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How to turn pixel "image" into IMAGE?


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If you also have Affinity Publisher, you can convert a pixel layer into an image layer

If you just have Designer, you can Group the pixel layer (by itself) then use the Transparency Tool on that group

(Windows)

To save time I am currently using an automated AI to reply to some posts on this forum. If any of "my" posts are wrong or appear to be total b*ll*cks they are the ones generated by the AI. If correct they were probably mine. I apologise for any mistakes made by my AI - I'm sure it will improve with time.

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3 hours ago, ennuied said:

I can use transparency tool on an image but not pixel

The Transparency tool is primarily a vector object tool. That's also why it doesn't exist in APh.
An "Image" type of object is sort of the Affinity equivalent of Photoshop's "Smart Object", and as such partially behaving like vector objects, being independent on the document pixel resolution.

3 hours ago, ennuied said:

"turn this whatever it is into a photo"

Here you want to convert a pixel layer into an embedded/linked object – which is what "Image" layers are.
This is a Publisher exclusive feature (for a reason), so we need a small workaround in Designer:

  1. select the pixel layer, make sure it's fully visible on the page/artboard and not cropped (unless that's what you want)
  2. make sure it is aligned to the document pixel grid, otherwise it will be blurred on export
  3. Export > Area: Selection Only > format of your choice, usually JPEG Best Quality is fine
  4. File > Place > select your previously exported JPEG and place it
  5. voilà
2 hours ago, carl123 said:

you can Group the pixel layer (by itself) then use the Transparency Tool on that group

Exactly. That's because by "grouping" the pixel layer with itself, the "Group" type of parent layer acts as a kind of vector container and is thus "visible" to the Transparency tool.

9 minutes ago, N.P.M. said:

a more nondestructive approach

The "group" trick is as nondestructive as it can get. The transparency attribute is always editable.

However, the main flaw of the Transparency tool is that there is no visual indication that it's been applied. That's why I never use it, in fact. I want to be in full control… ;)  

MacBookAir 15": MacOS Ventura > Affinity v1, v2, v2 beta // MacBookPro 15" mid-2012: MacOS El Capitan > Affinity v1 / MacOS Catalina > Affinity v1, v2, v2 beta // iPad 8th: iPadOS 16 > Affinity v2

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1 hour ago, lacerto said:

macOS users have always been able to use a direct menu command in all three apps.

No, that's a new feature in v2
@ennuied obviously uses Designer v1.

MacBookAir 15": MacOS Ventura > Affinity v1, v2, v2 beta // MacBookPro 15" mid-2012: MacOS El Capitan > Affinity v1 / MacOS Catalina > Affinity v1, v2, v2 beta // iPad 8th: iPadOS 16 > Affinity v2

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1 hour ago, lacerto said:

as macOS users have always been able to use a direct menu command in all three apps.

Not really. In V1 this option is available in APub only and since one of the recent updates only.

1 hour ago, lacerto said:

I hope there is a good explanation

"by design" … ? :234_unicorn:

 

macOS 10.14.6 | MacBookPro Retina 15" | Eizo 27" | Affinity V1

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21 minutes ago, N.P.M. said:

Should have said "another" instead of "a more" nondestructive approach 😉

Yes, there are quite a few ways to achieve more or less the same result. And that's a feature. :) 

MacBookAir 15": MacOS Ventura > Affinity v1, v2, v2 beta // MacBookPro 15" mid-2012: MacOS El Capitan > Affinity v1 / MacOS Catalina > Affinity v1, v2, v2 beta // iPad 8th: iPadOS 16 > Affinity v2

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7 minutes ago, lacerto said:

(or did you just fail to scroll the menu low enough)?

Oh, I didn't notice – or already forgot – that in Designer/Photo v1 it's in the context menu via Move tool selection! Great find, thanks :) 

MacBookAir 15": MacOS Ventura > Affinity v1, v2, v2 beta // MacBookPro 15" mid-2012: MacOS El Capitan > Affinity v1 / MacOS Catalina > Affinity v1, v2, v2 beta // iPad 8th: iPadOS 16 > Affinity v2

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10 minutes ago, lacerto said:

Or maybe it depends on the OS version as I think you both use pretty old macOS versions (or did you just fail to scroll the menu low enough)?

