Geometry options greyed out?! Affinity photo

[Milomolly]

Can someone pleassse help.

I'm just trying to combine the two circle shapes in this doc so i can end up with one outline that goes around the outside of both.

But all geometry options are greyed out apart from compound and when you select that its pop out menu appears and again all the options in it are greyed out too so i cant do anything

 

mirroraffinity.afphoto

[GarryP]

Unfortunately I cannot open your file in either Photo V1 or Photo V2, I get a message saying that file type is not supported.

Can you supply a full-screen screenshot which includes the Layers Panel, in which you have selected the layers you are trying to apply the Geometry functionality to?

[Milomolly]

sorry i think the file got corupted in saving. here's another copy plus screenshot

mirroraffinity2.afphoto

[GarryP]

Thanks for the screenshot and the new document, that one loads successfully.

The Geometry functionalities won’t work with Pixel Layers, they are for vector layers.

You might still be able to get an outline around whatever is in the main image but we would need more information about exactly what you want to achieve.

[Milomolly]

Garry thanks so much for coming back so quickly. What a legend.

 

Stupid question - is it possible to convert pixel layer to vector layer?

Im a bit confused as I had managed to achieve what i wanted previously so wonder what id don't differently without realising... sigh

[GarryP]

It’s not possible to convert a Pixel Layer to a vector outline. (There’s a ‘hack’ which can work sometimes but it can often give ‘nasty’ results, and it’s only available in Publisher, so best to not think about that.)

Where did the Pixel Layers come from in the first place?

Can you just recreate them with vector shapes?

There might be a better way to get what you want without the extra shapes but, as I said before, we need a more precise description of what you want.

[Old Bruce]

3 minutes ago, Milomolly said:

Stupid question - is it possible to convert pixel layer to vector layer?

Not a stupid question. The answer is no. We can go the other way though. The ability to 'trace' pixel layers into vectors has been made many, many times but it is not on the horizon.

I would hide the bottom layer and use the Flood Select tool to select all the clear pixels then invert the selection and on a new Pixel layer use the fill tool to get the result you want.

[Milomolly]

So im just trying to create a neat outline around the edges of the open mirror so i can easily edit/whiten etc the background. 

How do i create a vector shape? I am just selecting the shapes tool in the left hand tool menu and using that at the moment. If that's not vector how do i create vector ones?

Or, just a thought, are they vector at that point and then become pixel at the point i use the warp tool? (Im currently using circle shape tool then warp to adjust the circle to make it fit the mirror's outline)

[R C-R]

4 hours ago, Milomolly said:

Or, just a thought, are they vector at that point and then become pixel at the point i use the warp tool? (Im currently using circle shape tool then warp to adjust the circle to make it fit the mirror's outline)

Yes, if you use AP's Mesh Warp Tool on a vector oAlert when assistant takes an actionbject, it will be converted to a pixel one. It is not well documented but in the AP Assistant settings the setting for filters will also affect if the Mesh Warp Tool will rasterize (convert to pixels) vector layers, or be ignored:

Quote

• Applying filters to vector layers—For effect and retouch filters from the Filters menu, applying a filter to a vector layer rasterizes the layer by default. You can change this behavior by selecting 'Take no action', which doesn't convert the layer or apply the filter.

If you leave it set it to rasterize & enable the Alert when assistant takes an action option, you will get a popup alert telling you it has been rasterized.

 

[R C-R]

4 hours ago, Milomolly said:

(Im currently using circle shape tool then warp to adjust the circle to make it fit the mirror's outline)

Technically, it is the Ellipse Tool but regardless, you may be able to get a decent fit while keeping it as a vector shape by instead of using the Warp Tool try shearing it (in the Transform panel or by dragging along a spot just above one of the center control handles) & maybe rotating it a bit.