hotkey for renaming layer(s)

[elmanvebs]

Hi Mates,

Is there anyway to rename the layer/layers with a hotkey? Tried to search in hotkey config but I didn't find any renaming option in Layer keys.

Thanks!

[toltec]

You have to click on a layer to select it before you can rename it, so is there any benefit to a shortcut ?

 

Just double click on the name and select it and rename it.

[elmanvebs]

mostly i'm working with hotkeys
clicking and only after getting the renaming field... that is tooo long, at least for me
 

Quote

You have to click on a layer to select it before you can rename it

you already answered on that question 

[R C-R]

5 hours ago, elmanvebs said:

clicking and only after getting the renaming field... that is tooo long, at least for me

What @toltec meant was you cannot avoid clicking on a layer in the Layers panel to change the focus to its name field -- otherwise keyboard input would not be directed to the name field of the layer, so since you have to move the pointer there to do that anyway, just double-click while the pointer is there & begin typing.

 

In other words, there is no faster way to do this without drastic changes to the UI that would prevent other keyboard inputs including hotkey shortcuts from working.

[elmanvebs]

3 hours ago, R C-R said:

What @toltec meant was you cannot avoid clicking on a layer in the Layers panel to change the focus to its name field -- otherwise keyboard input would not be directed to the name field of the layer, so since you have to move the pointer there to do that anyway, just double-click while the pointer is there & begin typing.

 

In other words, there is no faster way to do this without drastic changes to the UI that would prevent other keyboard inputs including hotkey shortcuts from working.

yes there is no problems with that
 

but why there is no option just to select the layer and press on ctrl + r (cmd + r) to rename layer without clicking on it

+ in photoshop you can do that by making your own hotkey
+ sketch cmd + r
+ figma cmd + r or ctrl + r
 

I think the absence of this simple feature making affinity designer less effective for me
for example, I've 100+ layers and I always giving proper names to my layers, then I should select and click 100+100 times instead of just select layer press on a hotkey and start renaming

and plus I don't like the icon for grouped layers
why there is play/carret icon instead of folder icon?

[R C-R]

1 hour ago, elmanvebs said:

but why there is no option just to select the layer and press on ctrl + r (cmd + r) to rename layer without clicking on it

If that is what you want, I suggest posting about it in the Feature Requests, Suggestions and Feedback forum. However, since you still have to select each layer you want to (re)name one at a time, I don't see how this is going to speed that process up very much if there are a lot of layers involved, particularly if there is a mix of parent & child layers.

[elmanvebs]

31 minutes ago, R C-R said:

If that is what you want, I suggest posting about it in the Feature Requests, Suggestions and Feedback forum. However, since you still have to select each layer you want to (re)name one at a time, I don't see how this is going to speed that process up very much if there are a lot of layers involved, particularly if there is a mix of parent & child layers.

yes, but if we will talk about creating a new layer and giving a name right away then will speed up process a lot from my perspective  

[R C-R]

9 minutes ago, elmanvebs said:

yes, but if we will talk about creating a new layer and giving a name right away then will speed up process a lot from my perspective  

If we are now talking about naming newly created layers rather than renaming existing ones, then I agree that it would. But it would speed things up even more if creating a new layer automatically moved the keyboard focus to the name field without having to use a hotkey. That has already been requested by a few users.

 

There also have been requests for hotkeys to navigate through the Layers panel, to expand or collapse parent/child layer groups, & for just about everything else that does not currently have a definable hotkey. Some of these things would work best in combination with other features, for example to automatically open the Layers panel if it is not currently open, & to auto-scroll to the layer & auto-expand a parent layer to reveal a child one if necessary so users can always see what they are typing.

 

So for the developers, it isn't just about adding one or a few new hotkey customizations; it is also about which overall combination of features would benefit the most users & which ones would add unwanted complexity those in the "K.I.S.S. camp" are already complaining about. All I can suggest is to add your request to the mix & see what happens.

[elmanvebs]

5 minutes ago, R C-R said:

All I can suggest is to add your request to the mix & see what happens

already added mate
thank you for an explanation 

[Guest]

In case you are using macOS I found a way to rename the currently selected layer using AppleScript. This works in separated mode (Window -> Separated Mode). You can use the script by creating a new service with Automator.app. Specify that the service should receive no input only work for Affinity Designer. Once saved the script will appear under Affinity Designer -> Services. To assign a shortcut open the system preferences for keyboard.

 

I think you also need to allow accessibility apps to access your Mac.

 

tell application "System Events"
  tell process "Affinity Designer"
    tell (first window whose value of static text 1 is "Opacity:")
      perform action "AXRaise"
      tell table 1 of scroll area 1
        tell (first row whose value of attribute "AXSelected" is true)
          tell text field 1 of UI element 1
            set value of attribute "AXFocused" to true
          end tell
        end tell
      end tell
    end tell
  end tell
end tell

 

[dechriss]

Hello, I want this too. (Rename layer shortcut)

Where should I go to ask for it or suggest it?

[Mark-Lee]

This reminds me of the Adobe feedback forum. Users ask for a feature for renaming layers with keyboard shortcuts, but they get the answer "you don't need it, you just click with a mouse/trackpad".

[dechriss]

So there is a shortcut to create a new layer Command + Option + N.

When this new layer is created, it is also selected. Any shape i create at this point will be added as a child to this newly created layer. So its sole purpose seems to be a group. I believe people who create a new group or layer have a very specific thing in mind and want to give this logical group a name.

