[Des 2.1.1] Select Same Fill Colour command on unfilled objects also selects layers & groups

[LCamachoDesign]

Selecting all unfilled/unstroked objects and deleting them is a common and useful command to clean up files. Sometimes our own, but often those supplied by third parties. However, with this issue, trying to do that will lead to have all your layers deleted, even layers containing objects.

Steps to reproduce:

1. Create a new document
2. Draw a few coloured objects, place some in one or more layers
3. Draw an object with cleared fill and stroke
4. Select the unfilled object and use the command Select Same > Fill Colour
5. Notice that all layers and groups in the document will also be select
6. Press Delete, the unfilled object will be deleted, along with all layers and all objects within

I've attached a video with a visual guide for this bug.

Stroked bug variant:

1. Follow steps 1. to 3. from the list above again
2. Select the unstroked object, but this time use the command Select Same > Stroke Colour
3. Follow the steps 5. and 6. from the list above

No video for this variant as it's exactly the same as above, just a different command.

There are no workarounds for this bug to the best of my knowledge.

Thanks!

[carl123]

Layer layers (normally) have no fill or stroke applied so I can see why it selects the Layer layer when you select a normal object with no fill or stroke

But it does seem problematic and I can see how it could be an issue

[Dan C]

Hi @LCamachoDesign,

Thanks for your report!

As Carl has mentioned above, this is likely the technical reason that the Layer is selected during this process (as is a Group Layer), however I do agree that this could be problematic - or certainly unexpected behaviour and therefore I'm logging this with our developers now.

I hope this helps

[LCamachoDesign]

Pretty much. I don't think anyone considers layers to be objects?

Layers contain objects, but they are not in themselves objects. At least that's the way I see it. I never expect an object selection command to select a layer.

Thanks!

[LCamachoDesign]

Bumping this again to add that the same thing happens to groups!

Select an unfilled object -> do the Select Same Fill command -> all layers and groups are selected (and deleted if the user presses delete).

Will try to edit the first post to include this.

[carl123]

21 minutes ago, LCamachoDesign said:

Pretty much. I don't think anyone considers layers to be objects?

Serif does.

Select > Select Object > Vector Layers

[Dan C]

15 minutes ago, LCamachoDesign said:

Layers contain objects, but they are not in themselves objects.

Although technically this is know as a Layer Container, I understand it is treated like an 'Object'.

With a Layer (or Group) selected you can see there are both Fill & Stroke options on the Context Toolbar, allowing you to change the Fill and Stroke settings of all objects within, without selecting the Child objects themselves:

   
Therefore when using Select > Select Same > Fill (or Stroke) Colour, unedited Layer Containers and Groups are also selected, as they technically have no Fill or Stroke applied.

If you have previously applied a Fill or Stroke (such as in my above recording) these Layers/Groups are then not selected when using the Select Same function.

However, as you described in your initial post, I can certainly see why this could be unexpected when trying to delete any no Fill / Stroke objects from your document, without losing Group or Layer Containers also, hence the issue I have logged with our development team

18 minutes ago, LCamachoDesign said:

Bumping this again to add that the same thing happens to groups!

Select an unfilled object -> do the Select Same Fill command -> all layers and groups are selected (and deleted if the user presses delete).

Thanks for the update, I had spotted this in my testing and noted it in my initial reply, so the devs are aware of this also!

2 hours ago, Dan C said:

this is likely the technical reason that the Layer is selected during this process (as is a Group Layer)

I hope this clears things up.

[LCamachoDesign]

Ok, I can see the argument here. I'm not sure why anyone would want to select layers and groups in this way, but maybe it's useful to someone? Maybe this could be an option on the Select Same menu, like the Select Hidden Objects. It could be called "Select Layers & Groups" and be disabled by default?

Thanks all!

[DesignerMim by Miriam]

Hola!

Just following on with this thread.

I'm having a similar issue with recolouring a design. It's got multiple groups for separate elements. But only a set number of colours throughout the whole design. When I try to recolour certain (not all) layers within the groups, the entire artwork changes to the new colour, not just the elementsI need edited. I am struggling to find a solution. Has anyone got any ideas?

[Dan C]

Hi @DesignerMim by Miriam,

Sorry to hear you're having trouble! Are you able to provide a sample document showing your workflow layout? Unfortunately I'm having a little trouble understanding the issue from your description above.

Many thanks in advance