Wow, Thank you! , your last screenshot makes it clear: In V1 for any unknown reason this option appears in the context menu only if opened from the layout window – it does neither show up in the "Layers Panel" right-click menu nor the main menu "Layer" … which feels indeed confusing strange.

macOS 10.14.6 | MacBookPro Retina 15" | Eizo 27" | Affinity V1

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24 minutes ago, N.P.M. said:

This isn't present in V1 on windows though(even latest 1.10.6)

Nor in V2 as far as I can see.

-- Walt
Designer, Photo, and Publisher V1 and V2 at latest retail and beta releases
PC:
    Desktop:  Windows 11 Pro 23H2, 64GB memory, AMD Ryzen 9 5900 12-Core @ 3.00 GHz, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 

    Laptop:  Windows 11 Pro 23H2, 32GB memory, Intel Core i7-10750H @ 2.60GHz, Intel UHD Graphics Comet Lake GT2 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU.
    Laptop 2: Windows 11 Pro 24H2,  16GB memory, Snapdragon(R) X Elite - X1E80100 - Qualcomm(R) Oryon(TM) 12 Core CPU 4.01 GHz, Qualcomm(R) Adreno(TM) X1-85 GPU
iPad:  iPad Pro M1, 12.9": iPadOS 17.7, Apple Pencil 2, Magic Keyboard 
Mac:  2023 M2 MacBook Air 15", 16GB memory, macOS Sonoma 14.7

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22 minutes ago, N.P.M. said:

Strange that it exists on mac but not windows?

Yes. I'm tempted to report it as a bug,, if no one else does first :) 

-- Walt
Designer, Photo, and Publisher V1 and V2 at latest retail and beta releases
PC:
    Desktop:  Windows 11 Pro 23H2, 64GB memory, AMD Ryzen 9 5900 12-Core @ 3.00 GHz, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 

    Laptop:  Windows 11 Pro 23H2, 32GB memory, Intel Core i7-10750H @ 2.60GHz, Intel UHD Graphics Comet Lake GT2 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU.
    Laptop 2: Windows 11 Pro 24H2,  16GB memory, Snapdragon(R) X Elite - X1E80100 - Qualcomm(R) Oryon(TM) 12 Core CPU 4.01 GHz, Qualcomm(R) Adreno(TM) X1-85 GPU
iPad:  iPad Pro M1, 12.9": iPadOS 17.7, Apple Pencil 2, Magic Keyboard 
Mac:  2023 M2 MacBook Air 15", 16GB memory, macOS Sonoma 14.7

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1 hour ago, N.P.M. said:

This isn't present in V1 on windows though(even latest 1.10.6)

So I guess it's also one of those "accidental MacOS 'features'", like in v1 the trick to have Text Frame and Pinning panels in APh/ADe, and the Links panel in ADe/APu.

36 minutes ago, walt.farrell said:

I'm tempted to report it as a bug

BEWARE, Walt! :D 
Or they remove it from us in the end…

MacBookAir 15": MacOS Ventura > Affinity v1, v2, v2 beta // MacBookPro 15" mid-2012: MacOS El Capitan > Affinity v1 / MacOS Catalina > Affinity v1, v2, v2 beta // iPad 8th: iPadOS 16 > Affinity v2

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7 hours ago, ennuied said:

So. I can use transparency tool on an image but not pixel whatever. So to hell with it right? Get rid of it. How! I tried to find the "turn this whatever it is into a photo" button but I found none. Why this software is so hard!!!

I am not going to get into the Is it a Bug discussion.

I just group the Pixel layer and use the Transparency tool on the group.

Mac Pro (Late 2013) Mac OS 12.7.6 
Affinity Designer 2.5.5 | Affinity Photo 2.5.5 | Affinity Publisher 2.5.5 | Beta versions as they appear.

I have never mastered color management, period, so I cannot help with that.

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