Shortcut for adding new child layer

[KiLa]

Hi all! Title says it all :) - is there a shortcut in Affinity Photo/Designer to add new layer as child layer? If you look the attached image, left side shows what happens when i press Ctrl + Shift + N (in PC), and right side shows what i'm looking for - shortcut to add new layer and add it to child layer for current layer.

Cheers

-k

[firstdefence]

You can only make adjustment layers and mask layers a child layer on creation by changing the settings in Assistant Manager. There is currently no Keyboard shortcut to add a Layer or Pixel Layer as child on creation of the aforementioned layer styles.

 

 

 

[carl123]

In Photo on the Arrange Menu you have Insertion Inside option

Assign the Shortcut Keys CTRL+SHIFT+M to this option

Then when you want to add a new pixel layer as a child layer to the currently selected layer, type....

CTRL+SHIFT+M+N

Does that do what you want?

[KiLa]

Carl, your solution is in the right direction! Only "problem" with that is that, i must first turn Insert Inside on, and then add the actual layer. I created macro for it, but unfortunately i cannot assign shortcut key for it

-k

[R C-R]

@carl123 is suggesting that in Affinity Photo Preferences > Keyboard Shortcuts you create a keyboard shortcut for the "Insertion Inside" item on the Arrange menu. On a Mac, the preference panel looks like below but it should be similar for Windows:

[KiLa]

Yes, i understood that, but it doesn't create actual layer - it just sets the mode so that when the layer is created, it will be placed inside current layer. I'm trying to find a solution where i can do all of those things via single shortcut.  Carls solution requires two - one to setthemode and another to create the actual layer.

-k

[R C-R]

How would this one step shortcut know what kind of child layer you wanted to create? The currently selected parent layer could be a pixel, shape, or "Layer" layer, among others.

[carl123]

4 hours ago, KiLa said:

Yes, i understood that, but it doesn't create actual layer - it just sets the mode so that when the layer is created, it will be placed inside current layer. I'm trying to find a solution where i can do all of those things via single shortcut.  Carls solution requires two - one to setthemode and another to create the actual layer.

-k

Did you actually try what I suggested?

After you add the shortcut for Insertion Inside

You can then type...

CTRL+SHIFT+M+N

Which is ONE shortcut which does 2 things, it sets the Insertion mode AND adds a new layer (which will be a child layer)

Works for me in APhoto on Windows

[carl123]

4 hours ago, R C-R said:

How would this one step shortcut know what kind of child layer you wanted to create? The currently selected parent layer could be a pixel, shape, or "Layer" layer, among others.

It's somewhat irrelevant what the currently selected layer is.

The OP's first post said he uses Ctrl + Shift + N to create a new layer which is the inbuilt shortcut for a new Pixel layer

The new shortcut sequence I proposed will add a new child pixel layer to whatever you have selected at the time

PS I just found that the Insertion Inside menu option can be found in ADesigner under the Layer menu so you can assign the shortcut CTRL+SHIFT+M to that as well so the proposed new shortcut sequence of CTRL+SHIFT+M+N should also work in ADesigner (Windows)

[firstdefence]

I can't see any faster way than just creating a new Layer (Layer) and then creating any subordinate layers.

When you create a New Layer (Layer) and straight after or when you select a Layer(Layer) at a later date, a Pixel Layer will become a child layer of that New or selected Layer.

From what I understand, Hierarchically, a Layer (Layer) is top dog and any creation of the various layer types thereafter would automatically be a child of that selected Layer(Layer), be it a Shape, Curve, or Pixel layer.  

[R C-R]

1 hour ago, carl123 said:

The OP's first post said he uses Ctrl + Shift + N to create a new layer which is the inbuilt shortcut for a new Pixel layer

Yes, but you are suggesting a sequence of two keyboard shortcuts, CTRL+SHIFT+M followed by CTRL+SHIFT+N. I was responding to the OP's last post, which was asking how to "do all of those things via single shortcut." AFAIK, that isn't possible.

