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How to replace a Parent pixel layer?


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In Affinity Photo (PC) I have a Parent pixel layer with nine adjustment layers nested below.

I now wish to replace the contents of the Parent layer only with a new image I brought in.

I can't seem to accomplish this, as pasting creates a new layer.  I also tried merging (visible) the Parent layer and the new image layer without success.

So how can you update (replace) a Parent layer with a new image, while keeping the child layers?

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Well, you can't really. It's like having a bucket, easy to change the contents but to change the bucket, you need to find something to put the contents in first. There are two options though.

 

1. Drag the adjustment layers into the new image layer. 

 

2. Nest the new image inside the old parent layer. Expand the parent layer and drag the new image to the very bottom, below all the adjustment layers. Make sure you don't nest it inside an adjustment layer. The original image is still there, somewhere, and you can hide the new image to reveal it. However, it is hidden from sight, so will achieve your purpose.

 

 

Windows PCs. Photo and Designer, latest non-beta versions.

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41 minutes ago, toltec said:

Well, you can't really. It's like having a bucket, easy to change the contents but to change the bucket, you need to find something to put the contents in first. There are two options though.

 

1. Drag the adjustment layers into the new image layer. 

 

2. Nest the new image inside the old parent layer. Expand the parent layer and drag the new image to the very bottom, below all the adjustment layers. Make sure you don't nest it inside an adjustment layer. The original image is still there, somewhere, and you can hide the new image to reveal it. However, it is hidden from sight, so will achieve your purpose.

 

 

 

The 2nd option is new to me and I can't get it working. By logic, once is nested it goes under the parent layer. Am I missing something?

Andrew
-
Win10 x64 AMD Threadripper 1950x, 64GB, 512GB M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD + 2TB, dual GTX 1080ti
Dual Monitor Dell Ultra HD 4k P2715Q 27-Inch

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13 minutes ago, verysame said:

 

The 2nd option is new to me and I can't get it working. By logic, once is nested it goes under the parent layer. Am I missing something?

 

Original

 

deer.jpg.c4d27f7b3aa80a5d2ad914f6c1984f86.jpg

 

deerlayers.png.7998653e5637d3a68e1db5ec1768a429.png

 

Placed inside

butterfly.jpg.5b35649349b8f5be7f94be1e61c3dabd.jpg

butlayers.png.93af3621fd2c830a85e6489c1c097886.png

 

Hidden

hidden.png.93dcaf616c163556d60448506df361b2.png

 

The deer has returned.

 

Windows PCs. Photo and Designer, latest non-beta versions.

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Hm... no matter how many combinations I try, I only get the mask option or below the adjustment, but not aligned to them as in your case:

 

Clipboard01.jpg.7e4995e0e861b3de90639347ff16eec4.jpg

Andrew
-
Win10 x64 AMD Threadripper 1950x, 64GB, 512GB M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD + 2TB, dual GTX 1080ti
Dual Monitor Dell Ultra HD 4k P2715Q 27-Inch

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3 minutes ago, verysame said:

Hm... no matter how many combinations I try, I only get the mask option or below the adjustment, but not aligned to them as in your case:

 

 

 

Try selecting an adjustment layer first, then place the image. That should make the placed layer be inserted directly above the adjustment

 

But I don't need to do that. 

 

Windows, 1.5.2.69

Windows PCs. Photo and Designer, latest non-beta versions.

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A bug. It works in one case only:

 

tweaking_ap_mask.gif.8ff7a84ebcf49c369b51fb800899e30c.gif

 

Edit: and even selecting the adjustment didn't work.

For the record, I'm doing this in the latest beta, 0.89.

Andrew
-
Win10 x64 AMD Threadripper 1950x, 64GB, 512GB M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD + 2TB, dual GTX 1080ti
Dual Monitor Dell Ultra HD 4k P2715Q 27-Inch

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@verysame Unlike in toltec's example your "parent" layer is an Image layer, not a Pixel layer. I am not sure how it works in the latest Windows beta but in the retail Mac version a pixel layer becomes a clipped layer (not a mask) when nested in an image layer, which I believe is what is happening in your gif.

 

If you move the nested adjustments out of your "parent" layer, rasterize that layer, & then move the adjustments back into it, I think you should be able to get the same results as @toltec does.

