Affinity Designer export PNG trimming non-visible masked content.

[davidbjames]

Is it possible in Affinity Designer to export a selection (File > Export > PNG > Area: Selection without background) where there is masked content, with the resulting file being trimmed to only include the visible content.

For example, I am creating a logo that has a background that extends well beyond the edges of the logo, where the logo shape reveals (via mask) the background I want visible. In fact, if I select the item in Designer the blue bounding box shows the rectangle of the visible content only. This is what I want to export. However, instead the export includes the entire area that the background occupies, so I then have to reopen the file in Preview to trim it down, which is obviously not very efficient.

(btw, if I choose "Selection with Background" it then exports the entire file which I don't want. I just want the selection)

Thank you,

David

[Callum]

Hi Davidbjames,

I'm not sure if I understand your issue completely if possible could you provide the file in question a long with a screen recording demonstrating the issue? This will allow me to look into this further.

Thanks

C

[davidbjames]

Here is a screenshot of the Export dialog, with the setting I want "Selection without background": https://cl.ly/50508bbd8932

I have attached a test document and exported document showing the problem. As you will note when opening the Designer document, the background of "FOO" are large rectangles that extend beyond the "FOO" mask. If you select the main layer you will note that the selection does not include the background, but only the masked area. However, if you export this (the Test Foo.png file) you will see that the resulting PNG includes the entire area, so requires trimming later.

(I think all this was clear in my post, but now you have some examples to work with.)

Test Foo.afdesign

[dutchshader]

you can create the same without the use of masks.

example attached.

Test Foo2.afdesign

 

[davidbjames]

That's pretty cool @dutchshader How did you do that? Also is it possible to select the shape afterword to resize?

[dutchshader]

For the foo text i used a boolaen add. The rectangles i pasted inside foo ctrl>alt>V

and yes you can resize afterwards.

[davidbjames]

Thank you. I love boolean operations!

In any case, this is not a solution to my problem because I need to use masks (e.g. the background is much more complex than the rectangles I made in the example).

[dutchshader]

on text you don't even need the boolean operations.

[davidbjames]

Thanks so much @dutchshader for the excellent video demonstration! (learned this today!)

However getting back to my original question, should I report this as a bug?

1. Create a background on a layer that extends across the screen

2. Create an object or text on the same layer (the size should be smaller than the background to see the problem)

3. Make the object into a mask for the layer so only the background shows for that area

4. Select the layer

5. (note that blue bounding box shows only the area of the mask, not the entire background)

6. Export > PNG > Area > Selection without background... Save.

Expected result: PNG size to include only the selection/masked area.

Actual result: PNG size includes the entire area of the background.

[davidbjames]

Affinity staff, I would be grateful if you could take my last post as a bug report. This is still occurring for me. Thank you.

[niksac]

Having the same issue here

[davidbjames]

This is an old issue, but I was able to isolate the problem further.

If you make the selection by clicking on the layer palette, presuming this would just be a regular selection of that layer/sublayers, then the problem is reproduced. The exported image is sized with excess background around the intended selection.

However, if you "drag select" the same area, then there is no problem. The exported image is sized correctly.

[Darner]

Having the same problem. 

- Paint within a mask
- Export PNG without background
- Content outside masked area is also visible in the transparent PNG.

Hope you can fix. Thank you!!

[JamesH]

Same issue here. I have a logo that has elements masked and it adds invisible pixels outside of the edge of the logo export which are not desired. Why isn't there an export selection that is visible option? Slices are also not ideal as they are fixed in a grid when scaling and I can't get it to properly position around my graphics. Very annoying. 

[Old Bruce]

16 hours ago, JamesH said:

Slices are also not ideal as they are fixed in a grid when scaling and I can't get it to properly position around my graphics. Very annoying. 

You should try using the Layer to Slice feature of the Export Persona. 

[JamesH]

On 7/1/2022 at 10:49 AM, Old Bruce said:

You should try using the Layer to Slice feature of the Export Persona. 

It doesn't seem to work for me. See the square borders are showing elements beyond the visible edge. 

[JamesH]

I figured it out. Its very finicky. If the node is just pasted the halfway point of the border edge, it adds pixels. I just had to move this node to the left. Solved.