[carl123]

I am NOT suggesting a sequence of two keyboard shortcuts, CTRL+SHIFT+M followed by CTRL+SHIFT+N

I am suggesting one keystroke of CTRL+SHIFT+M+N

I know it's not what you are used to but try it  (after you assign CTRL+SHIFT+M to the Insertion Inside option)

 

[KiLa]

Carl is Right - combination of two shortcuts works. By assigning 'Ctrl + Shift + m' to Insertion Inside, and then pressing 'Ctrl + Shift + n + m' does exactly what i need - new layer as child layer for current layer. Well done Sir!

The ooooonly complaint i have - there is always something - is that after creating the layer, the parent layer is collapsed and the newly created layer is inside it and hidden.

-k

[R C-R]

9 minutes ago, carl123 said:

I am NOT suggesting a sequence of two keyboard shortcuts, CTRL+SHIFT+M followed by CTRL+SHIFT+N

I am suggesting one keystroke of CTRL+SHIFT+M+N

I know it's not what you are used to but try it  (after you assign CTRL+SHIFT+M to the Insertion Inside option)

At least on Macs, a keyboard shortcut can include only one non-modifier key -- IOW, as soon as any non-modifier key is pressed the shortcut is triggered without waiting for another non-modifier key to be pressed. So depending on if the M or N key was pressed first (even by a tiny fraction of a second), this would be interpreted as either CTRL+SHIFT+M followed by CTRL+SHIFT+N or CTRL+SHIFT+N followed by CTRL+SHIFT+M. 

On Macs, CMD+SHIFT+N is the default for creating a new pixel layer & there is no default for the insertion Inside option, but even if I set each of them to the respective CTRL+SHIFT shortcut, it is interpreted as two shortcuts, determined by which non-modifier key is pressed first.

I suspect that is also true for Windows, at least for the Affinity keyboard shortcuts. You can test this by making sure the Insert Inside option is not enabled on the Toolbar (the icon is not enabled) at the beginning of two successive tries, holding down the two modifier keys, & varying slightly which of the N or M keys you press first.

[carl123]

4 minutes ago, R C-R said:

At least on Macs, a keyboard shortcut can include only one non-modifier key -- IOW, as soon as any non-modifier key is pressed the shortcut is triggered without waiting for another non-modifier key to be pressed. So depending on if the M or N key was pressed first (even by a tiny fraction of a second), this would be interpreted as either CTRL+SHIFT+M followed by CTRL+SHIFT+N or CTRL+SHIFT+N followed by CTRL+SHIFT+M. 

On Macs, CMD+SHIFT+N is the default for creating a new pixel layer & there is no default for the insertion Inside option, but even if I set each of them to the respective CTRL+SHIFT shortcut, it is interpreted as two shortcuts, determined by which non-modifier key is pressed first.

I suspect that is also true for Windows, at least for the Affinity keyboard shortcuts. You can test this by making sure the Insert Inside option is not enabled on the Toolbar (the icon is not enabled) at the beginning of two successive tries, holding down the two modifier keys, & varying slightly which of the N or M keys you press first.

I have absolutely no idea what you are talking about

[carl123]

21 minutes ago, KiLa said:

and then pressing 'Ctrl + Shift + n + m' does exactly what i need

I think you meant 'Ctrl + Shift + m + n'

But well done for figuring it out

My parent layer is not collapsed when I do it on my PC so there may be a preferences setting somewhere which affects this  (may have a look later for it , got a dog that needs a walk)

[R C-R]

Just now, carl123 said:

I have absolutely no idea what you are talking about

At least on Macs, you can customize the Affinity Photo toolbar to include a 3 button "Insertion" item, the last of which enables the insert inside feature: 

The button is a toggle -- click it to toggle between enabled & disabled -- but the keyboard shortcut to enable it is not a toggle -- it simply enables the shortcut but never disables it. I was suggesting using that button as a visual reference so you can be sure it is not already enabled when trying your 4 key shortcut, & to intentionally press either the M or N key slightly before pressing the other one with the CTRL & SHIFT modifier keys held down. Do that twice, once with one key pressed first & then the other, using the visual reference & if necessary clicking the button to make sure 'insert inside' is not enabled each time.

