Zero Opacity Doesn't Hide Layer Content with Bevel / Emboss Effect Active

[Mr. Doodlezz]

Hey folks,

I've noticed a problem in Affinity Photo 2, affecting both iPad and desktop versions, where changing a layer's fill opacity via the FX options from 100 % to anything between 100 and 0 % doesn't hide the layers contents as expected. Instead, the contents remain visible 100 % at all times.

This seems similar to a previously mentioned, but seemingly solved issue with the 3D effect in Affinity Designer, indicating a possible consistent rendering issue with layer effects and fill opacity settings.

To reproduce the Bevel / Emboss visibility issue, follow these steps:

1. Open Affinity Photo 2 on either an iPad or desktop and create a new layer.
2. On this layer, draw anything using any colour of your choice.
3. Apply the Bevel / Emboss effect to the drawn layer.
4. Reduce the layer's fill opacity to 0%.

Expected Outcome: The layer contents should become invisible, leaving only the Bevel / Emboss effect visible.

Actual Outcome: Despite reducing fill opacity to 0%, both the layer contents and the Bevel / Emboss effect remain visible, suggesting that the expected change in visibility does not occur.

I'm looking for insights or workarounds from anyone who has encountered this.

Any feedback or suggestions would be appreciated.

Cheers
Dennis

 

[Mr. Doodlezz]

Just noticed something odd. The layer thumbnail in the layers panel actually shows it right. It previews just the effect, with the content hidden, exactly how I expect it to work on the canvas – weird!

[Callum]

Hi Mr Doodlezz,

This seems to be working as expected for me here if possible could you provide a sample file that demonstrates this issue?

Thanks
C

[Mr. Doodlezz]

Hey @Callum,

sure! I've attached a test file. Also here are some screenshots.

In addition to the mentioned problem and while setting up this demo-file I also sporadically encountered the issue that I can't copy/paste the layer FX onto the other layers the way I used to via ctrl + V and ctrl + shift + V – the options in the Edit menu are inactive, despite having copied the previous layer.

I also tried this in the previous version of Designer 2 where everything of the mentioned issues are not present and everything works just as expected (layer FX as well as copy/pasting layer FX to other layers)!

Hope the files help figuring out what's wrong.

Bevel_Emboss.afphoto

[MEB]

Hi @Mr. Doodlezz,
Regarding the first issue - the fill opacity is partially working. It doesn't if there's a background layer. If you hide the background and adjust the fill opacity for each case in your sample file you should see it fading. I'm logging this to be looked at.
I'm still checking the second issue - copying/pasting layer effects...

[Mr. Doodlezz]

Hey @MEB,

thanks for confirming that there's an issue. I do not encounter that issue with the current

1 hour ago, MEB said:

It doesn't if there's a background layer.

By background layer I guess you mean a layer underneath, right?

An additional observation: If I copy a layer from Photo 2.4.0 over to a fresh document in Designer/Publisher 2.3.1 the issue remains.
However, if I use the »Revert defaults« button to reset the layer and apply the Bevel / Emboss effect and reduce the opacity to 0 the result is the expected one.

Please check the attached file, saved from Publisher V2.3.1 (unfortunately I updated Photo and Designer already). Here's a preview, hope it helps analysing.

Bevel_Emboss.afpub

[MEB]

Hi @Mr. Doodlezz,
Thanks for the additional info. I did understood your issue the first time.
You compared and linked to a similar issue/report with the 3D effect which I logged myself too - the case with the 3D effect was that it didn't even fade while we were dragging the opacity slider towards 0% - then at 0% it was rendering all black.
In your case it does fade while we drag the sliders towards 0% (if you hide the picture frame at the bottom of the layer stack you can see it fading) but then fails to blend (the fill becomes visible) with the the picture frame texture when we unhide it - thus why I said it was partially working.
I'm logging the issue to be looked at. Thanks for your report.
 

[Mr. Doodlezz]

Hey @MEB,

oh yes, sorry, I had no doubt that you hadn't understood it! I was just wondering to myself why it behaves that way and tried other ways to achieve the desired effect (again, also for myself, to prove I'm not going entirely mad and that it actually worked as I expected at some point in history). 😅

And I also found the behaviour curious (copying the »new behaviour« into an older app version).

Have a great evening
Dennis

[Mr. Doodlezz]

@MEB, one more question: Is there a way to roll back/downgrade to the previous release?

[MEB]

If you bought the app in the Affinity Store, yes you can download the installers for previous versions. Here's the link.
For the other stores (Apple/ Microsoft) there's no way to revert back unless you have some backup you can revert to.

[Mr. Doodlezz]

Perfect, working on Windows right now. Do you maybe have the link? I'm afraid I'm not looking in the right place right now, I can't find it.

[MEB]

Already added to the post above. Here's is again.

[walt.farrell]

3 minutes ago, MEB said:

For the other stores (Apple/ Microsoft) there's no way to revert back unless you have some backup you can revert to/or installer file.

I think you can, in V2, revert to older releases on Windows and macOS regardless of the Store used for the purchase, as long as the purchase was linked to your Affinity Store account from the application. You would probably need to uninstall the current application first, then install the one downloaded from Serif.

[Mr. Doodlezz]

1 minute ago, MEB said:

Already added to the post above. Here's is again.

Thanks! Guess I should take a break – sorry. 🫠

[Mr. Doodlezz]

Found another workaround by chance: Group each everything together and the effect works like expected. 😅🤔🤷‍♂️

[MEB]

Yea, if the FX is applied to a group it works as it should. Nice workaround.