locked pixel layers can be selected and deleted

[AndyQ]

I'm presuming this is a bug in AD.  I've added a JPEG image as a pixel layer.  If I lock the layer I can't select it with a marquee selection, but can select it by clicking on it. I can then hit "delete" and delete the pixel layer,  even though it's indicated as locked in the layers palette. Locked, but not locked.  This doesn't occur with vector ("Curve") layers, although I note that you can select a locked layer in the palette and delete it, although presumably that's a UI decision.

[Sean P]

Hi AndyQ

This isn't a bug - the lock functionality is 'Lock Selection' and is intended to stop you accidentally selecting or moving objects whilst working on the canvas. I'm not sure why you get different behaviour with Pixel and Vector Layers. For me I can delete both locked layers (using the Layers Panel button and also the Delete key) after selecting them in the Layers Panel. Would you be able to do a screen recording that shows the difference in behaviour with Vector and Pixel objects please?

 

[AndyQ]

On 8/23/2019 at 8:37 PM, Sean P said:

Hi AndyQ

This isn't a bug - the lock functionality is 'Lock Selection' and is intended to stop you accidentally selecting or moving objects whilst working on the canvas. I'm not sure why you get different behaviour with Pixel and Vector Layers. For me I can delete both locked layers (using the Layers Panel button and also the Delete key) after selecting them in the Layers Panel. Would you be able to do a screen recording that shows the difference in behaviour with Vector and Pixel objects please?

Both vector and pixel layers can be selected and deleted from the layers panel. What I was saying was that a locked vector layer cannot be selected on the page, but a pixel layer can be. I discovered this because I had a locked pixel layer (a scanned image) as a background and was tracing over it. I kept accidentally selecting and deleting the pixel layer when I was performing marquee selections to delete vector objects. It seems an undesirable behaviour, and also an inconsistency which seems to indicate it wasn't an intentional design. Cheers!.

[Sean P]

On 8/25/2019 at 12:44 AM, AndyQ said:

Both vector and pixel layers can be selected and deleted from the layers panel. What I was saying was that a locked vector layer cannot be selected on the page, but a pixel layer can be. I discovered this because I had a locked pixel layer (a scanned image) as a background and was tracing over it. I kept accidentally selecting and deleting the pixel layer when I was performing marquee selections to delete vector objects. It seems an undesirable behaviour, and also an inconsistency which seems to indicate it wasn't an intentional design. Cheers!.

Could you share a document or screen recording with this locked layer in please? I've tried a basic document with a Pixel Layer, an Image Layer and a Shape all locked and none of them are selectable.

[MEB]

Hi AndyQ,
This is a known issue (already logged) that only happens when the pixel layer is located on the bottom of the layers stack. If you place any other object below it (or move it up in the layer stack) it will not happen.

[MEB]

Hi AndyQ,
An update on this issue: this is indeed the intended behaviour. If you open an image file, the usual document structure is a locked pixel layer at the bottom of the layer's stack and in order to manipulate it (move/transform) you need to select it. Most users don't remember to unlock it first in the layers panel so we exceptionally allowed it to be clickable/selection-able directly from the canvas (notice the crosses at the bounding box's handles to hint at the locked status instead of displaying another warning/message) which also allows it to be deleted by extension.

In your case, placing an empty pixel layer below the pixel layer you are using as reference will prevent it from being selected/deleted or alternatively use File > Place to insert  the reference image into an existing document as an Image layer type which can be locked and placed at the bottom of the layers stack but cannot be directly selected from the canvas and by extension cannot be deleted as well.

[AndyQ]

16 hours ago, MEB said:

An update on this issue: this is indeed the intended behaviour. 

Thanks muchly - it certainly works when I put a layer underneath the pixel layer. It seems a strange "intended behaviour" though - one would not think a layer with a "lock" icon would be selectable so it just looks like a bug. Perhaps as an alternative you should set an opened image to be "unlocked" then it would be obvious what's happening. Cheers!

[AndyQ]

18 hours ago, Sean P said:

Could you share a document or screen recording with this locked layer in please? I've tried a basic document with a Pixel Layer, an Image Layer and a Shape all locked and none of them are selectable.

Thanks Sean - I got an answer on this from MEB - it happens if a raster image is opened as a document and is the base layer (see MEB posts above) - cheers!