The reason for doing this twice in this way is if 'insert inside' is already enabled then pressing the M key has no effect & what I believe will be interpreted as two separate keyboard shortcuts applied in succession will add the pixel layer whenever either one of them is the CTRL+SHIFT+N one. However, if 'insert inside' is not already enabled, then the results will be different depending on if the N or M key is pressed first because this will be interpreted as two different keyboard shortcuts, in one case enabling 'insert inside' after the new pixel layer is added so it will not be added as a child layer.

I don't know how to make it any clearer than that, but regardless this is how it works on a Mac because in the Mac OS a keyboard shortcut can include as many modifier keys as one wants (modifier keys being any keys that do not do anything by themselves, like SHIFT, CMD, Alt/Option, or CTRL) but only one non-modifier key, like M or N.

[carl123]

I still have no idea what you are talking about.

The CTRL+SHIFT+M+N keystroke sequence works as the OP wanted on Windows PCs - after first setting the shortcut for the Insertion Inside option

Can someone (else) test it on a Mac with a "yes or no" answer as to whether it works there as well.

So that Mac users in the future reading this thread will know if the proposed solution will work for them also.  Plus it will stop me (and others) proposing these sort of workarounds/solutions for Mac users if it does not work the same as it does on Windows.

[h_d]

Hi Carl,

As far as I'm aware there is no way of setting up or using a "double letter" shortcut on any version of macOS.

You can use pretty much any combination of modifiers (eg cmd-shift, cmd-alt, ctrl-alt-cmd), but combined letters don't work.

 

Cheers,

 

 

[carl123]

Hi h_d

It is not a double letter shortcut, as far as I am aware you cant do that on Windows either

If is a single letter shortcut assigned to the Insertion Inside option

Then a 4 pressed key sequence which first invokes the Insertion Inside keyboard shortcut then by virtual of the fact that you still have CTRL + SHIFT held down will then Invoke the New Pixel Layer shortcut when you hit the N key.

This works on Windows, still not sure if it works on a Mac until someone actually tries it

[h_d]

Sorry  @carl123 , I misunderstood.

The default keyboard shortcut for a New Pixel Layer on macOS is Cmd+Shift+N.

However, Cmd+Shift+M is defined by default as displaying the Media Browser, which I suspect is a macOS-only feature.

Without disturbing the default shortcut settings, your suggestion works for me on macOS if I assign the Insertion Inside option to Cmd+Shift+O (letter O).

There is no need to release the Command and Shift keys between typing the two letters.

 

 

 

 

 

[Move Along People]

-

[carl123]

1 hour ago, h_d said:

Sorry  @carl123 , I misunderstood.

The default keyboard shortcut for a New Pixel Layer on macOS is Cmd+Shift+N.

However, Cmd+Shift+M is defined by default as displaying the Media Browser, which I suspect is a macOS-only feature.

Without disturbing the default shortcut settings, your suggestion works for me on macOS if I assign the Insertion Inside option to Cmd+Shift+O (letter O).

There is no need to release the Command and Shift keys between typing the two letters.

 

 

 

 

 

Hi h_d

Thanks for confirming it does actually work on a Mac as well

As I do not have a Mac I did not know that the Cmd+Shift+M is already in use for the Media Browser, but as you have correctly worked out using a different shortcut will do the same thing (as long as it starts with Cmd+Shift)

[R C-R]

2 hours ago, h_d said:

There is no need to release the Command and Shift keys between typing the two letters.

But it is still two keyboard shortcuts being applied one after the other, not one 'combined' or 'double letter' or whatever you want to call it keyboard shortcut. And if you use the Toolbar button to make sure 'insert inside' is not already enabled, the order in which the two non-modifier letter keys are pressed will make a difference because regardless of which keys are used for the shortcut, the 'new pixel layer' shortcut followed by the 'insert inside' one will not make the new pixel layer a child of the currently selected layer (because 'insert inside' is not enabled when the new layer is created).

If this was not true then something would be wrong with the app because 'insert inside' applies to the next item added, not to any already added item.

[JerryYachats]

On previous versions of AF the keyboard shortcut ctrl+[ would move an adjustment layer inside the pixel layer and ctrl} would reverse that process. It UNFORTUNATELY does not work in version 9.1. in earlier versions you could also go to the arrange menu and select "move back" or "forward one" and get the same effect.

It was beautifully simple and worked so well. Why was it changed?

 

Jerry