Adjustments Not Working with Strange Box

[Afterword]

When adding a new Adjustment, it has an unusual box next to it. Whenever this box is there, the adjustment does nothing. And all new adjustments in the project have it.

However, I can make adjustments in another project (sans the box) and copy them over to use as usual.

Help? What is this and how do I get rid of it?

I am pretty new to Affinity, so I am sorry that I don't have the lingo to explain the situation better. But I have attached an image that should show the issue to an Affinity pro.

[Hangman]

Hi @Afterword and welcome to the forums,

The 'box' you're seeing adjacent to the Adjustment layer is its inverted alpha layer...

This video shows how it works and how to use it...

[carl123]

22 minutes ago, Afterword said:

When adding a new Adjustment, it has an unusual box next to it.

With that layer selected...

Layer > Invert

...should return things to normal

[smadell]

The real question is how you inadvertantly inverted the adjustment layer. Normally, a new adjustment layer does not do this. Did you press Cmd-I after creating the new adjustment layer? (Command-I, or Cmtrl-I on Windows, is the shortcut for Layer > Invert.)

[Hangman]

3 minutes ago, smadell said:

The real question is how you inadvertantly inverted the adjustment layer. Normally, a new adjustment layer does not do this. Did you press Cmd-I after creating the new adjustment layer? (Command-I, or Cmtrl-I on Windows, is the shortcut for Layer > Invert.)

It's deliberate rather than inadvertent as explained in the first two minutes of the video linked above...

[smadell]

27 minutes ago, Hangman said:

It's deliberate rather than inadvertent

It’s deliberate if you understand what’s going on and choose to do it; it’s inadvertent if it’s not intended but you do it without knowing what you did. The latter situation is what the OP describes.

[Hangman]

4 minutes ago, smadell said:

It’s deliberate if you understand what’s going on and choose to do it; it’s inadvertent if it’s not intended but you do it without knowing what you did. The latter situation is what the OP describes.

I guess though AFAIK you can only add the Adjustment Layer mask by physically selecting Invert (Cmd I) so it's a conscious action you have to take, it's not as the OP describes where they say "all new adjustments in the project have it" they don't unless there's another way of including the mask when adding the Adjustment layer...

Either way, the OP can watch the video which provides a clear description of what it is, how to apply it and its purpose...

[smadell]

I agree, @Hangman. The OP is obviously doing something when he creates new adjustment layers, which always start without an inverted mask. My best guess is that he is pressing Cmd-I without knowing it. He may also have a teeny tiny speck of the document selected, so advising him (this part is for you @Afterword) to choose Select > Deselect before creating the adjustment might work.

[Afterword]

10 hours ago, smadell said:

The real question is how you inadvertantly inverted the adjustment layer. Normally, a new adjustment layer does not do this. Did you press Cmd-I after creating the new adjustment layer? (Command-I, or Cmtrl-I on Windows, is the shortcut for Layer > Invert.)

 

9 hours ago, smadell said:

I agree, @Hangman. The OP is obviously doing something when he creates new adjustment layers, which always start without an inverted mask. My best guess is that he is pressing Cmd-I without knowing it. He may also have a teeny tiny speck of the document selected, so advising him (this part is for you @Afterword) to choose Select > Deselect before creating the adjustment might work.

Thank you! Thank you all! I am on PC, so I'm not using the Cmd key, but I don't think I'm hitting any keys when making new masks.

In any case, I now understand how to undo it. Thank you! 🥳

 

9 hours ago, Hangman said:

I guess though AFAIK you can only add the Adjustment Layer mask by physically selecting Invert (Cmd I) so it's a conscious action you have to take, it's not as the OP describes where they say "all new adjustments in the project have it" they don't unless there's another way of including the mask when adding the Adjustment layer...

Either way, the OP can watch the video which provides a clear description of what it is, how to apply it and its purpose...

Yes, I don't know *how* I am doing it, but all new adjustments are inverted. Definitely not deliberate. And very confused by it! So there must be another way to do it... something I'm doing without realizing it.

[Ron P.]

Yes, all adjustments have that strange box, and it's called a Mask. You don't see them unless you paint on that adjustment layer, it then becomes visible.

You can manually add a Mask Layer, which is not an Adjustment Layer, by using the Layer Menu or by clicking on the Mask icon, located at the bottom of the Layers panel. It's the one to the left of the Adjustment Layer icon. Ok? If you ALT + CLICK on the Mask icon it will add an Empty Mask also known as Inverted.

Adjustment Layers, (all have masks), when you start painting on them, and the Mask is revealed it is not Inverted, ie; an Empty Mask. You need to manually invert it by CTL + I on the Adjustment Layer Mask, or via the Layer Menu.

Online Affinity Photo Help: Live Layer Mask

[carl123]

4 hours ago, Afterword said:

Yes, I don't know *how* I am doing it, but all new adjustments are inverted. Definitely not deliberate. And very confused by it! So there must be another way to do it... something I'm doing without realizing it.

You probably missed a possible cause of this, posted a few posts up. Which I will try to explain in greater detail below...

It's possible you have a pixel selection active in your document which is too small for you to see it immediately (if at all)

With a pixel selection active only that pixel selection will be affected by any adjustments you add, giving the impression that the adjustment is inverted.

To cure this for that specific document...

1. Open the document

2. Do Select > Deselect from the menus (that will clear any "hidden" pixel selection in your document)

Now when you add a new adjustment that adjustment will work as you expect it to work

Adjustments you have added previously will still have the issue so best just to delete and redo them