Rescaling "shift" key inconsistent behaviour

[areelillmind]

So in Photo and Designer bitmaps  scale proportionally if the "shift" key is held down but for vector images it's the exact opposite.

 

A mixed group scales proportionally if the shift key is not held down.

 

Anyway it's weird and makes no sense. Why not choose one and make it consistent (happy for it to be different to PS, but should be consistent in the same app).

 

 

 

[Macmuppet]

I thought I just kept getting it wrong. I didn't realise they were both actually different!!! 

[areelillmind]

At least both apps are consistent in their inconsistency.

[fde101]

The default is to do the most likely thing.  When scaling a raster image, you normally want to do it proportionally, so it defaults to that.

Rectangles and ovals don't usually distort in undesirable ways when scaled non-proportionally, so the default is to scale those non-proportionally.

You can change this behavior if desired using the "Move Tool Aspect Constrain" setting in the Tools section of Preferences.

[areelillmind]

2 minutes ago, fde101 said:

The default is to do the most likely thing.  When scaling a raster image, you normally want to do it proportionally, so it defaults to that.

Rectangles and ovals don't usually distort in undesirable ways when scaled non-proportionally, so the default is to scale those non-proportionally.

You can change this behavior if desired using the "Move Tool Aspect Constrain" setting in the Tools section of Preferences.

Actually the default is the opposite: raster images are unconstrained, while vectors are constrained. At least on Windows.

But good to know it can be set in the preferences, that's handy.

[fde101]

45 minutes ago, areelillmind said:

vectors are constrained

They shouldn't be, unless they are grouped.

[areelillmind]

6 minutes ago, fde101 said:

They shouldn't be, unless they are grouped.

By why should grouping them change the behaviour? I'm not sure of the logic behind that?

[Brian_J]

7 minutes ago, areelillmind said:

By why should grouping them change the behaviour? I'm not sure of the logic behind that?

I’m not sure of the logic either… maybe it’s more likely the desired result when resizing a group of object is to constrain proportions. Just a guess. It is something I find useful — I often group single objects if I want to make sure I don’t accidentally change the proportions. 

[areelillmind]

Surely then the most logical is that no hotkey keeps proportions constrained and shift hotkey makes them unconstrained.

Since you consciously need to hold down shift. Putting them into groups just for constraints seems a bit wonky.

As the other user said, she thought she was just getting it wrong all the time.

[deeds]

Throughout their history, Affinity has had a truly awful relationship with usability. Especially shortcuts.

For the longest time you couldn't even customise them.

The modifier key thinkings and musings of the Affinity team are truly bizarre. Like they don't use creative software, only make it.

 

 

 

[Brian_J]

3 hours ago, areelillmind said:

Surely then the most logical is that no hotkey keeps proportions constrained and shift hotkey makes them unconstrained.

Since you consciously need to hold down shift. Putting them into groups just for constraints seems a bit wonky.

As the other user said, she thought she was just getting it wrong all the time.

I hear you, and tend to agree. Although I’m getting used to how constraining works in Affinity, I think it makes the most sense for the shortcut to be universal for all objects.

[walt.farrell]

5 hours ago, areelillmind said:

Surely then the most logical is that no hotkey keeps proportions constrained and shift hotkey makes them unconstrained.

If you prefer that behavior, you can set it in Preferences, Tools.

[areelillmind]

20 minutes ago, walt.farrell said:

If you prefer that behavior, you can set it in Preferences, Tools.

I can and I have now. But I want to point out that this varying behaviour is different to the official tutorials:

 

 

"scaling is constrained by default, you can override this with the shift hotkey"

 

Sensible defaults are an important part of good UI design and the default described in the official tutorials makes more sense than the actual default.