on a new layer but instead you just a whole new layer of the entire layer.

59 minutes ago, markw said:

This will then allow you to work with the individual pixels that make up the image rather than the image as a whole.

The Duplicate command will always duplicate the whole layer, not the selection.
And that is by design and not a bug, because Duplicate is a Layer menu command.

The actual issue here is that there is no Duplicate command in the Edit menu which are the commands that affect canvas selections.
So this is not a bug report but a feature request.
And as far as I'm concerned, definitely a valid one!

~~~

Meanwhile, a simple, quick and straightforward workflow (or "workaround" as some would pejoratively call it) for the "Pixel" type of layers:

1. make your selection
2. copy
3. paste

A non-destructive workflow for "Image" type of layers (aka "smart objects" in Schmotofoppish language) that you don't want to rasterize:

1. don't use marque selections, create a vector path/shape instead
   you may want to temporarily switch to Designer if you own it, to use its Pencil tool for drawing it e.g. with a tablet
2. copy the image layer
3. select the curve
4. paste inside (or drag the image via Layers panel to become a child of the curve layer

(edited:)
Or more destructively, but the exact steps are dependent on your Assistant Manager settings how a mask layer is being placed. This workflow is when "Adding mask layer to selection: as child layer" is active:

1. make your selection
2. duplicate the image layer
3. Layer > New Mask Layer – or click the Mask Layer button in the Layers panel – the duplicate is now cropped by the mask
4. optionally: rasterize the masked duplicate

Edited May 1, 2021 by loukash

[markw]

Here’s a quick recording of the different results after selecting an area and then using cmd J. First on an Image layer and then on a Pixel layer.

[walt.farrell]

1 hour ago, loukash said:

The Duplicate command will always duplicate the whole layer, not the selection.
And that is by design and not a bug, because Duplicate is a Layer menu command.

Sorry, but as @markw demonstrated (thanks for the video, Mark) that's not true. Cmd/Ctrl+J will duplicate a pixel selection if you have a pixel layer and a pixel selection active.

[loukash]

3 hours ago, walt.farrell said:

Cmd/Ctrl+J will duplicate a pixel selection if you have a pixel layer and a pixel selection active

Aaaah, you mean Layer > Duplicate Selection?
The thing is that I don't use the "cmd-J" shortcut here, so I may have missed which exact command you all were talking about.

Alright then, I stand corrected.

For the record, my custom Layer menu shortcuts:

[walt.farrell]

28 minutes ago, loukash said:

Aaaah, you mean Layer > Duplicate Selection?
The thing is that I don't use the "cmd-J" shortcut here, so I may have missed which exact command you all were talking about.

For answering questions, it's important to keep track of how things work by default and what you might have customized