Layers

[jackamus]

Is there a way to switch off creating daughter layers i.e. every object is unique on its own layer and that there is no connection between an object and a copy of that object?

[Dan C]

Hi @jackamus,

If I've understood correctly, you can change your Assistant settings under View > Assistant Manager... where, for example, you can set mask layers and adjustment layers to be added as new layers, rather than child layers.

I hope this helps

[jackamus]

Hi Dan,

Thanks for responding. Now its time to bear my sole to all you helpful guys on the forum.

All the problems I've been having with AD are not problems WITH AD but problems with me using AD.

I tend to use AD or any other graphic software, as a tool to 'draw by hand'. I do not try to use all the features as there are far too many for my simple purposes. This is why I had a problem with using Text frames. I was trying to use AD in the same way as normal typesetting. There are too many non-intuitive features for my liking. Also with and disappearing bounding box handles and snapping etc.

It would be like someone buying an CNC machine and trying to use like an ordinary milling machine or using a multi-purpose to do only one thing.

However I have produced some quality work which can be seen in the gallery. Also when when I first Used serif 'DrawPlus' many years ago before AD I won a prize from serif, a free piece of Serif software, for a drawing I had done. I was totally amazed!

You mention 'Assitant' settings. I have a problem with the jargon and terms used. I have never used Adjustment or Masking layers as I don't think they would apply to the way I work, as opposed to using AD fully like the rest of you. So when I have a local problem with AD, searching for answers using AD help is too time consuming and if its a problem that doesn't actually exist no amount of searching is going to tell me that. So that is why I ask questions on the AD Forum.

The simplest way for me to work is to use layers to keep certain objects and groups together. I do not like the concept of 'Daughter' layers because it makes it difficult for me to select objects or groups. I'm assuming that if I copy an object or group and move it to another position it is a daughter of where it was copied from.

I like the idea of when I select an object or group it is not 'stuck' to something else.

So there you have it my sole is laid bare.

 

 

 

 

 

[Dan C]

Thanks for the further explanation, this is certainly helpful!

5 minutes ago, jackamus said:

The simplest way for me to work is to use layers to keep certain objects and groups together. I do not like the concept of 'Daughter' layers because it makes it difficult for me to select objects or groups. I'm assuming that if I copy an object or group and move it to another position it is a daughter of where it was copied from.

I can confirm that when copying an object that is part of a Group, or within a Layer, if you still have that Group/Layer selected in the Layers studio when pasting, the copy will be included as a daughter object of the Group/Layer.

I've created a quick screen recording of this below, after selecting an object that is part of a Layer, you can see the Layer is still highlighted in blue, indicating that the Layer is still active and therefore pasting will include the new object within this layer.

However if you make your selection and copy, then deselect this Layer (I did this by clicking the Group in the layers panel, then clicking the canvas once), you can now see there is no active layer in the Layers Studio and therefore the pasted object is not added as part of the Layer.

The same is true for grouped objects, as shown below -

I hope this clears things up

[jackamus]

Thanks for the update.

LOL I think this is what I have been dong bur without realising it!

To avoid the problem of daughter layers, I copy the object of group, cut it, then then paste it where I want it. I believe that does the same thing.

[lepr]

23 minutes ago, jackamus said:

copy the object of group, cut it, then then paste it

you don't need the 'copy' step - 'cut' places the thing on the clipboard and removes it from the document

[jackamus]

I don't want to remove it! I want to make a second copy to use elsewhere. That's why I copy, cut and paste.

[lepr]

14 minutes ago, jackamus said:

I don't want to remove it! I want to make a second copy to use elsewhere. That's why I copy, cut and paste.

Then why do you keep writing 'cut' between 'copy' and 'paste'?!!

'Cut' removes!!!

Every time I try to help you, the result is a farce!!!!

 

[jackamus]

Yes after I have copied it. The original is still there on the drawing. I copy it then when I select the copy,  cut it and then paste it.

[lepr]

3 minutes ago, jackamus said:

Yes after I have copied it. The original is still there on the drawing. I copy it then when I select the copy,  cut it and then paste it.

My guess is you mean 'Duplicate' then 'Cut' then 'Paste'. If so, just do 'Copy' then 'Paste'.

[lepr]

Your silence suggests I helped you. It has been a real pleasure.

[jackamus]

41 minutes ago, ,,, said:

Your silence suggests I helped you. It has been a real pleasure.

Sorry you have been very helpful but 'Duplicate' doesn't do it at all. Maybe I'm not using it correctly.

My method is I selected the group, right click, choose Copy, moved to where I want it, right clicked again, choose paste and job done.

[lepr]

15 minutes ago, jackamus said:

Sorry you have been very helpful but 'Duplicate' doesn't do it at all. Maybe I'm not using it correctly.

My method is I selected the group, right click, choose Copy, moved to where I want it, right clicked again, choose paste and job done.

WTF! That's not what you twice said you were doing. If you had said that, I'd never have wasted my time in this thread. Like I said, a farce!

