Adjustment layers refuse to merge

[GHS]

I am trying to produce a professional book, and am finding the program inadequate. How is it possible for an "advanced" graphics program to fail to merge Layers ? This  TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE. Even the wretched Elements allows it. Please, Serif, Give Us the Answer or release an urgent Fix!

I can create and merge edited layers without problem, such as when having erased details from the upper one.

However, when I create a layer (in this case, of a line drawing) and embolden this as a Multiply layer, every possible way of merging or flattening the upper adaptation destroys the upper layer and saves or exports the image unchanged, as things started. So opening Curves unavoidably creates an upper layer that CANNOT BE SAVED. Rasterising either or both the bottom and top layer makes no difference. Adding a blank layer in between before merging fails to work either. This looks like a BUG that renders the program useless. A solution is urgently required please.
(Affinity Photo  1.6.11.)

[Pixel and Poly]

Can you share the photo file with us so we can look it over? or post some images of before and after of the problem area and the layer settings?

[GHS]

Thank you for responding. 

Drawing attached. Upper layer is Multiply at 80% (but 100% behaves the same). Flattening or saving as jpeg destroys the upper layer.

8) Mary Had a Little Lamb*.afphoto

[Pixel and Poly]

What do you mean flattening destroys the upper layer. When you flatten a file all the layers get merged into a single one. When you save as a jpg it will flatten the file as well. Are you expecting different behavior?

[GHS]

That is, the changes (lines in this case made bolder) are discarded as the upper layer is merged down into the lower. Try it please with the AF file I just sent you. Unless this is a quirk with Mac Sierra OS 10.12, but then you would know that already.

Merging in any way, and Exporting as a jpeg, all fail to save the changes, in a similar manner.

[Pixel and Poly]

I'm on Win10 and when I merge or flatten the file the lines stay the same and have the bolder look. Everything works as expected on my end.

[GHS]

Perhaps you can find a Mac to check this please. It is after all an elementary requirement of a graphics program, to be able to save and merge layers, and most illustrators and photographers do use a Mac. In the meanwhile, do I really have to redo everything in PS or elsewhere? I had hoped to ditch Adobe for ever. 
This is a serious fault, and requires an urgent solution please.

Edited April 11, 2019 by GHS

[Old Bruce]

50 minutes ago, GHS said:

However, when I create a layer (in this case, of a line drawing) and embolden this as a Multiply layer, every possible way of merging or flattening the upper adaptation destroys the upper layer and saves or exports the image unchanged, as things started. So opening Curves unavoidably creates an upper layer that CANNOT BE SAVED. Rasterising either or both the bottom and top layer makes no difference. Adding a blank layer in between before merging fails to work either. This looks like a BUG that renders the program useless. A solution is urgently required please.
(Affinity Photo  1.6.11.)

 

10 minutes ago, GHS said:

Perhaps you can find a Mac to check this please.

Not sure what the problem is. I opened your file and performed a merge visible on it and the "embolden" effect was present in the new layer. If I just export without doing anything to the file I am at a loss to see any difference between the two, I can see that turning off the top layer gives a slight change compared to the exported version so in my eyes the export faithfully keeps the effect as you set it up.

I am on Mac.

[GHS]

Thank you for your help. I have wondered whether this can be a corrupted file, but when I copy elements of it into a fresh page the same fault happens. Also when I work in the same way with another drawing: Command J = duplicate. 'Multiply' to darken. Merge ... the top effect is lost. Am I missing something?

[GHS]

It now seems that certain files behave as expected. The other line drawings continue to mystify, and pasting onto a fresh page does not seem to help.

 

[carl123]

@GHS

Make sure you are viewing the document at 100% to compare the effect of the flattening

When you are zoomed out you do not always see a true representation of layer effects, filter, adjustments, merging, etc.  This is just the way the program works currently

Also I'm not sure why you cant use a Curves adjustment to embolden the lines, did you say you had tried that?

 

[Old Bruce]

16 minutes ago, GHS said:

Merge ... the top effect is lost.

This is what confuses me, what do you mean by the top effect?

Are you expecting the new layer made by merging should have the multiply and 85% opacity?

I see a new layer (the third) made with the thickened/heavier/darker lines and it is at normal blending and 100% opacity.

Or do you mean that the two layers you merge become only one and you have lost the layer set to Multiply at 85%? That is a result of Merge Down and I have been using Merge Visible.

[GHS]

Yes, thank you for that suggestion. The magnification of the image to 100% does show variable effects, yet using Curves cannot in some instances be saved (yet not on all files).

1) original; 

2 above it) Duplicate, Multiply at 100% or 85%; and / or

3) optional above that, but impossible to merge downwards: Curves.

Merge Down has the same effect as Merge Visible, of eliminating the effect of what had been the upper layer.

The simple solution, if this affects only certain files, is to go back to Elements and do what is expected in one fell stoke.