changing modes

[Sunshine]

When I try to change from say export mode to develop mode or (persona I guess) it says to select an RGB Pixel layer.  I don't know what that means or how to do it.

[MEB]

Hi Sunshine,

Welcome to Affinity Forums :)

It means you need to have a Pixel layer type selected (you can check the layer type right after the layer's name between parentheses) and that the document colour format must be RGB.

If the layer you want to work with in Develop Persona is identified as an Image layer type, you can convert it to a Pixel layer rigth-clicking on it on the layers panels and selecting Rasterise....

If you want/need to convert the document's colour format to RGB you can do so going to menu Document ▸ Colour Format.

[Whipman]

What do you do if your layers panel is not visible or not working?  I cannot use my layers panel, and that really handicaps anything that I can do with this app.

[MEB]

Hi Whipman,

Welcome to Affinity Forums :)

Check if Layers is checked in menu View ▸ Studio ▸ Layers.

Alternatively you can go to menu View ▸ Studio ▸ Reset Studio to revert to its defaults (with the Layers panel visible).

Let me know if you still have trouble.

[Whipman]

FINALLY!  I did the View> Studio> Reset Studio before this, but this time I tried something new.  I clicked on Hide Studio because I saw that it was checked.  I am not sure how it got clicked with a check mark.  I clicked it again, and then hit Reset Studio.  Finally, my layers panel was back.  Much more useful app with a Layers Panel.  Thank you.

[R C-R]

I clicked on Hide Studio because I saw that it was checked.  I am not sure how it got clicked with a check mark.

By default, the keyboard shortcut to hide the Studio is Shift-Command-H. You probably typed that by accident.