AP - Merge results to cropping the layer

[hokic]

Hi, I have discovered a behaviour of the, that seems to me not intuitive. Am I doing something wrong, or does the app wrong in the way I would not expect? 

1. I am sketching an image that will be later used in online app with paralax scrolling (room interior).
2. I have document size the same as the app size, but I need wider layer to be able scroll it later. 
3. So while I draw I move the layer to the side several times and continue sketching.
4. I duplicate some parts that will be the same (eg. photos on wall, books, whatever), so I make selection of such thing, copy, paste, move it a bit.
5. Then I merge it down to the original sketch layer to keep things simple.
6. But the bellow layer crops at the same time to the width of the document. 
7. All my previous - hidden - work lost, yet I have no idea, so I close the file and realize later.

I don't feel this to be proper behaviour. I do not expect out of the boundaries parts to be cropped when I merge layers. Are two layers wider then the document boundaries? They should keep wider even after merging - as default. 

[walt.farrell]

I don't know if the Merge should have done that, but you'll have to make your canvas/document wider at some point if you want to export the design. So why not do it before doing the Merge?

Try Document > Unclip Canvas (or possibly Clip Canvas; I've never really understood the difference between them).

[Dan C]

Hi @hokic,

When using Merging in Affinity Photo, the merged layer produced is produced based on visible layers, as outlined in our helpfile. This means that any content outside of the canvas is lost during the Merge process, as it is not visible content on the canvas.

As Walt has mentioned, you will need to ensure this content is visible on the canvas before merging, by using Document > Unclip Canvas.

20 minutes ago, walt.farrell said:

(or possibly Clip Canvas; I've never really understood the difference between them).

'Unclip Canvas' will increase the canvas size to ensure all content, from all layers, are visible on the canvas. This is used when the canvas is smaller than your layers and you wish for all content to be on the canvas whilst retaining its current size.

'Clip Canvas' will reduce the canvas size to exactly match all content, from all layers. This is used when the canvas is larger than your layers and you wish to reduce unwanted space.

[hokic]

Hi, guys. 

Thank you for the answer. I understand the workaround you suggest and the explanation how AP works. Thats very kind of you.

But is this a good solution? Intuitive? Generally speaking in the way AP works. 

For example, the document boundaries are important thing for me. It keeps me connected with the final look, size, proportions, with the setup of final page, ux, etc. Yes, it can be solved via masking for example, but - is this the right way? Not to mention things like align to the document, columns etc would become useless or much more complicated, once you are working in a bigger canvas then the final is. 

Another thing, merging layers is a way how to keep layer simple and even prevent mistakes, when moving around the document (otherwise you got to select multiple layers, group them, inevitably it leads to mistakes since you have to keep in mind what layer you paint in right now etc.). I am not talking about my particular job now, but playing with composition when sketching, moving layers, that is very common part of process to me. So if I decide not to have larger canvas, I am done using this. I find this as a very large obstacle for the flow of the process. 

I doubt I am the only one.

I got to say, I try to move from Photoshop, tried several times, I use Affinity more and more, especially Designer, yet I always hit some invisible wall in the place I would never expect it. Despite a lot of things I love. Maybe the thing is Photo is still more for design rather then painting (the long time "please disable auto select" thread suggests), so not many users complain. 

But I would really welcome crop only when I use crop. And merge when I use merge. Not together at once. I still cannot understand the logic of such settings.

 

Cheers

 

[Ron P.]

If you're running out of canvas while sketching, you can also increase the canvas size using Document>Resize Canvas.

Quote

But is this a good solution? Intuitive?

Yes, it's how it's done in AP. Adobe's programs are not the legal blueprint for how everything is suppose to work. AP is a different program, that can do a lot of things Adobe's can, but differently.

Why is it not intuitive? Because of________? You're comparing AP to Adobe right? AP is different so to use it, we need to learn it.

