Allow "Selection Only" export to include all visible layers just like "Selection Area" does.

[SixSphinx]

I often need to export everything within a certain shape outline, leaving the remainder of the selection area transparent. My options are currently:

Selection Area: reproduces all visible layers but fills the entire rectangle around the shape, not leaving anything transparent.

Selection Only: exports only the portions of the image within the particular shape, but doesn't export overlying or underlying layers.

Desired outcome: exports only the portions of the image within the particular shape, and reproduces all visible layers.

My particular use case is: I have wedding invitation designs with textured backgrounds and shapes on top that are blended with the background (usually using Linear Burn or Screen). I need to export both the background and the overlying shapes separately. This is so that my users can delete particular elements of the design if they want different invitation wording. I almost always have multiple color themes, which is one reason that I use multiple adjustment layers. I usually end up having to revisit the file to add color themes or make corrections and re-export. I have about a hundred of these files and counting.

As it is, I have to have an extra copy of all the visible layers (overlying adjustment layers, background layers, plus a color overlay layer representing the color fill of the shape itself) clipped within the selected shape. So if I move the shape or resize it, then everything inside is also affected and I have to re-adjust it all. I currently work around some of the extra work by the liberal use of symbols, but that only eliminates about half of the extra work.

[Pšenda]

"Allow "Selection Only" export to include all visible layers just like "Selection Area" does."

I don't know if I understand your request correctly, but the meaning of "Selection Only", as the name of the option itself suggests, is to export only the selected object and nothing else. If other unselected objects should also be exported with this option, the "Selection Only" option loses its meaning - it would have to be named completely differently.

If I understand your need correctly, would you need to adjust the export so that when you select "Selection Area" the surroundings of the selected area are transparent?

P.S. Do you have the Document Background set to Transparent?

Edited February 9, 2023 by Pšenda

[SixSphinx]

Thanks for replying. Let me see if I can give some more details.

I'd love to have a selection export option that exports all visible layers, clipped by the selected shape (not its bounding box). From the very beginning, this has jumped out to me as an obvious gap in the selection export functionality that seems very possible to fill.

In order to get my desired result, in every single artboard of every single file, inside every single shape to be exported, I have to keep an extra copy of the background textures, the overlying adjustment layers, and a layer representing the shape's fill color. If I move or resize one of those shapes, then everything inside the clipping shape has to be manually adjusted. I'd love to know that I'm wrong and that there's a much easier way to do this.

 

To illustrate, here's an example of purple shapes with an overlying HSL adjustment over a textured background. The HSL layer is used to create different color variations.

Here are the exports from this file.

And here's the file as it has to be set up to get the desired results.

 

[Pšenda]

"Desired result" - Export Persona, create slice as selection area, unselect Make Item visible in export for Parchment square? 

[SixSphinx]

That doesn't really fix the problem since I need the parchment texture visible within the selection outline. Thanks though.

Edited February 17, 2023 by SixSphinx

[Aammppaa]

I know this is an old thread, but it popped up in my search results today, and piqued my interest.

On 2/9/2023 at 6:14 PM, SixSphinx said:

If I move or resize one of those shapes, then everything inside the clipping shape has to be manually adjusted. I'd love to know that I'm wrong and that there's a much easier way to do this.

I can't see a way of achieving your desired result without using multiple copies of the texture and HSL adjustment.

But you can at least ensure that all the copies react to each adjustment by using Symbols (in Designer) or Linked Layers (in Photo).

They are essentially the same feature, but I personally find the interface of Linked Layers more powerful and easier to comprehend.

 

Linked Layers for Export Example.afphoto.afdesign

[fde101]

As a workaround, you could try duplicating the shape that you want to export from and use it as a mask for the parchment, then export the selection area.  The mask can be turned on and off so that you would only enable the mask when you want to perform that particular export.