Prevent copy and paste from auto cropping

[NervisWreck]

Affinity photo has a bad habit of auto cropping photos when copying and pasting them between images. For example, I have an image which is 3840 x 2160 being used as a background. I have another image which is 1334 x 2160 which has a transparent background and is to be used as a layer on top of the background. If I open both images, copy the layer image and paste it onto the background, the transparent aspects of the layer image are cropped and the resulting layer is only 570 x 1454, when I expect it to retain the original size of 1334 x 2160. This is annoying to say the least, as the transparent portions of the image are important for proper positioning. So far the only way I have found that works is to open the background and then drag the other image onto it from the folder view. This places a new layer with the proper uncropped size. Obviously this is a less than ideal solution. How do I prevent affinity photo from auto cropping transparencies and resizing the image when pasting it as a layer on another image?

[Old Bruce]

I think you will find that the pasted layer has its coordinates at the same location. You have to have the same dpi/ppi in both of the files.

Do a test. Make a small document 256 pixels square and place a dot or draw an x on a pixel layer at about 60, 60 for its upper left corner.

Make a second document at least twice the size of the small one. Copy the small layer and paste it. I will wager the upper left corner will be at the same coordinates.

If however the dpi/ppi for the two documents are different then all bets are off.

[NervisWreck]

56 minutes ago, Old Bruce said:

I think you will find that the pasted layer has its coordinates at the same location. You have to have the same dpi/ppi in both of the files.

Do a test. Make a small document 256 pixels square and place a dot or draw an x on a pixel layer at about 60, 60 for its upper left corner.

Make a second document at least twice the size of the small one. Copy the small layer and paste it. I will wager the upper left corner will be at the same coordinates.

If however the dpi/ppi for the two documents are different then all bets are off.

Unfortunately that doesn't really work for me. The 1334x2160 layer can be positioned on either the right or left side of the background, obviously I am creating multiple images. Because of that having it keep the positioning from a 0, 0 from the top left corner standpoint does not work when it moves to the right side and the positioning needs to account for a 3840, 0 positioning from the top right corner.

I guess my problem comes down to the application assuming that it knows better than me what I want and auto cropping the image when I didn't ask it to do so. It should not be making assumptions that can not be turned off, especially when those assumptions can easily be addressed by the user using selection tools.

Edited July 1, 2022 by NervisWreck

[NotMyFault]

9 minutes ago, NervisWreck said:

I guess my problem comes down to the application assuming that it knows better than me what I want and auto cropping the image when I didn't ask it to do so

That is more or less the case.

actually, if you have a pixel layer with fully transparent edge pixels, Affinity will crop off even in source. You can see this when using the transform panel, and choose the bitmap layer while move tool is active. So the “damage” is already there before copy.

A workaround would use a rectangular shape (no fill, no stroke) in the size of the canvas, and nest the bitmap layer as child. this should retain the size all through the workflows including copy / paste. Or use picture frame layers borrowed from publisher.