Close all groups of layers simultaneously???

[Wayne Burrows]

 

Is there a hidden rt-click shortcut anywhere within Affinity that allows us to close any open groups of layers at the same time?

While working in a project that has many different groups, and those groups hold many different layers, and those groups hold layers, it would be so nice if there was a way to automatically close any that you choose (or all) with a simple click or two.

I'm sure most you that are far more experienced with Affinity than myself, know what I mean. Is that something that exists or should I just suck it up and stop squawking? 😅

WB

[firstdefence]

Under the Layer Menu there is Collapse All In Layers Panel. (Affinity V2) You can assign a shortcut in the shortcuts section of settings, I use Control + A on Mac.

[bbrother]

As an alternative to @firstdefence, from what i know you can use Alt (Win) / Option (Mac) + click to expand / collapse all in the Layers panel.
What's important you need to click on the expand chevron in the Layers panel.

The procedure is as follow:

1. Hold Alt / Option and click on the expand chevron of a parent group in the layers panel. All groups, layers and other nested items within the parent will expand.
2. Hold Alt / Option and click on the same parent group. All groups, layers and other nested items within the parent will collapse.

You can use this function on any group to collapse/expand all nested items within it.

(The attached screenshot shows on how layers are collapsed, click the picture to enlarge)

[Wayne Burrows]

26 minutes ago, firstdefence said:

Under the Layer Menu there is Collapse All In Layers Panel.

BEAUTIFUL! Appreciate that.

I was able to setup my shortcut, but for whatever reason I'm not able to identify the Collapse In Layers Panel feature. I say 'identify' because I'm probably seeing it but just not realizing what it is. I've hovered my mouse over everything but I don't see anything that I don't recognize already. Edit All Layers is the only thing that I have never used before.

[Wayne Burrows]

6 minutes ago, bbrother said:

1. Hold Alt / Option and click on the expand chevron of a parent group in the layers panel. All groups, layers and other nested items within the parent will expand.
2. Hold Alt / Option and click on the same parent group. All groups, layers and other nested items within the parent will collapse.

You can use this function on any group to collapse/expand all nested items within it.

I Love it!! That will be much needed moving forward! Thanx!

[walt.farrell]

1 hour ago, Wayne Burrows said:

I was able to setup my shortcut, but for whatever reason I'm not able to identify the Collapse In Layers Panel feature.

It's in the Layer menu, as @firstdefence mentioned (at least in Designer):

By the way, I don't think it's been mentioned here, but there are click-zones for collapsing things in the Layers panel, too. You can see three of them in your last screenshot. Here's one of mine with some marked with red dots. Clicking anywhere in that column will collapse everything under its parent.

[Wayne Burrows]

5 minutes ago, walt.farrell said:

By the way, I don't think it's been mentioned here, but there are click-zones for collapsing things in the Layers panel, too.

LOLOL! I Completely misunderstood what @firstdefence was telling me.

And I am so glad that I posted this question today because you all have provided me with workflow-helps that have far exceeded what I was originally looking for! Greatly appreciate you adding on as well Walt! I may have never stumbled across that nice little shortcut on my own.

WB

[GGargi]

I have a similar question. But I'm looking for a keyboard shortcut to collapse individual groups on a layer. On layer 1 I have 5 groups and in each group another 5 groups. How do I collapse just one layer with a keyboard shortcut?

Edited February 2 by GGargi

[Wayne Burrows]

On 2/2/2025 at 5:56 AM, GGargi said:

I have a similar question. But I'm looking for a keyboard shortcut to collapse individual groups on a layer. On layer 1 I have 5 groups and in each group another 5 groups. How do I collapse just one layer with a keyboard shortcut?

The closest thing to a short cut that I have found is to hold the Alt (or Option) key and click the arrow on the top layer of the group. That will collapse everything within that group only. So it's slightly more convenient than right clicking on the group's top layer and then choosing 'Collapse Selection'.

Hope that was helpful.

** Now that I've read through all of the posts in this thread again, I pretty much just described what @bbrother went into detail on - So I guess that I didn't offer up any new information for you. Lol. Sorry.

[R C-R]

On 2/2/2025 at 5:56 AM, GGargi said:

But I'm looking for a keyboard shortcut to collapse individual groups on a layer. On layer 1 I have 5 groups and in each group another 5 groups. How do I collapse just one layer with a keyboard shortcut?

Maybe I'm missing something obvious but how would the shortcut know which group layer to collapse unless you selected it in the Layers panel? Unless there is some other way to do that, then why not just use the collapse icon on that group?

[GGargi]

On 2/7/2025 at 6:54 PM, Wayne Burrows said:

The closest thing to a short cut that I have found is to hold the Alt (or Option) key and click the arrow on the top layer of the group. That will collapse everything within that group only. So it's slightly more convenient than right clicking on the group's top layer and then choosing 'Collapse Selection'.

Hope that was helpful.

** Now that I've read through all of the posts in this thread again, I pretty much just described what @bbrother went into detail on - So I guess that I didn't offer up any new information for you. Lol. Sorry.

THX. I'm looking for a shortcut to not click anything. Since I'm in a group, some shortcut to close it

[GGargi]

On 2/7/2025 at 8:19 PM, R C-R said:

Maybe I'm missing something obvious but how would the shortcut know which group layer to collapse unless you selected it in the Layers panel? Unless there is some other way to do that, then why not just use the collapse icon on that group?

If I am in a given group, how do I collapse that group? Do not enter, do not click on the icons in the layer window.

[R C-R]

38 minutes ago, GGargi said:

If I am in a given group, how do I collapse that group? Do not enter, do not click on the icons in the layer window.

If I understand what you mean correctly, you have to use the collapse icon (the downward pointing V shape) in the Layers panel to collapse what that panel shows for the group. Where else would you expect to find anything that only affects what that panel displays?