Clone Stamp Tool Doesn't Follow My Mouse Path (APhoto 1.10.1 Win)

[SymbioticDesign]

OK, I am unsure if I have a weird setting or what.  I have never used the clone stamp tool in Affinity Photo before, which I find a bit unusual because it was a go-to in Photoshop.

But after I select the area for sampling (and to clone under my mouse) with Alt+Click, when I press the mouse button and move it accross the screen, the sampler moves in the opposite direction.  This is just weird to me.  It moves right when I am moving the mouse left with the LMB pressed.  I seems to maybe move up when I move the mouse down, too?  

I cannot get used to this.  Is this a feature where I have a screwed-up setting?  If so, I don't want it.  Tell me how to reset it.  

Or is this a bug?  I would never be able to get anything accomplished using the clone tool this way. 

But, I tried to make sense of the tool options and I don't see anything that should be of consequence.  Perhaps I am wrong?

Just, yick.

[GarryP]

In this case I think you may have set the “Flip” option on the Context Toolbar to “Both” – see attached image.
Just set that option to “None” and you should be fine.
If you can’t see the Context Toolbar then use menu “View → Show Context Toolbar”.

[SymbioticDesign]

Thank you so much for your response.  Unfortunately, I do not seem to have that option...

I mean, where is it?

[GarryP]

You’re welcome.
You can press the >> button on the far-right of the Context Toolbar to show options which can’t be seen.

[SymbioticDesign]

OK.  I guess I need a higher resolution monitor, because I poked that thing and didn't see it.  If it was there, I wouldn't need to hunt for it.  Time for a 4K upgrade. 

Thanks, again.

[GarryP]

Glad to be of assistance.

Note: If you go for a 4K monitor be aware that the icons might be very small as they are not resizeable (at the time of writing).

[R C-R]

6 hours ago, SymbioticDesign said:

I guess I need a higher resolution monitor, because I poked that thing and didn't see it.  If it was there, I wouldn't need to hunt for it.

If you click on the chevron (the ⨠ icon) you should get a short popup menu with all of the context toolbar options that won't fit across the workspace window. This should happen regardless of the resolution of your monitor.

It should look something like this:

[SymbioticDesign]

@R C-R

Yeah, I found it.  But, the first time I poked it (the >>) I didn't see it.  Yours has a nice white border around it that makes it stand out.  Mine blended into the app and I didn't notice any change onscreen. I even clicked it more than once.  Eventually, I thought what was changing belonged to the menu below it, changing in context.

Granted, I was already frustrated, I can not imagine that anyone would ever use or need this trick, ever, and I had been looking for it everywhere, clicking on everything else before I got there.  But remember, I had NEVER, ever used the clone tool before in AFPhoto, not once.  And once I finally did find this hidden little screen, I did not have to select the dropdown,  It was already at 100% and Flip: Flip None.  This is when I was checking it out on the very same image document, too. But, it's working fine now, and I know what the issue is, how to resolve it, now.  

@GarryP

You know, those icons are already so small I doubt I would even be able to handle them at 4K until they are resizable for larger screens.  It seems there is some work for Serif's Affinity team to do on the UI after all, though I do enjoy it most of the time.  The Affinity software suite is lightyears ahead of Adobe's menu oriented operating controls.

Anyway, I will save a bunch of money on the 4K upgrade, then.  I had trouble enough seeing this at 1080P.

[GarryP]

7 hours ago, SymbioticDesign said:

I had trouble enough seeing this at 1080P.

Now I’m curious as to why you can’t see the whole Context Toolbar, if you have a full HD screen.
I downloaded your first screenshot and it’s 1920 pixels across which seems right so what is the scaling factor you have set – see attached image?

[SymbioticDesign]

I can't see stuff well at 100%. Yes, I have to increase it to 110%.  And in the web browser, I increase it to 110%, as well.  And when I write emails, I use "Large" text as opposed to normal (although I really have to get the F off Google for doing so much evil in the world).

Mind you, I can see stuff, just not well.  It's harder for me close-up.  I am always using reading glasses at the computer.  My laptop is always hooked-up to a 32 inch television that I use as my monitor (since there is no room for another TV).  I would prefer not to wear glasses.  I don't need them for anything but reading.  I can drive a car, see like a hawk at long distances.  If I squint I can see my android phone and read it, but glasses are more comfortable, even though I hate wearing glasses (because I find them uncomfortable).

I started wearing reading glasses at x1.  I think I am up to x1.75, now.  

This does generate quite a few problems, actually.  Even the native windows apps are all set to display at HD and apparently no one ever checked the things like the help system, system info, tools and control panels at anything other than 100% display.  

It isn't that I can't see of course, but as an artist I want to see every little detail.  If I miss something, I LOOK BAD.  It's tough enough getting things right for publication, doing graphics just so, getting a font cleaned up, coming up with a cartoon character, or designing a website, as it is.  

Of course, I am older.  Our eyes seem to start going around 40.  I'm 'retired' (without a retirement plan).  

[GarryP]

I think that explains it; thanks for the extra info.
Using a TV as a monitor may cause image definition issues if the TV isn’t specifically designed to be used as one.
It’s got something to do with ‘pixel density’, or something like that.
For instance, if I connect my laptop to my (old) TV via HDMI I can hardly see any detail, and everything is ‘fuzzy’. It’s okay to view a film on but detailed work is almost impossible.
This article has some information: https://www.pcworld.com/article/2924203/use-your-tv-as-a-computer-monitor-everything-you-need-to-know.html

[SymbioticDesign]

Yeah, this one was not cheap.  I think I'm good until I find something to replace it (because it is time), but as you indicate, it can't be 4K right now, until the world catches up with the capabilities of modern technology.

