Paint brush not working on inherent adjustment masks in V2

[dkbarker]

Sorry if someone has already posted on this but if so, I can't find it. Below is my configuration.  Apparently I can't change the hardware acceleration anymore but everything is working fine in Affinity Photo Version 1.  In version 2.1 (I think it actually started in 2.0) if I open a photo, apply a Brightness and Contrast Adjustment and change it dramatically like full brightness, then I Invert it with command-i, and select the paint brush (command-b), change the color to white, and it does absolutely nothing.  I can change to the pixel brush and it erases the top layer as it should.  I can do the same exact thing in V1, with the same photo and it erases the upper layer as it should.

MacBook Info:
Processor: 2.6 GHz 6-Core Intel Core i7
Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics 630 1536 MB
Memory: 16 GB 2667 MHz DDR4
OS: Ventura Version 13.3.1

[dkbarker]

I guess I should also mention that I have a Dell Windows 11 Pro Machine, with Affinity V2.1 and everything works fine, so it does seem to be the MacBook Pro, but it's not that old.  And I might also mention that the above was an example, I'm having trouble getting the brush to erase or add to the top layers using any kind of mask.

[Gripsholm Lion]

Can I just check that "Command B" was just a typing error and you know that it's just B to select the brush tool? I'm sure that you know that, but really I cannot think of any other possible cause than thinking that you have selected the brush and not realising. I know that you said that it works in 1.x, but I'm having to clutch at straws here! I tried hard to replicate the problem on my Macs, but couldn't.

[MEB]

Hi @dkbarker,
Welcome to Affinity Forums
Check if you have Protect Alpha enabled in the context toolbar for the Paint Brush Tool or if the Blend Mode is set to anything other than Normal. Also make sure the Opacity of the brush is not set to 0%.

[dkbarker]

The Protect Alpha was it!  THANK YOU!  I didn't even notice that was checked, it must be defaulted in V2?

[dkbarker]

4 hours ago, GripsholmLion said:

Can I just check that "Command B" was just a typing error and you know that it's just B to select the brush tool? I'm sure that you know that, but really I cannot think of any other possible cause than thinking that you have selected the brush and not realising. I know that you said that it works in 1.x, but I'm having to clutch at straws here! I tried hard to replicate the problem on my Macs, but couldn't.

You're correct, that was a typo.  Thanks

[Gripsholm Lion]

39 minutes ago, dkbarker said:

it must be defaulted in V2?

I don't believe so; not for me at least. On small screens, it can fall into overflow and be overlooked, so some people could be quite confused if it was enabled by default.

I'm glad that you got it sorted.

[MEB]

1 hour ago, dkbarker said:

The Protect Alpha was it!  THANK YOU!  I didn't even notice that was checked, it must be defaulted in V2?

No, it's turned OFF by default.

[walt.farrell]

1 hour ago, MEB said:

No, it's turned OFF by default.

I think it's a bit more complex than that.

It may default that way, the first time you use the application. But for me, if you set it for the Paint Brush Tool then it stays however you last set it.

• Turn it on in one image tab, and it will be on in the others.
• Turn it on in one Photo 2 session, close Photo 2, and restart it. It will be on in the new session.

Note: I have only tested with the Paint Brush Tool. But I have noticed that the setting is not shared with the Pixel Brush Tool. This may be due to the Assistant brush tool sharing options, but I have also not tested this.

[MEB]

3 minutes ago, walt.farrell said:

I think it's a bit more complex than that.

It may default that way, the first time you use the application....

• Turn it on...
• Turn it on...

If you are turning in ON no matter how or where then it's no longer a default.

[walt.farrell]

6 minutes ago, MEB said:

If you are turning in ON no matter how or where then it's no longer a default.

Technically true

However, many users might think that a default is set when the application starts. For example, many users have asked what the default brush is when they start working. The most true answer I've come up with to that one is: Except for the first time you start the application, and the first time you choose a brush, there isn't one. You must choose for each session.

A true default would, in my opinion, be applied whenever the application starts. Then you would know for sure what the settings are.

Few of us will care what the initial setting was when we first ran the application 6 months ago, or 2 years ago.

[dkbarker]

Thanks everybody, I must have clicked it on somehow.  I'm just happy to have it resolved!

Cheers!