Outline tool preset?

[*mark]

I outline a lot of images using 'layer effects' > outline. There are 3 options on the outline position: Inside, Outside, and Centred. I only ever use Inside position, BUT every time I use Outline, I have to specify the position from the default Outside, to Inside.

Is there anyway to reset the default to Inside, so I don't have do reset the position another 100000 times?

(A default on the line width would also be a great help)

Thanks

[NathanC]

Hi @*mark,

As far as I'm aware synchronising/saving to defaults on layer FX won't save your previous FX pre-set, however once you have setup the FX on one layer you can Copy and Edit > Paste FX to add your outline to the next.

 

[WKansepa]

1 hour ago, *mark said:

I outline a lot of images using 'layer effects' > outline. There are 3 options on the outline position: Inside, Outside, and Centred. I only ever use Inside position, BUT every time I use Outline, I have to specify the position from the default Outside, to Inside.

Is there anyway to reset the default to Inside, so I don't have do reset the position another 100000 times?

(A default on the line width would also be a great help)

Thanks

How about you try saving some settings as a Style? That way it will just probably be a single-click solution to your challenges.

Try these steps:

1. Create a simple rectangle
2. Fill the rectangle with any color
3. Go to Effects panel and select Outline by ticking in the box
4. Apply a desired radius for the outline
5. Click on Outline settings (the little gear icon)
6. This will open the Layer Effects dialog box
7. On Alignment choose Inside
8. Click on Scale with Object setting
9. Close dialog box

And then do the following:

1. Open then Styles panel
2. Click the Dropdown at the top right corner
3. Click on 'Add Style from Selection'
4. The new Style is now saved
5. Remove generic name and assign a specific name for the new Style (optional but good habit)

Note that you can also add new Styles categories.

You can then apply this Style onto your images and the Outline will resize accordingly since we already have Scale with Object turned on.

Edited May 6, 2022 by WKansepa
Wanted to add the last line.

[WKansepa]

Another efficient method would be to create a template.

Steps:

1. Create a new document
2. Create a New Layer
3. Remove generic name and rename it to 'Outline'
4. Keep the Layer highlighted and click on the Layer Effects icon at the bottom of the Layers panel
5. In the Layer Effects dialog box select Outline
6. Input a desired Radius
7. On Alignment choose Inside
8. Close the dialog box

If it requires that you work with different Outline Radii, you would need to add New Layer(s). But this will now be a breeze since all you need to do is to duplicate the first Layer and go on to change the Radius in the Layer Effects dialog box.

Point of note: Just make sure that the Layers are appropriately labelled e.g. Outline 15px, Outline 25px, Outline 50px etc… (remember good habits)

You can now save the document as a Template. Name it as Outline.

Create new documents using this Outline Template and Place your images or artwork into the appropriate Layer and enjoy a painless ride.

[Pšenda]

21 hours ago, NathanC said:

As far as I'm aware synchronising/saving to defaults on layer FX won't save your previous FX pre-set

I think it would be desirable (as there are dozens of requirements for sticky parameter settings) if the application simply remembers the last state/value of the settings.

[walt.farrell]

2 hours ago, Pšenda said:

I think it would be desirable (as there are dozens of requirements for sticky parameter settings) if the application simply remembers the last state/value of the settings.

There are places where the Affinity applications do not remember the last settings. Users complain.

And there are places where the Affinity applications remember the last settings. Users still complain.

There seems to be no good answer.

[Alfred]

3 minutes ago, walt.farrell said:

There are places where the Affinity applications do not remember the last settings. Users complain.

And there are places where the Affinity applications remember the last settings. Users still complain.

[Pšenda]

3 hours ago, walt.farrell said:

There seems to be no good answer.

Of course it exists - just add the Remember/Don't Remember last settings option in Preferences.

Edit:

3 hours ago, walt.farrell said:

And there are places where the Affinity applications remember the last settings. Users still complain.

Unlike the situation where the application does not remember the last setting, and the user has to setting it a thousand times, in this case it is only one reset to the basic state, and then the user is satisfied.

