Layer Lock Behavior Question

[lb Cake]

Can someone explain to me why the new rectangle is being created to the "Master Group" instead of the selected layer group? The attached video shows an example of the behavior I'm encountering.

I know the layer lock has specific limitations that allow grouped items to be selected but I'm confused about why the program is behaving this way. It's been my experience that new shapes are created to the active group, but for some reason that has changed. 

P.S. Enjoy a bit of Rick James free of charge. 

Edited May 11, 2023 by lb Cake
Additional comment needed

[thomaso]

I am not familiar with the V2 layer symbols but might it be that neither "Curve" nor "Cave" or "Cave Background Assets" are Artboards respectively are inside an Artboard layer? This can cause that new created objects get automatically placed within the layer hierarchy at the top most position inside an available Artboard.

If that is the case one option would be to select the layer "Cave Background Assets" -> select the Artboard Tool -> choose "Selection" from the menu and click the "Insert Artboard" button to get all this content placed on an artboard.

[walt.farrell]

9 hours ago, thomaso said:

I am not familiar with the V2 layer symbols

Artboards will have the symbol you see at location 1 below. Groups will have the one at location 2. (Note that, of course, the disclosure triangle (caret) could point to the right if the object is collapsed, rather than pointing down).

This Help page shows some of the others: https://affinity.help/designer2/en-US.lproj/pages/Layers/aboutLayers.html

[Pšenda]

59 minutes ago, walt.farrell said:

Artboards will have the symbol

Has the bug Hint/Tooltip finally been fixed in the beta yet? Version 2.04 still insists on "Rectangle".

[thomaso]

Thanks, @walt.farrell, I had seen this help page, which let me assume that in the OP's video the next Artboard for the currently selected layer is "Master Artboard" (where the new layer gets placed). But I wasn't sure whether the collapsed/unfolded icons '>/v' indicate layers of type "Group" only or possibly other layer types, too, for instance "Layer" layers or a new combination that exists in V2 only. Unfortunately the help page does not list or show either.

 

[Pšenda]

7 minutes ago, thomaso said:

the collapsed/unfolded icons '>/v'

These icons indicate any object that has any nested objects, such as a rectangle with applied/nested adjustments, clipping, etc.

If there is no other icon above ">/v" that describes the type of layer, then it is a Group.

Edited May 12, 2023 by Pšenda

[lepr]

13 hours ago, lb Cake said:

I'm confused about why the program is behaving this way. It's been my experience that new shapes are created to the active group, but for some reason that has changed. 

 

Seems to be a bug when trying to create a new object inside an object that is outside of all Artboards - your Group named Cave Background Assets is outside of all Artboards.

[Pšenda]

13 hours ago, lb Cake said:

Can someone explain to me why the new rectangle is being created to the "Master Group" instead of the selected layer group?

I think your problem is that you trying to insert a rectangle into a Group, which it's not part of the Artboards.

Then the insertion always takes place into Artboards.

[thomaso]

13 minutes ago, Pšenda said:

If there is no other icon above ">/v" that describes the type of layer, then it is a Group.

Do "Group" & "Layer" layer have the same symbols, just none if empty, respectively above ">/v"?

[Pšenda]

3 minutes ago, thomaso said:

Do "Group" & "Layer" layer have the same symbols, just none if empty, respectively above ">/v"?

No.

Edit: The description in the Help is not exactly accurate,

because even a Group can contain vector objects.

[lepr]

2 minutes ago, Pšenda said:

even a Group can contain vector objects.

Also, a Layer can contain Pixel objects, so the description for Layer is useless

[thomaso]

3 minutes ago, Pšenda said:

5 minutes ago, thomaso said:

Do "Group" & "Layer" layer have the same symbols, just none if empty, respectively above ">/v"?

No.

Ah, that's why I didn't notice it before in the help: It doesn't say "Layer" but "vector".

Appears a bit confusing. I assume in V2 a "Layer" layer still may contain any object type, not vector only, right?

