Copy a Slice

[michele]

Hello,

I've tried several methods to accomplish this task.

I need to cut a small area (see red square in image) out of a larger document, then copy then create a new image from clipboard so I can recolor.

I have tried the following:

1. Creating a slice - this only allows you to export as a new file

2. Move Tool then Drag around object - won't accept (although AI allows you to click-drag to select all nodes )

3. Double - click - you have to keep trying to shift-click to select every object

4. Double-Click to select then select to the outer edge - doesn't select every item in the group

I'm out of guesses.. Is there an easier way?

 

[toltec]

35 minutes ago, michele said:

Hello,

I've tried several methods to accomplish this task.

I need to cut a small area (see red square in image) out of a larger document, then copy then create a new image from clipboard so I can recolor.

I have tried the following:

1. Creating a slice - this only allows you to export as a new file

2. Move Tool then Drag around object - won't accept (although AI allows you to click-drag to select all nodes )

3. Double - click - you have to keep trying to shift-click to select every object

4. Double-Click to select then select to the outer edge - doesn't select every item in the group

I'm out of guesses.. Is there an easier way?

 

 

If they are vector objects, in Preferences > Tools, tick this option, then drag a marquee around the object.

If it is a big bitmap, in the Pixel Persona, draw a selection marquee around it then press Ctrl + J, that duplicates it onto a new layer.

[michele]

Thanks - unfortunately, no luck.

I guess I'm just stuck exporting the individual slices.

 

[walt.farrell]

I'm not sure why it didn't select that part (and without having the .afdesign file I can't experiment to try to figure it out). However, can't you simply Ctrl+click on that missing piece in the layers panel to add it to the selection?

[Pšenda]

Organize object/layer to Groups. One symbol/icon, one Group. Then they are better oriented in the objects and easier to manipulate them.

[michele]

I looked through one of the selection videos - It didn't show that as a feature.  I'm guessing this is functionality that is available in Adobe Illustrator but not Affinity Designer.

In AI, you can can drag a marquee select over any portion of a vector image and it will auto select all the objects within the marquee - looks like with Designer , you have to manually CTRL+CLICK every object to select.  Thanks for the help.

 

[walt.farrell]

10 minutes ago, michele said:

In AI, you can can drag a marquee select over any portion of a vector image and it will auto select all the objects within the marquee - looks like with Designer , you have to manually CTRL+CLICK every object to select

There's a Preference setting for that in Designer, probably in the Tools section (I can't check right now).

[v_kyr]

[michele]

Thanks - that's how it's been working for me - It never captures multiple objects in the marquee - only one.

I did figure out the trick seems to be to double click to select one item in the group and then hit control to to get the crosshairs to show and sometimes after that that you can catch everything in the group.

[v_kyr]

27 minutes ago, michele said:

Thanks - that's how it's been working for me - It never captures multiple objects in the marquee - only one.

Usually when setting in the tools preferences "[ x] Select object when intersects with selection marquee", as shown by toltec above, it should react better to selecting multiple objects here.

[Bigassdroids]

Away from my workstation for a couple of days, but am bookmarking this thread, as I am having a similar problem with vectors I bought, that were saved in the Adobe AI file format. The individual images are clustered (for lack of a better/correct term) on one page, but seem to be grouped or nested (?) with dozens upon dozens of other images on the page, that use the same elements, and will not copy/paste or duplicate into a separate image. (confession: I haven't contacted the image creator for a solution yet)

[v_kyr]

Quote

All VectorKits are supplied in layered .Ai ( illustrator ) & PDF formats.

You can try to open/import the PDF and see if it is maybe different structured there or easier to access certain elements. - Other than that, you can try to select portions of an element from the layers panel and then group/copy them over to isolate certain objects into a new AD related document.

[Bigassdroids]

1 hour ago, v_kyr said:

You can try to open/import the PDF and see if it is maybe different structured there or easier to access certain elements. - Other than that, you can try to select portions of an element from the layers panel and then group/copy them over to isolate certain objects into a new AD related document.

Thanks for the reply. I did have greater success selecting and copying an 'isolated' image from the PDF (opened it in Affinity Photo IIRC), but it was not a vector, which is what I need. The layout in the vector files is really weird, as none of the images within the smaller panels appear to be 'locked', or available as a separate image or even as a panel group. When I zoom in, none of the lines connect, though they appear solid when not zoomed, and there are little boxes at the end of each line, which if selected, move the line.

I've never used AI, and am just beginning to get my head around AD, which I really love so far for what I am doing {GUI/panel design for virtual and eurorack-modular hardware instruments/effects}. I've just been lazy (and kind-of embarrassed, tbh) about contacting the vector maker, and asking what do I need to do, which is my obvious solution.

[v_kyr]

48 minutes ago, Bigassdroids said:

I've just been lazy (and kind-of embarrassed, tbh) about contacting the vector maker, and asking what do I need to do, which is my obvious solution.

He probably will say download Ai (Illustrator) and export then to an suitable exchange format or the like. - I know from other such shared AI vector files that you always have to spend some work in AD for reordering, tweaking and grouping layers (vector curves/elements) together etc., until you have whole isolated vector objects which you can reuse then. In other words, this always needs some work and time, especially for a bunch of vector objects like those in such kits.