Quote

I got to say, I try to move from Photoshop, tried several times,

Do you do professional work using PS or wanting to use AP to replace it, in the commercial setting? If so I can understand that comment, absent that, I do not. If you really want to stop using PS, then do just that, stop using it. Uninstall it, get rid of it, and just use any one of Serif's or other programs in it's place. Until you do so, you will also use that as an excuse. Numerous other users have done that, and even commented on these forums, until they got rid of Adobe's programs, they would not change. Once they did, found it wasn't as difficult as they thought it would be.

[walt.farrell]

By the way, @hokic, can you confirm what application you're using, please?

You've said AP, which officially is Affinity Photo, but in looking at this thread again I'm a bit confused if you're talking about Photo. In Photo, you would not be able to see anything you draw outside the canvas.

This leads me to wonder if you really meant Affinity Publisher (APu or APub for an abbreviation), rather than Affinity Photo (AP). But if so, our suggestion of using Unclip Canvas won't work as that's a Photo function.

If you really did mean Photo, I'm confused how you're having layers that are outside the canvas, and visible.

[hokic]

Hello, @walt.farrell, I am using Affinity Photo. You are right, I do not see the outside canvas. Unfortunately I am not sure I can post the graphic itself, since I have not permission. 

So just in words, I have a students room with usual equipment and it will be used on three consecutive app screens. On each one it is slightly moved, so it is aprox. twice the width of the screen. And I  just continue drawing and moving to the side, so the hidden part is not visible, but I am able to draw things continuously. 

In a sort of way you are right, wider canvas would sort it (yet this is the only screen that is wide, others are small, so I did not made) in this particular scenario. But I was surprised by the behaviour of merge command itself. 

@Ron P. Well what to say. I feel it this way - there are things in which different SWs are not the same. Like, lets say - in one SW you apply masking by different shades of white/grey/black. In other SW you apply masking by erasing/painting on the mask, so more like working with transparency of the mask itself. Different approach, one has to adapt, that is right, but thinking is lets say common and makes sence. 

On the other hand, a year or so ago, I have realized, that "vector brushes" are in real "high-res bitmap brushes" in AffD. Realized in moment I tried to export. Full day work in trash. That is the moment, when I feel user is surprised beyond his common knowledge. Those are things I call not intuitive. As a fan of Affinity and a buyer of the apps, I feel really sorry to be surprised in this way. And I try to explain the work process and why I feel this is not different, but wrong decision or behaviour of the app. 

 

[R C-R]

3 hours ago, hokic said:

But I was surprised by the behaviour of merge command itself. 

Note that there are two merge commands & they are intended for different purposes. For what you want to do, I suggest instead of using Merge Down, use Merge Visible, which creates a new layer, leaving the other layers un-cropped.

You can also lock & unlock or hide layers as needed to minimize the possibility of dragging the wrong one(s) to new positions on the canvas.

[hokic]

Hey, @R C-R, thank you, but would Merge Visible help? Please correct me if I am wrong, but

1. I would have to hide all the other layers just to connect those two (or more) I need
2. Use Merge Visible
3. Then again switch all the others on, which is even less fun since you got to remember which ones were on and it could be plenty 
4. And then I still end with a layer that is not only merged, but cropped too 

As I have been thinking about this, as far I know, there is no way how to connect two layers larger then canvas without them being cropped (without changing the canvas size as Walt suggests). 

[JimmyJack]

@hokic If I'm following correctly;

Group and then Rasterize. This will combine what you want AND keep all of your off canvas info.
(as opposed to Rasterize and Trim.... and, as you have found, all of the Merge options)

[R C-R]

3 hours ago, hokic said:

I would have to hide all the other layers just to connect those two (or more) I need

I am not sure what you mean about "connecting" two layers. Can you explain more about that & why you would want to do it?

[hokic]

@JimmyJack Well, that works  You loos the layer name, but at least it works. Thanks

@R C-R I have used the "connect" work to avoid "merge" since it is the name of the function itself. In this particular case I have a canvas = viewport of the app UX. And I sketch a student room that is approximately twice larger then the canvas (it will be used in multiple screens, always different part of the room). During sketching it is helpful to copy some objects like pictures on the wall, chairs etc. to sketch faster - and then merge them again with the original layer.