No! You can't paint on me! — said a shape... Wiggle wiggle... Oh, right, it seems you can, now!

[Aleksandar Kovač]

I am reluctant to call this phenomena a bug since it is present in AD1 and AD2 but I would call it counterintuitive, possibly an obstacle to workflow and... peculiar enough to suspect a bug.

Description

1. Have an artboard and have a vector shape outside of that artboard.
2. Switch to Pixel Persona, pick Paint Brush Tool and paint inside the shape. If your Assistant is on it will inform you that a new pixel layer is created and that you are painting on it.... Except... you are not. I.e. no content is added to automatically created pixel layer.
3. Move the shape within artboard.
4. Paint in it now... Ahhh... Now it works!
5. Move the shape back outside the artboard as it was before and paint on it.
6. Still Works!

Expected behaviour

Pixel painting in a shape just works regardless shape is on or off the artboard. Artboard is a context not a functionality limiter.

Why is this a problem?

• Interaction inconsistency. You cannot paint... Do a little shape dance... Put it back as it was... Poof! Now you can.
• (Seemingly unneeded) Obstacle in your creative flow. (Some) users use the area outside the artboard to sketch, test, doodle, try, play... be creative... The phenomena described is a bit of a gnarl there.
• Unclear intended effect. What is the beneficial or positive outcome of the condition right now? Why (for what purpose) is it made so?

[Aleksandar Kovač]

And, possibly, another connected phenomena...

1. Have a vector shape with a nested pixel layer in it.
2. Position that vector shape close to but entirely off the artboard.
3. Just in case, make that pixel layer a bit bigger than the shape. Paint around. You might not see your pixels, they are clipped by your shape. Nevermind, you will adjust it's position later.
4. Now, select the nested pixel layer and reposition it. Try positioning it so that a part of it crosses into Artboard area.
5. Oh! It is not nested in the shape anymore! Why?

Now, try this...

1. Again, your vector shape with a nested pixel layer is close to but off the artboard.
2. Paint pixels on the pixel layer, and paint the helloutofit. Paint so that the pixel layer enters Artboard area.
3. Yes! the pixel layer is still safely inside its parent.
4. Move that pixel layer a little.
5. Oh bummer. Parent-child relation is broken again.

Problem

As soon as pixel layer's bounding box crosses into Artboard, parent-child relation between your shape and pixel layer is broken. The shape stays off the artboard while pixel layer becomes a part of artboard.

Expected behaviour

Nōlī turbāre circulōs meōs! — If a pixel layer is nested in a shape then user's simple XY repositioning of the pixel layer within that shape must not disturb the parent-child relation. Parent-child relation can be broken only by a deliberate user action (via layer palette, etc.)

Why is this a problem?

• Who's the boss? Who established this parent-child relation? Who controls it? Artboard or User? I'd say User.
• Interaction inconsistency. Simple moving of an object in the workspace does not make or break parent-child (nesting) relations anywhere else. At least, I am not aware of it. Except, of course, putting an object off and on the artboard, but a nested object should listen to its parent and never break away on its own.
• Unclear intended effect. What is the beneficial or positive outcome of the condition right now? Why (for what purpose) is it made so?

"Mother and child reunion is only a motion away..."
— Paul Simon, Mother and Child Reunion, from "Paul Simon" 1972 album.

 

Solution for this particular problem provided by @,,, in link below.

Problem from the original post remains. And of course, recommendation for Paul Simon's fine song .

Edited December 14, 2022 by Aleksandar Kovač
This particular issue resolved in another thread. Original issue remains.

[Sean P]

Hi Aleksandar,
Thank you very much for the report. I'll get this passed over to development.