On a side note, I had to redo a book I made in Publisher that I had open with the other book. This book was all done in a day, but never got saved because the glitch spread to the other books, too.  I tried to recover through the PDF I could export, but that was a mess because of no guides or master pages.  So it took me another whole day to do this quickie that will be the basis of others.  And I finally got completely done, saved it, exported the final rendition PDF, and happy it was published, I went back into Publisher to check out another book and look for a mistake.  But Publisher was done.  I guess it was tired and gave up.  

So... I better reboot now.  See ya!

[R C-R]

15 hours ago, SymbioticDesign said:

Yeah, I found it.  But, the first time I poked it (the >>) I didn't see it.  Yours has a nice white border around it that makes it stand out. 

If you mean the grayish outline with the little pointed part pointing up to the chevron, that may be something only present in the Mac version.  But even without that, clicking on the chevron is what makes the menu appear, & clicking again on the chevron or clicking elsewhere in the UI makes the menu disappear, so it should not be too hard to figure out that it is part of the context toolbar, or at least related to it.

[SymbioticDesign]

It disappears into the color slider menu.  It doesn't look like anything happened.  I know what the thing is supposed to do, I didn't see it do anything.  Period.

[R C-R]

32 minutes ago, SymbioticDesign said:

It doesn't look like anything happened.

I do not understand what you mean. Are you saying that nothing in the UI changes when you click on the chevron, like maybe the popup menu is always there even if you do not open it with the >> button?

[SymbioticDesign]

Yes. It did not look like anything changed. I was expecting a drop down menu and did not see it. There was a flicker, I did not identify it as part of a new menu, I thought it was something going on IN THE COLOR PANEL, probably a context change, I was looking for something to drop down, and already very frustrated because this was the default setting, and I was very frustrated trying to use the cline stamp the very first time ever.  I still will never understand why anyone would want that.

But, something was amiss. When I finally found that hidden menu buried in the color picker as if camoflaged, it was NOT TICKED.

But once I did find the menu and saw it, it started acting right.  Now, maybe I did click something by accident.  I very obviously didn't see anything, so it is possible I ticked it somehow.  But, the menu seemed to be invisible to me anyway, so how would I know if I ticked anything for sure since I have had this app for quite some time, now (going on a year, maybe)?

And this is only the second time I reported a problem and I am getting drilled because you can't comprehend what I am saying?

I did not see it, PERIOD.

[R C-R]

2 hours ago, SymbioticDesign said:

And this is only the second time I reported a problem and I am getting drilled because you can't comprehend what I am saying?

I am not trying to "drill" you. I am just trying to understand why you had such a hard time noticing the appearance & disappearance of the drop down menu with the scale & flip choices. It should have been obvious that something changed when you clicked the chevron, even if exactly what it was was not.

That's why I asked if the menu just stayed there, since it would indicate something was wrong with the app's behavior.

[SymbioticDesign]

It was not obvious.

[Ron P.]

On 8/28/2021 at 10:03 AM, SymbioticDesign said:

I am getting drilled because you can't comprehend what I am saying?

I think it's not we or they can't comprehend, we can't see what your seeing. That's a downfall of trying to troubleshoot over the internet via forums. What may be very obvious to others is not to you or anyone trying to describe their problem. Posters need to be able to articulate what they're seeing, what they're doing when an issue arises, and so on. If someone was looking over your shoulder, they would simply see what was happening and be able to quickly point it out, and correct it.

We exercise a lot of patience when trying to help, try to formulate solutions and that may require a lot questions so we can get an image in our minds of what's happening on the other end. We just can not see what your seeing, the same as you can't see what we are. Main reason for requesting screenshots and recordings.  

[R C-R]

7 hours ago, Ron P. said:

I think it's not we or they can't comprehend, we can't see what your seeing.

And because of that, it can be hard to tell if something is working for you the same way as it does for us. So for example, if clicking on the chevron doesn't do anything at all, that would indicate a local problem with your system.

[SymbioticDesign]

I have already told you the chevron works. I did not see the window the first few times I clicked it.  I told you why, because it disappears into the color palette window.  I thought what was contextually changing was some info in that window.  I have sent a screenshot of how it is NOT obvious that anything happened there.

 

It was when I came here that I understood that the chevron was actually working, once brought to my attention.  It remains my assertion that the drop-down window is not clear, especially after seeing it on a Mac screenshot.  

 

I have gotten the help I needed.  Thank you.  I do think the UI is an issue, but that is me, an old man on a Windows machine.  

 

I am tired of repeating myself.  This conversation is over.  Thanks for your help.  But there is no reason for me to ever have to revisit this, you either believe me or not.  It appears not, so be it.

[Old Bruce]

10 hours ago, SymbioticDesign said:

you either believe me or not. 

I believe you, the colour palette was 'free floating' and over top the drop down. I have several times had similar things happen causing me to waste time clicking and clicking and restarting and reseting things.

[R C-R]

13 hours ago, SymbioticDesign said:

you either believe me or not.

I do believe you. I just wanted to make sure the popup was opening & closing like it should because if it was not, that would indicate something was amiss in your version of the app. I could not tell from your screenshot if it was doing that since it just showed what the UI looked like with the popup open.

[PhotoCat]

For the past 4 years I have used a "Dark" background (Preferences).  The other day I switched to white and I can see the context tool bar very clearly, including the "Flip" option at the end.  I will stay on white for a while even though it seems a little odd at first

 

David