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[AD] Compound Shapes (was Custom Hotkey executing wrong command)


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I tried setting it to either Create Compound or Release Compound, but it didn't have the effect I was hoping for (see below). I currently have shortcut for "Geometry > Divide" bound to CTRL+ALT+SHIFT+G. Whenever I try the shortcut, however, it just turns the currently selected curve into a compound. I've tried closing and reopening the program and have checked the list of shortcuts, but it still has the same discrepancy.

 

Feature Request

I'm coming from illustrator in which, when you cut a shape in half by subtracting a shape in front of it the two resulting shapes are "grouped." You can then turn them into two useable shapes by just ungrouping them with CTRL+SHIFT+G like any other group. As it stands, I only found the Geometry > Divide operation by accident and don't understand its utility (yet).

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Hi Askrahn

The feature you're looking for is actually covered in Affinity and you're almost there. They are known as Compound Objects and can be made by selecting your shape and then clicking 'Create Compound' and released into separate objects using 'Release Compound'.

If you select your two shapes and click 'Create Compound' it will show as a 'Compound' object in the Layers Panel. You can then expand this to change the operation applied to the shapes, the default is 'Add' so in your case expand this and select 'Subtract' - see attached screenshot.

Alternatively Compound objects can be quickly created with the right operation by holding down Alt and clicking the operation on the Toolbar - instead of making a permanent operation it will create the Compound object as listed above.

post-37-0-76234700-1480002563_thumb.png

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Thank you for your thorough reply, but this doesn't solve my problem. I know how to create groups and compound shapes.

 

Currently, when I subtract one shape from another and the front shape overlaps both sides of the shape, visually I get what looks like two grouped shapes.

 

post-42863-0-52594100-1480127838_thumb.png

 

...but when I look at the result, it's not a compound path or a group like I would get in illustrator. It's counted as simply "curves"

 

post-42863-0-05491200-1480127840_thumb.png

 

The only way I've been able to separate them was through the "Geometry > Divide" option under a right-click menu.

 

post-42863-0-48079800-1480128201_thumb.jpg

post-42863-0-24050400-1480128202_thumb.png

 

I find the fact that subtracting front object doesn't output a group or compound object, but some kind of other multipart path to be counter-intuitive, but would be willing to run with it, if I could make a shortcut to do it.

Right now, I can't.

 

Is that more clear?

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Hi Askrahn! 

 

Unfortunately It is not currently possible to achieve this result using keyboard shortcuts inside Affinity so I will move your post over to Feature Requests.

 

post-42863-0-40633600-1480371110_thumb.png

 

It looks like it is, but I will trust your diagnosis.

 

Can you explain what Geometry > Divide does, or why two curves are counted as one in this case? If it's too technical, that's fine, I'm just curious why this third joined state exists.

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