Isolation / group edit mode (similar to Illustrator)

[matt.baker]

I would like a mode where you can open a group or other container and edit these in isolation where all mouse and keyboard events stay within the group. For example Ctrl + A selects everything in the isolated container and not the other parts of the document, clicking and dragging (for selecting multiple objects) outside of the container doesn't cancel the container edit mode etc.

When in this mode the other objects in the artboard/document should become more translucent/faded to indicate they are not being edited.

The following video shows entering the isolation mode by double clicking in Illustrator and this is what I would like:

https://helpx.adobe.com/uk/illustrator/using/selecting-objects.html

https://www.webucator.com/how-to/how-use-isolation-mode-adobe-illustrator.cfm

[MEB]

Hi matt.baker,
This is not the same nor as complete as Illustrator isolation mode - I just don't know if you are aware of it - but if you press and hold ⌥ (option/alt) and click a layer/object in the Layers panel Affinity will isolate it for editing (if the layer is already highlighted/selected in the Layers panel ⌥ (option/alt)-click the thumbnail instead) until you click on somewhere else.

[matt.baker]

Thanks MEB. I had forgotten that.

As you say, not the same or as powerful as Illustraor's isolation mode, but somewhat useful nevertheless.

[MickRose]

If you Ctrl- click a thumbnail in the Layers panel you get a marching ants line round the object. Anyone know what this is for?

[MEB]

It's for generate a pixel selection from the contents of the layer.

[DieterW]

Alt-clicking an object/layer is not useful at all, as far as I can tell. Unless I did something wrong. It seems to be for viewing only. As soon as you click anywhere, everything is shown again. So it is not possible to isolate a group and edit it without showing/interference of other objects. Wouldn't it be useful to isolate objects like Alt-click does now, but staying in this mode unless you press ESC or something similar.

Right now editing groups is cumbersame. As soon as you deselect an object you are out of the group, and have to double-click to select an object within the group again. Having multiple nested groups is quickly becoming annoying. With such an isolation mode I would always stay within the group and could directly select the objects by just clicking them. That would be some relief....!

[Intuos5]

Also, isolating objects would be much easier with a dedicated isolate selection command that can be hotkeyed.

[Ideagonal]

On 7/7/2021 at 6:27 PM, DieterW said:

Alt-clicking an object/layer is not useful at all, as far as I can tell. Unless I did something wrong. It seems to be for viewing only. As soon as you click anywhere, everything is shown again. So it is not possible to isolate a group and edit it without showing/interference of other objects. Wouldn't it be useful to isolate objects like Alt-click does now, but staying in this mode unless you press ESC or something similar.

Right now editing groups is cumbersame. As soon as you deselect an object you are out of the group, and have to double-click to select an object within the group again. Having multiple nested groups is quickly becoming annoying. With such an isolation mode I would always stay within the group and could directly select the objects by just clicking them. That would be some relief....!

I completely agree with you, this "little" annoyances keep me for fully embracing affinity designer.

[chessboard]

You can use symbols to simulate some kind of isolation mode. I know it's a workaround and not really a replacement for a real isolation mode, but it works quite well. At least provided that the necessary work on the isolated elements justifies the extra steps.

To do this, you can turn the group you want to isolate into a symbol and place a second copy of that symbol in a suitable location (e.g. a second artboard).
Make your adjustments to this copy and the corresponding group in your artboard will be changed accordingly. You can then detach the group in your artboard from the symbol again and delete the copy and the symbol itself (in the Symbol Palette).
I know these are extra steps, but it can be worth it.

[Intuos5]

Part of the issue now is that you have to double click to edit a group, but if you then double click a symbol to edit the group, you can accidentally edit the symbol itself. Similarly, if you double click an object, often times, the Node tool is activated, whereas I wanted to work with the Move tool. As a result, editing groups becomes increasingly tedious, not only because the isolation mode is easily exited, see:

It is also because entering the group to edit it with double clicking makes you change tools. Some may say, you'll have to find the group in the Layers Studio, but that's not really an option in projects with dozens of groups nested in dozens of layers...

[Old Bruce]

1 hour ago, Intuos5 said:

Part of the issue now is that you have to double click to edit a group,

Here on Mac I can Command + Click on an object in a group and that is selected. Or I can double click it. Command click will select the object even if it is in a group within a group.