How do I select a vector collection

[marco_chacon]

Okay--this sounds super simple--but I'm having trouble with it:

 

I have  a VECTOR set of images where each individual piece is a different layer

I want to select just one of these elements and move it to a new document where it will be used with other images / vectors / text / etc. Right?

 

So I use either the vector-node arrow (white) or the box select arrow (black) and draw a rectangle around one of the elements.

Nope--that doesn't work.

The (black) select arrow is moving a set of layers that is totally not at all what I want.

The white arrow (node select) doesn't select anything unless I individually click on every single individual component vector.

I can select layers--but since each layer is just one basic shape, I don't know which ones are affiliated with the single image I want.

 

There must be a simple way to say "I want every vector-element layer inside this box" and select them all that way--right?

[Old Bruce]

Without seeing the layer structure I can only hope that it is a group of groups. Each of the items should be a group inside a group. Ungroup the whole document and then you should be able to select (on the canvas) the item you want and then copy paste it.

To offer better advice we would need to see a screenshot of the whole layer panel with the group(s) expanded. There may be things that are Curves not Groups of separate Curve layers, note the difference between Curves and Curve layer.

[marco_chacon]

So, ungrouping seems to work. But what this means is:

I get a vector from a place like deposit photos or whatever and I immediately have to destroy all the grouping information. Is that actually right? I mean, why do people group things at all in multi-part collections if to use them in something like Designer I have to undo all the grouping info?

Worse, for most of these  assets, the grouping isn't constrained to single "visual" elements. It seems groups span different individual visual elements. Is there an explanation for why people do this?

[Old Bruce]

15 minutes ago, marco_chacon said:

Is there an explanation for why people do this?

Several, it is how they were taught to work. It is simply how they work. Their bosses insist on this sort of way of working. Finally it may well be that the original software which was used to produce the artwork does this grouping for lord only knows why.

[JimmyJack]

On 8/20/2022 at 10:53 AM, marco_chacon said:

Okay--this sounds super simple--but I'm having trouble with it:

 

I have  a VECTOR set of images where each individual piece is a different layer

I want to select just one of these elements and move it to a new document where it will be used with other images / vectors / text / etc. Right?

 

So I use either the vector-node arrow (white) or the box select arrow (black) and draw a rectangle around one of the elements.

Nope--that doesn't work.

The (black) select arrow is moving a set of layers that is totally not at all what I want.

The white arrow (node select) doesn't select anything unless I individually click on every single individual component vector.

I can select layers--but since each layer is just one basic shape, I don't know which ones are affiliated with the single image I want.

 

There must be a simple way to say "I want every vector-element layer inside this box" and select them all that way--right?

 

Have you tried:
Without touching anything in the file structure....With nothing selected, hold down CMD and drag select with the move tool around whatever you want. 
You can then move that specific collection of objects .... or, what I would do, is CMD J (or copy/paste), group and then move.

If it's all just strokes you should be fine. If some fills are involved or if objects are clipped inside other objects, I can see how removing things from a particular hierarchy might cause some changes so just keep your eye out for that.

[thomaso]

18 hours ago, JimmyJack said:

hold down CMD and drag select with the move tool around whatever you want.

Ah, I never noticed this option. Could be worth to get mentioned in the bottom line Tooltips where is still space available with Move Tool + no object selected …

[R C-R]

23 hours ago, JimmyJack said:

Have you tried:
Without touching anything in the file structure....With nothing selected, hold down CMD and drag select with the move tool around whatever you want. 

Maybe I'm misunderstanding something about how this should work but for me I have to start the CMD-drag on an empty spot on the canvas; otherwise what happens is whatever is under the pointer when I start gets duplicated when I drag. So for example, if there no empty spot to start the drag from, like I sometimes see where each set of curves has a colored background rectangle behind all its other layers, it does not work because that rectangle gets duplicated.

[thomaso]

1 minute ago, R C-R said:

Maybe I'm misunderstanding something

I think you don't. Yes, if your click (with or without modifier key) does select an object already then this object gets moved if you start dragging (and copied with cmd-drag). So you indeed need to click in an empty (or locked) area – which can be outside of any or inside the bounding box of an object, as long you click at a transparent spot of the layout.

But this is a general behaviour when clicking, anywhere in Affinity and not only there: If you want to click-drag-select an item you must not start on an item but on a empty spot only. Same in macOS finder in icon view (while list view allows to click-drag an item even if different items are currently selected).