[thomaso]

3 minutes ago, lepr said:

Also, a Layer can contain Pixel objects, so the description for Layer is useless

Why useless? If it got a symbol why should it not get a description for this symbol? – It "just" appears to be an incorrect / incomplete / misleading description in the Help.

[lepr]

1 minute ago, thomaso said:

Why useless? If it got a symbol why should it not get a description for this symbol? – It "just" appears to be an incorrect / incomplete / misleading description in the Help.

Where did I say there should be no description? (Answer: nowhere did I say that).

In my world, misleading is useless or worse than useless.

[thomaso]

1 minute ago, lepr said:

Where did I say there should be no description? (Answer: nowhere did I say that).

In my world, misleading is useless or worse than useless.

Sorry. 😔 It gets complicated: I understood "useless" = not required, unnecessary.

And I understood your conclusion "Also > can > so the description is useless" like "a Layer can contain all sorts of types, so the description is useless = not required", … with "the" = "a" but ≠ "this specific".

[lepr]

3 minutes ago, thomaso said:

Sorry. 😔 It gets complicated: I understood "useless" = not required, unnecessary.

And I understood your conclusion "Also > can > so the description is useless" like "a Layer can contain all sorts of types, so the description is useless = not required", … with "the" = "a" but ≠ "this specific".

Useless is a common way of saying a thing is unhelpful because it is not functioning correctly.

 

[Pšenda]

2 minutes ago, lepr said:

Useless is a common way of saying a thing is unhelpful because it is not functioning correctly.

 

...

[lepr]

There are tables of the Affinity 2 layer/object icons in the help for each app at https://affinity.help

 

[Pšenda]

1 minute ago, lepr said:

There are tables of the Affinity 2 layer/object icons in the help for each app at https://affinity.help

 

This is already mentioned earlier with a direct link to the description of the icons.

2 hours ago, walt.farrell said:

This Help page shows some of the others: https://affinity.help/designer2/en-US.lproj/pages/Layers/aboutLayers.html

 

[lepr]

Just now, Pšenda said:

This is already mentioned earlier with a direct link to the description of the icons.

 

Any harm caused by me posting a link to the help for all Affinity apps?

For example, there are some icons in the Photo 2 help which are not in the Designer 2 help, and so on. A reader might be interested in more than just Designer.

[thomaso]

5 minutes ago, Pšenda said:

8 minutes ago, lepr said:

Useless is a common way of saying a thing is unhelpful because it is not functioning correctly.

 

...

 

6 minutes ago, Pšenda said:

...

… that is why I said "Sorry" + added my misunderstood meaning. – It appears "useless" also in English can mean "unneccessary" > "not required" … additional to its various meanings of "not functional", "faulty" etc.

 

[thomaso]

3 minutes ago, lepr said:

For example, there are some icons in the Photo 2 help which are not in the Designer 2 help, and so on. A reader might be interested in more than just Designer.

The other apps might not help (may mislead, be useless;) because of the way the help is structured: For instance APub lists the Layer but not the Pixel symbol – although its Personas include AD + APh with their layer types + symbols.

[lepr]

1 minute ago, thomaso said:

The other apps might not help (may mislead, be useless;) because of the way the help is structured: For instance APub lists the Layer but not the Pixel symbol – although its Personas include AD + APh with their layer types + symbols.

There are misleading/useless things scattered throughout the help for all Affinity apps. Safest to never look at any of the help, I guess.

[lepr]

8 minutes ago, thomaso said:

 

… that is why I said "Sorry" + added my misunderstood meaning. – It appears "useless" also in English can mean "unneccessary" > "not required" … additional to its various meanings of "not functional", "faulty" etc.

 

 

There are many nuances to the word useless. I uselessly thought I'd explain my specific use of the word. This discussion is rapidly becoming useless.

[thomaso]

18 minutes ago, lepr said:

This discussion is rapidly becoming useless.

… since the OP's question was answered with the 1st reply. 🦄