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Zoom like a photoshop


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Hello! 

I tried your software, and very like it. But I can't leave Photoshop and Illustrator, because in Affinity I can't find some important features which i need:

1. Zoom like a Photoshop (hold and drag Ctrl + Space) - this is very powerful feature. Because Zoom Tool and Ctrl +\- is a slowly and not productively for work.

2. I can't find, how to assign hotkey for a different palettes, like a Color or Brushes.

 

If this functions is exist, please tell me.

 

Thanks!

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Indeed, you can even always, with any software, override whatever shortcuts combined with mouse buttons in the way you wish. I , for example, have mouse wheel as zoom for any software (2D and 3D ! ), as in my experience is the fastest way to zoom, most of all in the softwares that allow zooming to point, meaning zooming towards the zone where you might put your cursor. Extremely fast and productive.  This utility that sits in tray eating no resources is an open source free tool called XMouseButtonControl. There's another one which name now I can't remember, and some others more focused in replacing shortcuts only. But I kind of also like that this one is fully free.  I have such a pleasure working with this tool. I dislike using any key or combination for zoom, as my hand is already in the mouse, is the method producing less distraction/interruption.  http://www.highrez.co.uk/downloads/XMouseButtonControl.htm

 

It took me quite a bit to get the hang of it (that's why is better a 30 seconds explanation ;) ), but really is merely one of the functions it has, and reading their in-line help to grab the exact command you want. You configure it once and then forget. :)

 

Still, I could understand if someone prefers a longer path because they are very used to it. If you download it, is easy to handle, but if have doubts and I happen to be around, I'll be glad to answer. Is very easy once you know a pair of things, very easy.

AD, AP and APub. V1.10.6 and V2.4 Windows 10 and Windows 11. 
Ryzen 9 3900X, 32 GB RAM,  RTX 3060 12GB, Wacom Intuos XL, Wacom L. Eizo ColorEdge CS 2420 monitor. Windows 10 Pro.
(Laptop) HP Omen 16-b1010ns 12700H, 32GB DDR5, nVidia RTX 3060 6GB + Huion Kamvas 22 pen display, Windows 11 Pro.

 

 

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Edit: This tutorial has now only the single purpose of explaining how to use this great free open source application, X-Mouse Button Control, as, silly as it sounds, it seems I did not know by the time A. Photo has a preference to wheel zoom which works absolutely great. This utility can be helpful for many everyday uses with many software applications.

 

Actually, just tested. Works like charm with Affinity Photo as well. Indeed, does it well: very very fast and fluid, and zooms to point, zooms into wherever I have the mouse cursor, handling only the wheel.  Fast tut:  I did configure it in 2 seconds by hitting the icon in tray, then "setup" :

 

1) Once downloaded and installed, and allowing it to stay in tray -I recommend it- right click on the icon.

post-31469-0-52950100-1478883306_thumb.jpg

2) select "setup"

post-31469-0-63009000-1478883317_thumb.jpg

3) You need to hit first the button ADD, to add the application as you'd do in your intuos. Then need to select the recent added app, so it is selected, and then configure its "Wheel Up" and wheel down options.

post-31469-0-24795400-1478883334_thumb.jpg

4) Choose simulated keys.

post-31469-0-36060300-1478883346_thumb.jpg

5) In this one, actually not sure how affects picking "...thread as button is pressed" or ".......released" . but seems to behave well in any combination. Just be sure is one of the "in another thread" ones. 

post-31469-0-94130000-1478883361_thumb.jpg

6) Leave the other options as they are...

post-31469-0-69862600-1478883377_thumb.jpg

7) In this below you need to set which key + mouse action the wheel up is going to substitute. Control key and wheel, in our case. The reference with codes that represent keys and wheel actions is clearly listed below in that window of the program.

post-31469-0-85565100-1478883393_thumb.jpg

 

Do similar -almost equal- procedure for wheel down. just the codes will be {CTRL}{MWDN} instead of {CTRL}{MWUP}

 

Photoshop has also a preference to make all zooming with just the wheel, and also zooms to cursor location. (IMO, is the best way).  

AD, AP and APub. V1.10.6 and V2.4 Windows 10 and Windows 11. 
Ryzen 9 3900X, 32 GB RAM,  RTX 3060 12GB, Wacom Intuos XL, Wacom L. Eizo ColorEdge CS 2420 monitor. Windows 10 Pro.
(Laptop) HP Omen 16-b1010ns 12700H, 32GB DDR5, nVidia RTX 3060 6GB + Huion Kamvas 22 pen display, Windows 11 Pro.

 

 

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It would be cool if CTRL+Space+Drag worked not only in the view toll but in any tool (like in PS). I agree that using the mouse wheel is fast and great, but it doesn't help if you're working with a Wacom pen. And having to switch to the view toll and back is kind of tedious.

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Actually, I Illustrate as a job, and have my hand constantly switching to the right side -I have a Wacom XL, that thing is huge-  for panning and zooming, and sometimes right mouse button, or middle button, it does it naturally, even while I have almost all buttons in the pen and tablet in use. I just couldn't live without the mouse after so many years. This habit i got it from using a tiny A6 tablet, the one previous to Graphire  (back in the day) in the middle, in front of the monitor, at the right the mouse, and keyboard in diagonal at the left, and is productive if get used to it. But I totally understand that each one has a preferred use and habit :)

AD, AP and APub. V1.10.6 and V2.4 Windows 10 and Windows 11. 
Ryzen 9 3900X, 32 GB RAM,  RTX 3060 12GB, Wacom Intuos XL, Wacom L. Eizo ColorEdge CS 2420 monitor. Windows 10 Pro.
(Laptop) HP Omen 16-b1010ns 12700H, 32GB DDR5, nVidia RTX 3060 6GB + Huion Kamvas 22 pen display, Windows 11 Pro.

 

 

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On ‎11‎/‎11‎/‎2016 at 3:32 PM, Mark Ingram said:

You can use CTRL+MouseWheel to zoom, as well as doing CTRL+Space+Drag in the View Tool (the hand icon).

Testing on a Cintiq I'd still say that (Ctrl+Spacebar based) Zoom and Pan work and feel inferior when compared

to Photoshop, unfortunately. The same is true for interactive brush size/hardness change. I wrote about these

issues here (last paragraph) and here.

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One thing I've noticed with Ctrl-mousewheel for zooming is that the Ctrl-plus/minus works to nice zoom levels (50%, 75%, 100%, 120% etc) but using Ctrl-mousewheel seems to use a 20% change, so zooming out at 100% it goes down by 20% to 80% but then it goes up by 80% to... 96% (20% of 80 is 16, so 80 + 16 = 95%). So zooming in and out ends up with weird zoom levels with silly scaling like 138.2%. You need to use Ctrl-+ or - to get back to sensible zoom levels.

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  • 3 years later...
3 hours ago, mmaaxx said:

what about people using a tablet, there is any gesture that replicate the mouse scroll?

Not exactly.

 

But there are options for "pinch" zoom in and out if you have a "pen and touch" type of tablet.  

You can set buttons on a tablet to zoom in and out, but it is unlikley they have the fluidity you get with a mouse wheel.  

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  • 5 months later...
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