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Clone tool stopped working on one phho


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I am working on a photo with clone tool, and it has worked wonderfully to eliminate unwanted objects by blending surrounding pixels into and over the objects like power lines and a roof.  But before I finished it stopped working.  The circle and x show but alt + click does nothing. and click does nothing.  I have closed Affinity and restarted computer but the results are the same - nothing happens.  It does work on other pictures.  I don't completely understand how the clone tool works.  I have read the manual and worked trail and error with some good results -- up until it stopped doing what it was doing on this one landscape photo.

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You may have a very small / hidden selection active

Press CTRL+D  to eliminate this possibility

Additionally, you can check that the Opacity and Flow setting in the context menu are not set to zero

If not resolved upload the document (if you can)

 

To save time I am currently using an automated AI to reply to some posts on this forum. If any of "my" posts are wrong or appear to be total b*ll*cks they are the ones generated by the AI. If correct they were probably mine. I apologise for any mistakes made by my AI - I'm sure it will improve with time.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I have experienced this problem frequently. Often the clone brush does nothing. Occasionally it will paint at (seemingly) reduced density, even with all the settings at 100%; on one such occasion it suddenly started working OK.

I reduced the brightness of the attached jpg file, and then tried to use the clone brush to eliminate the scratches. It did nothing.

I reloaded the file and tried to remove the scratches, and it worked fine. I then reduced the brightness of the picture, and after that the clone brush ceased to work. This second file I saved as an afphoto file (also attached). When reloaded, the clone brush still didn't work, suggesting that something in the file is preventing the clone brush from working (i.e. as opposed to a fault which only manifests itself when the program is actually running).

A quick test suggests that use of any of the adjustments (levels, white balance, etc) prevents the clone brush working, and this would explain why I've had problems in the past. Painting a line on the picture (for example), or using other tools, does not appear to cause a problem.

Negative0000.JPG

Negative0000.afphoto

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  • Staff

Hi chuckhebert40,
Welcome to Affinity Forums :)

Here's what i think it's going on: when you reduce the brightness of the image opening the filter dialog, Affinity switches the selected pixel layer (the background layer in your file) in the Layers panel to the Adjustment layer (because you are editing/changing the filter values). When you go back to the canvas and try to continue using the Clone Tool the Adjustment layer remains selected and so you don't see changes because it is not a regular pixel layer. If you go to the Layers panel and change the selection back to the pixel layer (the background layer in your file), the Clone Tool should work as usual. So please check that you have the correct layer selected in the the Layers panel. Let me know if you still have trouble after looking into this.

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I have used the clone tool for years.  Recently when I open or scan a photo when the clone tool is selected I get a white circular international no symbol (0 with a / through it).  This is only a recent issue.  Just reloaded the software hoping to correct this and it did not.  Does anyone know what is causing it?  

 

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  • 4 months later...

I am new to Affinity and I am just starting to use the clone tool.  The steps that I am doing are as follows: open my photo, click on the clone tool, make sure that the background on the right side under layers is highlighted, the hardness is at 0%, opacity and flow is 100%, then I click ALT + the left side of my mouse.  I only get the symbol and not the circle and I can't get it to clone.  Please help me with what I am doing wrong.  I have watched some videos and nothing is helping.

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  • Staff

Hi Sissy,

Welcome to Affinity Forums :)

We press ⌥ (option/alt) in the Clone Tool to select the source area from where we will be cloning. At this point no circle appears yet, just a small crosshair cursor to let you pick the area with more precision. Then release the ⌥ (option/alt) key and start painting on canvas. You should now see the circle with a preview of the area you picked previously as the source.

 

Take a look at the bottom of the interface for a list of keyboard modifiers and instructions for the tool you have currently selected.

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