All 3 1.10.8, & all 3 V2.4.1 Mac apps; 2020 iMac 27"; 3.8GHz i7, Radeon Pro 5700, 32GB RAM; macOS 10.15.7
Affinity Photo 
1.10.8; Affinity Designer 1.108; & all 3 V2 apps for iPad; 6th Generation iPad 32 GB; Apple Pencil; iPadOS 15.7

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5 minutes ago, toltec said:

Still works for an image layer

You are showing an image layer nested in another image layer. What happens when you try to nest a pixel layer in an image layer?

All 3 1.10.8, & all 3 V2.4.1 Mac apps; 2020 iMac 27"; 3.8GHz i7, Radeon Pro 5700, 32GB RAM; macOS 10.15.7
Affinity Photo 
1.10.8; Affinity Designer 1.108; & all 3 V2 apps for iPad; 6th Generation iPad 32 GB; Apple Pencil; iPadOS 15.7

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2 minutes ago, MEB said:

Hi edferg,

Instead of nesting the adjustments, you can clip them (just drag them over the pixel/image layer - not its thumbnail). This allows you to easily group them and drag them over another image quickly.

 

They are all clipped in the examples I posted.

Windows PCs. Photo and Designer, latest non-beta versions.

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7 minutes ago, toltec said:

They are all clipped in the examples I posted.

But they do not appear to be in the example @verysame posted.

All 3 1.10.8, & all 3 V2.4.1 Mac apps; 2020 iMac 27"; 3.8GHz i7, Radeon Pro 5700, 32GB RAM; macOS 10.15.7
Affinity Photo 
1.10.8; Affinity Designer 1.108; & all 3 V2 apps for iPad; 6th Generation iPad 32 GB; Apple Pencil; iPadOS 15.7

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6 minutes ago, R C-R said:

But they do not appear to be in the example @verysame posted.

 

Indeed, could well be.

 

I just redid it and dropped the adjustment layers to the masking position. See below

masked.png.78b499524ad5e00f61c59a43baa3d53a.png

 

Everything still works the same, but the adjustment layers don't align any more.

 

Maybe that's where he went wrong ?

 

Windows PCs. Photo and Designer, latest non-beta versions.

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1 hour ago, toltec said:

Maybe that's where he went wrong ?

Maybe. But it is clear from his gif that the adjustments in the upper "Background" layer & in the lower "parent" layer are indented differently, which I think explains why he could not get the child "Background" layer to drop in the same place as in your first example.

All 3 1.10.8, & all 3 V2.4.1 Mac apps; 2020 iMac 27"; 3.8GHz i7, Radeon Pro 5700, 32GB RAM; macOS 10.15.7
Affinity Photo 
1.10.8; Affinity Designer 1.108; & all 3 V2 apps for iPad; 6th Generation iPad 32 GB; Apple Pencil; iPadOS 15.7

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Thank you @R C-R, you are right, I did not clip the adjustments.

Thank you @toltec for taking the time to post the samples and explaining the steps, and @MEB for chiming in.

 

What threw me off is that the difference in the UI between a clipped adjustment and a nested one is barely noticeable.

I looked at it when I started using AP, then I guess over time I totally forgot about it.

I wish the difference was more evident. It becomes a little more evident when both a clipped and a nested layer are present at the same time in the stack. But when using only one type of adjustment, the indentation and the level of grey can easily go unnoticed.

Nonetheless, it proves it's really powerful and can be adjusted for different needs.

Andrew
-
Win10 x64 AMD Threadripper 1950x, 64GB, 512GB M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD + 2TB, dual GTX 1080ti
Dual Monitor Dell Ultra HD 4k P2715Q 27-Inch

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4 hours ago, verysame said:

I wish the difference was more evident.

Me too.

All 3 1.10.8, & all 3 V2.4.1 Mac apps; 2020 iMac 27"; 3.8GHz i7, Radeon Pro 5700, 32GB RAM; macOS 10.15.7
Affinity Photo 
1.10.8; Affinity Designer 1.108; & all 3 V2 apps for iPad; 6th Generation iPad 32 GB; Apple Pencil; iPadOS 15.7

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