Export single layer (with FX) - best approach?

[mrpixel]

I have an Affinity Photo document with many dozens of layers. I frequently need to export one of the layers individually to a PNG (hiding all of the other layers/content in the document). I've found this very difficult to do, as I can't currently find shortcuts to either:

a) hide all layers except the selected one

or

b) directly export a single selected layer

Also, I need layer effects of the parent group(s) to still be applied. Which means doing something like copying the layer and then choosing New from Clipboard and then exporting won't work well for my purposes.

Perhaps I'm overlooking something obvious? Can anyone offer suggestions on the easiest way to do this?

[MEB]

Hi mrpixel,
Welcome to Affinity Forums
With the layer selected, go to File ▸ Export... and select Selection with (or without) background from the Area dropdown.

[mrpixel]

Thank you MEB, this is almost exactly what I need, except that it seems to disregard the layer effects of any containing/parent groups.

Is there any way to still get all of the parent group FX applied to the exported selection?

[toltec]

2 hours ago, mrpixel said:

I have an Affinity Photo document with many dozens of layers. I frequently need to export one of the layers individually to a PNG (hiding all of the other layers/content in the document). I've found this very difficult to do, as I can't currently find shortcuts to either:

a) hide all layers except the selected one

or

b) directly export a single selected layer

Also, I need layer effects of the parent group(s) to still be applied. Which means doing something like copying the layer and then choosing New from Clipboard and then exporting won't work well for my purposes.

Perhaps I'm overlooking something obvious? Can anyone offer suggestions on the easiest way to do this?

If you lock the layer(s) you want to include in your PNG,

then go Select > Select All Layers it will select everything except the locked layer(s).

If you then click on the hide.show box of any of the selected layers,

it will hide all of them, but not the ones you previously locked because they are not selected.

Just export to PNG and only the visible layers (including any effects layers that are not hidden) will be part of the PNG.

To get the hidden layers all back (visible) click on the first one in the Layers panel, then shift click on the last one in the stack and again, click on one of the hide/show buttons

Alternatively, just hide everything and show the layers you want before exporting.

[mrpixel]

Quote

then go Select > Select All Layers it will select everything except the locked layer(s).

If you then click on the hide.show box of any of the selected layers,

it will hide all of them, but not the ones you previously locked because they are not selected.

Thank you toltec, this is useful!