Please look how Apple does this in the Finder: Command + Shift + N creates a new folder and also enters edit mode with the text already selected. (also Return enters edit mode)

I think Affinity Designer should at least have this behavior as minimum requirement and also add a shortcut.

There is a shortcuts panel in the settings where you can even choose the layers menu to manage shortcuts but there is a menu item missing: "Rename layer". 

 

Again comparing it to Finder:

Command + Shift + N    -> New Folder with preselected name ready for typing while both hands are on the keyboard.

Pressing the enter key: Starts and stops edit mode.

 

Affinity Designer:

Command + Option + N -> New Layer and does not preselect the name for me so I have to reach for the mouse, move the arrow to the layer and click on it only to then reach back to the Keyboard.

Pressing the enter key: Computer makes Beep.

 

 

 

 

[btribble]

FFS how is a basic keyboard shortcut like this not included already ???

[R C-R]

On 8/31/2019 at 5:35 PM, dechriss said:

Please look how Apple does this in the Finder: Command + Shift + N creates a new folder and also enters edit mode with the text already selected.

In the Affinity apps, there are several ways of creating new layers without the Layers panel being open. Also, in most workflows not every layer needs a name. So how would a Finder-like feature like this one cope with that?

[pixtur]

I can’t emphasize enough how important this feature is for me. It is basically the one thing I hate about AF. Esp. since the layer name inputs are so difficult to click (fitt’s law?). And the input frequently loses focus after the first character. 

I could understand the argument of hard to implement focus handling. But explaining to users that this request is not valid is just a plain insult. The request is super well articulated and the reasoning “you have to select a layer first” is just wrong. 90% of the time there is a layer selected, I know which one and pressing CMD+R or a similar hot key could set the keyboard focus to this layer name. You wouldn’t even need to scroll it into visibility (I think SketchApp) doesn’t do this. If the panel is not open or there no or multiple selected layer do nothing.

Alternatively a new layer dialog that asks for a name would be a great alternative. A very long time ago I actually tought courses on Photoshop. One of the first thing I told my students, was that the “correct” keyboard shortcut for new layer is CTRL+Shift+N.

Now I look at my affinity files and cringe because named layers are the exception.

 

[the_krkn]

Figma does this really well I think. In Figma, you rename one layer, and then hit tab and it moves to the next layer's name, so you just type-tab-type-tab to rename as many layers as you want, and tab multiple times to not edit particular layers (basically like tabbing through an online form).

[tomatohorse]

I agree that renaming the currently selected layer should have a shortcut. 

 

Here's another use-case: I group some layers and want to name the group right away. In Sketch, for instance, I hit command G to group (which is in Affinity) and then command R (which is not) and am right away naming the group. It's really nice when you want to stay organized.

[thomaso]

There is a mouse-less workflow:

1. Move through the layers panel with cmd + arrow up/down
2. press return key to enter the layer name field
3. type the name
4. press enter to confirm and leave the name edit state

[tomatohorse]

Thanks for the response, thomaso. Those shortcuts (in both #1 and #2) aren't working for me, though. Are they custom?

[R C-R]

1 hour ago, tomatohorse said:

Those shortcuts (in both #1 and #2) aren't working for me, though.

They do not work for me either.

[thomaso]

Quote

tomatohorse: Thanks for the response, thomaso. Those shortcuts (in both #1 and #2) aren't working for me, though. Are they custom?

R C-R: They do not work for me either.

Ah, indeed it doesn't "just" work, at least you have to activate the Layers Panel first to make it the "current" UI item. I don't know what else may prevent it from working, it seems to help sometimes to activate the Layers Panel without activating a layer yet, e.g. by a click on the layers panel label or in the empty layers area, and select a layer then, either with mouse or with cmd-up/down.

Here it stopped working after changing the layer name. After the video I noticed I could make it work again by a click below the layers but inside the panel.

 

[R C-R]

1 hour ago, thomaso said:

Ah, indeed it doesn't "just" work ...

For me, CMD + the up/down keys sometimes works in Publisher but never in AD or AP.

I also cannot find any place in any of the 3 apps to set them to shortcuts.

[Gear maker]

4 hours ago, thomaso said:

There is a mouse-less workflow:

1. Move through the layers panel with cmd + arrow up/down
2. press return key to enter the layer name field
3. type the name
4. press enter to confirm and leave the name edit state

In my Designer the way to step through layers in a group is to opt + cmd + [ which steps down and opt + cmd + ] steps up.  These are in the Select keyboard shortcuts and can be re-keyed to something else as desired.  If the layer panel has focus then a cmd + return opens the layer rename, as long as the layer is not a text layer. 

With this it's easy to rename all the layers in the group by clicking on the first layer in the layer panel,  cmd + Return, type the layer name (no Return necessary). Then opt + cmd + [, cmd + Return, type the layer name.  Repeat until all have been named.

As I mentioned the cmd + Return doesn't work for text layers, but personally I never change the name of the text layer, I like it to show the text as the name.

Again personally, I would not like having the application open a rename field every time a new layer is created.  Forcing me to name the layer at that time.  I'd rather go back after I have created several layers and name them.  I can't imagine doing something like a Power Duplicate and have a rename field open after every duplication.  I don't name such I just create a group and name it something that describes the contents of the group.  Instead of having dozens of layers named "Horizontal line" I'd rather have one group named "Horizontal lines".

[Amvjb]

Hi !

Is there any hot key or trick for quickly renaming artboard(s) also?