(I wouldn't be using 'Duplicate' either. It was a way of trying to figure out what you were playing at.)

[jackamus]

Yes I did. I just repeated myself. You were helpful by suggesting 'Duplicate' so I tried it and it didn't work. So I just repeated what I said earlier.

Sorry if I bugged you.

[lepr]

Just now, jackamus said:

Yes I did. I just repeated myself. You were helpful by suggesting 'Duplicate' so I tried it and it didn't work. So I just repeated what I said earlier.

Sorry if I bugged you.

Good God, man! You misunderstand every sentence I write. I did not suggest you should try 'Duplicate'.

You twice wrote that you were doing copy, cut and paste. Now you have revealed you were doing only copy and paste. If you had written that earlier, there would have been no reason for me to write anything.

Please don't reply.

[Alfred]

22 minutes ago, jackamus said:

Sorry you have been very helpful but 'Duplicate' doesn't do it at all. Maybe I'm not using it correctly.

My method is I selected the group, right click, choose Copy, moved to where I want it, right clicked again, choose paste and job done.

 

7 minutes ago, ,,, said:

That's not what you twice said you were doing.

 

2 minutes ago, jackamus said:

Yes I did. I just repeated myself.

No, what you said repeatedly was that you cut and paste, not copy and paste.

3 hours ago, jackamus said:

That's why I copy, cut and paste.

 

3 hours ago, jackamus said:

I copy it then when I select the copy,  cut it and then paste it.

 

[Alfred]

3 minutes ago, ,,, said:

I did not suggest you should try 'Duplicate'.

Indeed you did not. You simply described what Jack seemed to be doing.

3 hours ago, ,,, said:

My guess is you mean 'Duplicate'

 

[lepr]

1 minute ago, Alfred said:

Indeed you did not. You simply described what Jack seemed to be doing.

 

jackamus persistently writes what he doesn't mean and misunderstands what others write. There has been a communications comedy in almost all his threads, if I remember correctly.

[jackamus]

Hi Alfred,

Did you see my lengthy response about how I use AD? I think the difference between us is that I'm not using AD in the way that you all do and you have a problem understanding that. In spite of using AD in a non-standard way I can produce good quality work. I may achieve this quality accidentally but it works for me. So you must forgive me when I don't seem to understand what may be obvious to you but I tend to think vertically rather laterally and that is why I constantly talk about AD not being intuitive.

Just to show you that I can use AD and previous to that DrawPlus I have attached some examples albeit of the technical type.

 

Helical gear 2.afdesign Grinding Jig Affinity.afdesign Saxophone WIP.afdesign Jaguar WIP.afdesign

[Alfred]

2 minutes ago, jackamus said:

Just to show you that I can use AD and previous to that DrawPlus I have attached some examples albeit of the technical type.

I remember your impressive DrawPlus work, Jack. Especially the car. 👍

[jackamus]

1 minute ago, Alfred said:

I remember your impressive DrawPlus work, Jack. Especially the car. 👍

That was  along time ago and thank you for the compliment. Actually it was the second time I had a go at the Jaguar. The first time was an acrylic painting then I thought I would try and do it on the computer with DrawPlus. I have attached the painting jpeg.

[firstdefence]

22 minutes ago, jackamus said:

That was  along time ago and thank you for the compliment. Actually it was the second time I had a go at the Jaguar. The first time was an acrylic painting then I thought I would try and do it on the computer with DrawPlus. I have attached the painting jpeg.

Kin hell, that's awesome.

[jackamus]

7 minutes ago, firstdefence said:

Kin hell, that's awesome.

Thanks but I only paint what I see. I'm not a creative artist i.e. I don't sit in front of a blank canvas and create a painting. I only work from photos. I load the photo into Photoshop change it to black and white and apply a 'Find edges filter'. this creates what looks like a pencil drawing. I then have it printed onto a 20" x 30" blank canvas and then paint on it. Putting it through Photoshop to get the outlines may be cheating but it saves me a lot of time drawing.

Here's another one. I shan't put up any more. I used to have a website where you could view them. If you want to see more let me know and I'll send them in a private message.

[henryanthony]

On 3/31/2023 at 8:27 AM, jackamus said:

Is there a way to switch off creating daughter layers i.e. every object is unique on its own layer and that there is no connection between an object and a copy of that object?

@jackamus Beautiful work! But, regarding the issue at hand. I cannot reproduce your problem. Every shape I add to a drawing - either drawn, copy-pasted or cut-pasted - is unique and on its own layer. Grouped shapes are shown indented under a group listing. 

What exactly are you doing to create these "offspring" layers?

[jackamus]

Thank you for your kind words.

Yes every object is unique on its own layer, but if you copy an object or group and paste it in another position on the layout, you will notice that when you try to group it with another object or group a bounding box appears and includes the copy and pasted object. The way to stop this is to copy the object or group and cut it then paste it then it will be removed as a daughter and be part of another group. There is a section on it in the AD Help manual.

I hope I have explained it.