mini tutorial: get original size of pixel layer (requires full Affinity suite)

[NotMyFault]

If you have accidentally resized a pixel layer and don't know the original size, it can be difficult to restore the former state.

Resized pixel layers can lead to blurriness, especially for pixel art and fine details.

If you have Publisher installed:

• Use Studio Link feature "Edit in Publisher"
• Convert pixel layer to image layer
• Use Studio Link feature "Edit in Photo". Do not switch to pixel persona in Publisher!
• Activate Transform panel / move tool
• set position to 0, 0 (to whole integer values)
• reset layer dpi to document dpi (on Mac, 96 dpi if not stated different in document setup). use numeric input in the toolbar.

Now the pixel layer has again its native / document dpi and any blurriness by misalignment / DPI mismatch is resolved.

[NotMyFault]

3 hours ago, N.P.M. said:

Even easier 

Double click on the middle handle points.

Does not work reliable for me ( Photo on Mac). But when it work this is far easier.

Update:

No, this only restores aspect ratio. Won't help if both sides have been resized.

Edited January 23, 2023 by NotMyFault
Edits in bold

[NotMyFault]

The double-click does not restore the original size. It restores the aspect ratio, not the absolute size.

 

@N.P.M.

[loukash]

10 hours ago, NotMyFault said:

• Convert pixel layer to image layer

Brilliant!  

But…

10 hours ago, NotMyFault said:

"Edit in Publisher"

On Mac, you can select Convert to Image Resource directly in Photo (and Designer) from the context menu. It's missing on Windows though.
(Not sure what is here the "bug" and what is the "happy accident"…)

10 hours ago, NotMyFault said:

• Use Studio Link feature "Edit in Photo". Do not switch to pixel persona in Publisher!
• […]
• reset layer dpi to document dpi (on Mac, 96 dpi if not stated different in document setup). use numeric input in the toolbar

Why not simply click the Original Size button in the context toolbar popup menu?
You mean because of the "absolute pixel grid" bug?
If it's a 1-page document without bleed – i.e. *.afphoto standard – then it shouldn't make any difference in Publisher.

10 hours ago, NotMyFault said:

• Activate Transform panel / move tool
• set position to 0, 0 (to whole integer values)

If you have Force Pixel Alignment on (and you should), then the image will snap back to integer pixel coordinates anyway as soon as you move it. Then just convert back to pixel layer.

[NotMyFault]

6 hours ago, loukash said:

On Mac, you can select Convert to Image Resource directly in Photo (and Designer) from the context menu. It's missing on Windows though.
(Not sure what is here the "bug" and what is the "happy accident"…)

I tried to make one tutorial which works on all platforms. Actually I didn’t find the „convert“ as I searched only in (regular) menus.

 

6 hours ago, loukash said:

Why not simply click the Original Size button in the context toolbar popup menu?

 Not available on iPad (all 3 apps checked)

6 hours ago, loukash said:

If it's a 1-page document without bleed – i.e. *.afphoto standard – then it shouldn't make any difference in Publisher.

17 hours ago, NotMyFault said:

During my tests this or a similar bug affected 1 page documents. I could not nail this down to be reproducible, but it happened too often to ignore it. As this effect would render the workflow useless, I chose a different one which avoids such issues.

 

7 hours ago, loukash said:

If you have Force Pixel Alignment on (and you should), then the image will snap back to integer pixel coordinates anyway as soon as you move it. Then just convert back to pixel layer.

This is just another method to achieve the same. But „move it“ leaves too much room for (mis-)interpretation and I prefer to give simple instructions which leave no room for interpretation and work reliable on all platforms. Nudge distance settings could otherwise ruin the workflow.

 

 

[loukash]

2 hours ago, N.P.M. said:

If I accidentally resize or need to have the "image" layer I simply drag/drop the same picture again.

My understanding is that this tutorial is about pixel layers, be it rasterized image layers or e.g. self-created paintings. Especially in case of the latter, it's good to have a workflow that will bring them back to original dimensions safely, without having to go through document history and the like.

[NotMyFault]

This mini tutorial is intended for those who got stuck having a (accidentally) resized pixel layer, e.g. after hours of editing a file, and history or snapshots are unavailable or wont help (as going through hours of history is very time consuming), and you may loose edits made after resizing which you want to keep. Merging later edit back into a pixel layer restored from history doesn’t work in my experience.

For all who are better organized and have external sources for all their pixel layers, never make mistakes, write down the exact pixel size into layer name, have the Affinity App on an OS that provides „reset to original size“, be happy and go with that options.

[thomaso]

On 1/23/2023 at 1:46 PM, NotMyFault said:

Do not switch to pixel persona in Publisher!

Why is this important / what disadvantage would occur?

I just tried with two pixel layers copied from APhoto to APub, then toggled between the personas & used the pixel to image conversion but did not notice any harmful relevance when switching the persona. – What did I miss?

[loukash]

41 minutes ago, thomaso said:

Why is this important / what disadvantage would occur?

This:

On 1/24/2023 at 12:22 AM, loukash said:

because of the "absolute pixel grid" bug?
If it's a 1-page document without bleed – i.e. *.afphoto standard – then it shouldn't make any difference in Publisher.

[loukash]

Speaking of which, here's the in-place workflow to reset any pixel layer back to its original dimensions without any conversion: