Designer : Layer instance ?

[Gep]

Hi,

New to Designer but used to 3D, i wonder if there's a way to create an instance of a layer : in 3D softs, you can create an instance of a mesh, and it just change along with its master. Very useful.

 

Why in Designer ? 

 

I have a text and i want it to be visible, but filled with another layer. As now, i have to duplicate it and use it as mask on the filling layer, but if i change the text or typo, i have to do it all again. If i could have an instance of my text layer as mask, i wouldn't have to care about it anymore : changes on the text would apply to the mask.

 

Is there a way to achieve this already ? (search but couldn't find)

If not, is it worth a FR ?

[MEB]

Hi Gep,

Welcome to Affinity Forums :)

Drag the image layer over the text object layer in the Layers panel to use the text as a clipping layer. The text will remain editable and you can still access the image expanding the parent layer (text object) in the Layers panel and selecting it.

[Gep]

Thanks Meb,

Well, i surely was unclear (not english native...).

 

 

Here is a (bad taste) example: a text with NIGHT, having a stroke, and a 'picture layer with stars.

I'd like to have the stars inside my text filling, but the text stroke still visible.

 

With your solution, the stroke simply disappear, leaving only the cut filling.

The workaround is to the create an fx contour to the masked layer, but then you can't use all the stroke tools available (dotted, textures, etc...), but only plain lines.

If i could instance my text, i would be able to have the 'stroked' text above, and the 'filling' below, masked by the text instance. I would then keep all my stroke customization available and visible, while keeping text edition ability.

 

Not sure to be much clearer...   :)

[MEB]

I'm not exactly sure what you want to achieve here. I'm attaching a sample file where a text object (with a dashed red stroke) is being used as a clipping object. To change the its fill, just change the image or replace it with whatever elements you want (a layer or a group). The text will still be used as a clipping layer no matter what you place inside. Am i missing something?

 

Earth.afphoto

 

 

[cekuhnen]

Hi,

New to Designer but used to 3D, i wonder if there's a way to create an instance of a layer : in 3D softs, you can create an instance of a mesh, and it just change along with its master. Very useful.

 

Hey screenshots are often better than text - specifically if Eng isnt your native language.

 

BTW with instance I think you mean geometry clones so when the master is edited the clones show the same geometry change.

In apps like AD this are symbols. You edit the symbol and all update.

[Gep]

Meb : it works indeed with a pixel layer as filling, but doesn't with a curve layer : it also masks the stroke...

In my exemple, the filling is a group of two curve layers : a plain rectangle for background color and some curve stars above. (Seems you can't mask with a Group either...)

So it seems my instance story wasn't relevant, anyway...

Thank you for taking time to post your example.

 

Cekuhnen : yes, i was trying to go quick and it ends the other way round... 

I'll have a look to symbols, thanks.

(instance are indeed what you said, a linked clone, sorry if this is a 3D soft term only...)

[MEB]

Can you please attach the file you are working with or an example of what you want to achieve - even if incomplete or not fully working so i can take a look?

You may be using a different layer structure (like masking instead of clipping) or something else. Here's how to attach an image/file (max. 20 MB). Alternatively you can send me a PM with a link to the file stored on a Cloud service or similar if you don't want to post it publicly.

[Gep]

Here is a quick example (afdesign file).

The idea would be to have ability to modify the text without having to redo the mask.

I did not found out a way to do so, but again i'm a very beginner...

 

GepMasking.afdesign

[MEB]

Here's a similar file. To edit the text select the Artistic Text Tool, click over the text and start typing. You may have adjust the size of the blue rectangle and stars if you add more letters so they fill the new word's width or add new object's to clipped group if you want. There's other ways to approach this. You can use a bitmap fill with stars to continuously fill the blue the rectangle, or other ways to structure the file to get a similar result.

 

stars.afdesign

[Gep]

Ah ok ! Groups act as mask, in a way...

Thanks a lot !

[Medical Officer Bones]

The OP has a different mindset, coming from 3d applications, and that creates a bit of confusion here, I believe. 3D applications are generally way more flexible how assets are organized, compared to 2d graphics software - they need to be.

 

I think what the OP means by clones:

• duplicate any layer and the duplicate remains 'linked' to the original layer
• any change to the original layer changes the linked clone(s)
• any transformation of the original layer also affects the linked clone(s)
• use linked clones to mask other layers

In 3d applications linked instances (duplicates, clones, copies, etc.) are a default option. They are incredibly useful to have.

 

In graphic design software the concept of 'symbols' is generally used instead. 3D objects instancing and symbols are similar concepts, but not the same - far from it. It depends on any given situation whether one or the other method works best.

 

For example, the OP wants to re-use a text layer as a cloned layer that masks a texture or other objects. Symbols aren't that helpful in this situation. Ideally Designer/Photo would allow us to create a live clone of the text layer, and re-use it as a mask somehow.

 

As far as I am aware, the type of layer instancing the OP refers to is possible with smart objects in Photoshop. I no longer work with Photoshop, but I do know that smart objects can be used as clipping masks.

 

Krita offers cloned layers - and although those cannot be used as layer masks, it is possible to create clipping layers again.

Looks like this:

 

 

Any change to the original text layer will cascade those changes in the layer stack. And only Krita will cascade transformations through all the clones - no other 2d layer-based software is able to pull this off (I think). The drawback to this method is that, in order to transform a cloned instance, a transform mask must be applied to that instanced layer.

 

Anyway, I really hope that at least Photo will get live cloned layers functionality at some point. Smart objects are great to have, but cloning layers just works better in many cases. Having both would be the best. Photoshop's way is not always the best way.

[MEB]

Hi Rayek,

I'm aware of the differences, but currently there's no way to replicate them in Affinity Designer. Photoline is a 2d app that have implemented a somewhat similar system. We intend to implement linked layers in a future version, but i don't know yet much details about it nor the scope of its functionality. Symbols may also provide a solution here but that's all we have currently available.

[Medical Officer Bones]

It is great to hear linked layers will be implemented at some point.

 

Photoline? I'll look into that, sounds interesting as a comparison.