Edited May 7, 2022 by Pšenda

[*mark]

Thanks people - that's a great help

Walt, with respect (as you're always so helpful 😊), there's a difference between complaining and asking for a constructive solution... 

[walt.farrell]

2 minutes ago, Pšenda said:

Of course it exists - just add the Remember/Don't Remember last settings option in Preferences.

But when users want some tools to remember the setting, and other tools not to remember it, , then one Remember option won't be sufficient.

[*mark]

9 minutes ago, Pšenda said:

Of course it exists - just add the Remember/Don't Remember last settings option in Preferences.

Is this on a PC? I can't find it in preferences on a Macbook Pro...

[Pšenda]

3 minutes ago, *mark said:

Is this on a PC? I can't find it in preferences on a Macbook Pro...

Unfortunately, this possibility does not exist - it was just a reaction to Walt's "answer".

 

14 minutes ago, walt.farrell said:

But when users want some tools to remember the setting, and other tools not to remember it, , then one Remember option won't be sufficient.

Although I do not understand, why anyone should mind remembering the previous option (this is only one setting that will reset the option, see the previous post), and I have not seen such a complaint / request, unlike the sticky settings here on the forum, so of course it has solution - context menu of the given option, where the memorized / non-memorized can be set for each specific element. But I personally doubt, that anyone but you would use it at all - in my opinion, the vast majority of users will be satisfied with sticky options.

[walt.farrell]

28 minutes ago, Pšenda said:

and I have not seen such a complaint / request,

For one, there have been several complaints that the Text Frame Tool remembers the last settings and uses then for the next frame drawn.

I recall having seen others, but I don't remember the context at the moment.

[*mark]

Thanks Wkansepa.

I tried your second method - creating a layer with the presets - but no matter how I try, I cannot get the outline to show up on, or in the empty layer, so that if I drag an image into the document, put the outline layer over the top, nothing shows, yet in the layer effects dialogue box, it still shows the correct line width and position (inside).

Is there something I'm missing here? 

[*mark]

On 5/6/2022 at 11:28 AM, NathanC said:

As far as I'm aware synchronising/saving to defaults on layer FX won't save your previous FX pre-set, however once you have setup the FX on one layer you can Copy and Edit > Paste FX to add your outline to the next.

Hi Nathan - I've created the layer with the fx (which aren't visible on the layer) then when I copy, edit, paste fx, it simply blacks out the whole image, rather than adding the fx: a '3px outline positioned inside'.

Am I missing something? 

[NathanC]

3 minutes ago, *mark said:

I've created the layer with the fx (which aren't visible on the layer)

When you say the FX isn't visible on the original layer you're copying, do you mean that the 'Outline' FX option is not ticked on the layer effects settings? The FX needs to be enabled on the original layer otherwise it won't copy over to the new layer.

[*mark]

2 minutes ago, NathanC said:

When you say the FX isn't visible on the original layer you're copying, do you mean that the 'Outline' FX option is not ticked on the layer effects settings? The FX needs to be enabled on the original layer otherwise it won't copy over to the new layer.

Yes of course it's enabled, but it's not visible its own layer, and then blacks out the layer I copy edit paste fx it into.

[NathanC]

14 minutes ago, *mark said:

s of course it's enabled, but it's not visible its own layer, and then blacks out the layer I copy edit paste fx it into.

No worries, do you have a sample file so I can check what might be going wrong?

[WKansepa]

4 hours ago, *mark said:

Thanks Wkansepa.

I tried your second method - creating a layer with the presets - but no matter how I try, I cannot get the outline to show up on, or in the empty layer, so that if I drag an image into the document, put the outline layer over the top, nothing shows, yet in the layer effects dialogue box, it still shows the correct line width and position (inside).

Is there something I'm missing here? 

Thank you @Mark.It's unfortunate that the method which I prescribed is not working on your side. I also realise that you are on a Mac platform and I am on PC Windows 10. I have used this method on other PCs and got good results. 

I would like to hear from other Mac users who can chip in and try the prescribed steps before we suspect a bug problem on the Mac. 

 

[walt.farrell]

12 minutes ago, WKansepa said:

Thank you @Mark.

Just wanted to point out that the comment was from @*mark, and that the user you tagged is someone else