Feature regression - 2.6 no longer allows me to liquify multiple layers at once

[Frozen Death Knight]

I just found out about this being a thing while trying the recent builds. I really don't understand why you decided to make an error message and disable the ability to liquify multiple layers. I used this all the time to deal with more complex artworks with tons of layers. I could basically sculpt any layers selected with the exception of parent layers and child layers together (another limitation), but with 2.6 I no longer can.

2.6:

2.5:

I would really like to know the justification for removing this. Also, if people are going to suggest that I use the Liquify Live Filter instead, I will just say that it is not as flexible for the type of workflow I use, especially since I would now have to duplicate and apply the same filter multiple times over for every single layer just to get a feature I have come to rely on since 1.7 when I bought Affinity Photo. This is just a downgrade.

If anything, it should be possible to liquify both parent layers and child layers at the same time to make the Liquify Persona more flexible, not less so.

[carl123]

4 hours ago, Frozen Death Knight said:

Also, if people are going to suggest that I use the Liquify Live Filter instead, I will just say that it is not as flexible for the type of workflow I use, especially since I would now have to duplicate and apply the same filter multiple times over for every single layer

I'm not sure why they removed it but in the example you have posted would you not just need one Liquify Live Filter applied/attached to the primary group (just above the "Troll 2" layer)

I always thought that using the Live Filter was preferable due to it being non-destructive and easier to tweak later

 

[Frozen Death Knight]

On 2/15/2025 at 9:22 AM, carl123 said:

I'm not sure why they removed it but in the example you have posted would you not just need one Liquify Live Filter applied/attached to the primary group (just above the "Troll 2" layer)

I always thought that using the Live Filter was preferable due to it being non-destructive and easier to tweak later

 

This is just one old file I opened to demonstrate the problem and no, applying a Liquify Live Filter above them all just does not work, since it means merging all visible layers to apply it across the board if you are doing it the fast way. You would have to duplicate and merge the filter to each individual layer if you still want to retain the entire layer stack, something that was not an issue with the destructive Liquify Persona. You do not want to keep painting with this filter active since it distorts how your canvas behaves if you paint underneath it.

The Live Filter is preferable if you are doing photo touch ups and you just need to finalise a composition. This however does not apply to painting where it is extremely common to sculpt your paintings with a destructive liquify to do so. Doing it across multiple layers is especially necessary in Affinity where you can use vector masks to paint inside, thus adding to the complexity of a composition depending on how many vectors you are using.

Not to mention that it is possible to paint across multiple selected layers with any of the other tools simultaneously. That is a feature not a bug in Affinity and something a lot of other art programs do not allow. The same with the Liquify Persona up until now.

[Affinity Info Bot]

An issue raised in this thread ("Liquify Requests the User Please Select a Single Pixel, Image, RAW or Mask layer before entering Liquify Persona") has now been reported to the developers by the testing team (Ref: AF-5918). Thank you very much for reporting this issue to us.

[James Ritson]

@Frozen Death Knight apologies, this was due to all the logic changing to accommodate rasterisation of Image/RAW layers when entering Liquify/Develop/Tone Mapping. This will be changed to restore the original behaviour, so you'll be able to liquify multiple Pixel and Mask layers (but Image and RAW layers will still require a single selection).

[Frozen Death Knight]

On 2/17/2025 at 8:06 PM, James Ritson said:

@Frozen Death Knight apologies, this was due to all the logic changing to accommodate rasterisation of Image/RAW layers when entering Liquify/Develop/Tone Mapping. This will be changed to restore the original behaviour, so you'll be able to liquify multiple Pixel and Mask layers (but Image and RAW layers will still require a single selection).

Thank you, that's all I wanted to hear. I understand the reasoning for changing it for RAW/Image Layers. Glad that the issue is being corrected for the other layer formats. 2.6 is looking very good!

[James Ritson]

@Frozen Death Knight I don't think this got tagged by the info bot, but in the 2.6.2 beta build (3187) this has been corrected, so you'll be able to liquify multiple Pixel and Mask layers again.

[Frozen Death Knight]

8 hours ago, James Ritson said:

@Frozen Death Knight I don't think this got tagged by the info bot, but in the 2.6.2 beta build (3187) this has been corrected, so you'll be able to liquify multiple Pixel and Mask layers again.

Works like before. Thanks!

Would be nice if it could be expanded in the future where you can transform child layers and parent layers simultaneously. I know it was possible in some very old V1 builds until it was no longer possible to select both parent layers and child layers. Would be convenient to make liquify possible to affect child layers with a toggle while working on the main parent layer.

Just an idea.

[Affinity Info Bot]

The issue "Liquify Requests the User Please Select a Single Pixel, Image, RAW or Mask layer before entering Liquify Persona" (REF: AF-5918) has been fixed by the developers in 2.6.2 Release.
If you still experience this problem once you are using that version (or later) please reply to this thread including @Affinity Info Bot to notify us.