Affinity Photo 2, How to set layer to image size

[Silent-G]

If I have a layer that is smaller than the canvas size, how do I set the layer boundaries to the canvas size?

GIMP 2 has a function in the menu called "Layer to image size". I can't find this same function in Affinity Photo 2.

[v_kyr]

• "affinity photo" layer to image size

[firstdefence]

This is an example from Gimp to help you understand what the OP is asking for...

 

No such feature exists in Affinity Apps, certainly not as a one click menu item. In affinity it would require the bounding box to be scaled up to the dimensions of the document without affecting the image. 

@Silent-G What benefit does Layer to Image size give?

You could create a clear rectangle the same size as the image and place the object in that, effectively creating a container.

 

[Circulus]

Sorry, wrong suggestion.

Edited June 19, 2023 by Return

[Yuli]

I second this. I couldn't find any way to achieve this within the same document. Every attempt, like merging the desired layer with another empty one, ends up ignoring the alpha channel and thus trimming the layer to its original size.

I wonder why this simple feature isn't requested more often here; it's such a common and useful task.

If someone has a workaround, at least, that doesn't involve creating another document to paste the layer and then copying it back...

[R C-R]

2 hours ago, Yuli said:

I wonder why this simple feature isn't requested more often here; it's such a common and useful task.

As @firstdefence asked above, what is the benefit or usefulness of this feature? What would you use this for?

[Yuli]

25 minutes ago, R C-R said:

As @firstdefence asked above, what is the benefit or usefulness of this feature? What would you use this for?

Here are a few use cases I thought of:
- First and foremost, to facilitate alignment of the layer; not only while working within the document but also across different documents.
- To quickly export the selected layer with the document's dimensions.
- And possibly for other conveniences when using filters or adjustments that affect the alpha channel.

It's impossible to do such a simple task. If anyone knows a workaround that doesn't involve creating a new document just to paste the desired layer... please let me know. Affinity crops out the alpha channel no matter what I try.

[R C-R]

2 minutes ago, Yuli said:

- First and foremost, to facilitate alignment of the layer; not only while working within the document but also across different documents.

What specifically are you trying to align the layer to? Have you tried using any of the snapping options, using a grid, etc. to do this in AP?

8 minutes ago, Yuli said:

- To quickly export the selected layer with the document's dimensions.

OK, but why would you want to do that? When would you need to do that?

24 minutes ago, Yuli said:

If anyone knows a workaround that doesn't involve creating a new document just to paste the desired layer... please let me know.

Did you try what @firstdefence suggested above about using a clear (meaning no stroke or fill color) document-sized rectangle as a container for the layer?

[photoshopman1972]

I also struggled in vein to attempt to figure this out in a few apps just not AP. Seems that the powers that be don't think that this feature is necessary and I reckon that it might not be but when one needs it, it is a great thing to be able to do.

Reasons that one gave are valid but I'm not a fan of the counterpoints. Just goes to show how closed minded some folks are I guess.

They're several reasons why this feature will be a great thing to have. I do agree that it can facilitate alignment not only in AP but if you do some work in AP but then take it to another app from another manufacturer, then being able to export the layer with transparancy padded out to the full dimensions of the image is beneficial if you need to place that content exactly like you had it in AP.

The reason why I was attempting to do so is because a plugin I was attempting to run refused to work correctly because it REQUIRES that the layers MATCH in dimensions! If they do not, then the plugin will not work correctly.

I have not tried to use a layer that is transparent and use it as a contianer of sorts to see if the plugin will work. Most likely not because of the "container" being a vector object and when you give the command to rasterize, it will discard the size information and the old bounding box will reappear.

I will attempt that solution but not hopeful.

[David in Яuislip]

It needs a non-transparent pixel in all corners. Easiest way is to select transparent, fill layer, opacity 1%, merge down.
Whether the colour shift in the transparent area is acceptable I don't know as I've never needed to do this
Try the macro

ExpandLayerDimns2Canvas.afmacro