Beginner question: How to select an object in Affinity Designer

[kassi]

I know it sounds stupid, but besides of any documentation or tutorials I read, selecting an object by clicking with the mouse – the most intuitive selection tool – isn't working.

I always have to find the correct object in the layers view, which is not really easy and time consuming.

I have a layered structure of a document (actually starting with some app icon template), where some layers are locked. Inside of one such layer I create 4 rectangles. They appear on top in the view.

Clicking of any of those rectangles (with the "move" tool - don't know the English term, in German it's Verschieben [V]) doesn't do anything.

If I unlock the underlying layer, this one always gets selected, which I don't want (neither to select nor to change).

I'm feeling stupid as one could be since it's the most basic thing, and Affinity Designer doesn't do what's supposed to do.

Thanks for any hints. I'm using the MacOS version 1.10.6, same for 2.0.4 (just upgraded).

Edited February 16, 2023 by kassi

[felipe_g]

Hi

You want to select layers by clicking them on the viewport?

If so, you need to enable autoselect (but for me, it doesnt work very well unfortunately)

[kassi]

@Felipe_RB Thanks for your reply. As I mentioned in the text (edited the subject now) it's for Affinity Designer. Can't find anything related to it there.

[felipe_g]

sorry, missed that part

[user_0815]

In Designer it works like this:

A single click selects the top most item or group.

A double click selects the item or group below the currently selected. Double click again and you go further down.

A cmd-click selects the item directly. (strg-click on Win)

Does that work on your machine?

[kassi]

@user_0815 no, absolutely not.

Single click, double click, CMD-click - nothing selects any object.

The problem obviously is, that some layers in the hierarchy above are locked (because I just want to edit what's inside, not the above - this is how the template is set up).

If I unlock everything, CMD-click works, but then I could, if I'm not cautious, move the whole layer around.

[v_kyr]

1 hour ago, kassi said:

... I have a layered structure of a document (actually starting with some app icon template), where some layers are locked. Inside of one such layer I create 4 rectangles. They appear on top in the view.

Clicking of any of those rectangles (with the "move" tool - don't know the English term, in German it's Verschieben [V]) doesn't do anything. ...

If a Group is locked the Move tool is (das ist das Verschieben [V] Werkzeug) worthless, since locked Groups/Layers are not movable, not clickable on the canvas. If a group and it's contents are unlocked, then Ctrl-/Cmd-Clicking on an object on the canvas selects that inside a group.

So locked is locked here, not selectable/editable here from the canvas! - You have to click on a locked object in the layers panel in order to see on the canvas that it is selected as a locked object, the other way around it won't work AFAI can tell.

[kassi]

Just now, v_kyr said:

If a Group is locked the Move tool is (das ist das Verschieben [V] Werkzeug) worthless, since locked Groups/Layers are not movable, not clickable on the canvas. If a group ans it's contents is unlocked, then Ctrl-/Cmd-Clicking on an object on the canvas selects that inside a group.

AS said, it's partially locked. I can select the not locked layers in the layer menu and then move it around with the mouse. Just finding it in the layer hierarchy is hard, specially  if it's just there visible to me.

[v_kyr]

8 minutes ago, kassi said:

AS said, it's partially locked. I can select the not locked layers in the layer menu and then move it around with the mouse. Just finding it in the layer hierarchy is hard, specially  if it's just there visible to me.

On canvas and on layer panel selections, do behave slightly different here, especially for locked objects/layers. - The bottom status bar should usually tell/indicate what is possible here then.

[kassi]

Yes, that's why I was so confused that it doesn't do what it tells me I could do.

Ok, thanks so far for the answers. I learned: In order to use intuitive click to select, I need to unlock everything (and hope I don't change anything accidentially).

Pretty weird (and cumbersome for large hiearchies), but if it's intended, it's like that.

[user_0815]

I agree that unlocked items which are below a locked item should be selectable. 

But if the top element of a group is locked, then the entire group is locked and you cannot select (move or change) anything that is inside.

You don't need to unlock everything, only the elements that are above.

In your case that is the "App Icon" group layer and the "Icon" Symbol. These two are the containers, meaning they are made of the two layers inside (Text and shape). 

In other words: If you don't unlock the symbol, you cannot change it. So don't worry.

[user_0815]

Not wanting to hijack the thread, but does anyone know how these orange colours in the layers panel are made? I find them quite useful visually.

[kassi]

But that's exactly the thing. If I only unlock Symbol, I can't select the text or any other object I place besides of that, that makes up the logo.

I also need to unlock the App Icon. Otherwise, any click somehow selects the app icon, which is locked, and nothing works.

[kassi]

9 minutes ago, user_0815 said:

Not wanting to hijack the thread, but does anyone know how these orange colours in the layers panel are made? I find them quite useful visually.

Do you mean this?

 

[v_kyr]

7 minutes ago, user_0815 said:

but does anyone know how these orange colours in the layers panel are made?

See:

• Symbols

... further you can color layers yourself if needed ...

• Layer colors

[user_0815]

Yes also unlock App Icon because it is the top level of the group. It's just an empty layer as a container. I don't think you can break anything on it by accident.