Refine transparency preview not working properly in 1.10.0.1127

[delpi767]

When I make a selection using the selection brush and then refine it, the transparency preview show the initial image with no transparency

When I make a selection using any other method, the refine transparency preview works as expected and shows transparency except for the selection.

[Ron P.]

I can confirm that.

[Gabe]

Hi both,

We can't seem to replicate this here. Can you attach a screen recording of this in action please? 

[Lem3]

I have a three month old fairly high-end Windows 10 system with 1.10 Beta installed, it does not show this problem.  I have another ancient (but still running current W10) with 1.10 retail that does.  Unfortunately it "doesn't meet the hardware requirements for recording clips" (I said it was ancient) but the steps are simple.

• Open Photo, use File -> Open to open any .jpg on the system
• Draw out a rectangular selection with the marquee tool
• Click Refine, choose Transparency for Preview, everything is fine
• Cancel Refine, Ctrl-D to remove the selection
• Create a new selection with the Selection Brush, select Refine...
• Preview -> Transparency doesn't work, it just shows the original image.  Other preview options work.

It's not clear whether this is a Beta vs Retail issue or a hardware problem

[NotMyFault]

Have the same issue on my PC and iPad.

It could be caused by using a non-pixel layer when starting selection:

If you

• create a fill layer,
• make a random selection by brush, 
• click refine
• cycle through the preview modes almost all seem broken
• when clicking apply, or create a mask as output result seems to be ok

if you start with a pixel layer the selection is shown correctly.

Edited August 25, 2021 by NotMyFault
Added screen recording

[Gabe]

I don't believe refining a selection on a solid fill layer is a real use case though. Agreed it may not act like it does on a pixel layer, but I don't think it's meant to.

[NotMyFault]

12 minutes ago, Gabe said:

I don't believe refining a selection on a solid fill layer is a real use case though. Agreed it may not act like it does on a pixel layer, but I don't think it's meant to.

The it should not be offered in the first place, and should not start the refine process if clicked.

What layer types will work, only pixel layers? 
Does it work for image layers?

From a user perspective, I see no reason why not using it. The “by design” decision of Affinity to limit refine to (1) a single layer and (b) to pixel layers is by no means obvious for end users, showing an clickable UI  for dysfunctional parts is really inconsistent UI.

Photo stills shows lots of UI elements which do not work at all, confusing users, e.g.:

• Blend ranges for masks
• layer FX for masks

 

Edited August 25, 2021 by NotMyFault

[Gabe]

12 minutes ago, NotMyFault said:

What layer types will work, only pixel layers? 

12 minutes ago, NotMyFault said:

Does it work for image layers?

Image/Quickshapes/Pixel layers

 

[NotMyFault]

3 minutes ago, Gabe said:

Image/Quickshapes/Pixel layers

 

Thanks for your answer.

Would it be possible to give the user an explicit message (instead of simply not working) when he is able to select a function and adjust lots of sliders, to avoid this kind of frustration?

Or better, disable (making non-clickable) those UI elements when not working?

[Gabe]

I suggest you create a new feedback post for this https://forum.affinity.serif.com/index.php?/forum/55-feedback-for-affinity-photo-on-desktop/

[NotMyFault]

 

10 minutes ago, Gabe said:

Image/Quickshapes/Pixel layers

 

Curves seem to work, too.

i used a curve with bitmap fill.

[NotMyFault]

@delpi767 @Ron P. can you please share example files and layer types, showing if it is related to fill layers, or a separate issue?
 

[NotMyFault]

23 minutes ago, Gabe said:

I suggest you create a new feedback post for this https://forum.affinity.serif.com/index.php?/forum/55-feedback-for-affinity-photo-on-desktop/

Yeah I added another post into the write-only part of the forum.

[Ron P.]

Sorry about the delay..

On 8/24/2021 at 7:22 AM, Gabe said:

Hi both,

We can't seem to replicate this here. Can you attach a screen recording of this in action please? 

 

[Ron P.]

This is still present in 1.10.1.1142

[Ron P.]

This is using the 1.10.1.1142 version..

I tested this a little further. See attached screen recording.

[Gabe]

Is this with Hardware acceleration ON or OFF? 

[Ron P.]

2 hours ago, Gabe said:

Is this with Hardware acceleration ON or OFF? 

This is with it off. My Nvidia Card does not meet the specs for HA.

[Gabe]

Can you try and create a new user account and only install Photo? I wonder if it's a 3rd party app or something else, as we can't replicate this here. 

[Lem3]

On 8/26/2021 at 3:30 AM, Gabe said:

Is this with Hardware acceleration ON or OFF? 

I don't know if this helps, but my old system that also displays this issue does not meet the requirements for HA either.

[Ron P.]

12 hours ago, Gabe said:

Can you try and create a new user account and only install Photo? I wonder if it's a 3rd party app or something else, as we can't replicate this here. 

1. I created a new user account. Installed and tried Photo, and the issue was not there. Caveat, the new user account had all the programs that were installed under my main user account.
2. Signed out of the new account, and into my main account. Tried Photo again, problem still there.
3. Complete, clean uninstall of AP.
4. Installed version 1.9.2, tried and the problem was not there, both accounts.
5. Updated AP to the current version 1.10.1.1142. Again tried in both accounts, problem no longer there.
6. Deleted the new user account.
7. Again tried in the main account, no problem.

Possibly just need a clean install???

[Lem3]

Slightly different results here.

1. I removed and re-installed 1.10.1.1142. The problem still exists for the main account.
2. I signed out of the main account, signed-in to a fresh new Win 10 account. The problem did not appear.
3. I signed out, signed-in to main account, the problem still exists.
4. I re-started in Safe mode, the problem still exists.
5. I booted back into normal Windows, used Device Manager to disable the AMD Radeon HD 6800 Series adapter.  Problem still exists.
6. I uninstalled Photo, downloaded and installed 1.8.5.703, the last version before Hardware Acceleration was included. The problem did not appear.
7. uninstalled Photo, installed 1.9.0.932.  The problem did not appear.
8. Repeated with 1.9.1.979 and then 1.9.2.1127.  The problem did not appear.
9. Installed 1.10.0.1127, the problem appeared.

So for my main account 1.10.0.1127 broke transparency overlay in Refine selection created with Selection brush. 

[Gabe]

If this works on a new account, it could be anything on your main account conflicting, so I'm not sure what we can suggest, sorry. You could try and uninstall apps one by one on your main account and see which one is it conflicting with.