Alt+Drag layer to create a copy

[sijo]

In Affinity Photo, if you hold alt+click and drag a layer, it should create a copy of the layer. In Photoshop it's a really quick way of creating copies of layers.

[Christofer]

I'd like to second this feature request. Many things in Affinity Photo works just like in Photoshop, but this is one of the small quality of life features I really miss.

[walt.farrell]

On 1/27/2022 at 6:45 PM, Christofer said:

I'd like to second this feature request. Many things in Affinity Photo works just like in Photoshop, but this is one of the small quality of life features I really miss.

With the Move Tool active, Alt+Drag (Windows; Opt+Drag on Mac) already copies the selected object. So will Ctrl+Drag. The difference is that Ctrl+Drag will honor your Snapping settings, and Alt+Drag will ignore Snapping.

Edit: Perhaps it didn't back in 2016, when this request was created?

[Old Bruce]

20 minutes ago, walt.farrell said:

Alt+Drag will ignore Snapping.

Here on Mac if I let go of the Option key after I start dragging I still have the copy and the snapping is turned back on. Does that happen with Windows and the Alt + Drag?

[walt.farrell]

4 minutes ago, Old Bruce said:

Here on Mac if I let go of the Option key after I start dragging I still have the copy and the snapping is turned back on. Does that happen with Windows and the Alt + Drag?

Good question.

After testing: Yes, it works the same way on Windows.

[carl123]

9 hours ago, walt.farrell said:

With the Move Tool active, Alt+Drag (Windows; Opt+Drag on Mac) already copies the selected object. So will Ctrl+Drag. The difference is that Ctrl+Drag will honor your Snapping settings, and Alt+Drag will ignore Snapping.

Hmmm, is that working as intended?

According to the hint line, CTRL will clone the object whereas ALT just ignores snapping

So, if I have an object selected and use the ALT key and then move it, I would expect that same object just to move without snapping to anything, not for a clone to be made

Not complaining, just a tad confusing according to the Hint line

And yes, I know that if you start moving the object first and then press the ALT key you will get no clone and no snapping

[walt.farrell]

5 hours ago, carl123 said:

According to the hint line, CTRL will clone the object whereas ALT just ignores snapping

I think the hint line is a little wrong, but I'm not sure I've ever reported that or seen it reported. Pretty sure it's documented properly in the Help, and in the tutorials, but haven't looked recently.

[carl123]

15 hours ago, walt.farrell said:

Pretty sure it's documented properly in the Help, and in the tutorials, but haven't looked recently.

This is all I can find in the Help (no mention of ALT key)

To duplicate:

Do one of the following:

• On the Layers panel, -click a layer or group and select Duplicate.
• On the page, drag a selected layer with the CTRL key pressed. While dragging, release the key to move the layer instead, or press the key while moving to duplicate rather than move.
  
  
  It's also been queried many times previously on the forums. I think either the Help + Hint line needs updating or, logically, it should be CTRL+ALT to clone without snapping, not just ALT but I think ALT duplicating/cloning was added to make it compatible with the way Photoshop does it
  
  This thread seems to indicate it is "as designed"